Packing for November - WWYD?

[SEA333]

I just read a thread on December weather and what to pack, and now I'm worried about what the weather will be like in mid-November. There will be five of us - Me, DH, DS13, DD9, and DS7. We will be there for 4 nights, 5 days, flying out from Chicago O'Hare to MCO.

I have purchased one checked bag for our flight, which I was planning on using for a lot of our clothes/toiletries/etc. It will be a rolling 60" piece of luggage. We will also each be taking one "personal" bag with us on the plane, which can be the size of the average high school backpack or large 16" laptop case (no actual laptop, though - I am *not* going to work on this trip!!!). We are surprising the kids with the trip the morning we leave, so I was planning on packing the 5 carry-on bags with one-two complete changes of clothes each, plus a couple airplane-appropriate snacks, and whatever else will fit, like an extra change of clothes, hairbrush, flip-flops, etc. Everything else will have to fit into the 60" suitcase, including shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen, etc that will be too big to go through security as a carry-on item.

Here's my dilemma - I've read that November weather can fluctuate from being very hot, to being very cold. If I have to pack a lot of winter clothes, I don't think I will have the room that I think I will have in the bags.

From those that have been/live in Florida in Nov - other than exceptions for extreme heat and cold, what is the average day and night like?

Will I need to pack pants, coats, heavy sweatshirts, etc?

We are flying from Chicago - I was kind of hoping that the weather when we leave would be mild enough that we could leave our heavy winter coats at home - we are more than likely going to have a family member driving up to the airport, which will mean curbside drop off and we won't have to walk in the cold from a parking deck. Will we need winter coats in Florida in November?

Will we be able to swim at all? Other than the day we arrive, and the day we leave, any swimming will have to be done in the evening. Will it be warm enough, on average?

Last time we were in Florida, we went the last week of March - is November weather similar to March weather? It was pretty much in the 70's that whole week, and mostly sunny with clouds.

Lastly, in order to save luggage space, we were thinking about renting a car down there (DH works for Hertz corp and a 5 day rental will be under $100 for us) and going to Walmart for snacks and water, etc. Would it be better to save the space and just buy shampoo, sunscreen, toothpaste, etc once we get down there, and just leave it there/throw unused portions away when we leave? i hate to waste it, but one small bottle of shampoo/conditioner for 5 people for 5 days won't really have *too* much left, anyway.

Thanks!

 

[tlh0726]

I just read a thread on December weather and what to pack, and now I'm worried about what the weather will be like in mid-November. There will be five of us - Me, DH, DS13, DD9, and DS7. We will be there for 4 nights, 5 days, flying out from Chicago O'Hare to MCO.

I have purchased one checked bag for our flight, which I was planning on using for a lot of our clothes/toiletries/etc. It will be a rolling 60" piece of luggage. We will also each be taking one "personal" bag with us on the plane, which can be the size of the average high school backpack or large 16" laptop case (no actual laptop, though - I am *not* going to work on this trip!!!). We are surprising the kids with the trip the morning we leave, so I was planning on packing the 5 carry-on bags with one-two complete changes of clothes each, plus a couple airplane-appropriate snacks, and whatever else will fit, like an extra change of clothes, hairbrush, flip-flops, etc. Everything else will have to fit into the 60" suitcase, including shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen, etc that will be too big to go through security as a carry-on item.

Here's my dilemma - I've read that November weather can fluctuate from being very hot, to being very cold. If I have to pack a lot of winter clothes, I don't think I will have the room that I think I will have in the bags.

From those that have been/live in Florida in Nov - other than exceptions for extreme heat and cold, what is the average day and night like?

Will I need to pack pants, coats, heavy sweatshirts, etc?

We are flying from Chicago - I was kind of hoping that the weather when we leave would be mild enough that we could leave our heavy winter coats at home - we are more than likely going to have a family member driving up to the airport, which will mean curbside drop off and we won't have to walk in the cold from a parking deck. Will we need winter coats in Florida in November?

Will we be able to swim at all? Other than the day we arrive, and the day we leave, any swimming will have to be done in the evening. Will it be warm enough, on average?

Last time we were in Florida, we went the last week of March - is November weather similar to March weather? It was pretty much in the 70's that whole week, and mostly sunny with clouds.

