I'm starting to regret this...

[sha_sha]

Hiya...

Hope you're all peachy keen

I'm feeling rather bad... I have 3 weeks booked for Feb 2011. I have seen many people on here say how cold it is and they would have liked a sweatshirt and gloves and wooly hat, I was hoping that it would be warm enough for shorts and t shirts. I did ask a travel agent about going in Feb and she said it would be perfect weather... I am expecting to have to take a cardi with me for early mornings and evenings and maybe some air conditioned places but I don't want to feel like I have brought the English weather with me.

I have been to Florida Mid August and found the heat awful, I will never ever return to Florida during August again purely because of the heat.

Have I made an awful decision?

Thank You

 

[Kath2003]

February can be like British summer time - you could have lovely mid-20s degree weather or it could sink to 10-degrees or so. I would definitely take a good jacket for the evenings. This year the weather has been quite harsh - it has only just started to warm up this week - last week it was colder in Orlando than parts of the UK

 

[2Tiggies]

The past year's weather has been all over the place. Last May Orlando had an unusual amount of heavy rain. October was almost record breaking in terms of heat. December: frost/snow! February is usually quite pleasant unless you like to self-combust in the heat (in which case August is better ) I wouldn't worry about it too much. I always take a cardi and light jacket for evenings/aircon anyway. Even in the heat, the buses at night are a tad chilly for me. Enjoy your planning. The weather is one thing none of us can predict, especially of late. I do understand you are planning a pool holiday specifically though.

 

[Kath2003]

Last April was so WINDY that I had to go buy a jacket the first day we were there because I was SO cold. A week later it was pool weather, but I wore jeans and a sweater for the first 3 days Conversely I have been in April twice before and never needed a jacket during the day.

You will DEFINITELY need a warm jacket or jumper for the evenings; the average low is around 10-15 degrees C.

 

[wayneg]

Never been in Feb, been twice at Easter, both times 1 cold week & 1 nice week. Hoping it warms up soon as we go again this Easter. Also been 5 times Xmas thru Early Jan, last year was OK but all others too cold.
Everyone has different views on weather, for us August is perfect, hotter the better so earlier in the year is not warm enough but it is for others.

 

[luke]

Everyone has different views on weather, for us August is perfect, hotter the better so earlier in the year is not warm enough but it is for others.

I'm with you on this Wayne!

Last two visits have been July and October.
October just wasn't hot enough (although we were glad of it as I wouldn't have wanted to wear my wedding suit in blazing heat!!) and despite the rain and storms I much preferred the heat of July

 

[sha_sha]

Thank You for all your replies. I don't do well in the hotness of the heat. It makes me tired and grouchy, so does the cold lol. So I really really hope it's a perfect balance.

Do you reckon shorts and capri trousers will be ok, or am I needing to be taking Jeans and leg warmers?

 

[igk]

This winter has been unusually cold, but average temperatures are just that, averages, and the fact is the weather in Florida is very variable at that time of year.
I don't think you've made an awful decision, but you have to be prepared for the fact that it might not be shorts/t-shirt weather the whole time.

 

[2Tiggies]

Last April was so WINDY that I had to go buy a jacket the first day we were there because I was SO cold.

Never been in Feb, been twice at Easter, both times 1 cold week & 1 nice week. Hoping it warms up soon as we go again this Easter.

When in April were you guys there? We like to go in April and were there last Easter and it was pretty hot. I like the heat, same as Wayne - the hotter the better - but I was fine. There was one day when there was a thunderstorm in the morning and rain for several hours and it was pretty cool that day, but otherwise we had 16 days of warm/hot weather. It was only evenings that I needed a cardi. DD with her Scottish blood was warm and clammy in the evenings too though.

