Even in sunny Southern California and even at the Happiest Place on Earth, the weather just doesn’t cooperate sometimes.
Rain or shine though, the show must go on at the Anaheim theme park, giving the lucky guests who show up a rare opportunity to tread a wet but relatively empty Disneyland.
Despite showers, most of the rides and attractions at the park actually remain open as they’re indoors. Others, however, like the spinning tea cups at Mad Tea Party, close due to safety concerns (like a slippery floor) as they are outdoors.
As for the shows, a lot guests may be surprised to find out that the fireworks can go on as usual in the rain. It’s not the rain but the wind that cancels the fireworks. High winds “at higher elevations” cause delays and cancellations of the show multiple times every year. When it rains at Disneyland, however, it’s usually accompanied by a little wind, so fireworks in the rain is a rare occurrence, but it does happen from time to time.
The nighttime show Fantasmic!, on the other hand, is usually cancelled when it rains due to a wet and slippery stage.
Still, it is possible for heavy rain to force Disneyland to close. In fact, it’s happened just this year back in January. Disneyland and Disney California Adventure opened as normal, but both parks closed a couple hours earlier than scheduled.
So, what’s the deal? Some speculate that with the especially low turnout to the theme parks when it rains, it simply doesn’t make financial sense to stay open. The nearby Knott’s Berry Farm doesn’t even open its gates on rainy days, but most of its rides are outdoors. There’s also safety concerns. It’s obvious that many areas of the resort can’t handle large amounts of water. Even parts of Main Street U.S.A. are known to become flooded after a storm.
“Unfortunately, current weather conditions do not allow us to provide the best possible guest experience,” read the official Disney statement for the early closures.
For real-time updates and information on current crowd levels and conditions at Disneyland, including the weather, check out the Live Crowd Tracker.
Have you gone to Disneyland when it rains? What was your experience like? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
I love going to Disneyland when it’s raining. You can just walk on all the rides, no waiting!
wait, so is disneyland open when it rains?
Yes, Disneyland is open on rainy days.
Jan ’08 we experienced small wait times until the rain started…then we had ZERO waits for almost everything.
I went in early February 2010 and it rained. Lines were short but park closed at 9 pm.
its a blast when it rains! if you like walking in the rain this is the place to be :))
We have annual passes and have been to the park several times on rainy days. We love Disneyland in the rain, but you definitely don’t get the whole experience on those days. Since we live here it isn’t a big deal at all to us, but someone from out of town might be a bit disappointed by this. They usually cancel the parade due to safety concerns for the performers, most of the food carts are closed, and there are no outdoor entertainers randomly performing throughout the park, meet-and-greets with Characters or horse-drawn carriage rides up and down Main St. The vibe is very different on those days, but the lines are super short or even nonexistent! So you have to decide what type of experience you want.
I’ve been to Disneyland many years ago when it rained, and it was glorious. No lines at all and it was only a light drizzle. Wondering what happens if the rain is heavier like today.
A rainy Tuesday in February was one of the best days I’ve ever spent at Disneyland.
We have been there when it rains ( 3x times this year) and the rides that are indoor are looooongggg! For example Soaring over California was an hour and a half wait when it typically is 45 minutes to an hour for standby. The outdoor rides have the shortest line. Also you walk right on water rides (Grizzly and Splash). Still very quiet for walking around and very romantic. The rain is usually is quick and the sun pops right back out.