Florida Weather In Dec/jan

[dave&maria]

I was wondering if any one can tell me what the weather is like in Dec/Jan. Will we still be able to take shorts and T'Shirts or will it be too cold? I know a lot of Americans say it is cold but is that because the're use to it so much warmer than we are.

Many thanks, Maria

 

[Briggsy]

Hi Maria

We went Dec 2000 and it was NOT shorts and t-shirt weather, more like hats, scarfs and gloves weather. There were icicles hanging from the palm trees outside our villa in the mornings. Although the weather was cold we did not see a cloud in the sky all week.

We are going again on 28 Dec and hoping that this year it will be warmer but I am going prepared this time with my fleece and gloves.

 

[sam_b]

I have been to Florida once in january a couple of years ago and, although it was bright and sunny it was freezing - literally. There was frost on the ground! Apparently that was 'freaky cold'. We were there from Jan 2nd- jan 9th.
My mum and dad went out about 10 days after we returned and the weather was in the 80's.

My advice would be prepare for anything, and remember, it's got to be better than the weather at home!

Have fun!

 

[lisag1]

Just to confuse matters here completely, we went 27 Nov - 15 Dec last year and it was BOILING!!!

I don't know if that was unusual or not but it was definately short & t's weather even at night. The temp during the day was high 80's. We're going this Nov and hoping it'll be the same.

Lisa

 

[pegasusEH]

Try looking up Weather Underground. It gives current weather conditions as well as past conditions for any given day of year for many years past.

Just change the date where it says "historical" about half way down the page.

www.wunderground.com/US/FL/Orlando.htm

 

[UKANGEL]

.....and we went last Christmas (2001) from dec 16 - Jan 30 and the weather was most definately shorts and tshirts til the evening! Apart from Xmas day when it was cold and drizzly! .......hard to tell eh?

 

[IAN5150]

You guys got me worried now!!We're going December 2003 and the posts are so varied one says boiling one says icycles!! I was led to believe the coolest day in Dec is equivlant to a hot day in the UK!! While Im here have they got rid of World in motion for Test track I hope not WIM was one of my fave things WDW ALso in Universal King Kong is being dismantled Why??! Should have ripped up Earthquake instead KK was much better,Just an opinion!!!

 

[athurstance]

Generally early December is pretty warm. We went 17th Dec and the first week was high 70s to low 80s.
From mid Dec into Jan it can get very cold. It was below freezing several nights in Dec 2001 and Jan 2002 and we had quite a bit of drizzly rain.
I would say you will need sweaters and long trousers in the mornings and a jacket aswell in the evenings. You will most likely get away with shorts and t-shirts in the main part of the day if you are quite hardy but you won't be too warm in lightweight trousers. Most of our photos in Dec 2001 show us in fleeces even during the day.
We did go to the water parks and they are empty because its so cold. We found it ok when we were on a ride or in the water but needed to wrap a towel around us to walk around otherwise we were shivering. You can go for an hour at midday though when it is not too freezing and ride everything with no wait so it is worth considering. We went most days - once we did get changed and after a couple of rides were so cold we went home.
It is definitely the worst time I've been there for the weather but it is a wonderful time to be there with all the decorations and activities and the weather is still so much better than over here.

Angela

 

[MickeyMcMouse]

Been twice in early dec and twice in early jan. Both times dec was lovely 80's during the day but cooler at night and both times in jan it was .... freezing - hot choc (in animal kingdom- lovely) and jeans most days with probably more than half the days fleeces as well ..

This year in jan, the valet parking guy had to scrape the windscreen - didn't know what to do ! Of course us coming from scotland, felt right at home.

David

 

[floridalol]

We went Xmas/New Year 1991/92 and it was gorgeous. Needed a jumper in the evening but daytime was shorts and T-shirts. Apparently Xmas for 2000/01 was freakishly cold but not expected again.

 

[lisag1]

Actually just remembered it was a little cooler in the evening but I found that was pretty late in the evening, esp when going to see MVMCP, and we did have one day when it rained a little and was overcast but apart from that it was sunshine all the way!!

Lisa

 

[Paul and Shirley]

We were there last Xmas and New Year. The weather on the 2nd of January was so cold we came home from the parks. At the time we were wearing hats, scarfs, fleece coats etc and it was bitter. Overall the weather was not brilliant with only a few what we would call hot days.

HOWEVER - It is Xmas and you could not be in a better place. It is awesome.

 

[dave&maria]

Thanks for all your replies. I think I'll just have to prepare for everything. If I've got to be cold anywhere I'd rather it be at Disney! Thanks again Maria

 

[Mazzy]

Well, this is a bit worrying!

We will be in WDW from Dec 26 to Jan 10 and we have Discovery Cove booked for January 8th! I have a vision of the 'Dolphin pool' being frozen over!!!

DD is Dolphin mad and I have promised her a swim with the dolphins but now I'm thinking 'are we going to get our money's worth in January'?

As it would cost £80 to cancel (we've booked it with Virgin) I guess we have no choice but to go ahead, but I'm really wondering if I did the wrong thing booking it after reading this thread!

 

[richard3330]

We are also starting to worry, Mazzy:

We have booked DC for the 23rd December and although we have been to DC before and know that the water in the dolphin lagoon, ray pool, tropical reef is freezing, we thought that it would still be warm/hot in december, but this looks like it will not be the case!! This year however, we are not doing the dolphin swim as our son isn't old enough and it would be unfair to leave him out (!).

We aren't going to cancel, but we will just try and make the best of it and take full wetsuits!!

 

[Mazzy]

Richard, I think you stand a slightly better chance of getting decent weather on 23 Dec than we do on 8 Jan - I keep reading posts saying how the temps drop once you get into January.

I have talked to the children about this, and how it could be freezing cold, but they insist they still want to do it! DH and I aren't swimming with the Dolphins, and with my foot the way it is I won't be able to swim anyway, but as long as the children enjoy it I'll try not to think of how much it's costing!

DD Sam is now 12 and has dreamt of swimming with dolphins for ages, so I'm sure she won't notice the weather once she gets in with them!

How is your trip planning going? Have you got everything orgainsed yet? I'm still juggling the days, I seem to change my planner nearly every day - it's not easy to plan until you can see the official opening and parade times is it? Hopefully they will be out next month for December so not too long to go now!

 

[Eastender]

I've been every christmas for the last 10years and can give you a very accurate forecast. It will be rain or sun between 30 - 80 degrees f.

 

[Olaf]

We went at the beginning of December last year and it was hot! Very hot! We were living in Texas at that time and I was looking foward to a nice mild Florida winter. I spoke with some Brits who were there for two weeks and they were absolutely thrilled with the weather--they were burnt to a crisp.

We ran into another British family at Discovery Cove and they said the dolphin swim was "Brilliant". I enjoyed it, but I think DS (age 7) liked it more. I could have hung out on the beach and been just as happy.

We've already had snow in Colorado and that does not bode well for a mild winter. We're due for a cold one--it's been awhile.

 

[scoobie's m]

Well I've been late December/January for the past three years and agree with Eastender. We've had anything to 2 weeks of 80 plus degrees. Two weeks ranging from a frost on the first morning, to 80 degrees a few days later, and day after day of frost last year, with temperatures in the 30's and 40's. One thing I will say though, we've always had a lot of sunshine, even if the day started out with a frost, doesn't mean it wil be freezing all day (though it could be ) Whenever we have a clear blue sky at home, I always call it a Florida sky. It didn't stop the kids swimming in the villa pool and it didn't stop us enjoying it. And we're going again this year, 95 days and counting