MNSSHP Rain out?

[Yellow Shoes]

According to the (highly inaccurate) 10 day forecast, there is a 95% chance of rain on September 9, when we have MNSSHP tickets.

I know it has rained before, so what happens?

If it's really bad rain will they cancel the parades? How waterproof are they? What about fireworks?

Do they ever cancel and offer refunds or exchanges? How would you know that?

 

[joanna71985]

According to the (highly inaccurate) 10 day forecast, there is a 95% chance of rain on September 9, when we have MNSSHP tickets.

I know it has rained before, so what happens?

If it's really bad rain will they cancel the parades? How waterproof are they? What about fireworks?

Do they ever cancel and offer refunds or exchanges? How would you know that?

If it is raining hard enough, the parade will be canceled. Fireworks are pretty safe, as it takes a lot to cancel them.

No, they usually don't offer refunds. You may be able to exchange them, but there is no guarantee.

 

[imamouse]

I was at MNSSHP last year on Sept 14 and it started pouring at 8 pm and did not let up for a couple of hours. We were soaked to the bone.

The first parade was canceled and the fireworks were delayed 45 min. They ran the 2nd parade immediately after the fireworks. We "wasted" a lot of time waiting for the fireworks and parade and had only done a couple of attractions due to the downpour.

I didn't think to ask at Guest Services on my way out (Disney can't control the weather), but I later learned (on this site) that all tickets for the Sept 14 MNSSHP were activated for a 1-day MYW ticket (no park hopping).

I tried to apply the purchase price of my MNSSHP ticket to my AP renewal, but was told it was only good for a 1-day entry to the MK. I thought it was fantastic that they did anything at all.

 

[KingStefan]

When I was there last Aug, it poured starting about 5 PM the day of our P&PP. At about 7 PM they announced that you could exchange your ticket for another night, or take a chance.

We took a chance, because there were no more scheduled for the rest of our stay. We didn't go to the park until about 9. They had cancelled the first parade. By the time of the second parade, it was just a light drizzle. They combined the dance parties (the teen party was outside in tomorrowland originally, and the pre-teem party was in Cosmic Ray's. They combined them in Cosmic Ray's).

Most everything else was normal, and they were very generous at the "X" marks the spots, since attendance was low so they had plenty of booty.

They were a bit disorganized with the booty bags, they ran out of them at the gate, and said to get one at any X, but they said at the first X we visited that we had to go to the front gate. An efficient and polite manager got on his walkie-talkie and got us one and also proceeded to fix the misunderstanding. Very cool.

 

[wdwmagic]

Last year was really bad for hard ticket events and rain. It seemed like everynight during the first few weeks it would absolutely pour.

As said above, generally they carry on even with bad weather. There have been a few cases where things were so bad they did offer tickets to a future event.

 

[faeryhollow]

We (6 adults) were also at the party on 9/14 last year. It started raining buckets of water as we got off of the monorail, and rained for hours. We were completely drenched, even after buying WDW ponchos as soon as we got to the Emporium. The lightning was so frequent and close that I was actually concerned that we were risking our lives to be there slogging through the ankle-deep water in the streets. I asked a CM in the Emporium about the parades, and he said that they were cancelled. My DH and I had paid for the tickets for all of us, and we hated to forfeit all of that money, so we stuck it out. Several of our favorite rides were closed because of the rain and lightning or power blips causing compute problems (BTMRR, POTC, Splash Mt.), and a gazillion people were crowded into the few places that were open for food. We finally managed to find a table at Pecos Bill's, but it was a madhouse. We hit what attractions were operating, and after waiting in a light rain to watch the fireworks, which were amazing, we headed to Toontown along the walk from Tomorrowland. I found out after we got back home, and I was reading on this site other reports of that party date, that the 2nd parade did go on. We were extremely disappointed to have missed it, and if we hadn't been told that it was cancelled we'd have been looking for it. We were offered the return 1 day admission passes to the MK on our way out of the park, but we're AP holders, so they weren't of any value to us. I also found out after reading this site after our return that some people did go and ask for and received refunds, exchanges for another MNSSHP, or MVMCP tickets, even after staying at the party for several hours. I really never expected any remuneration, since Disney can't control the weather. However, given the money amount involved, I would have asked for a refund early in the evening if I'd had any idea that they were offering that. It was definitely not money well spent from our perspective. We're going to the MVMCP on 12/2, and I'm glad that Dec. is a lot less likely to be a washout than Sept.

