Kali River Rapids

[Insanity Clause]

I have a quick question regarding Kali. We will be at WDW in 30 days (Yes!) Anyway, I love the water rides like Splash Mountain and such but I heard that this one gets you really wet and since it is April I was wondering if you all thought it would still be too cool for this ride and I don't want to go around the rest of the day at the park soaking wet...any suggestions?

[DisneyFr33k]

It is pretty hit or miss. Our first time on it, we were the "chosen ones" and came off compeltely drenched. We actually drew attention to ourselves as we left the park! It tooks days to dry out our sneakers.

We wised up last trip and had the kids change into bathing suits and flip flops. After the ride, the changed in the bathrooms near the exit of the ride. I carried a small towel in our backpack to help dry them off.

I am unsure of the weather in April. But if you bring a change of clothes, flip flops etc, you can store your bag inside the middle of the boat and they stay pretty dry. Then you can change afterwards and not be soggy and/or cold.

Have fun!!!

[magic4ever]

We wear rain ponchos and put our shoes under the poncho or in the middle compartment of the ride (for cameras, etc...) Yes you will get VERY WET!! :rain:

[Dulcee]

You will get wet. I repeat, you will get wet. The only question is how wet. We've done this ride once or twice since its opened but due to our not enjoying walking around soaked in the florida heat the rest of the day we tend to avoid it now.

[GrumpyFan]

It is very hit or miss with whether you will get soaking wet. I would say you've got about a 25% chance of getting it, but if you do get it, it is a complete head-to-toe soaking. As for the weather, that time of year is usually somewhat warm in the afternoons.

Click here (http://intercot.com/infocentral/weather/dailytemps.asp) to see average daily temps for the last 5 years. For 2008, it was:

Monthly Average
High: 81.9
Low: 60.1
Average: 71.0
Total Rainfall: 3.21”

The Normal Average:
High: 83.0
Low: 59.9
Average: 71.5
Rainfall: 2.42”

So, if you go by those numbers, you should be okay, weather-wise. If you're really worried about it, I would pack a change of clothes though in a small backpack, then put it and your shoes in the center storage bin. Although, on second thought, I'm not sure if the storage bin is big enough for a backpack, in which case, just put your clothes inside a plastic bag inside the backpack.

We usually just wear light clothes when we go to AK, as it's a really hot park anyway. If we get soaked, then it's always a good excuse to buy a new t-shirt. But, at the very least, we take off our shoes and put them in the center storage bin.

[joonyer]

As far as the weather in April, It could be sunny and 90 degrees (later in the day), or it could be overcast or rainy, and 75 degrees (or cooler early in the am). It all depends on the day you are there. You'll have to decide when you get there if you think it is too cool for you to get wet.

[Hull-onian]

We wore rain ponchos, and did not get wet. I think it depends how the raft turns, especially when it goes under the bridge. Try it and see!:mickey:

[MOJoe]

Kali-River is very much a "luck of the draw" type ride. At least a couple of riders will get absolutely drenched. A couple may not get wet at all, and the rest will get a good splashing. So take that and the weather conditions into consideration before you decide to ride.

[cer]

I would not even set foot on this ride without a the cheapie $1.00 emergency ponchos that you can find at Walmart in the camping section. I have also gotten them at Academy for $.79

Do not be embarrassed about wearing them - you will be so glad you did. We usually ride the ride two times in a row and then return to the entrance and "gift" the ponchos to whoever else is getting in line. I have never had to throw one away yet.

It is a fun ride, make sure you watch for the squirting elephants at the end...

[Luv Eeyore]

I have three pieces of advice:

1) Wear ponchos
2) Wear ponchos
3) Wear ponchos

[FenwayGirl]

Gotta agree.

Ponchos, ponchos, ponchos


and you will still get a little wet:)

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Yep, wear those ponchos...we went in December and my mom and I were the two unfortunates who got the head to foot soaking...it took a few hours to dry out....

[RAIDER]

Its the luck of the draw of were you sit and how many are on your ride and weight distribution
But if you dont wont to get wet i agree with all wear a poncho

However Kali is not a patch on the Popeye Rapids at IOA ,no matter were you sit you will get wet on that ride :thedolls:

[homeschool mom]

It's VERY hit or miss - or at least it always has been for us.

