Leave for WDW in 20 days - What should I pack?

[barbaraann]

I am debating what I should pack for my WDW trip, which begins in just 20 days.

I live in Chicago, and I am used to chilly weather. I have been checking the weather report for Orlando, and it does not look too bad. However, some graphs I have looked at show high temps in the high 60's to low 70's, and low temps as low as 40.

I plan on wearing and packing sweatpants, which is what I usually wear at home. I figure I will pack layers. t-shirts, long sleeve shirts/thermals, and a warm hooded sweatshirt or two. I will have my jacket, of course, since I will need to wear that to the Chicago airport. I am hoping I don't need to wear a jacket in the parks after the sun goes down, because I don't want to have to return to my hotel midday to fetch it. I can easily put a ski hat, and gloves in my backpack to keep my ears and my hands warm, if need be.

What do other people wear at Disney World in the month of February?

 

[DHisaDisneyScrooge]

We are in the same boat. We leave in 18 days and have no idea what to pack.

I figure jeans/light pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets for layering.

We'll also throw our winter coats, gloves, and hats in the van when we leave as that just makes good sense when driving through the mountains in the winter.

 

[CAS239]

You'll want a mix of everything

 

[barbaraann]

I am just bringing a carryon suitcase, so my packing space is limited. My trip is for 6 nights.

 

[Hunterr]

Oh man, its gonna be chilly here. But there may be days when its warm? I was a local for 8 years, so it will be cold, but there are days here and there during this time where its randomly warm.

I would rule out shorts. Well, maybe one pair just in case. Sweaters will be your friend!
Pack for a cold trip with an emergency warm weather outfit.

I didn't really help, but I also cant tell what it will be like in 20 days either

 

[rainboots]

I am so excited that I am finally wondering the same thing! 18 days to go. I am a planner to the extreme & it is killing me that my suitcases sit empty. But I am waiting until about 7 days out so I can see a closer forecast!

 

[amylevan]

I would rule out shorts. Well, maybe one pair just in case. Sweaters will be your friend!
Pack for a cold trip with an emergency warm weather outfit.

No shorts? I take it you don't live in the north? Mid-70s feels downright hot when you are used to mid-20s as a high.

We arrive on the 30th. We've visited in February the last few trips, and have worn everything from shorts & t-shirts to jeans and fleece. Layering is the key in Florida in winter - so with limited suitcase space you're going to have to get creative.

We have never worn our winter jackets. Hats, gloves & fleece over layers, yes - but about as often as shorts & t-shirts.

 

[richmo]

We've gone on President's Day weekend a couple times. I recall a couple days that would start in high 40's, but would be in mid 60's by mid to late morning. For one thing, 20 days out seems too early to pack...I'd wait until you're well within a week to go, just so you can start looking at the longer range forecasts and see where the temperatures and perhaps precipitation are going to be. I'd probably be inclined to go with mostly t-shirts and shorts, but dress warm on the plane and make sure you have a sweatshirt. There's a good chance at least mornings and evenings may be a bit cool.

 

[fbarker]

No shorts? I take it you don't live in the north? Mid-70s feels downright hot when you are used to mid-20s as a high.

We arrive on the 30th. We've visited in February the last few trips, and have worn everything from shorts & t-shirts to jeans and fleece. Layering is the key in Florida in winter - so with limited suitcase space you're going to have to get creative.

We have never worn our winter jackets. Hats, gloves & fleece over layers, yes - but about as often as shorts & t-shirts.

I would recommend a couple of pair to the convertible pants. We go in March each year and we start out most mornings with the legs attached but as the day goes on, if it warms up, we can take the bottom of the legs off and have a nice pair of shorts and then we have the ability to put the legs back on as we move into night. We love them.

 

[boufa]

The question isn't WHAT you should be packing, but WHEN you should be packing.

I am going about the same time as you, and have been watching the weather for the last week or 2... looking for trends... and I found that there isn't any trends. We are going to pack the day or 2 before we leave based on the actual forecast. Of course, even on a 6 day trip, packing 2 days early means that we are counting on a forecast 8 days out to be reasonably accurate....

Packing now... even for the uber planner, is just silly. Maybe have the basics, but prepping for possible extremes needs to be a last minute thing, based on the planned extremes.

We are taking the advice of many others, and planning for layers. We are from the north, and its 12 degrees right now, but I can live without shorts. Sure 70 is shorts weather, but it isn't like I would die without them in that weather. Also no matter how nice it will be at 3pm, it started and will end cooler. We are going to layer for the forecasted low temp, and get a locker. The as we peel layers during the day we will have somewhere to put it, until we need them again. Of course I bring a small tripod into the park for fireworks, and will get a locker for that either way. We are planning jeans and t-shirts for a base layer, with fall type fleece jackets. Unless its going to be 45 or so and under, then maybe an extra layer.

