First Week in December: Jeans or Shorts?

[mom2rtk]

It's the WORST time of year to pack for. You need to be prepared for anything. It can be really hot in the afternoon, or really cold at night. On one trip, I arrived expecting cold temps in January, only to have to escape the heat and sweat in some A/C in the afternoon. Days later, it was so cold everyone asked me what I was doing in shorts!

Regardless, it's the BEST time to be there. Just pack everything but the kitchen sink and you'll be fine... you know... except for the extra baggage fees!

 

[PoohsFan1]

Wow, there are some really great advice here....that is why I love the DIS . We are going to be there the first week of December as well (first time going this time of year) and I have decided that I am going to pack both warm weather clothes (T's and Shorts) and cold weather clothes (jeans and Sweatshirts). I am also going to pack lightweight gloves and earmuffs for the girls to wear when we go to MVMCP or do any of the evening EMHs.

 

[mom2rtk]

I also brought some of those little warm packs they sell at sporting goods stores to put in shoes and gloves. They had a real cold spell last November and early December and lots of people reported VERY cold nights at MVMCP. Fortunately for us, it warmed up for our mid-December trip and I ran around in shorts and a t-shirt all week. But if it stayed cold, those would have been very helpful. I didn't want to spend all that money on the party only to spend it freezing!

 

[Anal Annie]

I have not been in Dec. but have been in Jan. It was FREEEEEZING at home so we wore ski jackets with zip out linings - that way we could take them apart as needed. We had warm fleece & wind breaker type outter shells + hoods that were rolled up inside the collars. BOY did we need the hoods one day too!! We had temps into the lower 70's one day but the rest of the trip was 60's down to 50's for highs. And it got windy on our 50's day. It started out WARM but dropped during the day. We were freezing by the time we decided to call it a day.

It was a 4 n. trip & I managed to pack all 3 of us into 1 large 30" x 15" duffle! We each had a spare pair of shoes & one 15" high stack of clothes! LAYERS!! Pack T-shirts that you can layer with a sweatshirt. We went down in jeans, figuring those could do double duty for a couple of days & I packed a spare pair too. For DS and DH I packed those cargo style convertible zip-off pants. Two pair of those for each so I wouldn't have to pack more pants or shorts for them. I took a pair of jean crops for myself & 2 pr. of shorts...and a couple reg. longsleeve shirts for each of us. That was it. Well, and some socks & undies.

I have since learned to pack even more efficiently by learning to roll our clothes and use packing cubes. Now that the airlines charge to check luggage we got an Owners Locker & I try REALLY HARD to pack in carry-ons.
I've come so far in my packing that I even wrote an article about it for eHow: http://www.ehow.com/how_5248194_pack-light-avoid-airline-fees.html

One more suggestion is to pack a backpack to carry to the parks with an extra layer or jacket in it. We will sometimes just rent a locker at the park entrance ($10 but $5 is refundable when you return the key AND you can take your receipt to another park & get another one w/o having to pay again). That way, if the mornings start out cool you can shed your layers & store them as the temps warm up. Then in the evening you'll have them somewhat handy to go retrieve them rather than having to schlep back to your room.

 

[SuperTink]

I've come so far in my packing that I even wrote an article about it for eHow: http://www.ehow.com/how_5248194_pack-light-avoid-airline-fees.html

Nice tips in the Packing article!

Maryland people are so smart!!

 

[Goofy_Dad_24]

As others have mentioned, the weather can be variable. That being said, we have been to WDW the 2nd week in December and the 1st week in January. During both trips, I wore shorts and short sleeves every day, the whole day.

 

[itchin2go]

If it's anything like January (and I think it is), the answer is both.

On our first trip, my husband bought a sweatshirt (on one day) and a pair of shorts (on another day).

Plan for either contingency and be ready to roll with whatever happens!

P.S. Just in case you end up having to add to your wardrobe while at WDW, I have found the quality of adult's clothing at Disney to be very good. Almost 4 years later, and my husband is still wearing those shorts.

 

[jkahne9]

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!!

We were there this same week last year as well and the weather was beautiful all week. Shorts and t-shirts all day and night,however, the week before the weather was MUCH colder. 40's and 50's. So bring both and hope for the best. We'll be back the 2nd week of december this year and hoping for the same 80 degree weather as last year.

 

[Anal Annie]

Nice tips in the Packing article!

Maryland people are so smart!!

Thanks - worst thing is I seriously used to schelp that much stuff for a week! DH HATED to go on vacation!! We looked like pack mules trudging thru the airport! Once we started going down 2-3 times / year something had to change!!


