Cold today in WDW?

[HelloMimi]

We were at Fantasmic! last Monday when the temps were in the low 40s, but the wind made it feel like it was in the 30s. We were wearing thin coats, but it was the exposed bits that really hurt. If I hadn't been so sleepy, I probably would have cried my way through the show.

30-degree weather is a rare occurrence here in Houston though, so I'm a cold weather weenie.

 

[eastendlights]

We were there Dec 2010 also. It was crazy cold even for us and we live in New England. I think there were record low temps for a few days-35 degrees or something. We had frost on our windows at BC.


ETA As bumbershoot kindly pointed out below, I mean 35 not -35. I use too many- when posting online.

 

[fbarker]

We are here now and heading home to negative wind chills tomorrow but it was very cold for mid 50's today. Definitely hats and gloves with multiple layers.

And a big snow storm this weekend for you!! Welcome home!!

 

[DisneyBeef]

I've lived here in Central Florida all my life, almost 40 years. When it gets down into the 30s and 40s, it's cold and you feel it. No it's not single digits like the Midwest or Northeast, but there is still a higher amount of relative humidity in Florida which makes it feel a little colder than it really. I usually find that layers work best, an undershirt or two followed by a sweatshirt works better than one big parka jacket. And a hat makes a big difference too. You lose alot of body heat through your head, covering it up will insulate your whole body from the top down. I'll be at Epcot on Saturday at open- says the high will be 57 that day. Can't wait !

 

[Meriweather]

Here now....it has been cold.....it is the wind that makes it even worse.
I have been wearing a light weight omni heat jacket with a full onmi heat coat over it and gloves. Sometimes the inner jacket came off.......but we have done everything. We can deal with the cold.
I am more worried about Friday and the rain. That is our planned day for the Star Wars fireworks

 

[amylevan]

My mom sent me a text complaining about the cold in Fl while I was standing with my DS waiting for the bus in negative wind chills yesterday morning. I couldn't exactly work up any sympathy.

We arrive next weekend, and the very early weather is showing a nice warm up for us. Hoping that holds out, but if it doesn't, I'll be happy in 50s. Especially since it appears we are going to be spending some time outside digging out this weekend - anything will be better than that.

 

[fbarker]

I do remember our spring trip in 2014. We are from the north and drive down to FL and lucky that we do. When we got to WDW midday Sunday a cold front came through and dropped the temps to the 50's during the day and 40's at night. We were fortunate because we had a couple of warm outfits form our trip down So we wore the fleece the turtle necks even had gloves. But it was interesting to watch all the people who did not have those things and the people who came over from Europe having to wear their sleeveless tshirts around WDW. I am sure WDW made a killing on hoodies and sweatshirts that week.

 

[mrzrich]

A recommendation for those there when temps get cold is to bring a small blanket or towel to sit on. The metal seats at LMA and Fantasmic as well as the concrete ground during parades will freeze your tush.

 

[rajak73]

You mean you have to do this?

 

[TippeeCanoe]

I was just noticing the weather today for WDW - sunny and clear but with highs in the mid-50s and lows in the upper 30s. Reminds me of the one time we went to WDW in January 2010 and the weather was similar except some nights were in the low 30s. Bought a sweatshirt on that trip because the lightweight jacket I had brought was not enough. Luckily it was a short trip so I could get away with the one pair of pants I had brought, and some days were warm enough for shorts.

I see that the forecast is similar for this weekend and wondered how colder weather affects your touring plans? I assume that - like rainy weather - cold weather at the parks has an effect on the crowd levels.

Also, what's the coldest times you can remember being at WDW?

Somehow I remember not doing many, if any, rides that were not mostly enclosed. Splash, Kali and anything that I could possibly get wet on were totally out. Did more than the usual shopping as well, especially over at Epcot.

The coldest time I can remember being at Disney was December of 2010.

 

[Trixie15]

It's frigid here in Illinois; 50 will feel like a heat wave to me!

 

[Hagrid xox 65]

was planning on long pants & sandals.. but maybe should consider sneaks & socks. We'll be arriving in 10 days

 

[Tink575]

We were there Dec 2010 also. It was crazy cold even for us and we live in New England. I think there were record low temps for a few days-35 degrees or something. We had frost on our windows at BC.

We were there in 2010 and had brought coats with us, heavy but not our warmest. We ended up buying new coats at Burlington Coat Factory, now my Lands End Squall parka goes with me. I remember neighbors scraping their car windshields with pancake spatulas and wondering if the auto centers in Florida sold ice scrapers

 

[bumbershoot]

Also, what's the coldest times you can remember being at WDW?

December 2010 was our first trip, it was over 2 weeks, and we only packed for the first 5 days or so of weather. And day 6 is when it started getting COLD. We were also both rather plus sized, and getting warm clothes inside our budget wasn't going to be possible, so DH especially froze.