 

[DisneyBride94]

We went last Septemer on the first MNSSHP date and it was not cancelled despite continual downpours during the entire evening. We have attended MNSSHP for 5 or 6 years now...and always had a great time...but this past year was truly a nightmaire. The initial parade was cancelled... Fantasy land was literally flooded with standing water in some spots... they had to tape off some of the low points with security tape. Everyone crowded the spots that provided shelter and you really couldn't make it out of fantasy land as there is no cover whatsoever for you to run the distance to the next area of the park.
As few of the restaurant areas are open--there is little place to get out of cover during the rain and have a cup of coffee or something.
We were drenched to the skin. It wasn't your typical Florida downpour... where it rains for an hour and clears up. It just poured the entire time. The best part of the night was after waiting in line at Haunted Mansion for about 40 minutes...the ride broke down with us on it...so we got to stay out of the rain for a while longer. LOL.
The worst part of the night was when my then 7 year old son stepped off the Buzz Light Year Ride onto the wet conveyor belt and slipped and fell and went down like a ton of bricks... he had to get a wheelchair over to first aid... we had to wait a good 20 minutes for anyone to come and assist us... then we spent a half hour inside first aid. We left after that. I don't know if there were any fireworks or the second parade... with a hurt kid...the evening was over for us.
We tried to get on a bus back to our hotel with our son in the wheelchair which he had to use for the next 2 days... but they refused to take him on and left standing there in the downpour with a hurt kid.

The next day I found out that my mom, my brother, his wife and her mother got a refund at Town Hall for the event. So I went to Guest Relations and asked for a refund as well. At first they did not want to give me one...but when I cited my mom and the rest of her party as an example--that they had been giving a refund...my money for the 5 of us was refunded as well.

When we exited the park that night--they did hand out vouchers that would allow us to trade our event admission in for a free day of admission to Magic Kingdom in the next 6 months or something like that...but not for another special event admission. This was pretty useless to us as we were leaving the next day and we were not returning for another year.

The event SHOULD have been cancelled. It was an absolutely miserable even and dangerous with lightening and all. The cast members should have had some kind of game plan to handle the crowds in the rain--by opening some of the large eateries that could at least provide some dry seating for people... and any and all indoor type attractions. (Which could have easily been done by tranferring cast members from rides that can't operate in the rain....like BTMRR or SM....

We are going back to MNSHHP again this year...in mid October... and I am hoping lightening won't strike us twice.

 

[nibblesandbits]

We went to last year's Not So Dry Halloween Party...and I have to admit, we had a pretty great time. We just slushed it out with an umbrella and while it helped a little, we were pretty drenched.

Last year, as was mentioned, they did cancel the first parade (still raining during it) but the fireworks did go on...and the misty rain helped to add to the effects. The parade also did go on...and we got tons of candy...although it all got sticky b/c it got soaked.

I was also quite surprised to find when I got home that I could use my ticket for another day. As, we still enjoyed ourselves, but of course, as we were enjoying ourselves, we passed NUMEROUS families crowded under and refuge from the rain that they could be.

We did use our tickets again. We made a special trip in February this year and used our ticket up.

My tip...go to the party anyway...get as much rain gear with you as you can...and slosh it out anyway. I wouldn't count on a refund though, as that's not very normal. Only in complete wash out situations like mentioned above does it happen. If it's just a normal rain, it more than likely won't. This was like a monsoon!

I hope you end up having a good time though. I can't wait to go back this year and see it, hopefully, not soaked.

 

[DisneyBride94]

Well when you are in full costume--it's pretty miserable to get that drenched! I was in full authentic 17th century Pirate garb--replete with long skirts and petticoats, corset, and long sleeve muslin chemise underneath and knee high leather boots. LOL. I was so drenched I had to kilt up my skirts, take off my boots and slog barefoot through the puddles.

