Originally Posted By danyoung >Look at these short tourists videos on YouTube of people dealing with the daily torential downpours at Walt Disney World...< I didn't look at the videos, but I can tell you from personal experience that the "daily torrential downpours" in Florida really aren't that big a deal. Unlike other places in the country, these cloudbursts usually happen mid-afternoon, and usually last around 20 minutes or so. In fact, they can really help you out in the parks, as people unfamiliar with these showers will flock for the exits. Just stick it out for a few minutes and you'll have the park to yourself when the rain ends. True, it does up the humidity a bit, but overall they can be a good thing for park stormers!
Originally Posted By Mr X I would venture to guess the average is more than 20 minutes...but that's a good point (unless you get caught in one! then it sucks!). I would say more like "expect an hour or so of heavy rain in the afternoons, especially in the summer, so be ready for that and think of a good place to duck into and chill out for a while but DON'T LEAVE THE PARKS". The way those videos made it out to seem, those "poor visitors" were stuck in torrential rains all day. Maybe they were, but if so they were just unlucky (danyoung got it right).
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Thank you for the positive post Westsider Very interesting that you point out the lessening of smog. We have been driving to DLR from N CA for 34 years and we would often see that layer of smog as we headed down the hill or around the corner so to speak. Lately we've thought that we just hit LA basin at a good time, it's great to know that the typical air quality has improved so much! YES! for Disneyland being in S CA. We love our vacations there and often hit other LA area spots on our way down or home. Since the 50th, DH insists on visiting the Opera House and viewing the movie on each and every DLR vacation. I've come to agree with him, it's amazing to know why and how Disneyland started. Best moment is when you exit the Opera House and find the Flag retreat beginning Magic!
Originally Posted By wonderingalice Mr. X... An hour of downpour every afternoon and then the unbreathably (is that a word? *L*) humid air to contend with once the sun comes back out...? No thanks. I'll stick with the occasional 10-minute rainfall at Disneyland any day. ;-)
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <I don't think it could have been Balboa. Maybe Portola?> You may be right - I'm remembering back to grade school here! An interesting thing about the daily summer downpours at WDW (typically cats and dogs, but only for about 20-30 minutes; of course you do have more "washout" steady rain days too than in SoCal) is what that meant for the design of certain things in WDW as opposed to DL. I'm pretty sure that's why they put a roof over WDW's version of the PeopleMover, for instance. It wouldn't do to step on to that long ride before the clouds burst, then be stuck on it in a heavy downpour. Not to mention all the water that would pool in the cars themselves for later guests. They have a roof on their Mad Tea Party also - a short ride, but you KNOW you're getting rain in the afternoon in the summer, so why go roofless and know you're going to have to drain the cups every day? I've sometimes wondered what they do with their Dumbos and AO jets after a rain. Were they designed with drainage in the bottoms? I meant to check last time I was there but I forgot.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 <<picturing Dumbo having an embarrassing "potty break" moment after a storm
Originally Posted By wonderingalice ^^*LOL* We rode the AO jets (my first time in their lowered location) during a light evening shower a couple of Decembers ago (another wet-bottom moment with LilliBelle and DO ;-) ... They were only damp, so lots of fun to ride in the rain. The worst part was getting up and out again. Those pups lean to the outside and when all the footholds are wet, look out. I got a heckuva an upper arm bruise after a slippery attempt to exit the jet. Not fun.
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove <<picturing Dumbo having an embarrassing "potty break" moment after a storm >> Oh, I love it. LOL! Smedley? You see this, lovey?
Originally Posted By danyoung >I would say more like "expect an hour or so of heavy rain in the afternoons, especially in the summer...< You may be right about the summertime. The earliest in the summer/fall season I will visit is late September, where I've experienced many of the 20 minute showers. But then the last trip to Florida was this past April, when there was major rain almost every day of the trip. I've had pretty good luck with the weather over the years, so I guess it was my turn to have a crappy weather week!
