What is your strategy for water rides?

[hope2survive]

I tend to avoid rides at any parks where I or my kids may get wet because of, to me, the annoyance that comes with it.

I do not enjoy walking around in wet clothes, especially wet shoes and socks. My feet are sensitive and I can't walk around in flip flops. I don't want to get my wallet or phone wet and I really dislike the obvious solution of bringing a pack with a change of clothes because I don't want to be encumbered with that bag all day.

Anyone else have this problem? Do you just avoid them? Or am I just being too uptight? Do you have any other strategies?

[mydisneygirls]

The only time we got "soaked" was on Splash Moutain when the log we were in stopped at the spot where another log was coming down the "mountain." It was like a typhoon but it was also fun!!! Other than that, we have been on Splash Mountain many, many times and never had a problem with being so wet that we had to change clothes. Just don't sit in the front seat and go for it!!!

[Madame Leona]

On one trip to Universal, we got up early and went on all the water rides. We were seriously SOAKED!!! After that, we ran back to our room, took showers, put on dry clothes and headed back out. It was the perfect solution! Also, I've ridden the water rides at the very end of the day. I like to know that there is an end to the discomfort. Rainy days are also a great time for the water rides

[faline]

Typically, we might do Splash Mountain once per trip (We rode it more last trip since we were with my 4 year old nephew who loved that ride) and, only occasionally, have we gotten so seriously soaked that I wanted to go back to my resort and, even on that occasion, by the time we had gotten back to Main Street, I was dry enough that I decided just to stay in the park.

One one occasion, we wanted to check out Kali River Rapids which we had never before ridden. We went to Animal Kingdom early one morning and rode only that ride. That day, we planned to go to one of the water parks so we already had our suits on and didn't mind getting wet (Of course we had park suitable clothing over our suits). Typically, though, we skip Kali and, on our last trip, sat it out while my brother's family went on the ride. We, however, were having fun getting folks even more wet by squirting them from above!!

[elmjimmlm]

When I ride Kali River I always wear a poncho even when it's hot and sunny...If I wear tennis shoes I usually take them off and put them in the middle container thing...If I have my phone I usually leave it in my pocket since its covered by the poncho!

[cer]

We pack emergency ponchos. The ponchos set us back about a buck a piece. We can usually get in two rides in a row and then gift them to another family. (much less trouble than trying to re-pack them.) I have never offered them to guests at Splash - it is possible to not get that wet, if you're lucky - and it seems that the Splash riders think I don't really need one - well at least that is what they have told me. But at Kali, there are people always glad to have them.

I do not consider myself an uptight person so you don't let this issue define you as one, either. I just find it miserable to walk around drenched and we have gone a few times in the cooler months and it is just not worth it to be wet AND cold - but the attractions are not something I am willing to give up.

As for the ponchos, we buy them in the camping section at Walmart or Academy (our local sporting goods store), and they are a little bigger than a deck of cards, but not as thick - pretty thin, actually.

Anyway, that's how we do it. You may feel a little silly suiting up in your poncho before the ride, but once you avoid that total drenching, all self-consciousness goes away.

Good luck and have a great trip!

[cajundisneyfreak]

I always go the 1st week of June.I love Kali River Rapids & Splash Mountain.It is so hot that getting soaked is refreshing and a nice way to cool off.You don't stay wet long.The sun & heat dry you up rather quickly.

[btharvey]

We rarely get "soaked" at anything except Kali River Rapids (Splash Mountain may splash us, but it's short-lived by comparison).

At Kali River Rapids, howerver, I rent a locker, take along a change of clothes, do Kali River right after we get there (a few times to get it out of our systems), then we change, re-store the wet stuff, and go on with the day.

Works for us.

[Wolf]

We tend to be marathon-ers so I try to plan the water rides around when we don't have big dinners to go to, also we try to dress in clothes that dry quicker. Last trip we went on last Oct it MONSOONED on us all day so we rode Kali (One of my fav rides) like 7 times in a row cause it didn't matter how wet we got lol

[TikiGoddess]

The only ride I will not go on is Kali. It's ridiculous how wet you can get on that ride, and I thoroughly dislike squishing around the parks soaked.

