First Week in December: Jeans or Shorts?

[famsen]

I have never been to Disney in late Fall. We usually go in the spring through early Fall when the high temps are in the 90s. We will be in the parks during the first week in December and wondering if I should be prepared to wear mostly shorts or jeans?
I am used to wearing jeans back here at home all year long. I only wear shorts or capris when I am in Florida but if the weather is mostly in the low 70s or even cooler at night, I am fine with ditching the shorts.
Maybe I should just take one pair of shorts and pack mostly jeans and long sleeve shirts and a jacket or vest? Need advice please.

 

[ElementCamper]

December weather in Florida can be very variable. It can be hot during the day and then chilly at night. I would check a long range forecast a few days before the trip and finish packing then. You can always dress lighter but if you don't have warm enough clothes packed, you'll be paying crazy Disney prices for something warmer!

 

[DebbieB]

I've gone at the beginning of December almost every year since 1998. It can be anywhere from 50 to 80 for highs. Some trips I wore shorts everday, some not at all, some a mix. It seems if a cold snap hits, it stays a few days. You really have to prepare for both and then make a decision right before you go what to take based on the forecasts.

I've found if the high is under 70, it will get cold at night, you'll need jeans & a jacket. A couple of times I brought a light winter coat & gloves and was glad to have them. My mom laughed at me one time; guess who bought gloves there?

Here is a website with weather history:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/climatology.html

Last year Dec 1 to 15 ranged from highs of 64 to 83, lows from 39 to 64.

 

[dkbnyc]

we will be there the 3-6. i am not taking any shorts for our family. I will take jeans and lt wt cargo pants for myself. i will probably wear s/s tshirts and take fleece hoody and one other jacket to layer. I will also take gloves and a hat- my ears get really cold very easily

 

[danceintherain]

When we were there in January I wore long pants every day, while DH wore shorts quite a bit of the time.
Since you're a long pants year round person, then you probably won't need shorts. I was glad I wore long pants, because in the mornings (around Rope Drop) it was cold, and at night it got cold too. In the middle of the day I may have been fine with shorts, but we usually spent that time resting at the resort anyways.


Oh and definitely bring a jacket and/or sweaters, because it does get chilly at night.

 

[famsen]

Thanks for all the advice. I will keep an eye on the weather reports as it gets closer to our dates but at this point I am planning on taking mostly jeans with a few short sleeve shirts and long sleeve shirts, a jacket, a fleece vest, gloves and a pair of shorts. We are only there for 5 nights so I don't want to over do it with the packing.

 

[ktlm]

Pack for anything and don't trust the long term forecast even the day before. We were there December 12-19. I checked the day before we left and the forecast from several sources showed a high of right at 70 degrees every day we were there. I believed it and packed all jeans and thin long sleeved shirts figuring that I would buy a sweatshirt if I got cold in the evenings. Our first day the forecast was right and we were fine. The second day they had a heat wave and the highs were 80 and above the rest of our trip. It was hot! We had to buy T-shirts to wear because it was way too hot for long sleeves, and we really wished we had shorts instead of jeans. We did not wear long sleeves even at night after that 1st day and we were never cold. The people that were there the week before us were complaining about how cold it was and that they were wearing coats. You just never know!!

 

[spodie]

We were there last year from December 14-21 and I was able to get away with wearing shorts all day. I was only a little chilly a couple of the nights, but every other day was fine EXCEPT for the last morning we were there - it was freezing! A cold front came through that night and I was chilly walking around AK that morning in a sweatshirt and jeans.

Sooo my best advice - pack in layers (if possible) and be prepared for anything!

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

I have gone the 1st or 2nd week in Dec. for the past 3 years, we have worn shorts and tank tops and we've worn jeans with sweatshirts all in the same week. And we've gone swimming too. It is always up in the air. I don't pack the majority of my stuff until about 10 days out, so I can have the clothes that I think I'll need.

 

[HLAuburn]

We're going that week, too, and I'm planning (hoping?!) for jeans and short sleeves, but I think its too early to tell. Accuweather.com has a 15 day forecast, but so far that only goes til the 18th...highs 70s, lows 50s, but I know that could change dramatically!