 

[paulh]

winter weather in Florida is wired,were there one Xmas and one day it was coats and gloves next day we were swimming in the pool it was so hot.
Best advice is to layer as you can peal them off when it gets warmer.
Then again a lot of folks like the mild weather in feb bit like our spring/early summer times as you can imagine yes it will be a bit chilly in morning and night time but with the sun out its nice warm,on a plus side there is no humidity then
DW like wayne and luke it has to be at least 100 degrees to get in the pool.thats why we usaly go end of may or august
Now were hooked on skiing were not having to worry about going florida in the winter months anymore
Paul

 

[Soprano]

I've been once in late January and once in mid Feb. Personally, I found the weather lovely! Yes, some mornings were cool, late evenings the same, but I would never say cold!

The days were very dry and warm. The least amount of rain. Shorts and t-shirt weather

Wooly hat and scarf? That's bonkers!

Its a nice and quiet time to go. The queues for the rides should be small and you won't be too uncomfortable with the heat.

 

[Kath2003]

When in April were you guys there? We like to go in April and were there last Easter and it was pretty hot. I like the heat, same as Wayne - the hotter the better - but I was fine. There was one day when there was a thunderstorm in the morning and rain for several hours and it was pretty cool that day, but otherwise we had 16 days of warm/hot weather. It was only evenings that I needed a cardi. DD with her Scottish blood was warm and clammy in the evenings too though.

We were there during the school Easter holidays; I was FROZEN for the first four days! It was only on the 5th day that I broke out the shorts.

 

[wayneg]

When in April were you guys there? We like to go in April and were there last Easter and it was pretty hot. ;

We were there Easter 07 & 08, didn't go last Easter, went May instead.

Wooly hat and scarf? That's bonkers!

1st time we went at Xmas we just took shorts and Tshirts, it was one of coldest on record, had to de-ice car every morning and buy hats gloves, scarves, long trousers. This Easter we are taking clothes for every temp from freezing to 100 degrees, won't be caught out again. Nov thru mid April is unpredictable.

 

[Kath2003]

I ALWAYS take a very large scarf, wherever I go in the world. Acts as a blanket on flights and last year in Florida in April I needed it - even once the weather warmed up, I took it and a jacket out with me every evening.

 

[janiebubble]

my last trip was February 2008, I wore cut offs and a t shirt the whole week ... the only time I wore long sleeves was one evening when we went back out. Conversely my colleague was there this Feb half term and said it was jeans and a sweatshirt weather ... but I've been swimming and got burnt in Feb!

 

[strawberry blonde]

We normally go every two years for Feb half-term and the week after. The mornings and evenings can get really cold but the afternoons can be really hot. Last year, my eldest son burnt at Aquatica because at 16 he knew best ie. he didn't need more suncream!!

I normally wear cropped trousers, a strappy t shirt and take a fleece or cardi and the fleece came off every afternoon and a couple of days we were looking for shade as we were melting. It was definitely waterpark weather but I did wear jeans a couple of nights for the first time ever.

I'm sure you'll have a great time and go and see the concerts at Mardi Gras in Universal. We saw Ne-Yo and I would have loved to have seen Kool and the Gang and Aretha Franklin this year.

The weather's gone mad everywhere this year

 

[Pegasus928]

We went last Febuary and had some mornings were we had to scrape ice of the windscreen, but by 10am we were in shorts and t-shirts. Evenings were always cool so we got int he habit of taking jackets and leaving them in the lockers at the entrance to the parks.
By far the worst morning I can remember was our first one at AK. The cold totally took us by surprise and on the train on the way to the gate we had our chins tucked in our jackets and sleeves over our hands. An hour later we were ditching the jackets and putting the sun spray on.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Bottom line is weather in February can be unpredictable, it is likely to be on the cool side especially in the morning.
I would take a combination of clothing, you will definitely be able to wear shorts but you also will need a cardigan or two.

It's very difficult to advise, you will get some sun for sure but it's just hard to say at this time of the year.

 

[LORNA ANN]

We went Jan/Feb 2008 & DH did nothing but moan about cold, so for us I'm afraid I would not book this time of year again couldn't stand DH's moaning about how much he hates being cold on holiday & how much he has paid to be cold, think you probably get the picture, we love Sept/Oct.

 

[tigger137]

Wooly hat and scarf? That's bonkers!

We were there first week in January this year and it was certainly cold enough for woolly hats and scarves.
It was literally freezing.