How does your winter trip differ from your summer one?

[Melani]

It's been 2 years since we've taken a winter trip. I find I'm having trouble planning our days out.

Typically I like to do all the am EMH I can, retunr to the room to rest/swim/snack, then head back to the park to use up FP.

But this schedule is really because of the heat. It's so exhausting rvrn though we live in the same cllimate zone.

Will we really be ready to head back to the room in 4 hours if we're not battling the sun?
How will this effect my ADR planning?
Should I plan longer days & shorter nights?
Would we want a late lunch instead of an early dinner?
What if it's warm, could we really go swimming since the pools are heated even if I'm not a snowbird?

 

[Uno Mas]

We don't take any breaks when we travel to WDW in the winter - it's not really necessary to get out of the heat like in the summer months. But because it's less crowded, you feel more leisurely. We tend to do things we wouldn't do at the busier times - resort hop and check out the lounges, game rooms, gift shops - things like that. We still get to each park for rope drop and close down another park every night. But I don't feel bad missing evening magic hours or only staying for a little while because I've already been able to see and do everything by that point in time.

I cannot tolerate the pools in the winter, heated or not, personally, but I also live in the south and I'm used to warm water. Plenty of other people seem to be able to handle it. I was able to go in the hot tub once in January at the BC but getting out was brutal. All depends on the crazy winter weather too- it could be 80 or 50 depending on the day!

 

[AMG]

I live up north so the winter trips to Florida are like summer trips to me. 60' seems like a heat wave. I cannot tolerate the summer heat and crowds so I avoid the summer months in WDW.

Pros for summer: Park and attractions are all open longer.
Cons for summer: Heat & Crowds

Pros for winter: Less people and better weather.
Cons for winter: Parks close earlier and if you have kids, now you have to find something to do at night. Not all attractions are always available. They tend to use the down time for maintenance.

Good luck.