The first time my family of 7 rode it, only 1 got slightly wet. The other 3 people in the raft with us got drenched!

I convinced my 7 year old DS to ride it with me last Sept. telling he was my "good luck charm" and we wouldn't get wet 'cuz we didn't last time. Needless to say, it was DS and I who got drenched through on that ride. I mean head to toe, wet undies and all. We rode around 4:00 in the afternoon and had to go back and change clothes completely before we could go to another part in the evening. I did get a nice AK souvenir beach towel out of it though. They have those carts conveniently located at the exit of the ride. I don't think I'll EVER get DS on Kali again! :(

[DANAM]

Yes where a poncho but make sure you tuck the sides under you!!!
It rainned for most of the day for our trip in September and we managed to stay dry. We knew we wanted to do Kali last so we would be completly soaked going back to our room. Since we had the ponchos on earlier we just put them back on for the ride. My DD and myself rode about 10 time back to back. Five of the times we just stayed on and I will tell you it doesn't matter where you sit you will get wet. On our last ride we hopped on a boat so quick I was trying to make sure she was buckled properly and I forgot to tuck the ponch under my lap and down my legs and the water came up from the floor of the raft and completly soaked me. We still had a blast but I thought I managed to stay dry for so long how did this happen.

[sfunicello]

it really does depend, first time i went on my family and i stayed comletly dry...the next time i was there with friends i talked them all into going on saying that we would not get soaked. well was i wrong, it was early in the morning in june and all of us were wet all day!

[j&j]

we found that where you sit is how wet you get. also if someone is real heavy don't sit near them more water.:mickey::mickey:

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I did get a nice AK souvenir beach towel out of it though. They have those carts conveniently located at the exit of the ride. I don't think I'll EVER get DS on Kali again! :([/QUOTE]


:rotfl: My mom said the same thing after she got off Kali and bought her towel:D

[Tinkerfreak]

We went on this 3 years in a row all 4 of us and never got wet. Went on the next year and got a little wet but no biggy. Last year we went on and got completely soaked. We had to stop and buy clothes from that oh so conveniently placed cart at the end of the ride. We had to go use the air dryers in the bathroom to get our shirts somewhat dry and bought pants for youngest DD and a sundress for oldest DD. We all laugh every time they wear those clothes thinking about how soaked we got.

[Mousemates]

as others have said its hit or miss...the only think I would add is that if you don't want to have to carry a wet poncho around the rest of the day (often they don't repack well)...a garbage bag (not classy i know) can be quickly tailored for the situation...and when your done you can either toss it in the trash...or give it to someone standing in line for re-use.

[brownie]

It's the luck of the draw as to how wet you get. Wearing an emergency poncho can help. You could also wear quick drying clothing that day so if you don't stay wet as long.

[Stu29573]

I agree that it depends on weight distribution to a large degree (however, even that's not set in stone). If there are a bunch of little kids sitting on one side, that side usually doesn't get that wet.

Personally, I love getting wet on rides. We usually go when it's pretty darn hot, so the drenching feels great! I always wear all cotton, so I dry out pretty quickly. :thumbsup:

[Kenny1113]

we found that where you sit is how wet you get. also if someone is real heavy don't sit near them more water.:mickey::mickey:

I thought it was the opposite. When we rode with my DS4 (then 2) not even 33 pounds, he got to sit in the "jump seat" and I sat next to him (average woman sz 6). Poor thing he and I got soaked. He hates getting wet.My husband insisted that when he rode it earlier with DS7 they did not get wet. (They didn't get wet this time either). We assumed it was because he was so light.

And yes as others have said, wear a poncho, you won't look like a fool as the pros are all doing it too.

[biggun35]

I'm sorry, but what's the point of riding a water ride if you are going to wear a poncho? That's why it is so fun, waiting to see who will get wet and who won't. If you don't want to get wet, don't ride it.

[Kenny1113]

Wet, yes. Soaked(like I just jumped into the rapids)- INHO not fun

[Kisobel]

ponchos- smonchos. we didnt wear no stinking ponchos. however we did plan that kali was our last ride of the day and we rode it 5 times in a row during parade time. 85 degree heat. we did not have a dry spot left on us. we left the park dripping and had to stand on an empty bus. (we didnt want to leave a puddle). it was a blast. we loved making fun of the poncho people. because ponchos only sometimes work. :thedolls:

kate

[Belle_0717]

If you go on a water ride you are going to get wet.I feel that wearing a poncho is cheating. If you don't want to get wet then don't go on water rides. My DH and I bring extra shirts with us. We can deal with wet shorts. My DH took my DM on it for the first time on our last trip. They got soaked.