Had I not been in the spirit of the event and just worn boring old shorts and a tank top the rain would not have been so bothersome. My brother was not particularly comfy in his padded Mister Incredible muscle suit either (and if you saw the resemblance that he bears to Mr. Incredible you'd think the character was based on him--he looks JUST like him--people were stopping to ask him to pose for pictures).

I am still dressing as a pirate this year--but I am going to be less authentic and a bit more on the skimpy side so that my skirts don't drag in a puddle!!!!

 

[marni1971]

Last year on October 5th it rained and it rained and it rained. A few of the Villains Mix and Mingles were cancelled (stage too wet) as was the first parade. The second parade ran with no headless horseman (too slippy) and a lot of the feature lighting around the park was off and covered over. HalloWishes ran in a dry spot.

We enquired at Guest Relations if there were any options and our tickets were swapped for a MNSSHP the following week which was perfectly dry. And great fun.

 

[nibblesandbits]

Well when you are in full costume--it's pretty miserable to get that drenched! I was in full authentic 17th century Pirate garb--replete with long skirts and petticoats, corset, and long sleeve muslin chemise underneath and knee high leather boots. LOL. I was so drenched I had to kilt up my skirts, take off my boots and slog barefoot through the puddles.

Had I not been in the spirit of the event and just worn boring old shorts and a tank top the rain would not have been so bothersome. My brother was not particularly comfy in his padded Mister Incredible muscle suit either (and if you saw the resemblance that he bears to Mr. Incredible you'd think the character was based on him--he looks JUST like him--people were stopping to ask him to pose for pictures).

I am still dressing as a pirate this year--but I am going to be less authentic and a bit more on the skimpy side so that my skirts don't drag in a puddle!!!!

Oh yeah...see, I was in a pirate costume, but definitely not that elaborate! :lol: So, it wasn't totally uncomfortable for me to be wet...

And Martin, I forgot about the Mix and Mingles...and yes, there were none of those either on last year's first party.

 

[eroyee]

We (6 adults) were also at the party on 9/14 last year. It started raining buckets of water as we got off of the monorail, and rained for hours. We were completely drenched, even after buying WDW ponchos as soon as we got to the Emporium. The lightning was so frequent and close that I was actually concerned that we were risking our lives to be there slogging through the ankle-deep water in the streets. I asked a CM in the Emporium about the parades, and he said that they were cancelled. My DH and I had paid for the tickets for all of us, and we hated to forfeit all of that money, so we stuck it out. Several of our favorite rides were closed because of the rain and lightning or power blips causing compute problems (BTMRR, POTC, Splash Mt.), and a gazillion people were crowded into the few places that were open for food. We finally managed to find a table at Pecos Bill's, but it was a madhouse. We hit what attractions were operating, and after waiting in a light rain to watch the fireworks, which were amazing, we headed to Toontown along the walk from Tomorrowland. I found out after we got back home, and I was reading on this site other reports of that party date, that the 2nd parade did go on. We were extremely disappointed to have missed it, and if we hadn't been told that it was cancelled we'd have been looking for it. We were offered the return 1 day admission passes to the MK on our way out of the park, but we're AP holders, so they weren't of any value to us. I also found out after reading this site after our return that some people did go and ask for and received refunds, exchanges for another MNSSHP, or MVMCP tickets, even after staying at the party for several hours. I really never expected any remuneration, since Disney can't control the weather. However, given the money amount involved, I would have asked for a refund early in the evening if I'd had any idea that they were offering that. It was definitely not money well spent from our perspective. We're going to the MVMCP on 12/2, and I'm glad that Dec. is a lot less likely to be a washout than Sept.

dont count on MVMCP not being a washout. we were there in Dec. once and it was a monsoon then,too. they were cancelling parades and fireworks and fantasyland was a big river. everyone was crammed into Cosmic Rays all over the place. was pretty bad out there. they finally did the one parade late and some fireworks but even with ponchos we were totally wet all nite...........