Lastly, in order to save luggage space, we were thinking about renting a car down there (DH works for Hertz corp and a 5 day rental will be under $100 for us) and going to Walmart for snacks and water, etc. Would it be better to save the space and just buy shampoo, sunscreen, toothpaste, etc once we get down there, and just leave it there/throw unused portions away when we leave? i hate to waste it, but one small bottle of shampoo/conditioner for 5 people for 5 days won't really have *too* much left, anyway.

Thanks!

You might want to double check to make sure your checked luggage is not considered oversize. Also watch the weight limit while packing it.

Last November (thanksgiving week) We mostly wore sweatshirts, tshirts, and shorts. A few days the kids wore jeans. A day or two no sweatshirts were needed. There was only 1 day we wished we had a jacket (not a winter coat) too.
It was chilly, swimming did not cross our minds.

Until you can get close enough for a 10 day forecast, you have to pack to be prepared for everything.

 

[KeeperSyd]

Yes it can be cold enough to not want to swim! However, we were there the week before Christmas last year. We swam every evening and could not wear the winter clothes we packed. I had doubled with shorts thank goodness. I would think light windbreakers and a pair of sweats to go over shorts if needed would suffice. Also, would one extra suitcase not cost less than renting a car?

 

[Lilliputian]

November can be cold, but you should be able to get by with a fleece jacket (and maybe more than one layer underneath if it's really cold). What you consider a winter coat in Chicago should not be necessary.

I would toss in some gloves and a hat for everybody. There's not much of a chance you'll need them, but they take up very little space, and being cold is miserable.

You may very well be able to comfortably swim. We've gone over Thanksgiving several times, and sometimes it is pretty warm. In fact, we've gone swimming on Thanksgiving day, and we're from Texas, where people don't swim unless it's hot. You probably have a higher tolerance for cooler temperature than we do.

I agree that the 10 day forecast will help you when you get closer. Things can change, of course, but you'll have some idea of what to expect. If the 10 day forecast shows all cold days, you can pack a lot of warm clothes and toss in a pair of shorts or two in case it ends up being warmer than predicted a few of the days.

 

[kim175]

We go to WDW the week of Veterans Day in November. The weather is very pleasant typically. Short sleeve weather during the day and a light weight jacket or long sleeve at night. We don't swim in November...there are usually a few kids in the pool at resorts but its too chilly for our liking

 

[MartyM]

As far as the size of the bag, I don't think that's possible, even if it was warm enough for the briefest summer clothes.

I travel as a single or with DBF for (usually) 5 or 6 nights, and I take (max size without a fee on my airline) checked bag which is 54" aggregate, as well as a near maximum legal carryon-size rolling bag and sometimes a purse, and he carries a large carry-on rolly and camera bag as well.

If weather is at about coldest norm (45-65F) for Orlando, DBF and I do not have enough room in the 54" +2 rolly's for all the warm clothes that we could use.

And on the other hand, if it's unseasonably warm, we're going to change out of steamed play clothes and into something clean at the end of the day, so that means 1.5, if not 2 outfits per person, per day, which cancels out most of the benefit of the lighter summer clothes...and has us really tight in the 54" checked bag.

Poster above mentioned weight. Any potential savings by packing in this manner will be shot right to heck if the weight ends up above 50, and on some airlines, 35-40 pounds.

Good Luck to you!!

 

[720L]

Thin knit gloves and a hat for sure. When we've gone in November we wear jeans & a tshirt with a fleece. You may get uncomfortable for a couple hours in the afternoon and wish you had shorts on, but when night comes you'll be glad you have pants on. Pack a pair of shorts just in case the weather turns really warm, but I doubt you'll need them. Tie the fleece around your waist when you aren't wearing it.

 

[JessM]

We have been going to Disney the first week in December for around 10 years, like December, Nov temps can vary on the year. You really aren't going to know until you are 10 days out.

Here is what we do to cut down on luggage. Wear a decently warm sweatshirt on the plane and jeans. Wear your parks shoes and bring a lightweight jacket on the plane with you. You can lay it across luggage in the over head bins. This will get some of your heavy articles of clothing out of your luggage. Even doing this I think you are going to need another checked bag. Last year me and my DBF went down just for the weekend and our rolling carry on suitcases were full. If we had been going any longer we would have had to share a checked bag.

