Tips about Kids, Magic Kingdom, Planning, Rain and Souvenirs

We found ourselves at Magic Kingdom in Tomorrowland when the skies opened up. We decided to have a ride on Buzz Lightyear, only to find it raining more than before... what a great excuse to take just a few damp steps into Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies for some ice cream. From Auntie Gravity's it's just a short sprint under the superstructure of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority to the escalator that will take you up to this attraction. This is undoubtedly the best place to spend some rainy weather time while in the Magic Kingdom -- just drifting along on this pleasant ride we all love, safe from the raindrops outside. And if it's still raining after you get off (and we've often stayed on for more than one trip around Tomorrowland), it's another easy sprint to the Carousel of Progress. Still raining? Keep to the covered edge along the now-closed Timekeeper, and past the Noodle Station... and then you have the whole of Main Street to shop and eat along, dodging the raindrops by going from shop to shop. We love the sunshine, but it's great to be at the Magic Kingdom when it's raining!! - Diane

Many attractions ask that guests please remove their wet raincoats and ponchos before loading on the attraction vehicle. This is courtesy for other guests not to leave the seats wet. You might want to bring a bag or something to put the poncho in.

If you have a rainy day during your Disney stay make sure you have everyone wear shoes that will dry easily. If you are caught in a bad rain you can find clogs and some sneakers at various shops in the parks. Just be aware your size might not be available. (Kay)

My Rainy Day Tip involves my favorite ride in all the World -- the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom! During those mid-afternoon showers in Orlando, we always duck into the Columbia Harbour House for lunch or a snack, and then to the Mansion! The rain adds to the eeriness, and the waiting area walkway is covered. It is oh-so-much-cooler to enter the Mansion if there is lightning and thunder outside, and the quick downpours in Orlando are usually over by the time you emerge from the ride. Welcome, rain-soaked mortals! - Jennifer Turner

It was right before the start of the Animal Kingdom's Mickey's Jammin' in the Jungle Parade. The Cast Members had finally made the decision to go ahead with the parade despite threatening gray clouds. About five minutes into the parade it just started to pour. Not light rain, buckets of rain! The dutiful parade Cast Members continued on singing and dancing all the way through the rain and they were soaked. We immediately pulled out our yellow rain ponchos and kept jammin'. We were the only people standing on the sidelines in Harambe watching the parade. We cheered on the Cast Members as they paraded by, thanking them for continuing the parade in such a downpour. My tip is: make sure you have your rain ponchos at all times (buy the heavier-duty ones at Target) and wear waterproof sandals. Then you won't miss any of the action and perhaps make a few wonderful "singin' in the rain" memories! - Christina Kravatas

Although it was virtually pouring out, we decided to venture into Animal Kingdom anyway. We were prepared with Mickey ponchos of course, and my husband in a wheelchair to boot! Even with rain gear we were wet but we've never seen so many animals ... they all LOVE the rain! We had the Kilimanjaro Safari ride to ourselves -- who knew there were so many elephants! Even the lion was sitting up and not sleeping as usual. And we did Kali River Rapids about four times in a row -- why not, we were wet anyway! Best rainy day we've ever had in Disney. - Spin & Jan Spalding

My husband and two daughters (ages 6 and almost 3) were at Animal Kingdom when it began to rain. We put on our inexpensive ponchos from home and headed for Kilimanjaro Safari. Boy, were we in for a treat! The animals act differently during thunderstorms, and it was quite a sight to see herds of animals standing together, all facing the same direction, not moving. When our safari vehicle was by the area with the lions, we had to stop for another animal that was in the roadway. At that moment, there was a simultaneous thunderclap/lightning-strike that sounded like it hit right by us! It woke up the male lion, who was not too happy. He started pacing and roaring -- it was quite a sight! I would not hesitate to ride this ride in the rain and in sunny weather, just to see how different the animals behave in different weather conditions. - EschBecky

At Animal Kingdom, some of the animals become more active when it showers. This is a great time to put on those ponchos and just observe the animals in The Oasis. There is so much overhead foliage that you don't get the drenching rains like you would out in the open. Rafiki's Planet Watch is a nice place to visit during the rainy season. Stop and talk with the Cast Members. They have lots of great stories about the animals and the operation of the Animal Kingdom. There's also a huge mural painted on the walls of the building and there are lots of hidden Mickeys. See who can find the most. - JMcBride

Catch the various safaris and trails in Animal Kingdom... the rain will drive many people away, but the animals don't seem to mind and you can get some great views (watch those cameras in the rain, though!). And of course, whilst in Animal Kingdom, Kali River Rapids in the rain is a must... However, my favorite thing to do in inclement weather would be to curl up in one of the many cozy fireplace nooks in the Wilderness Lodge with my wife and a good book... - Gareth from Scotland

EDITOR'S NOTE: When lightning is in the area Disney will close down ALL outside attractions and shows as well as food carts until the threat of lightening passes.

