Doing Disney in the rain

It's two weeks before your Disney trip, and you're checking the extended weather forecast only to find -- horrors! -- the forecast calls for rain. Certainly rain will dampen your Disney vacation, but it doesn't have to put a damper on it.

We have some tips -- drawn from painful experience -- on how to navigate the theme parks in wet weather:

Don't wear sneakers: Whatever you do, don't wear shoes that will get soaked and stay soaked. Nothing will make you more miserable than sloshing through the parks wearing sponges on your feet. Go with sandals. They'll dry faster when you go inside -- or when it finally stops raining.

Choose an umbrella over a poncho: If it's hot and rainy, a poncho will only make you feel like a potato being steamed in a microwave. An umbrella will keep you reasonably dry, and you can stay as cool as possible. (One caveat: Giving the kids umbrellas might not be the greatest idea. Rugrat-height umbrellas can cause a lot of damage!)

Pack quick-drying clothes: There's a universe of moisture-wicking, quick-drying clothes out there. If you don't have any, look at sporting-goods specialty stores like REI. Plus, a lot of men's bathing suits can double as shorts -- for women as well as men. And hey, if it doesn't rain, you've got a wardrobe well-suited to riding Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids all day long.

Pick your park carefully: If you're heading to Disney World, you have a lot of choices. Epcot has lots of places you can duck out of the rain for 20 or 30 minutes at a time (gorgeous movies at Canada, China and France, plus Ellen's Universe of Energy -- usually my nap-time destination). But it's a sprawling park, and you'll have to do a lot of walking between attractions. Hollywood Studios has its fair share of indoor attractions, but you might not get to see Lights, Motors, Action (metal bleachers are a lightening magnet). Magic Kingdom has the appeal of closely-spaced rides, so you don't have to walk far to get from one to the next. Animal Kingdom -- unless you're a real adventurer, just cross it off your list. It's the largest park in Disney World, and while you can go to some sheltered attractions, you won't have a lot of fun walking around to see the animals outdoors. Is your Disney trip on the other coast? I'd head for the Disneyland park -- it's much, much smaller than California Adventure.

Make a lunch reservation: Try to get a table at a sit-down restaurant at lunchtime so you can have a respite from the rain and you won't have to fight for a dry spot to eat. All of the parks have good options, although some of them can be hard to get into on short notice. Call for a reservation as soon as you make your plans for the day.

Go shopping: Not up for going to a park in the rain? Try Downtown Disney instead. Sure, it's a lot of walking, but you can linger in the shops all you like -- and maybe take in a movie or go to Disney Quest. If the kids are old enough to be on their own, drop them at Disney Quest and have a lingering lunch or take in a movie.

Rainy night got you down? Go see "La Nouba," the Cirque du Soleil show at Downtown Disney.

Whatever you do, as long as you keep your spirits up, you'll have fun. If you can embrace being a little damp, you'll even escape some of the normal crowds.