You’re on the vacation that you’ve always dreamed of, Mickey calls your room to wake you up, you bounce out of bed and pull back the curtains of your hotel room, and….NO!! It’s raining outside. And according to the weather forecast you just turned on, it’s likely to rain all day.

Now what? Well, there’s no need to stay cooped up in your room all day. In fact, unless the weather is severe, the best thing to do is put on your rain ponchos and duck shoes and hit the parks. You’ll find that the crowds are lighter because the rain will keep many away, especially locals. And a large majority of the attractions at Disney World’s theme parks are under cover or inside. So the amount of time you’ll spend slogging through the rain will be managable.

If the weather is severe, or you just can’t stand to be out in the elements, try heading to Downtown Disney for the day. You can spend the day shopping, eating, and enjoy some indoor entertainment. Take in a flick at the

You can easily blow your diet sampling Downtown Disney’s food choices: split a sundae at Ghirardelli Chocolates, make your own treat at Goofy’s Candy Company, try fine Italian dining at the Portabello Yacht Club, or have food with a Latin flair at Bongo’s.

If you do decide to brave the weather and visit the parks, here are some useful tips:

• Wear a baseball cap to keep the rain off your face (much easier than trying to carry an umbrella).
• Protect your camera, cell phone, pager, etc. by storing them in a zippered plastic bag.
• Carry a small hand towel or two—they’ll come in handy for drying off seats and other surfaces.
• Waterproof shoes will keep your feet most comfortable; but at the very least wear rubber-soled shoes to keep from slipping and falling in wet areas.

Leslie Clevenstine is editor of YourDisneyGuide.com, an unofficial guide to planning the perfect Walt Disney World vacation. Visit at http://www.yourdisneyguide.com.

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