Tent camping...opinions on weather/dates?

[Lesley]

I'm considering a quick tent camping trip to WDW next spring....but I'm not sure at what point the weather will be suitable. I'd love to visit for my dd's birthday (3/3) but I think that might be a bit early/cold still?

Anyway, I'd love any input from those who are experienced with this! We've done the tent camping thing at WDW once, in early November. The weather was fine...a little nippy in the mornings but not too cold to sleep in a tent with good sleeping bags.

Thanks!

 

[Colleen A.]

March's weather should be great!! When we used to tent camp in the fall here in PA, we used a small ceramic heater (the kind that the casing wouldn't get hot and it would shut down if it got knocked over) in the tent. Worked out great! I think your plan is VERY doable!

 

[Lesley]

hmmm I hadn't thought of that....a ceramic heater! I'm very familiar with the fall in PA since we just moved from there...LOL.

Thanks!

 

[Colleen A.]

Neat! Where is PA did you come from? We're near Sesame Place, if you've ever been there!

The ceramic heater works great! Just be sure to check that it is the kind with the stay cool exterior. Most of them are nowadays I think! We actually have one in the camper, even though we can run the heater from the propane tanks. I figure it this way....if the site I'm on is supplying the electric, why not?? Makes the tanks last a lot longer! Besides, you're paying for the electric service anyway!

Any idea of what kind of site you're looking for?

 

[Lesley]

We lived in Berks Co....though over the years we've lived in NE Philly, Bensalem and Morrisville so I know exactly where you mean! Were you at any of the Philly area DIS meets over the past coupl$e of years? We were at a couple of them.

We'll probably be taking one of the limited hookup sites....basically loop 1500 or 2000 (I think) where its mostly tents and pop ups. Last time we did it we got the first site in the 2000 loop...backing up onto the cabins (with a stream between us). But we had electricity and water...that's enough for us! We do have an indoor/outdoor extension for camping.

Honestly though, we're not big campers....our tent was used at WDW and a couple of times at family gatherings where everyone camped out on my grandmom's property! LOL I guess we figure we'll get some more use out of the tent....and pretend we're really camping. For some reason, it just doesn't really feel like roughing it at WDW! And that's just fine with me!

 

[Memph1s]

It might be a little cool at night but I love it that way. I sleep with a fan in the window at home most nights from November until about the end of March.

The lowest recorded temp in the last 26 years in March for Orlando was 31* The Avg. low is 55* Avg. high 77*

Avg. Temp is 67*

So bring some good sleeping bags and a small heater to fall back on just in case and have a ball.

 

[Colleen A.]

Lesley,
We were at the 2000 Philly meet. Boy was that a big one!! I remember one being at the Oxford Valley Mall one Saturday but I wasn't able to make that one.

Have a great time camping!! We did the tent thing for a couple years....THAT'S why we now have a camper!! The last time we tent camped was 4th of July weekend in 99.....remember the drought and heat wave? The ground was so hard that we couldn't get the metal tent stakes into the ground....using a hammer!!! The temps had reached 100' with a heat index of 113!! Never again!!

 

[Lesley]

Ah, I missed the 2000 DIS meet.....I had just had a baby! That was the one at the Rainforest Cafe, right? I think my dd was about 2 weeks old at that point, so it was a no go for us. I made it to a couple of meets in the KoP area...one in 1999 and one in 2001 I think.

OMG....tent camping in July? Ouch...that just sounds painful. No, we use AP rates and stay in hotels in July I don't think I'd consider tent camping after May or before October...when it could easily be too hot to sleep. Though last July wasn't bad...I can recall my WDW honeymoon when stepping out of the airport was like walking into a sauna (1992). I don't blame you for getting a camper!

Thanks for all the input...I know my dd would love to have a birthday at WDW! We might actually go for both the kids' birthdays in 2004! DVC in January and camping in March! One nice thing about moving down south...much shorter drive to WDW!

 

[Pop-up-family]

And we have camped on his birthday and it can get pretty chilly at night. We now have a pop-up but did camp in a tent with temps as low as 28, the ceramic heater was a life-saver. We even put extra blankets over our sleeping bags.

We always camp in March, favorite month to camp, however just beware, that's when we can get some nasty cold fronts come through, so I'd throw in a tarp in case of rain.

Also pay attention to the campsites, some of FW sites are low and you want to make sure your tent is on high land, no sloping hills around, or you'll be in trouble in a heavy down pour.

 

[Tuffcookie]

We went for Spring Break this year at the end of March-first week of April. It was unusally cold the first 2 nights! Fortunately, I had decided to pack the electric blanket in the car before we left home! That kept us pretty cozy in our tent!

TC