ALL PARKS - If you have kids, bring a change of clothing for them to the parks! I know this must seem like something everyone knows, but we didn't! During our first trip ever to WDW last December my then 4-year-old daughter found the water sprinklers at Pooh's Playful Spot in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. She went in to play and the next thing I knew she was soaked from the water! It was tough, too, because it was a tad chilly and we didn't bring a change of clothing for her. Finding young kids' clothes at Disney is not easy! I did manage to get a pair of Mickey sweatpants, a T-shirt and a pair of socks for my daughter at one of the shops in Fantasyland. So my tip is to bring a change of clothes even for the 4-5 year olds! - Jennifer K.

ALL PARKS - If you have kids, bring a change of clothing for them to the parks! I know this must seem like something everyone knows, but we didn't! During our first trip ever to WDW last December my then 4-year-old daughter found the water sprinklers at Pooh's Playful Spot in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. She went in to play and the next thing I knew she was soaked from the water! It was tough, too, because it was a tad chilly and we didn't bring a change of clothing for her. Finding young kids' clothes at Disney is not easy! I did manage to get a pair of Mickey sweatpants, a T-shirt and a pair of socks for my daughter at one of the shops in Fantasyland. So my tip is to bring a change of clothes even for the 4-5 year olds! - Jennifer K.

ALL PARKS - If you have kids, bring a change of clothing for them to the parks! I know this must seem like something everyone knows, but we didn't! During our first trip ever to WDW last December my then 4-year-old daughter found the water sprinklers at Pooh's Playful Spot in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. She went in to play and the next thing I knew she was soaked from the water! It was tough, too, because it was a tad chilly and we didn't bring a change of clothing for her. Finding young kids' clothes at Disney is not easy! I did manage to get a pair of Mickey sweatpants, a T-shirt and a pair of socks for my daughter at one of the shops in Fantasyland. So my tip is to bring a change of clothes even for the 4-5 year olds! - Jennifer K.

I am adding to a tip in the October 17 newsletter regarding shipping of merchandise from your resort. We just returned from a weeklong stay at the Wilderness Lodge and had a large box (weighing 29 pounds) shipped home on the morning of our departure from the WL. When we first inquired about shipping rates, we also were rather stunned to find out the outrageous cost. The gift shop (going strictly by dollar amount of items shipped) would have cost us $76. We were instructed (for comparison) to see what the cost would be to ship through the front desk instead. Going through the front desk was much cheaper -- $23 UPS -- and our merchandise arrived at our home about three days after we did. We chose UPS, but they also ship FedEx and DHL. - Debbie

ALL PARKS - The last time we went to Disney World, we took along the cards from Trivial Pursuit Junior. My wife kept some in a zipper-type bag in her purse and when we had a long wait in line or were waiting for the buses to take us back to the hotel, she would get them out and we would have an informal trivia game. Many times we would involve other kids in line or on the bus and it was a great way to pass the time. Of course, Disney trivia cards would be a natural alternative. - Dave Ference

By the sixth day of our WDW vacation, our 6-year-old daughter had lost her stamina, and was walking very slowly and lagging behind the rest of the family. We were at Epcot that day and had stopped by Guest Relations when we first arrived to make a dining reservation. They had given our daughter a long, thin balloon (the kind that are normally twisted into shapes, though this one was not). The balloon temporarily lifted her spirits, but soon afterwards she was back to walking slow and falling behind. My husband came up with the idea that the balloon holder was the "line leader." This turned out to be a great idea! My daughter loved playing the role of "leader," marching ahead and holding her balloon high in the air for us to follow. This simple game kept its appeal for most of the morning, upon which time her energy had returned and she was back to her usual, energetic self for the rest of the day! - Mindi S.