Local’s Guide to Disney’s California Adventure in the Rain
As unlikely as a rainy day in a Southern California forecast is, it does happen on occasion. So if you find yourself in Disney’s California Adventure in the rain, fear not, there’s so much to do to keep you occupied even if the rain dampens the day…literally.
In this local’s guide, I’ll share what rides are closed in the rain and which are open, where to hide out from a downpour, where to eat for the coziest rainy day meals, and what to expect on a rainy Disney day.
Not only did I grow up going to Disneyland Resort in Anaheim (before California Adventure even opened), but I recently visited again on a super rainy day, so this comes from first hand experience of conquering the park on a rainy day. It’s not only possible but there are some definite perks like lower crowds and unique views!
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🛏️ Where to stay:
- Off property: Howard Johnson ($215+ per night) — Fan favorite, within walking distance to the parks, water playground perfect for families
- On property: Disney’s Grand Californian and Spa ($500+ per night) — Once-in-a-lifetime stay, stunning property, comes with all the Disney stay perks
🎢 Best vacation package ($870) — comes with 3 night Howard Johnson stay and 2-day park tickets
Map of California Adventure on a Rainy Day
Rainy Day Guide to California Adventure Park
Before I get too deep into this guide, I had to share that I made a free downloadable version of this rainy day guide, so you can access it quickly and easily during your trip.
Just tell me where to send it.
Best California Adventure Rides During the Rain
While California Adventure has a number of outdoor rides, you might be surprised at how many attractions stay open when it rains.
Rides that close in the rain
Officially, the only rides that definitely close when it rains at California Adventure are:
- Golden Zephyr
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
To read between the lines, that doesn’t mean that other rides don’t close, it just means the conditions need to be bad enough for the others to close.
That includes the Incredicoaster, Radiator Springs Racers, Pixar Pal-A-Round, Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, and Silly Symphony Swings. Each of those have an outdoor portion of the ride, if not the entire ride.
For those, you’ll want to consult the Disney parks app where you can monitor the wait times and see any closures in real time. You can also ask a cast member (nicely, please!).
Rides that are open when it rains
So what’s open then?
Indoor rides will remain open including Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT, Jessie’s Critter Carousel, The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sully to the Rescue, Soarin’ Around the World, Toy Story Midway Mania!, and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure.
The challenge with rainy days is that everyone will be limited to those rides so they can get crowded raising wait times.
Still, rainy days at Disneyland Resort bring fewer people in general so it might not be as bad as you might think.
If wait times are high, I would do some of the hidden gems in the below section of this post.
Shows to See During Rain at California Adventure
California Adventure has the benefit over Disneyland of more indoor shows that you can see.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic in Hollywood Land is a 12 minute 3D show featuring Donald and a symphony of music.
Across the way also in Hollywood Land is the Animation Building which is a treasure trove of indoor entertainment.
The main show here is called Turtle Talk with Crush, where the namesake turtle has a fun, live conversation with the audience. It’s an improvisational show that changes every time you see it and while it is family-friendly, the jokes are better understood by adults, making it a fun experience for everyone. The show happens every 30 minutes.
Hidden Gems to Do at California Adventure in the Rain
Back inside the Animation Building, you’ll find two other hidden gems that are perfect on rainy days. First is the Animation Academy, which is a live workshop taught by a Disney animation artist. They’ll teach you step by step how to draw a Disney character.
It happens every 30 minutes and there’s a schedule out front so you can see which characters are available to draw at what time.
Across from the Animation Academy is the Sorcerer’s Workshop, which is a walkthrough experience to learn how animators bring stories to life. You can learn about the animation process by drawing your own sequence, seeing characters brought to life, and trying to record your own voice over animated scenes.
You can also meet Anna and Elsa in the Animation Building at Character Close Up, which is one of the few character meet and greets that takes place indoors regardless of the weather.
But that’s not all, because there are some other hidden gems in California Adventure to visit during the rain.
Don’t miss the Boudin Bakery Tour in San Fransokyo. This company is an actual San Francisco staple. They make sourdough bread and on the tour you can learn how, complete with a sample. To find it, you’ll walk to the back of Aunt Cass Café across from the Ghirardelli shop.
Despite the rain, one of the best hidden gem experiences is seeing the Cars Land neon turn on at sunset to the tune of Sh-Boom. Check your phone’s weather app for the sunset time. Around 15 minutes earlier, find an awning to stand under if it’s actively raining to wait for the beautiful display.
I honestly think the neon during the rain is extra special because of all the reflections. It’s incredible!
Finally, Disney Jr. Dance Party can happen in the rain. This is a great opportunity for younger kids to get some energy out. Bonus points for dancing in puddles!
Where to Eat if it Rains
California Adventure has some of the best restaurants on the property and has *cough cough* adult beverages, so you can make the most of a rainy day quite easily.
If you can snag reservations (60 days in advance with a park reservation), Carthay Circle is the best of the best! It’s definitely more fine dining than anywhere else in the park, but it’s SO GOOD.
Lamplight Lounge is also fantastic. It’s Pixar themed at the edge of Pixar Pier and has incredible memorabilia throughout.
As far as cozy food to actually eat, I love the sourdough bread bowls from Aunt Cass Cafe. The bread is Boudin Bakery sourdough, so it’s really special to California. The seating is outdoors but there are umbrellas and awnings especially around the side of the building, so don’t count it out just because of the lack of indoor seating.