I don't think you will be able to pack your 60in bag full and not go over the weight limit. Make sure you weigh it before you get to the airport, rearranging things at the counter is NOT fun. Overweight bags carry huge fees and your are better off just paying for a another regular sized checked bag.

For a week in December our packing list per person usually looks like this:
2 pairs of jeans (in addition to the pair we wear on the plane, we re-wear jeans)
2 pairs of capris
3 pairs of shorts
7 tee shirts (extras to wear home and in case of spills)
3 long sleeve shirts (for chilly mornings)
1 sweatshirt (in addition to the one I wear on the plane)
Hat and Mittens
Plus tolitries, undergarments, sleepwear, swim suits (heated pools! We swim went its "cold" out)

Good luck!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Could you consider doing a load or two of laundry while you are there? You are going to need to take at least some cold weather and some warm weather. You may end up needed all winter so you have to be ready for that. You will not need a full winter coat, but you will need layers you can build to stay warm and shed as the days warms. Pools are heated but night air can be cool but kids don't seem to mind too much. One year our kids just had to try the slide at
WL when it was cold! We took sweat pants to the pool and dried off and put these on as soon as they got out!

 

[DCbride]

Last year the first week in Nov DD swam a few days then we were in sweatshirts. So definitely check 10 day.

One thing I always do is buy gallon or the bigger size zip loc bags and compress all the clothes. ( I actually label the bags of DD so in the morning she grabs a bag that has her outfit plus hair stuff) but just like the ads for the space bags a regular zip bag really helps compress space. I bet all under stuff, shirts and bathing suits can go in carry on, wear jeans and a sweatshirt on the plane and you should have a decent amount if room in your checked bag.

 

[mrsap]

I just read a thread on December weather and what to pack, and now I'm worried about what the weather will be like in mid-November. There will be five of us - Me, DH, DS13, DD9, and DS7. We will be there for 4 nights, 5 days, flying out from Chicago O'Hare to MCO.

I have purchased one checked bag for our flight, which I was planning on using for a lot of our clothes/toiletries/etc. It will be a rolling 60" piece of luggage. We will also each be taking one "personal" bag with us on the plane, which can be the size of the average high school backpack or large 16" laptop case (no actual laptop, though - I am *not* going to work on this trip!!!). We are surprising the kids with the trip the morning we leave, so I was planning on packing the 5 carry-on bags with one-two complete changes of clothes each, plus a couple airplane-appropriate snacks, and whatever else will fit, like an extra change of clothes, hairbrush, flip-flops, etc. Everything else will have to fit into the 60" suitcase, including shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen, etc that will be too big to go through security as a carry-on item.

Here's my dilemma - I've read that November weather can fluctuate from being very hot, to being very cold. If I have to pack a lot of winter clothes, I don't think I will have the room that I think I will have in the bags.

From those that have been/live in Florida in Nov - other than exceptions for extreme heat and cold, what is the average day and night like?

Will I need to pack pants, coats, heavy sweatshirts, etc?

We are flying from Chicago - I was kind of hoping that the weather when we leave would be mild enough that we could leave our heavy winter coats at home - we are more than likely going to have a family member driving up to the airport, which will mean curbside drop off and we won't have to walk in the cold from a parking deck. Will we need winter coats in Florida in November?

Will we be able to swim at all? Other than the day we arrive, and the day we leave, any swimming will have to be done in the evening. Will it be warm enough, on average?

Last time we were in Florida, we went the last week of March - is November weather similar to March weather? It was pretty much in the 70's that whole week, and mostly sunny with clouds.

Lastly, in order to save luggage space, we were thinking about renting a car down there (DH works for Hertz corp and a 5 day rental will be under $100 for us) and going to Walmart for snacks and water, etc. Would it be better to save the space and just buy shampoo, sunscreen, toothpaste, etc once we get down there, and just leave it there/throw unused portions away when we leave? i hate to waste it, but one small bottle of shampoo/conditioner for 5 people for 5 days won't really have *too* much left, anyway.

Thanks!

I will copy a post I wrote to another Diser yesterday...

LOL you need to pack a little of everything!!! We only go in November, (usually the week of and after Thanksgiving) and the weather can be so unpredictable!!! During the day, you can get anything from hot, pool weather, to chilly jeans and a tee shirt with a little jacket weather. For parks in particular, I go with jeans and a short sleeved shirt, and carry a little zip up sweater with me. I believe back in '05 I was in full on winter gear - coat, gloves and earmuffs!!! Thank goodness I had them all with me being we had to stop in NC before going to Disney. I would definitely have a little mixed bag. You never know! Does your hotel have laundry? If so, you can just wash and reuse! We also rent from Hertz (we drive all the way down), and we rent a full sized car- we try to only pack one suitcase each, knowing we have a washer/dryer in our room. Enjoy!!

