Swimming weather in December??

[Mom3girls]

For those of you that either live in Florida or traveled there in mid December, is it swimming weather?? I HAVE to decide whether to go Dec 16-20th but am afraid to bite the bullet and buy the airfare. We love to use the hotel pool and have never traveled to Fl between mid Oct- mid March

 

[wilkeliza]

It is so hard to tell to be honest. It can be swimming weather one year and chilly the next.

 

[pcstang]

Couldn't agree more. The pools are heated but its the getting out part that is iffy.

 

[Mom3girls]

I'm soooo torn! We are from New Jersey so obviously Dec in FL is better than Dec in NJ. My husband and I just stayed at RPR in August and we loved the Bula Bar and pool. Just want the whole fam to get to enjoy it too

 

[Barbara76]

For those of you that either live in Florida or traveled there in mid December, is it swimming weather?? I HAVE to decide whether to go Dec 16-20th but am afraid to bite the bullet and buy the airfare. We love to use the hotel pool and have never traveled to Fl between mid Oct- mid March

Last year we were there Dec 17 - 22 and it was swimming weather everyday but one.

 

[wilkeliza]

When I did my CP it was so odd to me to need a thick coat one day and be back in my shorts uniform the next. I had gotten use to winter in the NE where once it gets cold it just gets colder haha.

 

[pcstang]

When I grew up in Orlando we would swim in December. Go for it and have fun!

 

[kohlby]

I've had three visits over Christmas break and it was warm enough to swim on all three trips. That doesn't mean it will be warm enough this specific year, but I'd guess the odds are in your favor, especially being from NJ! (I'm on the SC/GA border and am a wimp when it comes to cold pools).

 

[Queeneileen]

We went last year the week after Christmas. It was like a fall day in Boston. We wore light jackets and jeans. I didn't swim, but my son did. He was chilly when he got out. It was great to walk the parks and not have heat stroke. I could absorb more in Epcot than I ever did because I wasn't hot. On the other hand, it wasn't great for swimming . The Christmas atmosphere was AWESOME. It's just a different type of vacation.

 

[saskdw]

We have been coming from fridgid western Canada to vacation in orlando for 2 weeks every December since 2008. So when it comes to Orlando Dec weather I feel like I can speak as a local!

As others have said, weather can vary greatly. However other than the record cold snap of 2010 most of our time spent their has seen normal or above normal temps.

Even during the 2010 cold snap which saw temps as low as 26 F, there was one day that shot up to 85 and 3-4 other days in the 70's. We've seen more days in the 70's and 80's than cooler ones. We've swam every trip. It rarely stays cold in Orlando for extended periods so because we go for 2 weeks we know we ill for sure see some nice days. My only concern for your dates is the short stay. There's would be some luck of the draw with a short 4 day stay.

I would say 75% chance you see swimming weather.

 

[saskdw]

We went last year the week after Christmas. It was like a fall day in Boston. We wore light jackets and jeans. I didn't swim, but my son did. He was chilly when he got out. It was great to walk the parks and not have heat stroke. I could absorb more in Epcot than I ever did because I wasn't hot. On the other hand, it wasn't great for swimming . The Christmas atmosphere was AWESOME. It's just a different type of vacation.

You sure you are talking about last year?

There was a heat wave in Orlando last December that lasted almost the entire month. According to Accuweather daytime highs from Dec 25th to Jan. 1st were 83-86 everyday.

 

[bumbershoot]

According to Accuweather daytime highs from Dec 25th to Jan. 1st were 83-86 everyday.

I have seen with my own eyes that the historical data on the weather websites can be absolutely WRONG.

Our first trip was in December 2010 and I know for a fact, because I was there, that it hit 28 one morning (our early entry morning in IOA when DS and I went on Hippogriff 14 times in a row). That info is not on any weather website; they say the morning was something like 34. Total lies. It's weird.


OP it can literally be 85 one day and 40 the next. And 28 3 days later. Or earlier. Weather can be ALL over the place.

 

[Queeneileen]

You sure you are talking about last year?

