Orlando averages 54 inches of rain a year — most of it during a 30–90 minute afternoon thunderstorm from May to October. Here’s how to keep your Disney trip great when the rain rolls in.
The 3 Rainy Day Tiers
Light shower (15 min, breezy)
Keep going. Duck under a shop or restaurant awning. Most Disney rides keep running.
Thunderstorm (30–60 min, lightning)
Lightning stops outdoor rides: Slinky Dog, Big Thunder, Expedition Everest, Seven Dwarfs. Head for indoor rides.
All-day washout
Go home. Pool is out, but the game room and indoor activities save the day.
Indoor Rides That Stay Open in Thunderstorms
Magic Kingdom
- Haunted Mansion
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- it’s a Small World
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Carousel of Progress
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Hall of Presidents
- Enchanted Tiki Room
EPCOT
- Spaceship Earth
- Soarin’
- Living with the Land
- The Seas with Nemo
- Frozen Ever After
- Impressions de France / Reflections of China
- Festival tastings (mostly covered)
Hollywood Studios
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Tower of Terror
- Rise of the Resistance
- Muppet*Vision 3D
- Star Tours
- Frozen Sing-Along
- For the First Time in Forever
Animal Kingdom
- Dinosaur
- Festival of the Lion King (indoor theater)
- Finding Nemo: The Musical
- It’s Tough to Be a Bug
Disney Springs Rainy Day
- Shopping is completely covered
- The Void (VR), Splitsville Bowling, Raglan Road
- AMC Disney Springs 24
- Drawn to Life (Cirque du Soleil)
Home Base Activities at 450 Burma
Game room marathon
- Pac-Man arcade (1,300+ games — kids can play for 4+ hours)
- Air hockey tournaments
- Foosball
- Ping pong
- PS5, Xbox, Switch
Movie night
- 83-inch OLED TV
- Disney+ streaming
- Make popcorn, dim lights, classic Disney movies
Kitchen activities
- Make Mickey pancakes from scratch
- Cookie decorating
- Afternoon board games
Hot tub
- Covered pergola = hot tub usable even in light rain
- Kids love rain + hot water combo
Rainy Day Packing Essentials
- Rain ponchos (waterproof, cheap, better than umbrellas in wind)
- Sandals you don’t mind getting wet
- Quick-dry shorts and shirts
- Plastic bag for your phone in extreme storms
- Umbrella strollers (easier to move through puddles)
- Extra socks (changing wet socks at lunch is a game-changer)
When to Call It
If it’s been raining 90+ minutes and lightning is hitting within 5 miles, just leave. Go home, take a hot shower, do the pool-heat-override thing, and plan tomorrow. A ruined park day > a miserable park day.
