Help with packing a jacket.

[gilby]

This is our first December Disney trip to see the Christmas lights. We are from Minnesota and are wondering what we should bring for a jacket at night. We are planning on watching all the parades, shows, ect in the evening.
I bought some cuddle dudds and some wool socks, to help, but need an idea of a coat, sweatshirt, ect.

 

[bijoli666]

We're bringing hoodies, which I think we will use the most, but I'm also packing our heavier winter coats (we are in TX, so take that for what it's worth LOL) in a Space bag. That way, if we need them they will be there, if we don't then either way they didn't take up much luggage room We're also bringing a set of Disney stocking hat/gloves for each person--they are cheap at walmart if you don't want to chance losing yours from home. We can also wear them with the hoodies.

 

[spacemountainmom]

I am a fellow Minnesotan and only take a polar fleece jacket when we travel in January. I usually only bring one pair of jeans and wear capri pants most of the time. My dh and kids wear shorts and swim, but I'm a bit more of a freeze baby than them.

I would think cuddle duds and wool socks would be serious overkill, but if you tend to be cold, you might want them.

We've been in the parks wearing shorts and t's and encountered others in down jackets, hats and gloves. I guess it depends on your personal tolerance level. I find that I am really warm when we first get there and tend to find it cooler as the week goes on. In 2008 we left home and it was 22 below and arrived at MCO to 80 degrees. I couldn't wait to get into shorts and a t-shirt!

 

[ready123go]

We have gone to FL in Jan or Feb for the last five or so years. Last year we went during Feb. and I decided on the layering thing like this:
1 lighter fleece (100 weight)
1 heavy fleece (300 weight & wind resistant)
down vest
ski band (for over ears - small, but does what you need it to)
scarf
gloves
sneakers
summer weight socks (doubled if needed - just 'reused' the exterior ones from the day before)

We wore these to the airport (Detroit) and had a variety of weights and protections to use, if need be. It got down to 39 one night (it was 36 or so in Detroit that night!) so that morning I put on everything (except the extra socks-I think), heavy fleece over the light fleece, down vest over those. The down compresses and I eventually made it down to the heavyweight fleece alone.

A couple of other mornings I used just the gloves and heavy fleece. Most days it was just the lighter fleece.

I am freezing most of the time and I was pretty good. DH (who is a blast furnace) was, of course, fine. And we were good for the trip home, too.

Good luck!

 

[te2077]

We are from Iowa. We just take a hoodie and jeans. We've been in Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb and never had needed more. I would suggest gloves though. Like the little cotton ones. Hanging on to bars on the rides can be a little chilly at night or in the morning and the little cotton gloves at disney are expensive. LOl. Have a great time.

 

[pampam]

We are from Northern Ontario, and I expect our winters are very much like yours. On cold nights waiting for parades etc. all we've ever needed is a waterproof windproof jacket with a hood (think Northern Reflections) layered with sweatshirt, and a tee shirt if it's extra cold. We carry gloves in our pockets too.

 

[goofy4tink]

When I fly down to WDW next week, I will fly in my jeans, heavier socks, a turtleneck, a sweatshirt and a flannel-lined windbreaker. I will pack those cheap gloves ($1 each usually, one size fits all), and my sneakers in my checked bag. Then, the windbreaker comes off on the plane, and put into my carryon bag. At MCO, the sweatshirt and turtleneck come off if it's above 70 degrees, and the socks come off. It all goes into the carryon bag, where I have put a longsleeved tee-shirt to change into.
I will pack an addtl pair of jeans, as well as several pairs of heavier socks and another turtleneck. This way I can dress warmly at night..it does get chilly down there at night.

 

[mickey&minniealways]

We live in southern NH. I think that those of us who live in a northern area tend to tolerate the cold differently than those who live in warmer regions. My kids are wearing shorts in the spring when the temps are in the 50's. When my inlaws are here in the late spring and summer months they are wearing jackets. They want to turn up the heat if the temps outside are only up to 75. I would look at the weather for Orlando in the weeks leading up to your day of departure and go from there.

 

[tlbwriter]

Since you're acclimated to cold, I'd be surprised if you needed an actual coat. I'm from a less-cold area than you (though colder than Florida) and I never needed anything more than a hoodie and gloves.

 

[Jemmi1218]

I usually bring a hoodie and a fleece jacket that fits OVER the hoodie as well as light gloves and hat. thats the only problem going in the winter months! you have to pack for both kinds of weather!

 

[exwdwcm]

I am from TX and just cold natured usually.....i freeze everywhere i go, yet i have never taken a coat to FL in Dec- just lots of layers- turtleneck or long sleeve tee with a hoodie over it. i have a windbreaker lightweight type jacket too that i throw on over that if super cold. i also bring cheap cotton gloves and a light scarf or hat, just in case. In my two visits in Dec, i've only had to break out the gloves/hat once on each trip. I simply don't want to bother with a huge coat when i probably won't use it. just think layers and if you are from the north and used to cold, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[ksbean]

We are from PA and will be leaving in a few hours for WDW. We pack for layers. We each have 2-3 fleece jackets/pullovers and a light weight rain jacket (good for rain and wind) packed. 1 fleece jacket and the rain jacket we will wear and take on the plain with us. I am bringing (just because I'm always cold) a pair of light fleece gloves and a fleece hat.

 

[MHSweb79]

I have a medium-weight jacket that I wear for spring, fall and most of the winter (in New England). I'm planning to wear that to the airport because we're leaving super-early on 12/10 so I'll have that with me if Orlando experiences a deep-freeze like last year.

Otherwise I have layers. I'm bringing shorts, capris and jeans and a few hoodies. We've been in early December twice before and both times the mornings were quite chilly - around 40 degrees & damp. It's the damp that made it seem chillier than 40 degrees in the winter here!

On the advice of the lovely DIS-er's here, I took out 2 pairs of those "magic" gloves last night to put with our stuff. My DH kept saying, "We're NOT going to need gloves!" We'll see, I guess.

 

[gilby]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am always cold. so I think i will pack more warmer clothes and in layers.