I think if you check a few days before you leave, you'll get a better idea of what to pack, but if things continue the way they're going, you could probably get away with shorts or jeans during the day, and maybe long sleeves at night.

 

[sunshinesahmom]

Don't ya just LOVE Florida!

Now ya'll know my constant Fall- Spring pain!

 

[johnGorski]

We went in Jan once and the first day the high was in the 80's so we went with shorts and T's we went to epcot that day. Well Sun set a cold wind blew in then right before illuminations wind died down and it was cold. Here we are in shorts and T's and we where not the only ones, you could see your breath thats how cold it was. Even the ducks in showcase lagoon where taken back. This Dec Trip we are going to keep jean and sweat shirts in the car.

 

[bama106]

We went the first week of December a couple of years ago. We prepared for warm and cold weather. I ended up wearing shorts and a sweatshirt most days but I had jeans just in case. We had one day where it was really a very warm day and we both actually wore shorts and short sleeve shirts. We were at Epcot that day and was going to eat at Biergarten. After dinner we were gonna watch Illuminations, but when we walked out of the restaurant I believe the temp dropped at least 20 degrees and was freezing. It was so cold we could not stay that night for Illuminations, we decided to go back to the room. The weather can change very quickly in Florida, so just be prepared for anything.
We are going the first week in December as well this year. I know my DW will probably wear mostly pants, but I plan on wearing shorts as long as it's sunny and temps above 50. But unlike two years ago, we'll probably plan on getting back to the room in the afternoon to change for cooler evening weather before heading back out.

 

[LUVMICKEY]

We have been there a few times the first couple of weeks in December and have had a variety of weather. We will be there again this year at the same time frame and I will pack for all the different weather even though I will watch the forcasts for the area very close, you never really know what your going to get for sure.

 

[fairestoneofall]

On our trip last year, we wore mostly long-sleeved shirts with jeans/pants. On our trip two years before, the weather was all over the place. We started wearing jeans and short sleeves (with light jackets for morning/evening). By the end of our week, we were in short sleeves and shorts/capris! You just never know! So, I always recommend packing in some variables, just to be safe.

 

[dazednconfused]

We were at WDW during first week of Dec last year. And there were some COLD days! The day we attended MVMCP was extremely COLD!! So beware!

 

[goofy4tink]

My next trip, in 3 weeks, will be my 6th year in a row going at this time of year. I fly down from NE, so it's chilly here when I leave home and then when I return. So.....I fly down in my jeans, heavier socks, turtleneck, sweatshirt, and lined windbreaker. I have those little $2 knit gloves as well. And my holiday ears hat!!
Then, when I get to MCO, I take off the windbreaker, sweatshirt and turtleneck and put on a short sleeved shirt. My socks probably came off on the plane just before we started our descent into MCO...I wear Crocs on the plane.
I usually wear capri's in Dec...I do pack some shorts, but only a pair or two. The weather just has never been so warm that I felt I had to have shorts. But, at night, I always have that sweatshirt and gloves handy!! It gets chilly and sometimes downright cold in Orlando at night.
For my upcoming trip (of two weeks) I will have two pr of jeans, 3 pr of capris, 2 shorts...short sleeved shirts as well as some long sleeved tee's, a sweatshirt, and multiple prs of socks. I will do laundry at some point.

 

[MissBritt]

We live in Florida, 2 hours from WDW. Our winters start late, like January. We will be there the week before Christmas and we will be wearing jeans. December is cool to us. However, depending on where you are from and what you consider cold, you may or may not want jeans. Pack both and decide when you get there.

 

[JohnnyLfromCT]

We were at WDW during first week of Dec last year. And there were some COLD days! The day we attended MVMCP was extremely COLD!! So beware!

The wife and I were there during Pop Warner last year (Dec 5-12), and there was one day at Epcot where it was COLD out, and we're from CT where we're used to cold winters.

Then again, we were wearing shorts...



Next week the wife and I will be bringing sweats, pullovers and scarfs for nighttime at MVMCP/etc, just in case.

 

[terbethk]

Obviously the weather will vary, but we were there that week last year and it was very cold. We wore jeans and sweatshirts every day. There were even times we wore hats, gloves and scarves. We really froze at mvmcp, I had a blanket wrapped around me all night.