No matter what time of year you’re traveling to Walt Disney World, there’s a pretty significant level of unpredictability when it comes to weather. In this post, we give the current weather forecast for Walt Disney World and tips for preparing for bad weather—heat, cold, rain, hurricanes, lighting, and so on—at Walt Disney World.

Current Weather Forecast for Walt Disney World

LAKE BUENA VISTA WEATHER

Note: This weather forecast is a realtime forecast via WeatherWidget.io and OpenWeather. The date of this post reflects the last time the rest of the post received substantive updates, but the forecast is realtime.

When To Get the Best Weather at Disney World

Let’s start with a quick look at when you’ll find the best weather at Disney World.

Walt Disney World Average Monthly High & Low Temperatures

Keep in mind that averages are averages, not limits. When we ran the 2017 Walt Disney World Marathon, the “feels like” temperature was below 30-degrees Fahrenheit in the morning. Here’s a chart of the average monthly high and low temperatures at Walt Disney World. We’ll talk more about beating the heat (and the cold) in a bit.

Walt Disney World Average Monthly Rainy Days

We couldn’t find stats on the average number of rainy days each month, so we’re inferring this data from the average monthly rainfall figures. There’s a variety of reasons this won’t be a perfect measure, but it’s the best we’ve got.

If these estimates are right, June through September average rain roughly every other day, while the other months get rain once every three to five days.

About Rain Forecasts in Florida

On a daily basis, Florida weather is incredibly unpredictable. On one June trip we had a forecast of rain for five days and wound up with about three hours of pouring rain one day and light showers another (it also had rained something like 17 days straight that month). Every so often I hear conversations on the monorail like “It was going to rain today but I guess they moved it to tomorrow,” piquing my interest as to the powers of “they.”

There are really only a few days per year when the weather will be so bad as to impair a trip, and arguably even those days aren’t so bad. Rain tends to come in short-ish bursts, and Disney works hard to keep the rides of Walt Disney World operational as much time as possible.

Picking The Best Dates To Travel Based On Weather

Our advice for planning around weather—don’t. Okay, there are a few notes. If anyone in your party won’t do well in heat, it’s fine to plan around that—heat is a genuine safety issue, particularly for the elderly.

If you can, try to avoid September as historically that’s the month most at risk (but its a tiny, tiny risk) for actual park closures (more below). Beyond that, planning to avoid rain in Florida is an impossible endeavor.

Florida weather is highly unpredictable. You can get heavy rain 365 days a year. It’s rare to have a trip with no rain at all. It’s honestly comical how many days with perfectly forecasts I’ve seen “interrupted” by a small bit of rain. But—and we’ll cover this in a lot of detail as we go on—rain never has to define your trip. If you’re very unlucky you’ll have a day where lightning takes out major attractions for about 25% of a day.

If none of the other factors that go into picking dates—hotel availability, price, crowd calendars, school calendars, etc.—weigh at all, then fine, use weather. But if a date makes sense, don’t ignore it simply because it falls in August and you’re worried about rain.

Preparing for Rain at Walt Disney World

By far, the biggest challenge when it comes to weather at Disney World is rain. Here are some quick tips if rain is in the forecast. Next, we’ll move on to how the parks and rides handle rain and storms. Then we have some non-park activities for rainy days.

Always—always—pack ponchos when visiting Walt Disney World. Here’s a six pack. If you’re really short on space and the weather looks to be perfect, fine, leave them at home. Ponchos at Walt Disney World cost about $10 and are sold at the registers of most stores.

Be sure you’ve got a plan for your wallet and electronics. If your phone isn’t water resistant, in particular, make sure you’ve got a plan to keep it dry in the rain. Ziploc baggies or waterproof phone cases are a good option for this.

Keep everything else dry. Your stroller, your purse, your backpack, your guidebook, your shoes/socks, whatever else—have a plan to keep these things dry. Disney has merchandise bags in all the stores, in case you’re really desperate, but it might be good to plan ahead.

Check with the front desk about transportation. The different boat services at Walt Disney World can shut down if water conditions are too poor due to wind or lightning. The Skyliner can shut down for wind and rain, too. Check with the front desk to confirm whether boat transportation is running.

Prepare for Uber surge pricing. We’re fans of using Uber at Walt Disney World. When bad weather hits, you’ll need to be prepared for surge pricing. The regular $8 to $15 trips will spike to around $25 (roughly).

