Splash Mountain... do Guests get TO wet?

[Disney Adventure]

I love this attraction, I love it as much as any attraction. It fits Disneyland so beautifully, it uses classic Walt-era characters, it has outstanding and memorable music, it’s really really fun for the whole family, it has a tremendous finale with the huge drop into the briar patch and the subsequent Zip-a-dee-do-da animatronic singing show, and on and on and on. But...... I hate getting soaked on it. I HATE IT. And I get soaked every single time, as though I jumped into a pool. If it’s 90 degrees outside and it’s 1 in the afternoon then it’s not the end of the world. If it’s the last attraction of the night and I’m going straight to the hotel then it’s not so bad. But having to try and plan going on it around times being soaked won’t negatively affect my day in the park kind of sucks. No other attraction in Disneyland limits itself in that way. And because of the water factor it seems like it’s down in January and February quite often. I just went on it for the first time in over five years because of that since we always go in Jan/Feb. I want to go on it more often without getting splashed quite so thoroughly.

[greenalfonzo]

Makes it one of the few main attractions in the park you don't have to wait forever to ride a lot of the the time.

[sailor310]

I think it's a lot worse than it used to be years ago. Somebody back me up on this. It seems like it used to be just a nice splash, but now the waves slosh over the front and sides and soak me to the skin.

[Disney Adventure]

Makes it one of the few main attractions in the park you don't have to wait forever to ride a lot of the the time.

Definitely, we walked right on and it had been a fairly crowded day. But in the evening there’s just not a lot of people going on it, unlike the other E-tickets.

[Disney Adventure]

I think it's a lot worse than it used to be years ago. Somebody back me up on this. It seems like it used to be just a nice splash, but now the waves slosh over the front and sides and soak me to the skin.

You may be on to something, I don’t remember being uncomfortably soaked on it until the early 2000’s when my wife and I started going to DLR every year. Before that you definitely got some water on you of course, but not the shoes sploshing, clothes being see through wet like it is now.

[NGW]

It's one of our favorite rides, soaked or not. Summer is probably the worst time to try and ride it, but it makes for a good ride towards the end of the night most of the rest of the year, can even go a few times in a row depending on the line and cast members.

[Jesser-pie]

I think it's a lot worse than it used to be years ago. Somebody back me up on this. It seems like it used to be just a nice splash, but now the waves slosh over the front and sides and soak me to the skin.

You are not alone. Without being there, it’s hard to describe the sopping wet mess I was after I rode it last (somewhat recently).

[AhpalovestheDuck]

There are lots of variables that determine how wet one gets on Splash Mountain. Sitting in front will usually get you wet. Another thing to consider is the total weight of the riders. I remember one time my son and I were the only ones riding. We rode at the back and got very wet from the backwash. It was not crowded and we got to go again, this time riding in the center. Stayed dry. On another time I noticed the log had some rather heavy riders, I was at the back. The poor person riding in the front took a wall of water over her head.

It may be my imagination but I believe the water level of the ride also has a lot to be with water over the back and sides. Remember, you can request any seat you want.
Good Luck!

[micromind]

It's a great ride but like a lot of others, I cannot stand getting wet....even on a scorching hot day.

[Harold82]

One of the major hacks for that ride is bringing a pair of sandals to put on in line. Your clothes will dry pretty quickly but your shoes and socks won’t and those are what get wet.

Also the ride usually gets refurbed in Jan/Feb, hence people seeing it down during that time.

Love that ride. It might be my favorite, it encompasses all great aspects of Disney.

[Disney Adventure]

It won’t let me edit the title, but it looks as though it should be “TOO” instead of “TO”. Apologies for the grammar mistake.

[Disney Adventure]

I also always get soaked on Grizzly River Run, but that seems to be the point with that attraction since it doesn’t really offer much aside from that.

[WaltDisney'sAlec]

Boy do I have thoughts on this. I have noticed that I do get more wet on this ride, even compared to when I had an AP in 2012. I have found that I get soaked more frequently before the final drop! One moment in particular comes right after you drop into the Laughin' Place. Your log goes back up the hill and you turn right abruptly. I used to find that the water our log pushed would come back over our left side as we rounded that turn. I used to lean to the right to avoid the splash. Now I get soaked no matter which way I lean. Here's a picture of me at the final drop in November 2019.



That's me in the front seat. As you can see, I was soaked before the final drop even happened! Getting this soaked is certainly new for me, especially given that I'm someone who always prefers the front. When I went in December, it was a little chilly out and I decided to try the Single Rider for Splash Mountain. I thought, "I'm a single rider. I'll definitely get the back row." Sure enough, a family of 5 didn't want the front and I was selected to sit in the front seat again. Needless to say, I got soaked.

Even so, Splash Mountain is one of my favorite rides. I am inclined to ride it a little less frequently given the wetness, but I won't dare swear off it forever. If you need help drying off, I have a suggestion that I haven't quite heard before.