Where are you in Maryland? (I'm in upper Montgomery Co.)

 

[SuperTink]

Where are you in Maryland? (I'm in upper Montgomery Co.)

NEIGHBOR!!!!

 

[aubriee]

I have since learned to pack even more efficiently by learning to roll our clothes and use packing cubes. Now that the airlines charge to check luggage we got an Owners Locker & I try REALLY HARD to pack in carry-ons.
I've come so far in my packing that I even wrote an article about it for eHow: http://www.ehow.com/how_5248194_pack-light-avoid-airline-fees.html

Nice article! I love packing cubes and used to use them all the time. I now use them mainly for underclothes and small loose stuff. I find I use the packing folders more for clothes. I am pooh size and can squeeze almost a week's worth of clothes into a medium 18" packing folder. In fact, when I went to WDW in Sept I used a 18 packing folder which fit perfectly into one side of my carryon and was able to do carry ons only for the first time.

 

[Anal Annie]

NEIGHBOR!!!!

OK, well, if you ever see a red Honda Pilot at the Target in Milestone all decked out with Mickey fuzzy dice on the rear view mirror & DVC decals & magnets on the back that would be me!!

 

[Anal Annie]

Nice article! I love packing cubes and used to use them all the time. I now use them mainly for underclothes and small loose stuff. I find I use the packing folders more for clothes. I am pooh size and can squeeze almost a week's worth of clothes into a medium 18" packing folder. In fact, when I went to WDW in Sept I used a 18 packing folder which fit perfectly into one side of my carryon and was able to do carry ons only for the first time.

Oh the packing folders are VERY cool too. I have a lot of cubes now but only have 1 of the folders that we share. We're going on a Med cruise in 2011 so I plan to pick up a couple more folders before that!! That will be THE ONLY WAY we can go to Europe for 2 weeks & back without having to check 2 bags each!! Nice dinner clothes take up a lot of extra space and the folders are super useful for "nicer" clothes.

 

[pooh4evr]

I am trying to bring a bit of both this yr- when we went b4 in Dec- it was very warm most days, the evenings could get cooler we had 1 that was cold but other than that we pretty much wore shorts and T shirts during the days-- we are trying to pack pants other than jeans-- can't stand wearing them if they get wet (splash mountain)

 

[dazednconfused]

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.

You were probably at MVMCP the same night we were there! Even with jackets and gloves, we were still so very cold! We left at 9.30p.m because it got to be so COLD!! Could have stayed till 12, but chose to return to the warmth of our hotel room! Everyone was bundled up and the CMs didn't even bother checking for the MVMCP wristbands. Now, we were at MK again a few days after that cold day and again, it was a MVMCP night. We didn't have tickets for this, and at 7p.m., CMs were out in full force checking wristbands. Go figure!

 

[MissBritt]

Me again, 2 hours northwest of WDW. Woke this morning to 40 degree temps, barely 50 here now. Online weather service says it's currently 60 in Orlando. And yesterday was high 70s-80s! Also, I know last year the second or third week of January was in the teens.

 

[SuperTink]

OK, well, if you ever see a red Honda Pilot at the Target in Milestone all decked out with Mickey fuzzy dice on the rear view mirror & DVC decals & magnets on the back that would be me!!

I'll be sure and say, "How do?"

 

[exwdwcm]

we wore shorts or capris during the day with a t-shirt and always carried a hoodie or sweatshirt with us.

at night, (we would have a break ni the room each day)- we would usually change to jeans and long sleeve shirts and the night of our MVMCP, we actually donned gloves, hat and scarves- it was freezing! i don't usually pack a coat, just lots of layers (think hoodies or fleece). I am packing a coat only for my son.

 

[Orlando36]

Orlando native here.... there are four seasons in Florida: Almost summer, summer, just past summer, and February. It was in the nineties last week all week. Certainly it can get cool at night and a jacket is a must, but I would plan to be able to strip down to short sleeves almost every day. Layers are the best plan, and I would say half and half, shorts and jeans. Good luck!

 

[JenniD44]

Thanks - worst thing is I seriously used to schelp that much stuff for a week! DH HATED to go on vacation!! We looked like pack mules trudging thru the airport! Once we started going down 2-3 times / year something had to change!!


Where are you in Maryland? (I'm in upper Montgomery Co.)

NEIGHBOR!!!!

I'm right there with you two!

Anal Annie, loved your packing story. Where do you buy those cubes? Sounds like something I might need to try for our trip.