Read the rest of this post, regroup. The next section of this post focuses on bad weather at each park. But whichever park you’re at, do not let the rain bring you down! You can still have a fun time, just accept that it’ll be a little more wet than you’d hoped.

Disney World Park Closures Due to Weather

The waterparks are closed a few days each year due to cold weather. I believe these closures actually involve a combination of low temperature and low demand, and no cutoff temperature is publicly known. December, January, and February are most common for these closings.

Severe enough hurricanes will close the parks. Since 1985, the Walt Disney World parks have had to close ten times due to Hurricanes. Two closures were in August, six were in September, and two were in October. The closures ranged from 0.5 days to 2.5 days. Otherwise, the parks remain open in all weather.

What Disney World Rides Close In Thunderstorms?

Thunderstorms—that is, anything with local lightning—will temporarily shut down pretty much all the outdoor rides. With no lightning, its rare for heavy rain to shut down a ride for very long. You can see, for example, Magic Kingdom wait times during Tropical Storm Debby—low, with very few interruptions.

Before we get to the lists at specific parks, some words of caution. First, these lists are made without any insider knowledge. They’re based on historical behavior during bad weather and a few offhand Cast Member conversations. Second, closures generally are usually temporary. While the occasional ride will go down all day, Disney works hard to keep their rides operational as long as its safe to do so. Ride closures are a safety matter—they aren’t closed for convenience, comfort, or fun. Even during days of atrocious weather, rides will run whenever it is safe for them to do so.

Finally, as we discuss more below, it’s really silly to look at this list and cross a park off your plans unless lightning is called for all day. All the parks have plenty to do for the few hours rides might be closed, so try to put some thought into your planning.

Magic Kingdom Rides That Typically Close During Thunderstorms

Astro Orbiter
Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Dumbo
Jungle Cruise
Liberty Square Riverboat
Rafts to Tom Sawyer Island (although honestly I have no idea whether people get stranded at the island if this happens)
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Swiss Family Treehouse
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Tomorrowland Speedway
Walt Disney World Railroad

Additionally stage shows, fireworks, and parades will not run if there is too much rain. The parade is typically replaced by a “rainy day cavalcade” when conditions allow.

Epcot Rides That Typically Close During Thunderstorms

The only Epcot ride that is weather-sensitive is Test Track. Test Track is also often closed during heavy rain. You can read more about the rides of Epcot here.

Hollywood Studios Attractions That Typically Close During Thunderstorms

Slinky Dog Dash
Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage (also during heavy rain)
The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular (also during heavy rain)

My understanding is that Tower of Terror typically does not have to close in thunderstorms.

Animal Kingdom Rides That Typically Close During Thunderstorms

Kali River Rapids
Expedition Everest
TriceraTop Spin

My understanding is that Kilimanjaro Safaris typically does not have to close in thunderstorms.

Picking Your “Rainy Day” Park

The question of which park to visit on a rainy day probably isn’t as big a deal as you’d think. Theme parks (most, anyways) are outside. If it’s raining, you’re not going to stay dry at any of them without a poncho. Once you have a poncho, rain won’t really impact your experience. But there are a few major differences with how the parks handle weather, so let’s go through each park and talk about positives and negatives in different weather conditions.

Magic Kingdom in Bad Weather

The first thing to note is that if you visit Magic Kingdom in bad weather—even just heavy rain—you run the risk of missing out on the parade, castle stage shows, and fireworks. Generally speaking, I’d try to avoid Magic Kingdom on a rainy day for this reason alone.

The parade is usually replaced by the Rainy Day Cavalcade when conditions require. This is basically a collection of walking characters or characters in vehicles—no big floats. It’s more of a “nice gesture” than anything you have to see. That said, if you’re looking for a bit of an optimistic take, the Rainy Day Cavalcade is comparatively rare, so getting to see it is something of a special opportunity.

