Ranking the Disney World Parks By Where You Should Spend a Rainy Day

Even the Most Magical Place on Earth has rainy days! Florida may be nicknamed “the sunshine state,” but don’t let that fool you — it still gets plenty of rain! The summer months are particularly rainy in Disney World, so it’s important to be prepared for the weather.

And that includes planning your park days accordingly. While some parks are easier to navigate during inclement weather, others are less storm-friendly.

Without further ado, here is our ranking of the Disney World parks based on where you should spend a rainy day!

1. EPCOT

Of all four of the Disney World parks, we find EPCOT to be the easiest to navigate in the rain. During inclement weather, outdoor attractions will shut down for the safety of the guests. But luckily, Test Track is the only attraction in EPCOT that closes due to weather.

Plus, several pavilion buildings house a number of attractions, so you can spend a decent amount of time exploring them before venturing back outside. For example, The Land Pavilion and The Seas with Nemo and Friends are both home to numerous attractions and activities. And you’ll even find places throughout the World Showcase where shops, restaurants, and show buildings interconnect, like in the France Pavilion.

And to top it all off, there is a TON of Table Service dining available in EPCOT. These restaurants provide the perfect setting to relax indoors and enjoy a long-ish meal while escaping the elements.

2. Magic Kingdom

Unfortunately, there are a lot of rides at Magic Kingdom that will close due to weather — Splash Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, to name a few. BUT there are a few groups of indoor attractions in Magic Kingdom that are located close together so guests can hop from one to the next quickly. Both Tomorrowland and Fantasyland have several indoor attractions that guests can navigate between.

Plus, there are several long-ish shows in Magic Kingdom that provide the perfect opportunity to take a break from the rain. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Country Bear Jamboree, and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room are all great options!

There aren’t a whole lot of Table Service restaurants in Magic Kingdom, but there are a few relatively large Quick Service restaurants. Guests have a pretty good shot at finding indoor seating at places like Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, and Pinocchio Village Haus.

3. Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The good news is there aren’t a ton of attractions that close due to weather at Hollywood Studios. But unfortunately, Slinky Dog Dash does, which is one of the park’s most popular attractions.

Even though most of the attractions here won’t shut down due to rain, they do have another downside. Many of the rides in Hollywood Studios have largely outdoor queues, especially with the practicing of social distancing. We’ve regularly seen a huge portion of the lines for Tower of Terror, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run extend outdoors.

And escaping the rain might not be as easy as ducking into a restaurant here either. There aren’t many Table Service options available, and most of the Quick Service spots in Hollywood Studios have little dedicated seating.

4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom

At the bottom of our list, we have Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Don’t get us wrong, we love this park — but it’s definitely the hardest to enjoy on a rainy day in our opinion! There are soooo many outdoor attractions in this park. In fact, all of the rides that are currently available in both Asia and Africa are outdoors. And the only indoor attraction in DinoLand U.S.A., DINOSAUR, is all the way at the back of the land!

Pandora is home to two indoor attractions, but if the queues for them are long, you might not be under cover for the whole wait. And while It’s Tough to be a Bug is another indoor entertainment option, you’ll find yourself waiting outside if there’s even a short line of guests waiting for the next show.

The only land in Animal Kingdom where guests can bounce relatively quickly from one place to the next is Pandora. Navigating between the land’s two attractions and the Quick Service restaurant, Satu’li Canteen, is a short enough walk to keep you relatively dry, barring a complete downpour. But outside of Pandora, you’re in for a loooong walk between the relatively few indoor attractions.

A rainy day in Disney World doesn’t have to put a damper on your fun. There are still things to enjoy in ALL of the parks, even during a downpour — although some are definitely easier to navigate than others! So pack your poncho and umbrella and have a magical (rainy) day!

Which Disney World park do you think is the best to visit on a rainy day? Let us know in the comments!

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