What to Do When It Rains at Disney World: Gear, Closures & Lightning Lane Tips
Looking at my weather app before my most recent September trip was a bit depressing. Rain and thunderstorms were part of the forecast for every single day of our trip. Truth be told, if you’re visiting Disney World during the summer or fall, rain isn’t really an “if,” it’s a “when.” Florida afternoon storms are practically part of the schedule during these months, and knowing what to do when it rains at Disney World can genuinely make or break how much you enjoy those days.
The good news is that rain doesn’t have to derail your trip. Here’s exactly what happens when it rains, which attractions actually close (and why it’s usually about lightning, not the rain itself), what to pack, and how to make the most of a wet afternoon in the parks.
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Planning a Walt Disney World vacation? Be sure to check out my guide to Walt Disney World in 2027!
Does Disney World Close When It Rains?
No, and this is the single most important thing to understand before we go any further: the parks themselves stay open in the rain. What actually closes is a specific list of outdoor attractions, and usually that’s because of lightning in the area, not the rain itself. Disney monitors storms constantly, and once lightning clears the area, those attractions typically reopen fairly quickly. Disney’s planDisney panel confirms as much, noting that for the most part, not much changes about your day when it rains.
The only real exception is severe weather like a hurricane or tropical storm, and those come with advance notice, not a surprise afternoon closure. So if the forecast shows scattered storms during your trip, that’s genuinely not a reason to panic. It’s just a normal Disney World day that needs a little extra planning.
What to Wear and Bring: Ponchos, Shoe Covers, and Umbrellas
What you pack matters more than most people expect, mostly because Florida rain can go from a light sprinkle to a genuine downpour in minutes.
Ponchos are your best all-around option, especially in crowded areas. They’re easy to throw on over a backpack, don’t take up much space once packed away, and they hold up fine in a real downpour. I always keep a few disposable ponchos in my park bag no matter what the forecast says.
Umbrellas work fine for light rain when there’s no lightning in the area, but they get impractical fast in crowded queues or during heavier storms. And once lightning rolls in, you really want to be indoors, not standing out in the open holding an umbrella. I’d treat an umbrella as a nice-to-have for walking between locations, not your main plan for an actual storm.
Shoe covers are one of those small things that make a bigger difference than you’d think. Waterproof shoe covers (or just wearing quick-dry sandals or shoes you don’t mind getting wet) can save you from squishing around in soaked sneakers for the rest of the day. If your shoes do get soaked, packing an extra pair of socks to change into is a small trick that goes a long way toward staying comfortable.
Which Attractions Close for Rain and Lightning
This is where a lot of the confusion comes in, so let’s break it down park by park. Keep in mind this list can shift depending on the storm and current park conditions, so always check the My Disney Experience app for real-time status once you’re there.
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom has the most outdoor attractions of the four parks, so it tends to see the most weather-related closures.
- Astro Orbiter
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Jungle Cruise
- Mad Tea Party
- Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- The Barnstormer
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- Tomorrowland Speedway
Outdoor entertainment, including the Festival of Fantasy Parade, the Disney Starlight nighttime parade, Happily Ever After fireworks, and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire, is also affected by lightning and severe weather.
EPCOT
EPCOT holds up the best of any park in the rain, since so much of it is either indoors or under cover.
- Test Track
- Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana
Outdoor live entertainment and character meet and greets around World Showcase may also pause during lightning, but the pavilions themselves, along with most of EPCOT’s headliner attractions, stay open.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is genuinely one of your best bets on a rainy day, since most of its biggest attractions are indoors.
- Alien Swirling Saucers
- Slinky Dog Dash
A few shows also pause for weather, including Fantasmic!, Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, and Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage, since all three are performed in open-air or partially open theaters.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom leans heavily on outdoor trails and animal habitats, so it sees a fair number of weather-related pauses too.
- Expedition Everest
- Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
- Kali River Rapids
- Maharajah Jungle Trek
- Wildlife Express Train
Kilimanjaro Safaris typically closes for lightning specifically, but not necessarily for rain alone, so don’t rule it out on a day with just steady rain and no lightning in the area.
What Happens to Your Lightning Lane If a Ride Closes?
This is one of the questions I get asked most, and the short answer is: it depends on which type of Lightning Lane you’re holding, since Multi Pass and Single Pass are handled differently.
If you’re holding a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for an attraction that closes during your return window due to weather, the My Disney Experience app automatically converts that pass into what’s called a “Multiple Experience” pass, no trip to Guest Relations required. Once the attraction reopens, you can go back and use it there, or apply it to a different eligible attraction instead if you don’t want to wait around. (If you’d already scanned in when the ride went down, just ask a Cast Member at the attraction or Guest Relations and they’ll get you taken care of.)
A Lightning Lane Single Pass works a little differently, and it doesn’t convert the way Multi Pass does. If the ride you paid for closes during your window, you’ll get what Disney calls an “experience redemption,” which lets you ride that same attraction once it reopens later that day. No trip to Guest Relations needed. And if the ride never comes back online before the park closes, you should get refunded automatically. Guest Relations really only comes into play if that refund doesn’t happen on its own, or if your situation is a little different and this plan doesn’t work for you.
The Best Things to Do During Rain at Disney World
A rainy stretch is actually a great opportunity to knock out indoor attractions and experiences you might otherwise save for later, since crowds tend to thin out the moment the sky opens up.
Magic Kingdom
Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, it’s a small world, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Space Mountain, The Enchanted Tiki Room, and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor are all fully or mostly indoors and make for a great rainy-day lineup.
EPCOT
Spaceship Earth, Soarin’, Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Mission: SPACE, and The Seas with Nemo & Friends are all indoors, along with most of the individual pavilion exhibits around World Showcase.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Toy Story Mania!, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Star Tours are all indoor rides, which is a big part of why this park holds up so well in bad weather.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Na’vi River Journey and Avatar Flight of Passage are both indoors, and Festival of the Lion King is performed in a covered, air-conditioned theater, all solid choices when the weather turns.
Beyond the rides themselves, a rainy stretch is also the perfect excuse to duck into a table-service restaurant you’ve been wanting to try, browse the shops along Main Street or World Showcase, or head back to your resort for a break if the rain settles in for a while. None of that time has to feel wasted.
My Final Take
Rain at Disney World is genuinely one of those things that sounds worse on paper than it feels in the moment. Yes, some rides close, and yes, you’ll want a poncho on hand. But the parks stay open, most of your favorite attractions keep running, and the crowds that do clear out during a storm often mean shorter waits for whatever’s still operating.
My honest advice: pack a poncho no matter what the forecast says, know which indoor attractions are your backup plan at whichever park you’re visiting that day, and don’t let a passing storm talk you into leaving early. More often than not, it clears up faster than you’d expect, and you’ll have the park a little more to yourself in the meantime.
More Disney World Planning Guides
Ready to keep planning? Here are some more guides to help you along the way!
- Best and Worst Times to Visit Disney World in 2027
- Disney World Add-Ons: What’s Worth It and What to Skip
- Early Entry at Disney World: The Strategies That Actually Work
- Step-by-Step Guide to Planning a Disney World Vacation
