Help from all you December "veterans" of Disney World..

[C.Ann]

We'll be arriving Dec. 3rd and staying till Dec. 16th.. I'm a little concerned about the weather and what kind of clothes we should bring..

I hate the idea of packing 3 seasons of clothes - summer/fall/winter - but I also know from reading here that the weather in Dec. can be mighty unpredictable..

So - what do you all think we should bring? It's me ("Grandma", grown DD, and my granddaughter will be 5..) - and - we're from upstate NY so hot down there feels MUCH hotter to us, where cold doesn't feel as cold to us as to those who live in warmer climates..

I mean - we won't have to bring COATS, will we?

Thanks for any info you can provide - either as a resident of Orlando or a prior December Disney lover!!

 

[NHLFAN]

Hi,

Our last two trips were both in the first 2 weeks of December (2000 & 2001).

The weather was GREAT....in the 80's during the day and a little chilly (but muggy) later in the evening.

The first year we packed our coats so the second trip we just packed windbreakers w/hoods...The windbreakers were also great for the downpours that only lasted a few minutes at a time.

It's a great time to go...Holiday lights, walk-on rides, MVMCP and the nice weather.

Enjoy!

 

[beattyfamily]

We also went the first week of December in 2000 and 2001 and 2000 was very cold at night and even some days and we already had our coats from the plane ride (leaving freezing Boston, we had to have them!) and we actually used them that year!

Then 2001 was quite different. We didn't need our winter coats and MVMCP that year was hot and humid! We were able to swim even at night. It was very nice.

December is a wonderful, magical time to go but the down side is the unpredicable weather. What I do is check the weather for Florida (15 day website) and decide how many winter clothes and which coats to pack. I always pack at least one sweat shirt and pants then shorts, bathing suit and either a windbreaker or a winter coat depending on the weather website! I've also packed a small child's blanket for my DD's and I definitely used it in 2000 but not really in 2001.

Good luck packing!

 

[C.Ann]

Oh my! We may need to charter a private plane just to send our suitcases down!!! LOL!

Thanks for the replies!

 

[undertheradar]

We love early Dec. Do the Shrek thing and wear "layers." You can peel and add as the day changes. We have had warm days and days where fleece felt great after dark. Just don't laugh when you see all of the winter coats, parkas, mittens, etc around 5pm each day. Before I get flamed, my parents migrated from NJ to Kissimmee 9 years ago and bundle up like all of the locals. We make quite a picture, my family in t's and shorts, and my parents in flannel and fleece. Bring late fall/early spring type layers and you'll be well prepared.

 

[K9pal]

We were there first week of December 2000, and it was unusually cold. Keep a watch on the weather until just before you leave - www.accuweather.com has 15 day forecasts. We brought polarfleece pullovers, plus thin earmuffs for me and those little stretchy gloves that can be stuck in a pocket. Always a good excuse to buy a new WDW sweatshirt too!

 

[TonyS20]

My DH and I were there last December and there were many days in which it was very chilly. We can deal with the weather (especially my DH who used to work outdoors year-round) and we were COLD! We wore t-shirts and shorts everyday (because I refuse to wear jeans in FL!) and there were many times we were looking for indoor attractions to warm up! I would recommend t-shirts and a sweater/jacket for most days and jeans and long sleeves for the evenings.
Don't forget ponchos! It rained a few of the days we were there (including our MVMCP) and we had to purchase them from Disney !

 

[MdmMim]

Another upstate NY'er--the cold in FL is not like the cold at home--it's a very damp cold. I have been to WDW in Dec, Jan, and/or Feb for the past 5 years and I'vd had to wear my winter coat with gloves, hood, turtleneck, etc. several times. (I was glad I had warm clothes with me!) As already mentioned, layering is a good idea. (I've experienced several episodes of frost which killed many plants. It really gets cold!) But it IS the best time of year!

 

[bobcat]

Last Decemeber the first weekend was very chilly and during Illuminations one night we could even see our breath. I was very thankful I hadn't left my winter coat in the car at the airport. People were buying anything they could to keep warm.

As someone said layers are great. Make sure you pack a couple of sweatshirts, a windbreaker and even a pair of gloves or you may find yourself paying premium prices for these when you get there.

 

[Keeter]

You have more to worry about with rain at that time of year then you do with cold. Layers are good but buy a Disney raincoat when your first arrive. They can be wadded up into very small fanny packs for easy access. They usually run under five bucks at any disney store and restaurant. If you don't see them out on the racks, just ask for them. Some places don't display them but they are for sale. I prefer January trips. Weather is much cooler and it's less crowded.

 

[disneychrista]

This past December we had only a few "warm" days. The rest of the time it was cold and VERY RAINY (Second wetest december in history, according to the weather channel). So unfortunetly, I would say bring a little of everything and quaters for laundry.

 

[C.Ann]

I sure am getting discouraged hearing about all this rain! When we went in Sept. of 2001 it rained every single day but one (in a two-week period) and I was hoping to avoid that by going in December.. I don't mind it not being hot - but the idea of rain again makes me want to cry..

Now when it rained in December, did it feel "humid" or "cold"?

I think I was right before.. Need to charter a private plane just to take all our clothes down.. Drats!

 

[disneychrista]

When it was raining it was COLD! When it stop raining and sun came out it got pretty humid.

The good news for you is that suspossedly December is the month with the second lowest rainfall. When we were there last year it was the secondest WETTEST December in History.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by disneychrista


The good news for you is that suspossedly December is the month with the second lowest rainfall. When we were there last year it was the secondest WETTEST December in History.

----------------------------

Well you see - that's what I'm afraid of - a repeat performance of last year because I just learned this is a La Nina year - which means rain, rain, and MORE rain!!! It's already started here with never-ending rain..