 

[Darcy03231]

I live in the northeast and we've been the first week of December. We packed in carry-on bags and 1 piece of checked luggage.

We wore our jeans, long-sleeve shirts, sneakers and fleece jackets down on the plane. We didn't bring our winter coats and didn't need them.

In the checked luggage I packed our toiletries, an extra pair of jeans for everyone, hats & gloves (I got the little stretchy magic gloves) and a sweatshirt for everyone. In the carry-on luggage (small suitcases) I packed shorts, t-shirts (long and short sleeved), bathing suits, sleepwear, sandals, etc.

I also packed some tide pods so I could do laundry if necessary (didn't need to).

It worked out fine. The first half of the week was sunny and warm. Shorts and t-shirts during the day with a sweatshirt at night. The second half of the week was colder. We wore jeans and our sweatshirts/fleece jackets. At night we needed the hats and gloves.

 

[holden]

We went early last Nov - 2-9th. It was too chilly for our kids to swim (they lasted about 30min at Stormalong Bay). We also had to buy jackets/sweatshirts because we didn't bring them. I think it was unusually cold for that time of year, but it was certainly a lesson in packing! We are going again that time this year and will pack warmer clothes.

Having said that, we have been to WDW in January and wore shorts/tshirts the entire trip, so you never know.

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

You just never know. We were there in infamous dec 2010 with a low of 29! Good thing we had coats, hats, and gloves because we were freezing! No swimming the whole trip. The first and last days of our trip hit the 70's. For the most part the highs were in the 50's and it was unpleasant. Still had a good time.

 

[StuckInKS]

We are planning for WDW Nov 1-15 and Nov 15-22 at the BEACH!! I really, really hope it is a warm year since we haven't been to the beach in over two years and we want to enjoy it. We can enjoy Disney in any weather, but I have to admit that it would be very strange to us to wear gloves and coats at the parks since we are usually sweating our behinds off in May, June and July. There is no way I can fit summer and winter clothing in my kids' suitcases, so I am going to check the 10-day forecast the night before we leave, pack accordingly and hope for the best

 

[Fantasmiss]

We used to go in January and/or May. But we found January too cold and May will be too hot for our son. November, however, is historically just just between January and May temperature-wise. Last year there were a few cold days, but otherwise quite comfortable.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

We are planning for WDW Nov 1-15 and Nov 15-22 at the BEACH!! I really, really hope it is a warm year since we haven't been to the beach in over two years and we want to enjoy it. We can enjoy Disney in any weather, but I have to admit that it would be very strange to us to wear gloves and coats at the parks since we are usually sweating our behinds off in May, June and July. There is no way I can fit summer and winter clothing in my kids' suitcases, so I am going to check the 10-day forecast the night before we leave, pack accordingly and hope for the best

I hope you have warm weather but even if it is warm for November the mornings and nights are going to be chilly. You will needs pants and sweatshirts/jackets at least. You will end up buying a bunch a warm close if you only pack summer clothes....it is not summer....I guess it would be summer in Australia though!

 

[angelmom27]

Yes FL weather in Nov can be a bit tricky. We went one yr for Thanksgiving and during the day was nice enough for jeans and a shirt but at night bring out the jackets. Some days even a sweatshirt was needed.

Now I am a Floridian and only know FL weather so I am sure some temps might be a bit colder for me but just nice for you. I would pack for both kinds. Maybe do a few shorts and a few jeans, shirts, sweatshirts, and maybe a jacket not too heavy for just in case. Mix up your days to be ready for whatever.

Also just a tip maybe look into those vacuum sealed bags they really help make room for more stuff.

 

[abevans80]

You just never know. We were there in infamous dec 2010 with a low of 29! Good thing we had coats, hats, and gloves because we were freezing! No swimming the whole trip. The first and last days of our trip hit the 70's. For the most part the highs were in the 50's and it was unpleasant. Still had a good time.

We must have been there at the same time! Going in November this time and hoping for cool, not cold temps!