Splash is not too bad. I always pray that we don't get hit by the water cannons -- but if we do, it's not so bad. Plus we go in the middle of the summer and we dry quickly.

Kathy

[buzznwoodysmom]

In the past when we rented strollers I always brought a backpack with a change of clothes for the kids, and a few snacks for them. It wasn't a big deal because we left the backpack in the stroller all day.

The only ride I ever brought a change of clothes for all of us was Kali River Rapids. And even then I only brought a dry shirt for each of us. In the summer I usually have my boys wear a pair of swim trunks to the parks that way if they get wet they dry quickly. DH and I try to wear quick dry shorts as well. After Kali we went into a bathroom and changed shirts and underclothes, put the wet clothes in a ziplock bag and we were good to go for the rest of the day.

Now that we don't use a stroller I don't like bringing a backpack. We just wait to ride anything that might get us wet at the end of the day. We also try not to do wet rides if we have a dinner reservation that evening unless we have time to go back to the resort to change and freshen up. We love the wet rides, so we always find a way to get them in during a warm trip.

I like the idea of doing Kali before going to a waterpark. We may have to do that in July.

[FaithTrustPixieDust]

Sometimes I just get in the mindset that I'm prepared to get soaked. That means no really nice dinner plans, and I am wearing waterproof shoes. (crocs, keenes, etc) I probably also have my hair pulled back. Any style that will air dry tolerably. These are the times when we have laughed hysterically and enjoyed it the most.

My other approach is to "poncho up" and stash phones, etc, in the storage compartment. (available on super wet rides like Kali, not Splash.) Still wear water-friendly shoes. I have seen some ladies pull out a shower cap! Duck down and hope for the best! I still get a little wet, but all the important parts are dry!

[disneynarula]

We always do Kali last or not at all. Last time I got so wet even the poncho did not help. I looked like I fell in!

We usually go the the dollar store and buy panchos for Splash Mountain. A garbage bag will do in a pinch as well.

I don't like walking around wet either. I must be some sort of water magnet because I get soaked on every ride I go on... even Splash Mountain.

[Aurora]

We like getting wet in the hot months. I just make sure I'm not wearing white pants with colored skivvies!

[natstroop]

We always skipped the water rides up until Oct 2010. It didn't bother us to skip them since we always hit WI Dells every year...so it wasn't a big deal. But in Oct '10, it was so hot and humid, we decided to try Splash Mountain. My bum got wet, but that was it. Luckily I had lightweight shorts on and I dried fast. My sons decided to go one more time and sit in the front. They got off the ride totally soaked. They had jean shorts on and were miserable from chafing the rest of the day. So I have a feeling that we'll skip the water rides again on our next trip.

[hope2survive]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think I'll go buy the ponchos, avoid Kali altogether, ride Splash especially since BTMRR will be closed when we go in May. We're going to Universal parks for the first time - any seriously soaking rides there?

[CuteAsMinnie]

We schedule Kali for the last ride of the day and try to wear quick drying clothing. You can always opt out and let others in your party enjoy the fun and squirt them from the bridge as they go by!

[faline]

We're going to Universal parks for the first time - any seriously soaking rides there?

There certainly are!

[Alaska Disney Fan]

We go prepared to get wet and enjoy the rides. Wear lightweight nylon shorts and shirts, they dry faster. Shoes that are designed to get wet but are comfortable to wear every day. I have a pair of sandals (sketchers) that are designed for hiking, they have a nice sole like an athletic shoe. I usually always carry a back pack. Same one has been with me for 14 years, whenever I am on vacation or doing something fun, that back pack is with me. A couple of gallon zip loc bags are always in there, great for cameras and cell phone's, we also all bring a spare pair of skivies in one, just in case we get too wet (that's the part that seems the take longest to dry) I do keep ponchos in the back pack, but those are for serious rain, not rides. I think if your riding Splash or Kali River and you are not getting wet, your not truly experiencing the ride as it was designed, to me, the fun in these rides is getting wet!