The flipside is that if you’re okay missing those things, Magic Kingdom has plenty that won’t close, even with lightning in the area. While some major rides, like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, can’t operate in thunderstorms, it’s pretty rare to be more than a few steps from an indoor attraction in Magic Kingdom. Consider the following options:

Tomorrowland: TRON Lightcycle / Run, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
Adventureland: Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland: Country Bear Musical Jamboree
Liberty Square: The Hall of Presidents, Haunted Mansion
Fantasyland: Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Peter Pan’s Flight, “it’s a small world”, Under the Sea, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

There are also indoor character greetings, like the Pete’s Silly Sideshow and Fairytale Hall greetings. Getting between those attractions, Magic Kingdom offers a pretty thorough collection of shops and indoor restaurants, Though maybe not as good as…

Epcot In Bad Weather

Many people think Epcot is the best park in bad weather. I think they’re probably right, but the calculus here is pretty simple. You’ll have the most normal day in Epcot in bad weather, but you’ll also spend a lot of time walking in the rain to do it.

If you don’t mind getting wet, Epcot is a great choice for a rainy or stormy day. Only one ride—Test Track—is liable to close, the rest of the park will operate in its normal fashion…mostly.

There’s two caveats to this attitude toward Epcot. First of all, some of the streetmosphere entertainment in Epcot will be cancelled even in rain. It’s not safe for acrobats, jugglers, and other performers to be out when the weather is bad.

Second, Epcot is physically huge, and it takes a bit to get from indoor space to indoor space. It’s really great that the rides, film attractions, stores, and restaurants throughout the World Showcase continue to operate and provide shelter, but you do still have to walk from pavilion to pavilion. Future World is similarly spacious.

Hollywood Studios in Bad Weather

Hollywood Studios is okay to visit during a storm if you’re fine missing the three outdoor shows—Beauty and the Beast, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular, and Fantasmic. Those shows might be forced to operate on limited schedules, which can be a real pain. Beauty and the Beast, for example, is all the way down Sunset Boulevard. That means you might get stuck walking back and forth a lot if you’re hoping they manage to get a show going in spotty weather.

When it comes to rides, it’s only Slinky Dog Dash that is commonly impacted. That’s a big loss, but unless the entire day calls for lightning, you’ll still be able to find time to get on it.

Hollywood Studios isn’t fun to navigate in the rain—Toy Story Land has basically no indoor spaces besides the rides—but the park has plenty of indoor shows and character greetings, like the Mickey Shorts Theater, the Frozen Sing-Along, and the Star Wars Launch Bay (mostly for the greetings).

Animal Kingdom In Bad Weather

Animal Kingdom is probably the worst park to be in during rain or thunderstorms. It already has a small ride lineup, and losing Expedition Everest and Kali River Rapids to lightning only makes things worse. The animals on Kilimanjaro Safaris tend to be less active in the rain, too. The park is also not very dense—you’ll be walking a lot between attractions.

On the upside, it has two great indoor shows—Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond and Fesitval of the Lion King. You’ll also be able to get on the two Pandora rides—Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey—in any weather.

Whats happens to Lightning Lane Reservations In Bad Weather?

When you book your Lightning Lanes at Disney World, you’ll book a given ride in a one-hour block (say, 2:15 to 3:15) that you’re suppose to ride in. Since ride times are booked in one-hour windows, you obviously run into a problem if your ride is shut down for any reason during that hour.

Typically, once it becomes clear that a ride you have a Lightning Lane booking for won’t be working during your window, Disney sends you an app notification to let you know that your Lightning Lane reservation has been changed to a “multiple experiences” Lightning Lane. A multiple experiences Lightning Lane can be used for a variety of rides, including the ride you originally booked, at any time during the day.

So if a ride is down when your time comes up, you’ll have the chance to ride it or another ride at any point in the day. Just an FYI, people sometimes think that if their Lightning Lane for, say, Mad Tea Party gets cancelled, they’ll be able to go ride TRON. This doesn’t work! You need to pay attention to the list of experiences your Multiple Experience Lightning Lane can be used for.

Other Rainy Day Activities at Walt Disney World

It should be clear by now that the parks are a completely viable option on rainy days—but that doesn’t mean they’re for everyone. Rain might just not be your thing, so what to do if a rainy day hits and you want to stay indoors?

Resort (or bar) hopping. This is the easiest way to spend a rainy day. If you want to fully avoid the rain, you’ll need to do a monorail crawl and visit Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian. If you have a drink or snack at each, walk around, and shop you can easily fill a few hours doing this. If you don’t mind a short outdoor walk, you can walk around the Boardwalk resorts (Yacht Club, Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Swan & Dolphin).

