When would you call this vacation?

[lynn]

We have a disney trip planned for end of next week. The weather forecast today shows 85_100percent thunderstorms. I can cancel by Friday without losing money. So do I just have wishful thinking that all will be well and rain chances drop to under 50 or change plans now?

[bettyandbob]

I wouldn't. I'd bring ponchos. There are indoor things not stopped for weather. And Even if there's a storm everyday, I that typically affects only a short time.

 

Unless what storms you are looking at are really a tropical storm. Then I guess I'd account for the path of the tropical storm.

 

I have visited in January when storms were predicted and we had ponchos and it worked out. Right now I think it is still hurricane season so tropical storms are more likely.

[ktgrok]

I don't know how familiar you are with Florida, but it rains a lot. Nearly daily. But usually only for an hour or so, max, in the afternoon. You'd have to come in a whole different time of year to avoid rain entirely. 

[MinivanMom]

Florida showers are short and sweet. Just duck into a ride with a long, indoor line when you see the rain coming, and it will probably be over by the time you get off the ride.

[Lanny]

We were in Orlando the last week of April 2016. IMO, the *best* months to be there (weather, crowds, etc.) are April and October.  There, it is like where we live (in a Tropical Valley in Colombia). We get rain almost daily, about 8 months of the year. Maybe for 30 minutes, maybe several times a day, but rarely all day.  I think when you see a weather forecast for Thunderstorms,you might think, "it is going to rain, somewhere in this area" but probably it will not be the entire area and probably it will not be for hours.  Have a great time!

 

ETA: There is a weather App that will tell you what time it will begin to rain, in the spot you are standing on. As I write this, i can't remember the name of the App.  They only have coverage for the USA and the UK at this time.   You can use it free, or you can pay $3.99 a year for the full blown version (after a 2 week trial as I recall).  If/when it is available here, I will gladly pay $4 a year. It is the "Mother" of weather Apps.

Edited September 27, 2016 by Lanny

[Melissa B]

Just an FYI. That is a busy weekend at Disney. It's the weekend of the Disney Cross Country Classic open to elementary, middle school, high school and college runners.

[PinkTulip]

We have taken our kids to Disneyland several times and Disneyworld once and it has rained EVERY single time we've gone. We actually love it now and bring full-on rain gear: pants, jackets, etc., When it starts pouring, nearly everyone goes into the shops and restaurants, leaving us to walk right on to our favorite rides without waiting in line.

[mlktwins]

Just an FYI. That is a busy weekend at Disney. It's the weekend of the Disney Cross Country Classic open to elementary, middle school, high school and college runners.

 

I would not cancel for rain, unless a tropical storm or worse is coming in.  But...I might cancel for this reason.  We don't like big crowds though.  Have you looked at the crowd calendars for the days you are going to be there?

[lynn]

I don't know how familiar you are with Florida, but it rains a lot. Nearly daily. But usually only for an hour or so, max, in the afternoon. You'd have to come in a whole different time of year to avoid rain entirely.

I'm use to the 3p daily rain shower that's not a problem. it's the 85-100. Percent thunderstorms predicted. Do you think it's accurate?

[lynn]

I would not cancel for rain, unless a tropical storm or worse is coming in. But...I might cancel for this reason. We don't like big crowds though. Have you looked at the crowd calendars for the days you are going to be there?

Yes, it's a bit lower than average.

[lynn]

Just an FYI. That is a busy weekend at Disney. It's the weekend of the Disney Cross Country Classic open to elementary, middle school, high school and college runners.

Good to know. we usually don't go on weekends, ever, just weekdays so should be okay.

[lynn]

Florida showers are short and sweet. Just duck into a ride with a long, indoor line when you see the rain coming, and it will probably be over by the time you get off the ride.

I can handle the daily 3p showers. I wonder how accurate the prediction of all day thunderstorms might be.

[BrittanyM]

We did Universal in February and it poured one day for an hour or so but we had brought ponchos and had fun making memories and running to shelter lol. (It was 80, so it isn't like we were cold. Our 1 year old was the only one who didn't like it.)

 

 

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[hellen]

I recently went to the beach in Florida. A week before we left the weather forecast indicated rain every day. By the time we arrived the forecast changed to no rain.

[ktgrok]

I'm use to the 3p daily rain shower that's not a problem. it's the 85-100. Percent thunderstorms predicted. Do you think it's accurate?

 

Usually out daily rain shower is a thunderstorm, so that still seems normal.

[zimom]

We moved here to Orlando about 14 months ago.  The one thing I learned quickly is that just about every afternoon there is a short thunderstorm late summer to fall.  My daughter swims each afternoon.  Just about every afternoon we spend part of it in the pool house waiting for the all clear to get back in the pool.  It lasts about 30-60 minutes max, not all day.  Today it was less then 15 minutes.  Come to Disney and have a great time.  

[abacus2]

I'm use to the 3p daily rain shower that's not a problem. it's the 85-100. Percent thunderstorms predicted. Do you think it's accurate?

 

I could be wrong, but my understanding of 85-100% chance of rain is that 85-100% of the area will see at least some thunderstorms at some point during the day. That said, the one day we went to Disneyworld, the "afternoon" shower didn't let up and we ended up leaving after trying to wait it out.

[Farrar]

I had a freakout about a similar forecast for our Yucatan trip this month and had to talk myself off the ledge by telling myself it was going to be like Florida. We saw rain most days, but hardly got rained on at all. Tropical and sub-tropical climates are just like that seasonally. I mean, sure, you could get slammed with a ton of rain. It's not out of the question. But it's unpredictable and there's a good chance it'll just be a passing thundershower most days and you'll dash in and do an indoor ride or show for that chunk of time.

[Amira]

I had a freakout about a similar forecast for our Yucatan trip this month and had to talk myself off the ledge by telling myself it was going to be like Florida. We saw rain most days, but hardly got rained on at all. Tropical and sub-tropical climates are just like that seasonally. I mean, sure, you could get slammed with a ton of rain. It's not out of the question. But it's unpredictable and there's a good chance it'll just be a passing thundershower most days and you'll dash in and do an indoor ride or show for that chunk of time.

Ooh, what part(s) of the Yucatan did you go to? Did you eat anything amazing?

[Farrar]

Ooh, what part(s) of the Yucatan did you go to? Did you eat anything amazing?

 

Obviously a total OT from the OP, but... We stayed in Tulum, rented a car, drove all over seeing Mayan ruins (Ek Balam was our favorite) and some towns and swimming in cenotes and yes, ate lots of good food. We had some great street food - mostly just tacos and pollo asado and lots of good Mexican - one of the things I love about eating abroad is that even the random place you stop and just get whatever at is miles and miles better than the same cuisine in the US, even at expensive "authentic" restaurants - but we also had one insane meal at a well known fancy place on the beach in Tulum - Hartwood - that was indeed AMAZING. There was a jicama salad with pumpkin seeds and the sauce of some mystery local fruit that I can't even remember what it was and OMG, I will dream about it for years to come, I think. Oh, and I love rambutans, which I don't think are even originally local (I mostly ate them when I lived in China and traveled in southeast Asia) and they were actually fresh, which was also quite a treat because they're nothing but withered husks by the time they make it to US groceries.