Even the tamest of amusement park water rides come with a roller coaster of emotions for those who are not wild about getting wet.
Chafing pants often counter enjoyment, and memories of fun adventures are forever intertwined with the less pleasant sound and sensation of wet socks and shoes.
You can’t avoid getting wet on Splash Mountain. But splashing features are turned down in winter. Splashing is less with fewer people per log. A seat at the back left will keep you away from the worst splash zones. Clever clothing choices help protect you from splashes you can’t avoid by ducking.
Splash Mountain (soon to be re-themed and re-named as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is equal parts awesome and inconvenient, but with a few tricks up your sleeve, you can tip the scales well into “awesome”!
Even though this attraction is set be re-named Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, I can only imagine for the next decade at least people will still refer to this attraction as Splash Mountain!
How Wet Do You Really Get On Splash Mountain?
Splash Mountain is not intended to ruin your experience of the park. Disney ride creators are pretty good at their job, and they consider the variety of people who will be enjoying the ride.
There are the ride-or-dies who want to get off of Splash Mountain dripping and squelching in their shoes and are disappointed by anything less. Then there are those people who don’t mind being splashed, but anything more than that will probably ruin their day.
The ride is actually cleverly designed for both types of people, and how wet you get depends on a number of factors.
Do You Get Wet On Splash Mountain?
Riders on Splash Mountain at Disney parks will get wet due to multiple drops and water features on the ride.
The amount of water experienced varies depending on the seat; front seats result in a significant amount of water, while back seats result in less water. I highly recommended to wear quick-drying clothes and shoes regardless of where you sit. I got my trainers wet once and had blisters for days after!
How Wet Do You Get On Splash Mountain?
It depends on how you define “wet”. If you consider “wet” to be nigh-on full-body immersion, then Splash Mountain won’t make you that wet. If you consider running past a lawn sprinkler as getting “wet”, then you are likely going to get very wet on Splash Mountain.
The season makes a difference to how wet you get. Disney is not about to let their valued guests develop pneumonia in the winter, so they adjust the ride to minimize splashing in the colder months. You will still get wet from the drops because the ride is still on water, but you won’t have the cannons shooting water directly at you from the side.
In summer, however, all bets are off!
Then there are factors like how many people are on the log with you, where they are sitting, where you sit, and what you wear. All of these also make a difference, but I’ll discuss them in more detail in just a moment.
- First, let’s address the wet bum issue.
Unfortunately, with a water ride, the seat will always be wet. You may not have to sit on a wet seat if you are the first on the ride for that day, but water does splash onto the seat during the ride.
How to Avoid Getting Wet on Splash Mountain
Obviously, if you absolutely do not want to get any water on you, you will be avoiding a ride called Splash Mountain. So, the best way to avoid getting wet on Splash Mountain is to watch other people ride it from the definitely-dry ground.
However, Splash Mountain is a really great ride, and it lasts for ages, which is always a bonus for a Disney Park ride—standing in the line really pays off with this one! So, you don’t want to skip it unless you are positive you can’t minimize the wet factor to an enjoyable level.
This brings us to the factors I mentioned earlier, i.e., how many people are on the log with you, where they are sitting, and where you are sitting.
Take a look at this “reactions” video to judge the “wetness level” for yourself!
The Influence of Ride Companions
If you have a bunch of ride-or-dies or newbies on the ride and they pack into the front of the log, you should prepare yourself for a wetter ride. This is just physics.
When the ride is heavier at the front, the log hits the water at the bottom of the drops with more force, creating bigger splashes and more flooding over the sides.
In a full ride, you may be able to benefit from some living water shields, especially if you are smaller than your neighbors or you time your ducking correctly.
However, if the log is full, you are also less able to lean away from splashes, and the log sits lower in the water, so the risk of flooding is increased (hello, wet shoes!).
Furthermore, you are less likely to be able to choose your preferred seat, which does make a difference, as I point out in the next section.
Where Do You Get the Least Wet on Splash Mountain?
Let’s take a look at which seat is your best bet for staying dry on the water ride.
Pro-tip: avoid the front of the ride! This is where maximum splashing happens, and you will generally come off the ride soaked or, at least, very wet. Think of the front of the ride as Drench Mountain.
As I have already mentioned, you cannot avoid all chances of getting wet as it is a water ride, but sitting at the back is a good place to avoid a lot of the waves and splashes.
You are going to want to avoid sitting on the right side. Sitting on the left side means that you will be less affected by splashing from the water cannons and waterfalls that line the ride. This is especially true in summer when these features are in full effect.
How to Stay Dry on Splash Mountain
In addition to the tips that I have just provided on how to experience minimal splashing on the ride, there are things that you can do to keep yourself drier when you are splashed.
How To Not Get Wet On Splash Mountain– Strategic Movements
The point in the ride where you are likely to get splashed the most is at the bottom of a drop.
There are two strategic movements that you can try when your log reaches the bottom of the drop:
- You can lift yourself up from the seat slightly to avoid the worst of the bum wetting, although this is not a fool-proof solution because the seat will still be wet when you sit back down.
- You can use the duck and cover method. Now, this one has actually become a point of finesse for some riders. It’s all about the timing. You don’t want to duck too early as it sets off the other riders who are supposed to be your water shields!
What to Wear
- Any sort of rain/waterproof outerwear would, of course, go a long way to keeping you as dry as possible. If you forget to bring a waterproof layer, there are ponchos for sale in the parks that you can use on the ride.
Make sure the poncho is long enough to always be between your bum and the seat!
- Athletic wear will serve you well on this ride as it will dry quickly, allowing you to continue with your Disney adventure in comfort.
- A hat or cap can help protect your hair from a lot of the water if you are happy to be wearing a hat for the ride’s photograph. It is not 100% effective but helps a lot.
- Alas, socks and shoes aren’t safe on Splash Mountain, but flip flops or Crocs (if you are willing!) are solutions to the wet socks problem.
Is the Splash Mountain Drop Scary?
A quick note for anyone who is not a big fan of drops or roller coasters: there is a five-story drop at the end of the ride. But it is not as scary as you might think, and it is the only significant drop on a relatively relaxed ride.
The ride is not intended to be scary, but it is understandable that a lot of people still worry about it. The drop is over quickly, and the rest is enjoyable for even timid guests.
This really is a ride that is truly worth getting wet for!
FAQ
How Wet Is Splash Mountain?
With the right footwear and some tactical seating and movements you can survive Splash Mountain with a bit of a wet bottom and a damp T shirt, If you can avoid wearing footwear that won’t dry out that is key, and to add some reassurance there are no waterfalls to ride under or water cannons!
Conclusion – Does Splash Mountain Get You Wet?
You cannot avoid getting wet on Splash Mountain, but there are many tips and tricks that you can use to avoid the worst of the splashing and protect yourself from the splashes that you can’t avoid.
There’s also the option of using Thunder Mountain as a quick air-drying solution after the water ride!
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