Should we pack the winter coat?

[TAKitty]

We are traveling to WDW in Jan and I am not sure if I should bring our winter coats for the fireworks/Fantasmic? What do you think? It can be as low as the 40s at night! That seems cold!

 

[bytheblood]

We are traveling to WDW in Jan and I am not sure if I should bring our winter coats for the fireworks/Fantasmic? What do you think? It can be as low as the 40s at night! That seems cold!

I think that depends on what a winter coat is to you. We have visited in December (Christmas) and it was chilly, but not cold enough for a heavy coat. A nice sweat shirt over a long sleeve shirt was plenty.

 

[ksc37]

I've been there in January when it's been below freezing at night... take the winter coat. It'll be worse to not have it available than to drag it to Florida and not use it.

 

[WillCAD]

You're from Michigan? Forget it!

By Michigan standards it will get chilly, maybe even a little cold, but probably not enough for your full-thickness winter coats.

I go in December every year and I only pack sweatshirts. If it gets too cold for one sweatchirt, I layer another on.

I recommend that you save some room i your luggage and just bring a medium jacket and a couple of sweatshirts.

 

[CheshireVal]

I've been in December when the wind chill was BELOW freezing. We're talking RECORD cold for Florida!

Florida cold, in my opinion, is a little different from regular cold. It's damp, gets right down to your bones.

I always bring my coat and I've never had a winter trip where I didn't need it at least once.

 

[mamaprincess]

We're from right outside Chicago. When it gets into the 40's we are in winter jackets and sweaters or sweat shirts, serious one's. We will be traveling in our winter jackets and we will be packing our cold weather clothes. Being outside for more than thirty minutes at a time in 40 degree and below weather with no sun is not my idea of comfy.

Gloves and hats will be a part of the mix as well.

 

[brocklesnar69]

Will a leather coat be ok for January? (I am going then too). I have a leather coat which is almost identical to the one worn by Hugh Jackman as 'Wolverine' in the X-men movies. Will it be warm enough? Also should I take an umbrella?

 

[sweetspicy]

I would definitely take a coat. We've been there in January when it was freezing, and I'll never forget being on the tram in the parking lot of the Studios one night, with the wind blowing all that cold air.... It was NOT my most pleasant WDW memory.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Compared to Michigan it will feel warm. I would suspect you would wear you coats when you leave home, so you would have them with you.

 

[goofie4goofy]

I pack a fall jacket - the quilted kind - and I dress in layers at night. I also being scarfs, gloves and hats. The weather in Orlando is variable. One night was freezing and the next day was warm and the nights were on the warm side too. Layers keep you warmer than one heavy coat anyway. I pack lots of long sleeve tees, turtle necks, a fleece lined hoodie and sweater jacket. This way at night I can wear my fall weather jacket over layers and I am very warm.

 

[Jenny]

we have been in jan for the past 2 years & we're from CT. we didn't bring our winter coats. i recommend layering long-sleeved t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. we brought disposable ponchos in the event of rain plus we had wool hats & mittens. i brought hand-warmers & foot-warmers that i bought in the hunting section of walmart but didn't use them. jan weather is interesting.....we used the wool hats & mittens for the kids during Fantasmic one night but we also went swimming on another day! have fun.

 

[3daughters]

Before you jump to conclusions, this is what I'm going to do, I'm going in Jan also. Check the weather forecast a day or two before you leave. You can get up to a 10 day forecast off of many sites. Then go from what they forecast. I went about 20 years ago in January and we wore shorts the entire time. One day it rained and it went to about 65, other than that it was in the mid 70's and fabulous. I think it just depends on the year. We are supposed to have a mild winter in the Northeast so maybe that will mean a beautiful January at Disney!

I can't even think about packing yet! I lived in MI too, even 50's will feel good in January! Some folks just aren't used to the damp cold air. It always feels great coming from the north to the south in the winter!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

What CheshireVal says is true. I was at the CP last Christmas, and the temps were in the 30's. I only had a light jacket on, and I FROZE! I'm used to cold, even damp (living by the sea as I do), but this was completely unexpected. Even after I bought a nice,thick hoodie to layer under the jacket, I still couldn't warm up. After CP, we went on an IllumiNations cruise, and thank goodness they provide blankets...we used them all, PLUS some!

