There’s nothing like a fall down Splash Mountain to cool you off on a hot day in the parks. And while those hot days far outweigh the cooler days, it’s good to know how to wrangle water rides on those days where getting soaked isn’t exactly in the books.
What about those days where you are awaiting dining reservations, carrying pricey camera equipment, or braving the chilly parks. I’ve been there friends and I can tell you with experience that skipping the ride isn’t fun. But, what can be done? I’m so glad you asked! Today I’m sharing my top tips for staying dry on wet rides!
Whether you are braving Splash Mountain or swishing through the Kali River Rapids, there are some tricks to stay dry and avoid the SOAK (or at least having a plan to get dry after). Well, what are we waiting for the water is nice…lets jump in!
Secure your belongings
You can usually find me snapping photos at Disney. As a Disney blogger, every trip I load up my photo stock pile, gathering needed pictures, coming up with inspiration, and of course capturing the memories! That said, I am never without camera(s), lenses, and of course all my other photography equipment. I saved up a looooonnnggg time for my D-SLR and I’m not ready to sacrifice it to the rapids! That’s why I always make sure to secure my belongings. I have found that a gallon size zip top bag is wonderful waterproofing strategy! I usually have a few spares in my park bag. I seal up all my small electronics in one bag together (like my point and shoot camera, flip cam, cell phone, fan, etc.). Then I put my larger camera and lenses in individual bags. Then I stash my items away in my park bag and brave the splashing, gushing, soaking good fun!
Opt for cover
Who said you have to get wet on water rides? Coming prepared can help you avoid a wet situation! So, what do I mean? I’m talking about packing a poncho! Many of us pack a poncho for the inevitable Florida afternoon rain storm, but only a special class of park goers don ponchos when heading down the hills of Splash Mountain. I will say that there is a technique for tucking and securing those ponchos into place to make them waterproof… apparently there is….because when I attempted to stay dry with the poncho technique, I came out even wetter. Cover up and keep dry (well…maybe) you’ll be glad you brought that poncho!
Always prepare
This is probably the most important letter/point of the acronym. The value of purposefully planning ahead can save you. Here are some thoughts for your planning consideration:
- What are you wearing (word to the wise: AVOID wearing clingy clothes and white)
- What are you planning to do next (sitting in a restaurant is not as much fun when you are soaked)
- What will you look like wet? (remember those clingy/white clothes, streaky mascara, and frizzy hair)
Thinking through these bullet points can save you from a soaked situation! Some of the best planners I know:
- Plan out their water rides with reservations, etc. These super smart guests ride after those important considerations!
- Bring a brush/comb
- Bring a dry stash of clothes or a towel. Some people (aka, ME) have been known to dry off (as if that was even possible) with the hand dryers and paper towels/tissues in the girls room. That was awkward. Think ahead and stash a set of clothes in one of those trusty waterproof zip top bags!
Keep you feet dry
One of the best tips I ever got from a reader, was how to keep your feet dry, well at least on Kali River Rapids. Keeping your feet up on the bar is a GENIUS idea. An idea that has saved me time and time again! FYI, shoes must be worn on these rides and I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand wet shoes/socks! If you are wearing flip flops/sandals/or Crocs (I’m indifferent on the whole Croc debate, btw) then you won’t have much of a concern here! Three cheers for quick drying shoes!
I hope these tips will help you avoid getting SOAKed as you head to Disney World’s favorite water rides! What kinds of smart “pin worthy” ideas do you have to stay dry (drier)? Share your tips below!
But the real share time today is going to be all about your soaked stories. I’ll start us off, about two years ago we decided to brave the Kali River Rapids as a family. My sweet Mama must have drawn the short straw because she was the target of every splash, geyser, waterfall, rogue water squirt, massive mist, and water cannon. She let out the FUNNIEST scream when water went straight down her back and into her seat. I will never forget that day! She was soaked and we were dry-like seriously dry- not even a drop of water! We laughed so hard that day. In fact, when I am feeling down, I think about her hair pasted to the sides of her face, her glasses all askew, her clothes dripping for days and then I laugh! Hard! So, share your soggy stories below! Let’s all laugh!
As always, thank you for reading!
For more tips and ideas, check out my blog: Disney: Done Right!
See ya real soon!
Ashley
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Very funny story: On my very first & only visit to Disneyland my son and I road the grizzly bear water ride, which is almost exactly like kali river. We were on the ride with 4 very nice grandmothers from Pensylv. that had just spent the month island hoping Hawaii and made a day stop to visit Disneyland. Well all 4 lovely ladies managed to get SOAKED and they all had ponchos on. The funny part is that each time the ride calmed we would tell them the ride was over, they would sigh in relief, only to get soaked even more. My son and I were dry as a bone. After the ride they gave me their travel agents number who then gave me a fantastic Hawaii vacation deal. Thanks to those lovely ladies my family and I spent the entire month of May 2012 on the main 4 Hawaiian islands. Our next trip is 4 nights disney world, then a cruise on the Disney Fantasy this August.
Great article! I do tell people to plan Kali River for the last thing they do before heading back to their hotel to change! I didn’t know that keeping your feet on the rail helps keep them dry so thanks for that tidbit! I LOVED how you used the word SOAK for your tips. Very clever!
Oh Boy! She was drenched!!! I’m glad she didn’t have to sit in that for too long! Thanks for sharing your memories with us and thank you for reading! 😀
We visited Disney World with my youngest sister several years ago. She, too, must have gotten the short straw, because she got *drenched* on Kali River Rapids. So much so, that when she hung up her jeans in the bathtub back at the resort, I thought she had washed them out. She assured me that she had simply taken them off “as is.” Luckily, we did not get wet until evening extra magic hours, so we didn’t have any dinner reservations to plan for. My wife had packed ponchos for us, for which I was extremely thankful 😉