Go for a swim. Not an indoor activity, but we felt obligated to mention it. Like attractions, as long as there’s no lightning the pool will usually remain open. Pools require getting wet anyways, just keep your towel in a plastic bag and then dry off in a sheltered spot before going inside.

Disney Springs. Catching a movie at the AMC at Disney Springs is a great option for a rainy day (though you’ll have to walk a little outdoors to get there). Besides that, there are plenty of restaurants and shops to fill a few hours.

Spa day. If the weather is bad enough, you may have trouble getting in at your resort spa. There are spas/salons are Grand Floridian, Coronado Springs, the Dolphin, Saratoga Springs, Yacht Club, and Animal Kingdom Lodge. If you can get an appointment (or if there are amenities that don’t require and appointment) this can be a good way to pass a day.

Resort activities. Many, but not all, resort activities proceed regardless of weather. For example, Movies Under the Stars are often moved to indoor areas if the weather doesn’t allow them to be held outdoors. Consult your activity schedule or check with your front desk about what activities proceed in the rain.

Dealing with Extreme Hot and Cold at Disney World

Let’s close with tips about extreme temperatures.

Dealing With Hot Days at Disney World

Heat is a much different problem than rain. Heat is much more of a safety issue than rain. To that end, the most important tip is to stay hydrated. You can get free cups of water at most quick service establishments. If there’s not a jug or tray of water cups set out, just ask someone at the counter.

Also stay cool. If you get hot, go inside and cool down. Avoid situations where you can’t easily get inside, like lengthy outdoor queues and Toy Story Land. When it comes to the best Disney parks for hot days, I’d say:

Epcot
Magic Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom

I always dress in layers (because air conditioning in some shows is a little strong) and bring a bag to use when the day warms up. If I really need to zip through security, I’m sure to bring a small drawstring that easily fits in my pocket while I’m wearing my clothes.

As for special tools to keep cool, various people swear by different items. Popular options include spray bottles, neck fans, phone fans, and cooling towels.

Extreme Cold at Walt Disney World

Extreme cold is rare, but not unheard of, at Walt Disney World. As we mentioned earlier, the waterparks may close when it is cold enough.

We can’t confirm, but we suspect some water features may also be turned off in the parks. These include things like the play areas and the extra cross sprays at the end of Kali River Rapids.

When it’s cold at Walt Disney World, just dress in layers and bring a bag to put outer layers into as the day warms up. If you’re unprepared, Disney actually sells pretty cool cold-weather gear, and you’ll usually be able to find some mittens or a hat worth purchasing.

Similar to ponchos, Disney also sells basic cold weather gear, including simple beanie hats and gloves for around $10. These items are available at the register most days considered “Florida cold” (usually anything under 60 degrees).

Finally, I want to throw my 2 cents in on a somewhat debated points—I think “Florida Cold” is a real thing. Whatever your tolerance for cold weather at home, you’ll want it ten degrees warmer in Florida. There are a lot of reasons this could be, but I’ve lived most of my life in Chicago and New York City, so I’m not at all unfamiliar with the cold. Still, I go to Florida in the winter months and catch myself shivering, insisting the temperature in the weather app must be wrong.

All Your Other Disney World Planning Questions Answered

Don't be overwhelmed by Disney World planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you'll not only be an expert, but you'll save big $$$ along the way.

Just starting out? Check out our Walt Disney World planning guide! If you're still picking dates, we've got everything you need to know about Disney World crowd calendars. For picking your hotel, check out our Walt Disney World hotels guide.

When it comes time to book we’ll help you find discount Disney World tickets. Decide whether you need a dining plan in our Complete Guide to Disney World Dining Plans! And don't forget to book those Disney World Advance Dining Reservations!

Don't forget to master your Disney World Lightning Lane Guide and Strategy a few months in advance. We'll keep you out of long lines so you can maximize the magical time in the parks! We've got park-specific guides as well: Magic Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, Epcot Lightning Lane Strategy, Animal Kingdom Lightning Lane Strategy, and Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Strategy.

Know what to ride with our guides to: Magic Kingdom rides, Hollywood Studios rides, Epcot rides, and Animal Kingdom rides! Plus learn about the water parks with our guide to Blizzard Beach and our guide to Typhoon Lagoon! And for some some fun prep, check out our Ranking of Every Ride at Walt Disney World.

Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you're interested in saving, there's no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.