Best Attractions to Escape the Weather – Rain or Heat

Florida is hot, humid, and hurricane-prone. This doesn’t stop us from heading to the happiest place on earth though! You try to be as prepared as you can by packing your bag with essentials for the parks, but that doesn’t stop the weather. There are a lot of ways you can beat the weather, but continuing the fun on rides is definitely the best! Learn the best attractions to escape the weather of Orlando, whether you need to beat the heat or hide from the rain.

Magic Kingdom

Hall of Presidents

This ride runs every 30 minutes and very rarely has a long wait time. The attraction itself is just over 20 minutes so plenty of time to cool off in air conditioning for a while.

Carousel of Progress

A classic ride that is constantly loading new riders. It provides a cool place to sit down for 20 minutes and is a fun experience for the entire family!

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Besides simply being an indoor attraction this has two added bonuses. The waiting area outside has a fun little show that entertaining while you wait (and more importantly shaded). You will also find Disney’s classic dole whip right around the corner to cool off with as well!

Country Bear Jamboree

I will be honest I used to dislike this show when I was younger because I thought it was far too campy. Now as an adult I think it is one of the more underrated attractions in Magic Kingdom! The show is fun for all ages and sitting down for 15 minutes is a nice break as well.

Mickey’s Philharmagic

I dislike 4D shows. It creeps me out not knowing what is touching me or spraying at me. I avoid “It’s Tough To Be A Bug” at all costs. Mickey’s Philharmagic is the exception to that rule for me. It is fun and connects Disney’s music together in one show! While I do think it should be updated soon to include some of the newer movies, it is a great place to escape the weather. The theater is large and the line is covered.

Monster’s Inc. Laugh Factory

The show is interactive and fun! It is so much fun to see kids excited about Mike calling out members of the audience. While I don’t think is a “must do” attraction for most people, the show and the queue are a great place to hide from the weather.

“it’s a small world”

I might lose some people here, but there is no denying that the ride itself is nice and cold. While the one in Disneyland has updates including Disney characters, this is still a classic ride and a must do for most people. If you can deal with the song being stuck in your head for a few hours, head over here.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Depending on how long the line is, a decent amount of the queue is inside. Like “it’s a small world,” it varies from its counterpart in Disneyland. It isn’t as long and is a little tamer. It is still one of my favorites, although I love the movies so I am biased. Added bonus, if you want to cool off even more, sit in the front few rows and get a little wet!

Space Mountain

The ride itself isn’t long, but the line typically is. You can cool off indoors for a bit with one of the more popular rides on Disney property. Definitely check wait times to decide if it is really worth it to your family. You can cool off in the line, but remember you won’t be sitting.

Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin

I haven’t found the line to be incredibly long for this ride in a while. With the majority of the queue being indoors, this makes for a nice break. Typically the line is much shorter than space mountain, so if you are between the two and just want somewhere to duck in for a bit, head to Buzz Lightyear.

Epcot

Spaceship Earth

Let’s start with the classic right?, Yes there is a line outside for bit, but it is shaded. Also, if you go pretty much anytime after the world showcase has opened, the line is not nearly as long. The queue tends to die down later in the afternoon and fastpasses are usually easy to come by as well.

Living with the Land

For starters, don’t trust your My Disney Experience wait time for this ride. For whatever reason, it is typically incorrect. The line is indoors but is not interactive so kiddos might get a bit ancy if it is very long. The ride itself is about 15 minutes and is nice and cool as well.

Soarin’

Right across the way in The Land pavilion, you will find Soarin’. The wait time for this is really hit or miss. Sometimes it is 5 minutes other times it goes up to an hour. Unfortunately, I don’t think there is really a rhyme or reason for when it is lowest. The line and ride are both indoors and can provide some shelter from the weather for a while.

The Seas with Nemo and Friends

This ride is very similar to Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid over in Magic Kingdom. It is a relaxing and fun ride with animatronics. Once again, the ride and line are indoors to provide some much-needed air conditioning.

Turtle Talk with Crush

Similar to Monsters Inc. Laugh Factory, this is an interactive show. It is a Q-and-A session with Crush where he actually answers! Typically the only wait for this is usually until the next show starts. The queue doesn’t typically get very long.

Journey Into Imagination With Figment

Whether you love Figment or are still boycotting this ride since its renovation years ago, there is no denying it is a great place to beat the heat or rain. The ride itself is just under 10 minutes long and the queue is inside. Like most rides in Epcot that aren’t Test Track, Soarin’, or Frozen Ever After, the line is usually pretty small.

Grand Fiesta Tour

Dubbed by many people as “it’s a small world” Mexico edition, this ride is located inside the Mexico pavilion. It is something of a hidden gem for those who don’t realize there is an entire world inside the giant pyramid, this ride is a fun way to hide from the weather.

Reflections of China

Journey through China during this 360° film in China’s pavilion. The waiting area is also indoors and the show provides a different perspective on China and it’s history.

American Adventure

Be sure to check showtimes, but this 30-minute show is a great way to sit down and relax for a while, especially halfway through the World Showcase.

Impressions de France

Learn all about France through this 18-minute show exploring the charm and romance of the country. Just like American Adventure, it has scheduled show time so be sure to check those out before heading to the France pavilion.

O! Canada

Like Reflections of China, O! Canada is a 360° film showcasing the great country. It is a bit tricky to find since it is tucked back in the pavilion, so definitely ask a cast member if you are having trouble locating it.

Hollywood Studios

Muppet*Vision 3D

MuppetVision 3D is a cute 3D show that runs just over 15 minutes long. The wait for it is typically just until the show before ends, rarely will you find a line here. This makes it one of the ideal places in Hollywood Studios to go if you just need to sit down for a bit.

Frozen Sing-Along

This show gets mixed reviews depending on the group you are going with, but it is a 25-minute escape from the heat or rain. If you are really desperate for a break, regardless of your feelings on Frozen, this is definitely worth checking out.

Voyage of the Little Mermaid

Once again, there isn’t usually much of a line for this ride. You are basically waiting in a group inside until the show before you clears out. It is about 15 minutes long and definitely entertaining. One note – if you have young kids there are parts that can be a bit scary because of the noise and darkness.

Toy Story Mania

This is one of the only places in Toy Story Land that you will find shelter from the weather. The new queue is just as one and playful as before, so it can be entertaining to stand in the line. This isn’t typically a walk-on type ride though, this wait can be over an hour at times, so if you are just looking for somewhere quick to duck in, head to a different ride.

Star Tours

This is slightly a toss-up depending on the day. The queue isn’t entirely inside, but the majority of it is and a lot of the time the wait isn’t long enough to keep you outdoors for that long.

Animal Kingdom

It’s Tough To Be A Bug

We have already covered that this attraction terrifies me, however, this doesn’t negate the fact it is one of the few places in Animal Kingdom that are good to kill time during a storm. If you are simply just looking to hide from the heat, head to one of the longer shows.

Festival of the Lion King

This is my personal recommendation to hit if you are escaping the weather (storm or heat). The show is 25 minutes long and incredibly entertaining. The queue for it is also covered which is a nice bonus.

Finding Nemo – The Musical

This show is longer than Festival of The Lion King since it is 35 minutes, but the queue isn’t covered. You can wait a while in the line depending on what time you arrive for the show, so you won’t get any shelter from the weather until you can be seated for the show.

Dinosaur

The entire queue is indoors and the ride is decently long for what it is. Since most of Animal Kingdom is pretty stretched out, if you are in DinoLand when a storm hits, I would head straight to Dinosaur for cover.

Are there any other attractions you prefer to hit when the weather won’t cooperate? Leave a comment below!

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