No matter how much you plan there is one thing you can never control: the weather.
The good thing about Florida is that if a storm does pop up it typically won’t last too long.
However, anytime you have to figure out what to do with a cabin fevered toddler is too long. Luckily there are some ways to still make the magic while the rain drops fall.
Here are my Tot Five Best Rainy Day Activities
It’s fun to take your kids back in time and share with them little bits of pop culture from when you were their age.
I love to introduce our daughter to arcades, where we had to go to check out the latest videogame. Can you imagine leaving the comfort of your own home?
This trip down memory lane can be a lot of fun for you tot. Many of the resorts have an arcade on the premises. You can couple this with a quick trip to the resort’s snackbar and you have a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Bonus points: I have found that with our daughter we don’t need to pay to play the machines. She gets a kick out of just pushing the buttons or riding in the car or on the motorcycle that controls the game.
2. Ellen’s Energy Adventure
If you happen to be in EPCOT when the downpour starts and you are looking for a place to spend about 45 minutes, you should check out the forgotten attraction that is “Ellen’s Energy Adventure.”
Located in Future World, this unique attraction offers guests the opportunity to learn about the various forms of energy, where they come from and what role they play in our world.
One of the last “edu-tainment” attractions in EPCOT, this show runs about 45 minutes and is guided by popular funny-gal Ellen DeGeneres and her side-kick Bill Nye the Science Guy.
There is a small fright-factor in the attraction in the form of a room of dinosaurs, but once you make it through that portion the rest of the attraction is so calming many people stretch out on the extra wide benches to take a quick cat nap.
3. Mitsukoshi Department Store
Literally across the pond from Ellen’s in the Japan pavilion is one of the largest retail establishments in all of Walt Disney World Resort.
The Mitsukoshi Department Store is so large and chock full of animated characters and interesting candy and foods from Japan that you can easily spend a half hour here.
This store carries everything from Hello Kitty to shrimp candy. Your tot will love looking at all the different characters and trying to figure out what all the prepackaged foods are made of.
Another popular section of the store is an area toward the front of the building where people can pick an oyster and watch as the pearl is harvested right before their eyes.
Just be prepared that you most likely won’t be able to leave the store without buying your Mousekatot something.
While this is not the most exciting or glamorous thing to do while in Walt Disney World, you can plan ahead and pack a few easy to travel board or card games for your toddler.
This is a way to pass the time while keeping your little one entertained during a storm.
If you want to make it more exciting purchase the games new before you leave. This way they still feel like they are doing something new and exciting while they are on vacation.
My suggestion for games include a memory matching game like the one pictured above, Guess Who, I Spy and even just a deck of cards.
5. Good old fashioned nap
This might be the favorite suggestion for parents, but sometimes a nap is best during a rainy afternoon. You know your little tot is going to need a nap at some point in order to avoid a meltdown. So why not take advantage of a storm to squeeze that nap in.
Remember you can always go back to the park or continue your adventures later in the day.
What is your favorite way to spend a downpour at Walt Disney World? Leave your suggestion in the comments below.
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