At the time, the weather info showed that our day at Universal early morning, riding Flight of the Hippogriff 14 times in a row, was 25 degrees. The weather website doesn't show that anymore, but I remember it crystal clear, looking at the newspaper and seeing that info for the Orlando area that day. It was after the 14th ride on that coaster that we ran inside the shop and bought $35 scarves for the 3 of us.

January 2014 was nasty. Cold most days of our trip, like really cold. Like really really cold. And then the day of DS's Mickey Mile it was 80 and I was sweating in my jeans and long sleeved shirt and puffy coat I'd brought. (and I was sick as a dog and had run my Half just that sick) After that we went to Daytona and walked slowly on the beach, all bundled up, cold cold cold (and sick, and DS had gotten sick, and my extended family had turned up sick after watching DS during my Half and my cousin was pregnant and was trying to avoid it, so they shivered in their big house, sick and cold, and we did the same at our hotel). Then we went to Universal and it had started to warm up and we were trying to recuperate. And then just as the illness lifted, we went on a cruise, and it was warm and we were so thankful for the warmth.

January 2015 was no picnic either. DS and DH did the 5K and I volunteered that morning. 3am at Epcot was in the mid 30s. Then it dropped by a few degrees as the morning went on. RunDisney refused to hand out the space blankets to the runners while waiting in their corrals for 1.5 hours, they had no heaters, etc. DH and DS were huddled up with 1000s of their new closest friends. Thankfully by the next month when the Princess 5K was a few degrees colder, rundisney was prepared.


Yeah, don't go when we go. Note: I'm going for Princess, leaving for Orlando on the 17th! No doubt it will be freezing. Dress appropriately.

View attachment 146489

hah.

I do understand that it really is cold when you are out in it all day, but since the wind chill this morning here was -6, it's tough to have TOO much sympathy.

Is it?

Are you dressed in an inadequate fashion, while in a swamp (cold wind whipping across the water towards you), and wanting to be outside for 10 hours a day? Nah. When we're at home we are dressed correctly since we have our whole wardrobe there. If we have a job that puts us outside for 10 hours a day, we are dressed even better for it.

I think there were record low temps for a few days-35 degrees or something. We had frost on our windows at BC.

35, not -35. I know you were just using a dash to indicate another thought, but it looked like -35.

 

[eastendlights]

 

[wdw&sonny]

Just returned. High on Monday and Tuesday was about 60 and it was sunny both days. Long pants and sweatshirt was very comfortable. In fact, I LOVE hot weather and thought that I was even more comfortable touring parks in 50-60 degrees than in upper 80s.
But, we did get a "hot" fudge sundae from Ghiradelli's and by the time we sat down the fudge was very solid. Couldn't even scrape it off the sides of the cups. Too cold for ice cream.
We returned to 8 degrees in Cleveland. Yup, 60s is warm.

 

[msp2mco]

We were there at this time in 2005, and it was also quite cold. My mom wore 2 pair of pants one day to help stay warm. I had brought cheap knit gloves for everyone, and that really helped. Otherwise, we just layered on what we could.

 

[redsbe]

I am surprised how often people post about how unexpectedly cold they are while at WDW and completely unprepared, then while there needing to go out and pay top price for warmer clothes. Weather forecasts 5-7 days in advance are not perfect, but the general temperatures should be in the range. Unlikely that a 5-7 day forecast of 70s will become 50s without some advance updated forecast notice. I suspect many visitors think Florida and pack for warm and sun regardless of time of year or not even looking at forecast whereas Florida temps in fall through early spring can be variable. So if you look before you leave home and pack accordingly you should be ready, in the past we made adjustments in our clothing as needed the day before departing. In December 2014 the forecast in advance called for cooler evenings as low as the 40s, so we packed jackets, light gloves, hat and sweat tops - and were then ready to change as needed for evening events. We even packed tshirts, shorts and bathing suits that we never used as most days did not get above 70 at all.

 

[MomofKatie]

DD and I were at WDW in January 2009, during MLK week. The first few days were nice- highs in the 70s, lows in the 50s. The last 3 days, though, were really cold. One morning, it was in the upper 20s when we set out, and the highs never got above 50. We were pretty cold those last few days- we wore lots of layers and broke down and bought gloves and hats. I remember one afternoon at the MK in particular- we were both pretty worn out, but didn't want to return to the hotel for a nap. We decided to take a relaxing train ride around the park- it was so cold!!! The open air train was going just fast enough to whip up a frigid wind that chilled us to the bone. DD and I huddled together and just had to laugh at how miserable we must have looked at the happiest place on earth.

 

[SureAsLiz]

The biggest thing that surprised me when I was in Florida is how much the humidity affects how cold it feels. It was chilly in December once the sun went down, and I brought a jacket whenever I went out at night even though it was in the 60s, but when I got to Colorado around Christmas, I unloaded the car in 18 degrees without any extra layers and didn't have a problem

If I were to plan for 60's having grown up in lack-of-humidity Colorado, then I would never expect 60s in FL to be as cold as it feels