Originally Posted By wonderingalice ^^That's the vacation risk I'm not willing to take. Disneyland is a quick and easy, four-hour drive or airport/flight/shuttle combo for us. Along with the added expense of staying two - three days longer than we would at Disneyland, plus airfare, we're looking at about two-three hours at the airport (including driving time, check-in, security lines etc.), then five-six hours crammed on an airplane - IF we get a non-stop. If not, add in the layover time. Then transportation to and around the resort. I don't want to go through all that bother for a hot and humid (at best) visit, and especially not to spend tons of time stuck in a hotel room due to torrential rains or worse. Bleeccch.
Originally Posted By wonderingalice I want to add here that I have actually been to Florida - Daytona Beach - for a week in April (work-related event). That was when I learned I have naturally curly hair. Because I was coming from the West, I was booked on a flight arriving late at night the day before everyone else. Had plenty of free time before they arrived, so went out walking and found a casual, beachfront seafood place for lunch. Popped back into the hotel about two hours later, peeked in the bathroom mirror and saw that my bangs were in ringlets. Whoa! THAT never happened before! Made me want to go back years earlier and get my money back from the stylist who used to perm my hair! *LOL* Wasn't that fascinating you guys? ;-)
Originally Posted By wonderingalice Oh! And torrential rains and flooding caused the cancellation of our final night's dinner/dance for us and the customers. It was a Western-themed event taking place on the grounds under an enclosed tent. The rains were so bad we couldn't take a chance with electrocuting anyone. ;-)
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove <<Wasn't that fascinating you guys? ;-)>> I'm easily fascinated and I found that ever so. Lucky girl!
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove No, honest! My mom and sister have the naturally curly hair. (Mine is like uncooked spaghetti) Sis has the blue eyes. I have Hershey brown. They got the big boobs. I got.....well, I'm not sure I even qualify for man-boobs. Maybe I should give Florida a try....
Originally Posted By danyoung >I don't want to go through all that bother for a hot and humid (at best) visit, and especially not to spend tons of time stuck in a hotel room due to torrential rains or worse.< To be fair, it can rain in SoCal just like in Florida. And there are plenty of times in the year when it's not at all humid in Florida. The only valid argument that I see is the hassle of a long cross-country flight. But I live in Dallas, so it's about 2 hours or less to either coast. And I wouldn't be caught dead visiting WDW in July or August in the high heat and humidity. Next trip will be this October, when it should be very nice, with moderate humidity and little rain. Hopefully it'll be perfect!
Originally Posted By wonderingalice Man-boobs... *LOL* I was laughing at the "easily fascinated" admission. ;-) I love having naturally curly hair MOST of the time. It's only a drag when I want to wear it straight because I can never get it past straight-and-lumpy. *L* The rest of the time I take advantage of my big-hairdom and that's easy to do.
Originally Posted By wonderingalice Hey Dan... Maybe I've been lucky, but with the dozens and dozens of Disneyland Days I've enjoyed over the years, there was only one time where it "poured," and that only lasted about 20 minutes. Otherwise, I've seen light rain twice. Humidity is relative to personal experience and preference, too. You live in Dallas and I live in Vegas - BIG difference in the day-to-day levels. (I've been to TX for a week and a weekend, too... ;-) But I hope you have an absolutely FABulous time at WDW in October! If we lived closer, we'd probably go too...
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Agreed Wonderingalice. 2 rainy days at DL out of 300+, every day rains that I have been to Orlando, 20% of them all day long (Nov/Dec)
Originally Posted By ABBY We went to Orlando in January some years ago. The weather was perfect. Here (Northern CA)they were socked in with fog - it was really cold and dreary and we were running around in shorts and tee's. It was in the 70's. When I return to Orlando someday I will likely go in January. Went to Fort Meyers in June a couple of years ago and it was humid but not unbearable. Got some of those downpours in the afternoon and they did truly only last 20 minutes or less. Nice thing about the almost daily rain is everything stays pretty and green. I love that about Florida.
