I admit, I have mixed feelings about wearing ponchos on water rides. The whole point of a water ride is to get wet, right? Wait times for the popular water attractions during the heat of the day can easily reach 60 minutes or more. However, the wait times for the water attractions are almost nonexistent in the late evenings. Of course, it is often chilly in the evenings and being wet and cold can make for a very long and uncomfortable walk back to the hotel. I value my time in the park and I like to wait in the shortest lines possible. This is where ponchos come in handy. I have realized that I can either wait in line during the day or I can avoid the lines and ride in the evening wrapped in a lovely, plastic poncho. You can purchase a Disney Parks poncho for around $12 at the park or you can pick a plain poncho up at your local dollar store for $1.25 each before you leave for your trip. For a family of four, this can be a savings of over $40. If you don’t want to carry your wet poncho back to your hotel, you can offer it to other guests waiting in line. They will appreciate your kindness and you will appreciate being nice and dry as you walk back to your hotel.
During the summer months in Florida, when the rain dumps from the sky, ponchos come in very handy. Just about every afternoon, you can anticipate a significant amount of rain to fall. Carrying an umbrella through the parks isn't very convenient, but a poncho can easily be tucked into a pocket or backpack until needed. I would highly encourage you to take a few if you are traveling to Florida during the summer months.