Help! packing strategies for Jan trip

[lmb]

Hi,

We're going the last week of Jan. and I'm trying to figure out what to pack since the weather can be so variable. Right now I have pants, jackets, shorts, bathing suits, you name it! I know we have a washer so I'm trying not to overpack but I'm having a hard time since it could be from the 50's to the 70's. Any suggestions? (We'll be in the parks in the am from 9 until 1)

 

[Mtnman44]

At least one day with likely be rainy. It always happens to me that way at least.

 

[jdvm]

I always suggest that people layer this time of year. By that I mean stuff you can take off--like a windbreaker and a sweater) as it warms up.
John

 

[justloveit]

I always check the local news stations websites for the local weather forecast in Orlando, or the Weather Channel. The evenings always feel cooler because of the moisture in the air. We are leaving Thurs. for a long weekend so that's what I have been doing. Have a wonderful trip.

 

[dbprimeaux]

I am also having trouble deciding what to take to WDW. We will be there the first week of Feb. I don't want to over pack, because we will have a washer/dryer - SSR 2 bedroom !! I am thinking jeans, disney t-shirts, light jackets or sweatshirts, and running shoes... I am also going to bring hats for the kids. We always bring small pillows and small throw blankets for the trip (we drive 14 hours ), so if we need them for nite time at the parks we can just throw them in the backpack. I don't think we are going to bring bathing suits or the like...

 

[Flyerfan]

We just came back and the weather was up and down. Here was my week:
Saturday/Sunday -80, humid and sunny with t-storms
Monday/Tuesday - Upper 50's and sunny
Wednesday - Low 60's and sunny
Thursday - Low 70's, overcast and rainy
Friday - 60's, overcast & rainy

I packed long sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, short sleeve, light jacket, winter jacket, sweatshirt, long pants and made use of all of them. I am a cold person, so no shorts but DH wore shorts the whole time and also had a jacket. The washer/dryer is nice to have and if you are flying and can only pack so much it is doubly fantastic.

 

[Csmontie]

layer up that way you can remove if it gets warm and bring a rain jacket Jan is a bit rainy

 

[n2mm]

I feel your pain. I packed for entire day on Sunday. We have 6 days in WDW, followed by a 3 day cruise. So not only do we have to pack warms clothes and lighter clothes for the first 6 days, we have to pack for the cruise with lighter clothes, dress clothes, and after hours clothes. This is a challenge for me as I try not to pack too much. I like our May/Aug/Oct trips as it's shorts and tops and swimsuits. I also packed the detergent and bounce.

 

[TinkGirl]

One thing we've found about January is that once the sun goes down, the temperature drops pretty quickly. We've been happy to have knit gloves for parks at night even if it was in the 70's during the day. I agree with the poster who advised layers. Sweatshirts, fleece for mornings and evenings with t's underneath. Have fun!

 

[NCRedding]

Be sure to take gloves, hats and scarfs. Our EMH was this past Sunday night at MK (open til 2 am). I had a turtleneck, polar fleece pullover and a Columbia wind breaker, with gloves, and was FREEZING. It was really windy, and my ears were taking the worst of the wind, so I went in early.

 

[n2mm]

Be sure to take gloves, hats and scarfs. Our EMH was this past Sunday night at MK (open til 2 am). I had a turtleneck, polar fleece pullover and a Columbia wind breaker, with gloves, and was FREEZING. It was really windy, and my ears were taking the worst of the wind, so I went in early.

Not to worry, I have my fleece hat and gloves already packed. I've been there on those cold mornings and evenings and if the wind starts, wow, it's even colder. Layers are the key, that way you can peel them off, then reapply later.

 

[Anal Annie]

We were just there from Fri. nite 1/18 thru Mon. 1/21, returned home on Tues. I was trying to get all 3 of us into one large (30" x 15") duffle and one carry-on! I packed & re-packed 4 times from watching the roller coaster weather forecasts online which in the end were totally wrong!

BEST thing I took was those convertible zip off cargo style pants for DS and DH (from Kohls)! We each wore jeans down which we could wear again & I took 2 or 3 pr. of those for each of them. That way they can start & end the day in pants & if it warms up zip 'em off into shorts - the pants legs take up almost no room in the backpack once they're off! For myself I took an extra pr. of jeans + 2 pr. of shorts & 1 pr. of jean capris - wore the shorts briefly & stayed in jeans the rest of the time.

I packed 3 long sleeved shirts for each of us + 3 Tshirts, 1 bathing suit, and 2 sweatshirts - we did as others said & layered a Tshirt under a long sleeve shirt. I also only took 1 pr. of spare shoes each and 1 pr. of flip flops. The other plan that worked well was being from Maryland we knew it would be cold coming & going so we each wore winter coats with zip-out linings - took the linings out while in FL...but as another poster said - it was COLD on Sun. and we called it an early day bcuz of the wind! Don't forget your ponchos! It poured on Sat. nite! You have to take a variety! We also rented lockers a couple of times to stash extra stuff ($5 after the deposit for the key).

 

[Starr W.]

Long underwear, not the cotton kind, but the poly or silk thin stuff. We all have a set and it isn't bulky and you don't get to hot. We were just there for MLK weekend. Hats & gloves, everyone had a heavy sweatshirt plus our gore-tex windbreakers.

We did Fantasmic on Sunday night and we weren't cold and even walked back to BCV(beat the boat ).

Though we did manage to swim Thursday night, Friday & Saturday afternoons.

It was a weird packing experience, had been watching accuweather's forcast about 15 days out.