There was a heat wave in Orlando last December that lasted almost the entire month. According to Accuweather daytime highs from Dec 25th to Jan. 1st were 83-86 everyday.[/QUO

Yes, I was there the last 2 years after Christmas. The temps during the day at the parks
were probably 83, but after dinner it got quite cool. I was not up for swimming in 70-80 degree temps outside.

 

[saskdw]

I have seen with my own eyes that the historical data on the weather websites can be absolutely WRONG.

Our first trip was in December 2010 and I know for a fact, because I was there, that it hit 28 one morning (our early entry morning in IOA when DS and I went on Hippogriff 14 times in a row). That info is not on any weather website; they say the morning was something like 34. Total lies. It's weird.


OP it can literally be 85 one day and 40 the next. And 28 3 days later. Or earlier. Weather can be ALL over the place.

Maybe I'm taking your post the wrong way, but it feels like a direct attack on my credibility.

The Accuweather website is not wrong. It onLy goes back one year and the temps are correct. There was a heatwave in Orlando last December. If you read my post you would know that I was there. I've been there for for half the month of Dec every Dec since 2008. I was there in 2010 from 14th-28th.....I know what the temp was. 2010 was coldest Dec on record in Orlando...EVER. It's not the benchmark to determine normal.

 

[saskdw]

Yes, I was there the last 2 years after Christmas. The temps during the day at the parks
were probably 83, but after dinner it got quite cool. I was not up for swimming in 70-80 degree temps outside.

Ok, thanks for the clarity. Most people would consider mid 80's swimming and tanning weather. It is cooler at night sometime, but I assume the OP wants to swim in the afternoon.

 

[macraven]

Accuweather tends to deal with more long range weather forecasts

But all weather groups tend to converge weather predictions when it comes to a 3 day prediction


Therefore everyone is correct here

We can guess all we want or follow the weather site we prefer

In the end, we will not know the actual temps until we are there


Weather is changeable

Maybe decent to swim in December, maybe not

 

[bumbershoot]

Maybe I'm taking your post the wrong way, but it feels like a direct attack on my credibility.

The Accuweather website is not wrong. It onLy goes back one year and the temps are correct. There was a heatwave in Orlando last December. If you read my post you would know that I was there. I've been there for for half the month of Dec every Dec since 2008. I was there in 2010 from 14th-28th.....I know what the temp was. 2010 was coldest Dec on record in Orlando...EVER. It's not the benchmark to determine normal.

It's an attack on the weather websites' credibility.

You mentioned accuweather's info. You didn't mention "each morning I looked at the temperature". Just accuweather. And I know for a fact that accueather and weather channel's historical info for December 2010 *now* does not match what was happening in December 2010. So I'm warning people that weather websites' historical data can be off. Go by "been there done that" reports instead.

And you said you were there and it was hot, while Queeneileen said she was there at the same time and it cooled down so much they couldn't swim. So.... Orlando is a confusing place.



Regardless, if the weather outside is hotter than the pool is heated to (85ish at Universal and WDW), the pool will feel cold. If the water is warmer than the outside weather, the pool will feel warm. If the pool is a lot warmer than the air's temperature, it will feel lovely in the water, and you will feel like you'll freeze when you get out of the water. And so on.

 

[johde]

Some trips in December/January I've worn short and gone swimming and other trips I've worn my winter coat. Some time it's happened all in the same trip. I wouldn't buy water park tickets in advance. But, I'd pack my swim suit and hope for the best. I normally pack a little bit of everything and plan on doing laundry during my trip.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We were in Orlando from the 19th to 26th of December 2015. It was HOT. Christmas Eve Day was crazy warm. Never pulled a pair of pants or a sweatshirt out of the suitcase, except to go home.

 

[schumigirl]

2010 was coldest Dec on record in Orlando...EVER.

I remember that year. Our trip went into November.......our last day we went early to drop our hold luggage off at DTD with Virgin and we stepped out of the RPR and it was freezing! Really cold.

All the VA staff had coats, hats and gloves on when we go there........I was shivering in a thin top......one of them brought me out a blanket while we waited........lol........just didn't expect it. That was a cold winter for Orlando.