Clothing strategy

[Princess Sleepy]

For those of you familiar with the So. Cal. climate, help me work out a plan. We are leaving for DLR on Saturday. The forecast is for cloudy skies 2 days and Sunny one day. The temps are highs of 79, lows of 61. I am worried about being too cold in the morning and evening if we wear shorts and t-shirts, but too hot in the afternoon if we don't. We are planning a mid-afternoon break, but those often fall through. And even if they don't, we would still be back in the park while it is still on the warmish side. What do other people do? Do you bring a complete change of clothes to the park? Do you wear shorts and have long-sleeves and that works? I will be carrying whatever we bring for me and DDs 6 and 8. Any advice is welcome.

Slightly related: Do people wear Mouse ears as much at DLR as at WDW? Adults too, or just kids?

 

[BlueBayou]

I do capris and a jacket I can tie around my waist. Not a great fashion statement, but functional.

 

[Monica D]

When my kids were younger I would usually bring a backpack for sweatshirts. California weather can typically be: foggy/chilly in the morning, warm in the afternoon, breezy in the evening. I would wear a t-shirt and shorts/capris and bring a sweatshirt. I doubt that in June you will need anything more than that.

 

[Princess Sleepy]

OK, that sounds do-able. I was afraid I was going to have to carry 3 pairs of jeans around in my backpack.

 

[3monkeys4me]

For our last June trip we wore shorts and a lightweight hoodie. We had a stroller so they just were shoved in the basket when we were done. Our next trip we will probably only bring the stroller in the evening so we will just put in a backpack or tie them around our waist. We only needed the sweatshirts for the first 2-3 hours that summer.

 

[mouseymommy]

I'm a mean Mom and I hate having a bunch of jackets crammed into the stroller. I just tell them to suck it up for the hour it's cool in the morning. We always take our afternoon break and change clothes at that time. Maybe you could rent a locker for your sweatshirts?

 

[4th Gen Disney Fan]

Shorts and a hoodie will keep you comfortable all day. I wouldn't wear more than that or you will be hot in the afternoon. Plus, the hoodie will do fine if you get a chill at night.

 

[CamoMama]

I usually go back to the room and change from my shorts/capris and flip flops into jeans and tennis shoes. I'll be there at the exact same time and the forecast I'm reading says highs in the 80s and lows in the low 60s every day we're there, so I'm not too worried. I'll have a hoodie in my bag during the day just in case, so if we end up not going back to the room we'll still be fine.

 

[Mugglemama]

Our last Summer trip was during the first week of July. Mid to high 70's were forecast for the high...so very similar to what your forecast says. The things is...the true temps were colder than forecasted. I don't feel like 61 is really all that cold, but I think our *actual* temps were probably a bit lower than that during the coolest hours (even though they weren't forecasted to be lower).

I brought nothing but shorts and T's...and one long-sleeved shirt for each of my children (never thinking we'd need them).

I was born and raised in a beachtown in SoCal...but I have to say we were uncomfortably cold at times during that trip. Early morning jaunts to get in line an hour before opening were chilly enough to cause goosebumps on bare legs, and we were cold at night, too.

My in-laws, who came in from Arizona to meet up with us at DLR, were positively FREEZING in the mornings and evenings. They actually went out and bought sweatpants and sweatshirts after the second night.

I'd suggest bringing leggings to put on underneath shorts to keep legs warm when needed, and a long-sleeved T for arms. The T can be tied around thier waists, and the leggings can be stuffed into a pocket when not in use (Target has a bunch of great colors...they're thin - more like tights with no feet than true leggings...for about $3 a pair).

 

[kayleigh83]

I think it depends on the temperatures you're used to... I remember reading a thread on here about weather where someone was saying that some people from my neck of the woods (Vancouver BC) were swimming in the pool while locals felt the need to wear gloves! So it's all relative to what you're used to! Those temps might feel chilly to locals but balmy to you!

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm with Mugglemama, though I've lived in western WA since I was 17 (minus a few years for the South).

I find mornings to be quite chilly, and then again when the sun goes down. I know the water is nearby, but it feels more like the desert to me, once the sun goes away. Brr!

When DS was small and didn't mind, he was known to wear his tight-fitting cotton PJ bottoms under his shorts, until he warmed up. (now he won't do that, silly beast)

Dh and I just deal with the chill on our legs, but definitely wear warm things on top!


Layers are very important!

 

[nannyz]

I wear either capris or lightweight jeans. The mornings are cool but warm up quickly.
I always need a light jacket in the evenings.

As to the ears -- if any of you see an old gray-haired lady wearing ears that say "I Never Want to Grow Up," that will be me -- stop me and say Hi.

 

[dsneygirl]

We just got back from DL ant the temps at night were high 50s, we wore jeans, sweatshirts and had a blanket for Fantasmic.

If you don't think you will be back at the hotel get a locker.

 

[nikkislaght]

Im the freak wearing a heavy woolen coat during the heat of summer. so I wear long pants that will fold up, with buttons on the side, once I get warm I just roll up and go on my day..
as for the top end.. I normally wear a camisole, under a light cotton shirt that I can roll the sleeves and open up if I get too warm
I then wear a sweater and a hat..
hats keep you warm , as do socks. and even though I dont like the look of socks with sandals its only until the sun gets some heat... and they take up hardly any room in your bag.
(When we went to Knottsberry farm this last March I bought thermal gloves as I was so cold there... ) yes people stopped and stared at me..

anyway lightweight layers are the way to go,,, as with the kids.. get them to wrap their sweaters round their waste... shocking I know that they should have to do some work at Disneyland.

Have fun..

 

[Alexsandra]

I always bring the kids and myself a windbreaker with a little lining inside (the hiking type). It is usually weatherproof (against rain or wind). They are lightweight, and easy to fold into a little ball and are waterproof too so incase of rain they're prepare. I bought them in outdoor type stores. My older son carries a K-WAY on himself (he's 5). It rolls into a ball and has a strap. Then I carry a lightweight sweater in the pack. I suggest you look to see on the weather channel what temp it will be during the day before you head to the cold weather for the day, if they announce chilly weather make them wear pants if not shorts are fine.
Sometimes I make them wear their bathing suit under a pair of sports pants (lightweight and easy to carry) and they can take off the sports pants when they get hot. That way they can have fun in the splash pads in the parks. They are boys so their bathing suits look like shorts. I don't know for girls?

 

[Princess Sleepy]

We are from MN, so we can do cold. But, I also tend to overestimate the potential for warmth when I get to warmer climates. I like the idea of the leggings/footless tights. They will most likely be wearing skorts anyway, so it will look cute. If I pack those and long sleeves of some sort, we should be ok. I still have to decide about the ears. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[BeccaG]

FWIW, with all the walking, I tend to find I feel much warmer than the temperature reads. And my kids seem to be the same way as we were there the past three days and I don't think anyone put on the sweatshirts we were lugging around!

 

[katejc]

You'll be fine in shorts and ts with a light jacket or sweatshirt. If in doubt, or not going back to the hotel, just get a locker. I haven't been to WDW, but have seen a wide variety of people in mouse ears at DLR. Have a great time!

 

[PHXscuba]

It will feel plenty warm for you coming from Minnesota. If you are worried the first day about getting cold, put sweatshirts in a backpack (or get a locker when you take them off). I think you will have a pretty good idea of how warm/cold you are after the first day and you can adjust.

Coming from AZ my kids get colder at night at the beach or even DLR sometimes, so we always stash sweatshirts in a locker if we are staying for fireworks, Fantasmic, etc.

You can never go wrong wearing Mickey ears!

PHXscuba