[cgriff]

ponchos- smonchos...we rode it 5 times in a row...we did not have a dry spot left on us. we left the park dripping and had to stand on an empty bus...kate

The bus rides back to the resorts are cold anyway (they always have the A/C cranked), but I bet that night on the bus was freezing!

[Belster]

Again, as others have said hit or miss. We went onn with 8 people, my best friend and I were the only ones that did not want to get wet in our party and guess who got wet? Us! lol...we still had fun though. I will wear a rain pancho next time.

Have fun!

[TinksPixieDust]

Phew the second page made me feel better. I agree that what is the point of riding with a poncho. its a water ride your suppose to get wet people! I just dont like the people that get on with them and act like they are so much smarter than you that they thought of a poncho and you didnt. i want to get wet! also they dont let you take your shoes off anymore. they use to but now you have to keep them on just put them up on the middle ring.

p.s the person who goes down backwards is the person that is going to get drenched it all depends on how your raft spins in the time leading up to that. plus in teh summer they have more water squirting up inrandom places because its hot.

[BMan62]

p.s the person who goes down backwards is the person that is going to get drenched it all depends on how your raft spins in the time leading up to that. plus in teh summer they have more water squirting up inrandom places because its hot.

Not necessarily!!! :blush:
I was on a raft with two other 'large' gentlemen (I weighed in at ~305 at the time, and was the lightest) and we were all on the same side of the raft. Needless to say, all that weight turned the raft so that we went down backwards. The wave, when we hit, was so large that it went completely over us and landed directly on the women across from us!! They were soaked to the skin and we were relatively dry. Loved it!!!!! :number1:

[jcvalenti]

I've always laughed at the people who bundle up in ponchos and are so freaked out at getting wet on this ride. Here's a trick - the surest way to avoid getting soaked is NOT TO GET ON THE RIDE.

The second surest way to avoid getting soaked is to sit on the opposite end of the raft from me, because I am an absolute drench magnet. It's a running joke in my family, because no matter how the raft is spinning, I end up hitting the bottom first. It's ridiculous. I've spent more time wringing out my shirt and hovering under the air dryers at the restroom near the entrance than I care to think about.

Speaking of ... would it really kill Disney to build a "hot zone" (like the cool zones at Epcot) that was just a toasty warm car wash sized dryer near the exit to this ride ?

[Nanners]

Speaking of ... would it really kill Disney to build a "hot zone" (like the cool zones at Epcot) that was just a toasty warm car wash sized dryer near the exit to this ride ?

That would be such a super idea!

[RBrooksC]

I agree with the other posters. Don't wear a poncho. First off, you look darn silly when you do. Second, the point of the ride is to get soaked. Those raft rides have been around for almost 25 plus years at almost every amusement park. How people are shocked when they "get wet" is beyond me.

[Imagineer1981]

you will get wet. You go on a water ride, you will get wet. Kali isn't like Splash where there is another reason to ride such as the story and animatronics, its just to go down hills, hit waves and get soaked!!!

[Giggy]

I've never bothered with ponchos and for me the water is part of it, hence being a water ride. That said I normally seem to avoid the worst of the splash (see below).

Some people seem to be cursed, or if not just plain unlucky with water rides and there is normally one in every group. For us it is our mum, we go on a river rapids ride and she will get soaked. I seem to be the opposite (the lucky one) who almost never seems to get wet. I am not sure what would happen if we sat next to each other, whether my winning streak or her losing streak would triumph! :mickey:

[Pirate Granny]

WEAR the PONCHO....I neglected to the last time...and yes, I was the one in the bathroom with my shirt off, drying it under the hair dryer and then, yep, off came my shorts and I dried them...and yep, I went into the bathroom stall and put the shirt and shorts back on and removed the soaked underwear...it took about 30 minutes...and my friends outside were laughing as they listened to the people leaving the bathroom talking about the 'old lady' in the bathroom drying her clothes...and to be fair...I knew better, the odds were against me, and even the $10 poncho would've been a good purchase.
:pirate: