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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2003 |
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When it’s sunny at Yester World, guests are dressed in every imaginable color. But when it rains, the predominant color is yellow. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Guests in yellow ponchos staying dry—above their knees anyway |
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Afternoon rain—often very heavy rain—is a fact of life at Yester World, especially in the summer. Fortunately, the rain usually doesn’t last long. And it keeps things green all around the “World.” |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2003 Downpour in Japan |
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The parks are known for magic. When it starts raining at Yester World, piles of neatly folded, plastic-wrapped yellow ponchos magically appear almost anywhere there’s a retail cash register. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2003 Keeping somewhat dry |
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Buy a yellow poncho for everyone in your family. There are two sizes: adult and child. Each poncho costs about as much as a counter-service lunch. It beats getting soaked by the rain. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2003 Ponchos for all ages |
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Put on your yellow ponchos. Don’t let the rain slow you down too much. Time is valuable. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2003 Lone guest in a torrential rain on a busy summer day |
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The ponchos will keep the rain off your clothes, but if it’s a hot summer day, don’t plan on staying dry. It’s hot under the poncho, and the poncho doesn’t breathe. Your clothes may end up wet from perspiration. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2003 When the rain is over |
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When the rain stops, shake the water off your poncho and put it in a bag. When you get back to your hotel room, let it dry completely. Save it for another rainy day at Yester World—which will probably be tomorrow. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2002 Mickey Mouse umbrellas |
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If yellow is not your color, consider buying an umbrella instead. Basic black is always in fashion. |
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It’s hard to know when Walt Disney World began selling yellow ponchos with Mickey Mouse on the back. So let’s just say, “a long time ago.” On September 23, 2003, WKMG, Local 6 News in Orlando, reported that Walt Disney World was switching from yellow ponchos to clear ponchos. |
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WKMG Local 6 News screen capture © Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. News report |
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The wording from Local 6 News was a bit unclear. It sounded as if Disney would require guests to turn in existing yellow ponchos in exchange for new, clear ponchos—“replacing all yellow ponchos used by visitors.” But that wasn’t the case. In fact, Disney’s shops continued to sell yellow ponchos, but as they sold out, transparent ponchos took their place. More accurately described as frosty than as clear, the ponchos no longer hid what guests were wearing. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2003 Transparent and yellow ponchos in 2003 |
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Undoubtedly, the see-through ponchos reduced the incidence of families becoming separated. According to one theory, switching to transparent ponchos was primarily a loss prevention move. It had been too easy to hide merchandise under the opaque yellow ponchos, leading to more shoplifting on rainy days. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Transparent ponchos, still with Mickey Mouse on the back |
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The ponchos must be a highly profitable item for Disney. This is a case where Walt Disney World has a business advantage over the Disneyland Resort. Lake Buena Vista, Florida, averages 48 inches of rain per year, while Anaheim, California, averages just 11 inches per year. In just the peak summer tourism period of June, July and August, Lake Buena Vista gets an average of 20 inches, while Anaheim gets an average of close to zero—just 13/100 of an inch. Despite the switch from yellow to clear in 2003, you can still see yellow ponchos in the parks of Walt Disney World. A few, with Mickey Mouse on the back, belong to people reusing ponchos from earlier vacations. These days, most yellow ponchos are from discount chains, off-site souvenir shops, and dollar stores. The quality is lower than Disney’s ponchos and they don’t have Mickey, but they cost a lot less—and they keep the tradition of yellow ponchos alive. |
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© 2009-2014 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Originally published May 15, 2009. Expanded April 4, 2014. Updated April 4, 2014. |
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