Category: Parks & Resorts

Welcome back to WDWNT’s Hostess with the Mostess! The best place for your weekly Disney fix! It has been unbelievable hot where I live! While swimming in my pool I was inspired to talk about the cool, refreshing, and exciting water rides of Walt Disney World.

If you are behind and missed last week’s post you can read it right here. As a little reminder, here is my list.

Kali River Rapids

My Top 5 Favorite Water Rides at Walt Disney World.

•   5. Maelstrom/Frozen Ever After
•   4. Jungle Cruise
•   3. Pirates of the Caribbean
•   2. Kali River Rapids
•   1. Splash Mountain

Now let’s see how you voted!

5. Frozen Ever After. Frozen did not get much love. Only two voters represented this new attraction. Is it because it’s just not a fan favorite or could it be because it’s so new and not many have ridden it yet? What do you think?  I am very excited to take my first ride to Arendelle next month!

4. Jungle Cruise came in at number four. I was surprised at first that this attraction did not make it further up on the list, but when I looked at the numbers it was only one vote away for tying for number three! Jungle Cruise is without a doubt on my “list.” You know the list that every Disney fanatic has … the attractions you would want to work on if you ever become a Disney Cast Member. I am sure I am not the only one … right? That just gave me a great idea! That would make for a really fun countdown! If you do not already have a list, you better start thinking about what attractions at Disney World you would want to work on because you know I will want to hear from you!

3. Kali River Rapids barely made it into the number three spot. Brandon said, “I’ll have to disagree with the Kali River Rapids. We rode that for the first time this year. After 2.5 hours standing in line, the ride lasted for 2 minutes. It was a complete let down. Everyone on our raft were saying, ‘That’s it?!’ I will never waste my time on that again.” Brandon has a great point. Kali is very short and not worth a long wait. Even though it is my number two pick, I would never wait in a long line for it. Fastpass all the way!

2. Yo Ho, let’s go to our number two pick! I’m sure you guessed it by that corny introduction … Pirates of the Caribbean! That’s right folks; those swashbuckling singers must have stolen everyone’s hearts! This Pirate adventure certainly deserves it’s placement at number two! Trivia question … Paul Frees voiced many of the pirates including the Auctioneer, what other Magic Kingdom attraction did he voice another important role?

1. Splash Mountain blew all of the other attractions out of the water! Brer Rabbit raced way ahead of the competition and landed in first with ease. I had a feeling that Splash Mountain would be the fan favorite. How can it not? There is so much fun and Disney detail packed into that log flume it is a magical treat with every ride!

Our honorable mention comes from Travis, “I voted Splash Mountain, but if we’re permitted to dig into the past, I have to mention 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Incredible ride, gone too soon …” Since I brought up Maelstrom, I think it’s only fair to include 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I am too young to have experienced its greatness. But I have done a lot of research and have heard from a lot of people how wonderful it was. My Dad raves about that attraction and I know he would want nothing more than to have the opportunity to ride it.

Splash Mountain, Tokyo Disneyland

Staying Dry on Water Rides

Before I go, I am going to share some of my Hostess tips on how to stay dry on these wet attractions. Part of the fun is getting wet! But that doesn’t mean you want to get soaked.

 – Ponchos. They are wonderful things! They are so compact and take up no room at all in your bag. It is so easy to throw one on before the ride. Make sure you purchase one at the Dollar Store before your trip. They are much more expensive in the parks. Ponchos are great at keeping you dry from all of the water coming at you from above. But they are even better when it comes to the real problem … you know what I’m talking about. Yes, that’s right, that pesky puddle of water that sits on the seat and is just waiting to give you a soggy bottom. Ponchos come to the rescue! They are long enough to sit on and help to keep your derriere dry!

– Another helpful item that you can take with you is a gallon bag. These bags are perfect for keeping your personal items dry. Water can easily seep through your bags or pockets and get to that phone or worse yet the cash you saved for that Mickey Mouse ice cream bar. Gasp! In order to prevent an ice cream-less disaster, just put all of your personal items in a gallon bag for safety.

– Some rides have special tricks to stay dry. On Splash Mountain, I have found there are two places you can sit in the log to stay a little drier. The left side of the boat and the back row does not get as much water. I always put my hands up on Chickapin Hill (AKA the big drop), but right before we get to the bottom I put my hands down and duck down as far as I can. This obviously does not prevent the water that is coming down on you, but your face and hair will stay dry!

– On Kali River Rapids there isn’t much hope for staying dry unless maybe wearing a poncho. The most important tip I can offer will at least help keep your feet dry. And let’s be honest, wet socks and shoes are one of the worst parts of getting soaked. Keep your feet up on the bar in front of you during the ride. The floor of the raft fills up with water and in order to keep your feet away from the forming pool, you have to put your feet up!

– What if you want to get soaked but not stay soaked? In that case, I say take extra socks and a hand towel. Having wet feet is pretty miserable but carrying extra shoes and clothes can get really bulky. A good compromise would be to pack extra socks and a hand towel in one of those handy dandy gallon bags. Your feet will thank you and you would be surprised how much water a little hand towel can remove!

 – My last tip is all in the planning. I suppose planning does not really keep you dry per say, but it does help in those wet situations. First things first, do not wear white or clingy clothes. They will only become a bigger hassle! Second, try to plan out the time you will be riding the attraction. You do not want to show up to your dinner reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table soaked. Not only will you be uncomfortable but the air conditioning will make for a very cold evening. Make sure you have plenty of time to dry off before other important plans.

My Extra Magic Tip for the week: Hand dryers. Use them! These little guys can be very helpful when you’re drenched.

Thank you to everyone who voted and commented. As always it is so much fun to learn about what you think! Remember to check back next week for another countdown of my favorites!

See ya real soon!