Packing.... HELP!!!

[Mamaoftwo24]

Ok, so I know it's two weeks from yesterday that we will be arriving in Disney... But like most of you understand, I am excited beyond belief. So... I'm checking weather like crazy and it's just getting into our first few days there in the 15 day forecast on TWC app. High 78-81.. Low in the 60's... And rain both days (so far) am I crazy to basically only be packing my whole family in shorts and tshirts... I've never been in April... I've always been in January or October so this is new for me... I have put a few pair of leggings in for me and DD and DSD... A pair of jeans for DF, DS and DSS... Also packing each a light zip up for early mornings and late nights...For the first time ever, I just don't want to over pack... Lol but I want everyone to be comfy. We are driving so luggage isn't an issue and every kid got new pulling luggage as a gift for this trip (mostly so they can help carry their own stuff ) I guess I just want to hear what other are doing this time of year or what they have done.

Sidebar: We have also bought out .99 ponchos already...

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

A 15-day forecast is only slightly better than totally useless. Don't be surprised if the forecast changes before you leave.

 

[eeyoresmom]

We travel from a cold climate so we are usually wearing pants and I pack one more (rolled up to save space as we fly) You will need a light jacket (even better if it is water proof). The rain in April in Disney is usually not the torrential down pours of the summer. If you have a light jacket that is like a windbreaker type you will probably be fine dashing from cover to cover as needed. The cheaper ponchos will not last you more than a day or so and even the expensive, heavy Disney ones are very umcomfortable to wear, YMMV.

 

[ready123go]

We switched from the cheap ponchos to rainproof windbreakers. Also, we change our shirts, but wear our pants more than one day.

Its tough to figure it out when either the weather keeps changing or it's unseasonably cold or hot. Like ravenclawtrekkie said, keep checking. Nothing changes quite like the weather...

 

[Mamaoftwo24]

I agree... Weather forecasts here are useless so I know relying on 15 days out isn't too smart.

Oh dang, you are right. I didn't even think about ponchos not lasting. DF bought them when he was out one day... Thinking he was doing something good (which he was) but he only got 6... One for each of us...

 

[AFwifelife]

Personally I like having the cheap ponchos as a temporary cover to get to a gift shop for the good Disney ones. We haven't been going during the rainy season lately so the cheap ponchos have stayed in the packaging.

For our July trip though, I bought packaged rain jackets since it's a guarantee.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Our cheap emergency ponchos lasted through one and a half days of mostly light rain in March last year and were still good to go. That said, I would have some spares. I really love how small and light they are (fam of 5 and DH insists on a regular poncho - it is heavier than all of our emergency ones combined so I'm not doing more than 1 of those). Just bring a sandwich bag to roll them back into since they won't go back into their bags.

Yes you probably need a pair or two of pants and jackets.

Don't worry about the weather yet. The forecast will change 30 times between now and when you leave. However if your watching it and it doesn't change much it might be more accurate. We had one day that was always predicted to have rain and sure enough, it was an all day rain.

 

[danceteachermom]

We have gone the first week of April the last few years and will be again this year. We fly out of Chicago so each person has on jeans or capris and have never found the need to have more. we wear the same jeans on departure day. Shorts are sufficient. However it has been helpful to have a couple sweatshirts - light weight for evenings and early mornings. we pack disposable ponchos too but our last two trips each had rain only one day.

We are from Michigan and much like FL we do not trust 10-15 day forecasts. Confident it will be warm. Hope for little to no rain.

 

[alliecat523]

We leave tomorrow and the weather has changed daily over the last week. Pack a poncho and don't worry!

We are traveling from a cooler climate too. We wear jeans and a light jacket while traveling and only pack shorts and t shirts.

 

[Sydney2977]

We just went at the beginning of March and I had the same problem. With the exception of our first few trips, we've always been when it's cooler and I knew to pack layers and knew what to expect with the weather. I was checking the weather forecast every day up until the trip and it changed every day. Even while we were there the rain forecast kept getting less and it ended up not raining at all (though I'm glad we brought our $store ponchos and our good ones).

We live in SC so are used to warmer weather. If you are driving like us and don't have to worry about packing, I'd suggest bringing layers just in case. In the early morning and evenings DS and I liked having sweatshirts and DH even had a light jacket. I wore pants two days and shorts or capris the rest while the guys had shorts every day and were fine.

We surprised DS with the trip telling him the day before we left, so we were all three literally packing the night before! I had an idea of what I wanted to bring so it wasn't that big of a deal. You may want to just start putting possibilities aside of tees and shorts but still bring a couple pants/leggings and jacket type things. To me it was more important with the possibility of rain to bring extra shoes. There's nothing worse than walking around in wet shoes for getting blisters.

 

[Lynne M]

#1 rule of packing for central FL trips:

Pack for the climate, not for the weather.

Meaning, the advance weather forecast is useless. Even a 5 day forecast will probably be wrong, so looking at a 15 day forecast is just a waste of a click.

Climate-wise, April in FL is generally pretty warm, though nights and early mornings can be chilly. So I think your plan to go with mostly shorts and tees, with a couple pairs of jeans and a light jacket is a very good one. That's what I'd pack.

 

[Ariel2Dug]

We've traveled in April for all but one of our trips. I pack t-shirts and tanks with shorts for the entire time though I usually have 1 pair of jeans just in case. It's still cold at home for us as well so heading to the airport I'll have a light jacket with me but can usually wear shorts seeing the time outside is pretty limited before hitting FL. Mornings can be chilly (60s) and warm up nice during the day when I would in no doubt want to be in shorts/t-shirts. I'm the type that gets cold easily and only 1 night was I wishing I just had a light sweatshirt. Usually I can go without any extra layers for the mornings just to avoid carrying them around the rest of the day.

As far as rain goes, we have been bringing the old yellow Disney ponchos for years. They have lasted us for many trips so it may not be a bad idea to invest in the thicker ones as others have suggested. The trick is to never leave them in your room if there is a high threat of rain (that's when it will pour...law of the universe we learned the hard way making us buy a 2nd set of ponchos one trip). We were also frantically checking the weather last year for our April trip and finally got to the point that we were saying we'd believe the forecast when that morning came!

Have a great first trip!

 

[efam]

I'll be there the same time as you!

On our last Disney trip years ago, we went in February and had a great forecast planned...80s during the day and 60s at night with no rain.
As we were driving down to Orlando, the forecast for the week changed dramatically. We never got out of the 60s, heavy rain everyday and low 50s at night. I will never forget that feeling in the car when I saw that the entire forecast changed. We weren't prepared and I had to buy sweatshirts and wash our only pair of jeans to keep us warm.
All that to say, those forecasts are completely unreliable!! We're at the mercy of the weather and we just have to roll with it!