Cozy Cone Motel is actually a set of 5 quick service dining spots, one in each cone. They have rotating seasonal menus, but some pasta, chili, and snack staples like Chili “cone” queso, mac and cheese, and churros. There isn’t covered seating here, but you can take it to go, and sit under a covered area in Avengers Campus next door to Cars Land or within the land itself.
Don’t leave Disneyland Resort in California without trying a churro. They’re superior to Walt Disney World churros and will hit the spot, especially on a chilly rainy day.
What about parades, fireworks, outdoor shows, and character meet and greets in the rain?
Let’s take those one at a time.
Parades are typically canceled in the rain to maintain the safety of performers and guests. Unlike Disneyland where they have a Rainy Day Cavalcade parade, there’s no special alternative on rainy days.
Fireworks are a Disneyland thing, not a California Adventure thing. Don’t worry, I’ve written a rainy day guide to Disneyland, too.
The main outdoor show to be concerned about is World of Color, a nighttime watershow with projections that happens on the main lake in California Adventure. Coming from experience, I can say that rain does not necessarily mean the show will be canceled.
In fact, because it’s a water show, the rain might mean nothing to the show. It can still operate and the projections will still function.
However the viewing area is completely outside so you will get wet when watching. What is only a possibility on a sunny day, is a guarantee on a rainy one. Again…ask me how I know. Better yet, ask the pants that my rain jacket couldn’t quite cover.
Still, if the rain is intense or there is lightning, they may need to cancel the show. Consult the app, ask a cast member, and when in doubt grab your virtual queue reservation for the show just in case it’s happening.
Finally, for character meet and greet experiences, those really depend on the character’s location. That’s because some of them already meet indoors like Anna and Elsa inside the Animation Building.
Those that typically meet outside, like the Incredibles, Avengers, and Lightning McQueen, it will depend on if they have somewhere covered to go in lieu of their normal spot.
For example, Lightning McQueen drives around Cars Land, but in the rain, he can drive and park under the covered area in front of the Cozy Cone Motel lobby.
When in doubt, ask cast members and keep your eyes peeled since they may move around.
FAQs for Planning a Rainy Day at California Adventure
What to bring on a rainy Disney day?
While you can purchase rain gear at California Adventure (for a nice upcharge), I recommend packing a small bag (I like Loungefly) with the following:
- Ponchos – A theme park essential for rainy days. I’d go with ponchos in the summer to stay cool.
- Umbrellas – Of course, umbrellas can be helpful, but be mindful of storing it once wet and on rides.
- Rain Jacket – If you want more warmth than a poncho provides, I’d go with a rain jacket, especially in winter (SoCal’s rainy season). I love this Columbia one, especially for the zip and velcro features that protect the contents of my pockets.
- Good Shoes – Theme park shoes that are waterproof can be tough to find. I usually wear my Chacos if it’s summer or Thursday boots in the winter. But I’ve heard great things about Vessi shoes too, which are waterproof sneakers.
Lockers are also a good option on rainy days because you can store your rain gear there until the forecast predicts rain.
For instance, when my mom and I visited on a rainy day recently, it wasn’t supposed to rain until around 5 pm, so we stored our big jackets in the lockers and my mom even brought an extra pair of shoes. When it got closer to 5 pm, we retrieved our rain gear and swapped clothes to prep.
And lo and behold, it poured in the evening. But we didn’t have to spend an entire park day walking 20,000 steps in rain boots.
Does Disney offer any perks or compensation if it rains?
No, no they don’t. *surprised Pikachu face*
If there is inclement weather, you’re on your own to make the best of it. Please be kind to cast members, too…they can’t control the weather.
Can you change your theme park reservation due to rain?
Yes, you can modify your theme park reservation date if you want to avoid potential rain in the forecast.
To do so, be sure to make the change by 11:59 pm PST the night before your scheduled visit.
In the app or online, click “Make or Modify Park Reservations” then select Modify to choose a new date.
Just note that Disneyland’s ticket prices reflect crowd levels, so if you change your park reservation to a date that costs more, you’ll have to pay the difference. And if it costs less, you do not get the difference in price as a refund – you eat that cost. So just proceed with caution.
How often does it rain in Anaheim?
It rains very rarely, but not never.
In winter (December through March), the average is 4-5 days of rain per month.
Some years, Southern California gets what’s called El Niño, which is a months-long weather pattern that brings cooler, wetter climate. It doesn’t happen every year and when it does, news outlets will report on it, so keep an eye out.
For 2025, it is not predicted to occur, but again, do your own research as the year goes on as things can change.
When should I visit to avoid rain?
While it can be tempting to avoid December through March to avoid the rain altogether, the opposite of rainy season in Southern California is hotter than hell heat in the summer.
You definitely want to avoid that, too, because it can be miserable — not just the blazing heat, but also the higher crowds since school is out during the summer.
I’d opt for shoulder seasons aka fall and spring. April, May, and mid-October through mid-November are my favorite times of year.
And as for crowd levels, while many third parties release projected crowd calendars, I like going to the source. You can check expected crowd levels by comparing the prices of park tickets straight on Disneyland Resort’s website. The higher the price, the more people they expect.
Planning a trip to Disneyland in California? These will help:
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