What we are not going to bring is our arctic winter coats. My mother is dropping us and picking us up at the airport at home, and we will leave her our winter coats, and run into the airport, then when we get home she will bring them in to the terminal for us. Not hauling those things around the country.

 

[Hopefully]

I am just bringing a carryon suitcase, so my packing space is limited. My trip is for 6 nights.

Unfortunately in Florida in February you still need some of everything. You need to pack layers and be prepared for everything. 40's in Florida feels colder than you may be used to.

 

[acbshada]

Every time I've been to Florida in January or February, I always bring jeans. Shorts stay at home - no matter what. I know that the weather has the potential to be in the 70s, but it's gonna dip down cooler at night. I have the tendency to chill easily, so shorts always stay OUT of my Jan/Feb Florida bag.

I will usually bring a tank top - for those warmer-than-expected days. Other than that, I reiterate the "layers" comments that you've seen everywhere. Those are important this time of year.

I also like your idea of bringing gloves and perhaps a hat. Those things take up minimal space, but if you're easily chilled, it's nice to have around. But I think at that point, it's a personal preference sort of thing.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[JerseyMama11]

I pack a little bit of everything and plan on layers since mornings/nights will be cold.

we leave on Saturday and I have been stalking the weather since beginning of last week. Long range forecast showed mid-70's for most of the week. only on Sunday (so 7 days out) did it start showing cooler temps in the long range. I will be packing on Friday!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We have been down in January when it was actually hot. I mean I was wearing jeans - had not brought any shorts. Couldn't find shorts in the shops so I went into a bathroom and cut the legs off of my jeans. PP are right - pack right before you go and plan on layering

 

[barbaraann]

I live in Chicago where it can get downright frigid and nasty. My worst dream is having to go to the airport while it is snowing in Chicago, or when it is 0 degrees outside. Under those circumstances, I'd be tempted to wear a heavier coat. Then what do I do when I arrive at the airport with that heavy coat? I don't want to check a bag, although, I am tempted. I won't pack until the day before I leave, because I definitely want to see a more recent weather report. Hopefully, no rain. I always feel better if my neck, ears, and hands are warm, so I definitely am bringing the hat, gloves, and my neck warmer. That neck warmer looks like a ski cap, but it has a hole in it, and it fits over the head, and you pull it down to your neck, where it keeps you toasty warm. It's not bulky like a scarf could be.

I don't wear jeans, so sweat pants it will have to be. I once did a 10 day trip to California with a carryon suitcase in February, and the layers worked great. I had to wear some things twice, but that's no problem. I always tell my grandson that if I have clean socks and underwear for each day, I am good to go.

 

[Sunnywho]

Rent a locker for the jacket rather than return to the hotel room. The cost of the locker is negligible when compared to the cost of Disney park time and the hour lost (or more) to get to the room and back.

 

[Moushe]

Same boat here, leaving in 15 days and dont know how to pack for the kids. I'm a Miami girl so we dont even really own heavy jackets or sweaters. I keep hearing that it gets really cold in January in Orlando (we usually go during the summer) I am debating whether or not just go to Old Navy and get the kids a bunch of sweat pants and jackets. DH seems to think they'll be fine with jeans and a windbreaker.

 

[Gina Starr]

My trip was from January 1-11 this year. I drove so had a lot of room to pack a variety of things. I packed everything from shorts and tank tops to jeans and sweatshirts. The shorts and tank tops were never put on. I noticed that the highs listed in the forecast never happened. If it called for a high of 68 it would only ever get up to 63. I wore capris a couple times but only because I didn't want the bottom of my jeans to get soaked from the rain. I also wore gloves and a scarf a couple mornings

 

[SnipsNSnails]

We frequently travel from the cold (MI) to visit my parents who winter in FL or my inlaws who live in AZ during the winter months. We are going at the end of Feb. and we're just in AZ over Christmas. Since it is cold when we get on the plane, I dress us in our heavier layers to wear. Jeans, long sleeves, hoodie, zip up jacket. We can take some layers off and carry on the plane. We always wear our tennis shoes too. That leaves the lighter things to pack.

 

[Lillian Gracey]

Fellow Chicagoan here! I leave in 13 days and have already packed. I packed what I usually wear during the winter here, which is skinny jeans (I wear them in the summer too), shirts, a couple of zip up hoodies, gloves, and a hat. I did pack a pair of shorts just in case, but I plan on it being cool. I'm definitely not bringing a winter jacket. DH will be dropping me off and picking me up and I will brave whatever the weather decides to be when I leave and come back.