 

[Yzerbear19]

I plan on taking my winter coat with me when we go in January, because I'm sure it will be cold in Detroit when we leave/get back. What I love the most about my coat, its a Columbia jacket, is that it is actually 3 different coats: 1. the inner core by itself 2. the outer shell by itself 3. both pieces together. Its great because on days when its really cold I can put it all together, but can seperate it on days when it isn't as cold. The inner core is so warm and a lot lighter weight than the whole coat together. So if you have a coat that can be taken apart, that would be my suggestion to take. Also do as the other poster suggested and check the weather channel website starting about 10 days out. And personally, to me 40 isn't that cold. The one weekend recently I was walking around shopping in 50 degrees without any coat on and just a tshirt. :lol I actually saw one person wearing shorts that weekend. Crazy!

 

[linskypens]

The past two years and this coming as well we have been in January.Two years ago on MLK weekend, we found ourselves first thing in the morning at RnR wearing winter coats, gloves and hats....We are from MAINE!!!!!
Orlando at 38 degrees is like Maine at 10...its completely unexpected and makes you so cold you won't believe it.I left my winter coat behind the second night in the hotel and rushed to catch Wishes at the last minute.We got there in the nick of time after running from the bus stop thru the turnstiles and onto Main Street.We stood at the end of Main Street for the show, and with the wind that was howling down the street, by the end of it I was so cold I was shaking.(good thing was I bought my favorite all time Mickey fleece coat that night!!!)
Of course the kid swam in the pool in the afternoon despite the fifty degree weather...but i stayed in my coat on a chair and watched.
My advice is to bring it...better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.....

 

[tink_n_pooh]

We've been to WDW in January several times, only once did we not go swimming and I felt a little chilly. This was, hmm I should have worn long pants and long sleeves kind of chilly. I wouldn't doubt that it can get pretty cold at night but I have never wanted my winter coat while I was there. Actually, we don't even bring our coats to the airport, of course we fly out of Newark, the smog keeps us warm

I like the idea of a jacket that comes apart in layers, that would be great. If you don't have a coat like that then just bring a nice sweatshirt or two and a windbreaker type jacket. The rain can make it seem a lot colder than it really is so something water proof is essential.

Now that I've said all this it will probably be about 10 degrees when we are there this January

 

[DisneyKidds]

Fact of the matter is......you can't win. Bring the coat and you won't need it. Don't bring the coat and you'll end up freezing your extremeties off, looking for a heavy sweatshirt of jacket to buy just to be comfortable. Do the safe thing and just bring the coat. Chances are you'll be wearing it to the airport at home anyway.

We've been once in late December. Lows that trip toyed with freezing and it was COLD in the parks at night. Even when we go after Thanksgiving there have been times when we've needed a good coat to stay warm come 9, 10, 11:00 at night.

Then you could go and it could be mid-70's with lows in the 50's the whole trip.

Go figure.

Checking the forecast is of some use, but the weather can change quickly in the Florida "winter", so just be safe and bring the coats.

 

[Disney Planner Mama]

forgetting about how chilly it gets at night is how we started our WDW polar fleece/sweatshirt collection!!!

You'd think we'd figure it out. I guess subconsciously we just want another 65 dollar polar fleece.

 

[TAKitty]

My husband suggested that we bring our windbreaker type jackets to wear over our sweatshirts. I am also bringing the long underwear. I am only concerned about staying out late for the night entertainment and freezing. Being cold is never fun.

 

[blanq]

Compared to Michigan it will feel warm.

Yeah, I agree with this statement. I live in Minnesota...half of us around here don't even wear a coat when it's 40 degrees outside.

We will be visiting WDW in 1/07, and we will bring our polar fleece. It's great stuff and layers well if needed.