In New Orleans Square, there is a set of themed crypts that look out towards Tom Sawyer's Island. You might recognize this crypt that is said to be the remnant of a considered plan to build a tunnel to Tom Sawyer's Island. Here's a post from a former Imagineer who spearhead the project before Paul Pressler vetoed it. (He's also Micechatter, if you know his username .) Look for the crypt marked 1764 (picture below). If you can find this crypt, chances are you can find what look to be like open vents low to the ground in the same row nearby. If you find the right vents, you'll feel hot air blowing out of them. I'm not sure if it's coming from a laundry room or something similar, but it's a quick way to dry off if you're looking for it. As long as no one is blocking it, I just sit down right in front of it and am dry in about a minute or so. Just something to keep in mind for the future!

[Stormy]

All I know is that I never got soaked until my trip in 2013. I remember it specifically because we were gifted a reservation at Club33 and Splash was the last ride before we were leaving to get dressed for dinner. My hair got soaked and I had to completely re flat-iron it! I'm just glad we'd decided to wait to get dressed up until after we finished our rides for the day!

IMO, you never get soaked from the final drop. It always happens in the flumes either on a turn or one of the 'dips' sloshing water over the side.

[Antonio Lopez]

Lord.. even just looking at ride-through you see how intense that final drop became! I even looked at videos from 2009 & just 2 weeks ago!

(2009) https://youtu.be/mgc4JZO4wJ4

(2020) https://youtu.be/r63rtEICw4w

that being said, I still go on the ride, but only in warm months- and a guarantee I’m not in the front seat

[tarheelalum]

Nothing feels better than getting completely drenched on Splash on a warm day then going out front to the churro stand over by Hungry Bear and sitting down to eat a churro in the sun to dry off. Its one of the most awesome things you can do at Disneyland.

[sailor310]

I also always get soaked on Grizzly River Run, but that seems to be the point with that attraction since it doesn’t really offer much aside from that.

GRR is probably one of my favorite rides. I will bring a change of clothes and flip flops to keep my shoes and socks dry. I put everything in the free lockers next to the ride. We've been on it 5 times in a row on a light day. For some reason I don't ever plan ahead for Splash, so everything stays soggy all day.

[Disney Adventure]

Boy do I have thoughts on this. I have noticed that I do get more wet on this ride, even compared to when I had an AP in 2012. I have found that I get soaked more frequently before the final drop! One moment in particular comes right after you drop into the Laughin' Place. Your log goes back up the hill and you turn right abruptly. I used to find that the water our log pushed would come back over our left side as we rounded that turn. I used to lean to the right to avoid the splash. Now I get soaked no matter which way I lean. Here's a picture of me at the final drop in November 2019.



That's me in the front seat. As you can see, I was soaked before the final drop even happened! Getting this soaked is certainly new for me, especially given that I'm someone who always prefers the front. When I went in December, it was a little chilly out and I decided to try the Single Rider for Splash Mountain. I thought, "I'm a single rider. I'll definitely get the back row." Sure enough, a family of 5 didn't want the front and I was selected to sit in the front seat again. Needless to say, I got soaked.

Even so, Splash Mountain is one of my favorite rides. I am inclined to ride it a little less frequently given the wetness, but I won't dare swear off it forever. If you need help drying off, I have a suggestion that I haven't quite heard before.

In New Orleans Square, there is a set of themed crypts that look out towards Tom Sawyer's Island. You might recognize this crypt that is said to be the remnant of a considered plan to build a tunnel to Tom Sawyer's Island. Here's a post from a former Imagineer who spearhead the project before Paul Pressler vetoed it. (He's also Micechatter, if you know his username .) Look for the crypt marked 1764 (picture below). If you can find this crypt, chances are you can find what look to be like open vents low to the ground in the same row nearby. If you find the right vents, you'll feel hot air blowing out of them. I'm not sure if it's coming from a laundry room or something similar, but it's a quick way to dry off if you're looking for it. As long as no one is blocking it, I just sit down right in front of it and am dry in about a minute or so. Just something to keep in mind for the future!

Great info Alec, as always! 100% agreed on the being wet before the final drop, the drop in the dark is always where I get the wettest. By the final drop it’s a moot point as I’m already soaked. I’ll definitely look for that abandoned tunnel entrance next time, that’s a great tip. Especially as I’d like to go on Splash Mountain and not be miserably wet for several hours after.

[aquila]

Not to be too obvious but...Have you ever considered wearing a poncho? We always bring cheap ponchos for Splash and Grizzly and it significantly reduces the amount of wetness we experience. Sure, it’s a bit nerdy when you are pulling them out before the ride but it works great and keeps us relatively dry so we can enjoy 2 of our favorite rides

[bayouguy]

I've been more wet on the canoes...