Tips on Packing for winter WDW trips

[My2CrazyGirls]

It it easy to pack when you know the weather will be hot OR cold. But what if the weather can be hot AND cold? Our trip is at the end of November and I know weather may average in the 70's for high's and low 60's for lows, but that doesn't mean much. A cold snap can roll in and temps can be 40's and 50's for highs and 20'/30's for lows OR it can be in the 80's for highs.

I like to pre-select outfits for the kids and put them in a ziplock bag so they are ready to go. Maybe I should do some warm weather outfits and some cold weather outfits? Even on an average temp day it will be chilly in the morning and night and warm during the day. How do you all handle this? Wear jackets to the park and then have to carry them around when it gets warm?

Are there any secrets to making this easy? Thanks!

 

[FreeTime]

My family just packs jeans, t-shirts, gloves and a few sweatshirts for winter visits. It is easier than taking shorts, jeans, sweaters, coats, etc. We are always comfortable, never hot wearing jeans and t-shirts when it is in the 70s. I would avoid over packing. Use the sweatshirts on multiple days.

 

[Happyjen27]

We zip lock packed for the twins last year for our Nov/Dec visit.

We had a 12 day trip planned. I packed 4 cold-ish weather zip locks and 4 warm-ish weather zip locks for the trip, and 4 both warm/cold zip locks, figuring that over the course of the trip, that would cover everything.

So, the cold weather zip locks included pants, short sleeve shirt and long sleeve shirt.

The warm weather zip lock included shorts or skirt, short sleeve shirt or a dress.

The both had 1 pair of pants, 1 pair shorts/skirt, 1 short sleeve and 1 long sleeve all of which coordinated.

Hoodies were packed separately since they were multiuse.

Dresses were separate zip locks, as we dressed for dinner some nights.

It ended up being joyously HOT our trip, so we ran out of warm weather clothes and had to do laundry half way through the week. That was fine, I was prepared for laundry, and my wonderful husband did the wash over nap time one day while the kids and I napped.

 

[Cubicleprisoner]

My advice for visiting Disney in late November/early December would be to leave the tank tops, shorts, and capris at home. Wear T-shirts with light-medium weight pants and bring one or two medium weight hooded sweatshirts with zippered pockets that can hold one fleece glove each. You can either wrap the sweatshirt around your waist during the warmest part of the day or rent a locker. Don't forget to check weather.com a couple days before you leave home so you can get an estimate on the number of rainy days you may (or may not) encounter.


8/1977 - off property, 8/1982 - Holiday Inn, 8/2004 - Pop Century, 8/2005 - Pop Century, 3/2006 - French Quarter, 7/2006 - Pop Century, 8/2007 - Pop Century, 4/2008 - Pop Century, 12/2008 - Pop Century, 6/2009 - Pop Century, 10/2009 - French Quarter, 1/2010 - Pop Century, 8/2010 - Pop Century, 12/2010 - Pop Century and Saratoga Springs, 12/2011 - Pop Century, 9/2012 - Paradise Pier (DL), 12/2012 - Art of Animation, 7/2013 - Pop Century, 12/2013 - off property DL, and 5/2014 - Pop Century

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

My advice for visiting Disney in late November/early December would be to leave the tank tops, shorts, and capris at home. Wear T-shirts with light-medium weight pants and bring one or two medium weight hooded sweatshirts with zippered pockets that can hold one fleece glove each. You can either wrap the sweatshirt around your waist during the warmest part of the day or rent a locker. Don't forget to check weather.com a couple days before you leave home so you can get an estimate on the number of rainy days you may (or may not) encounter.


8/1977 - off property, 8/1982 - Holiday Inn, 8/2004 - Pop Century, 8/2005 - Pop Century, 3/2006 - French Quarter, 7/2006 - Pop Century, 8/2007 - Pop Century, 4/2008 - Pop Century, 12/2008 - Pop Century, 6/2009 - Pop Century, 10/2009 - French Quarter, 1/2010 - Pop Century, 8/2010 - Pop Century, 12/2010 - Pop Century and Saratoga Springs, 12/2011 - Pop Century, 9/2012 - Paradise Pier (DL), 12/2012 - Art of Animation, 7/2013 - Pop Century, 12/2013 - off property DL, and 5/2014 - Pop Century

It COULD get up to 80 during the day. You don't pack shorts just in case? My husband will pack shorts regardless and I will definitely bring capris. However I am not sure what to bring for the girls, I want them comfortable. I figure mostly comfy pants but also a few capris/shorts.

 

[SEA333]

Capri leggings for DD! Other than that, I will not pack until the night or two before, so that I can ckeck the weather. We are only bringing one checked bag for the 5 of us, and each a carry on. We are surprising the kids the morning of the trip, so i cannot pack too early anyway, or our cover will be blown! And, it has been unseasonably warm so far this fall in the Midwest, so I haven't even been able to put aside their summer clothes yet!

We are leaving Nov 14th

 

[MSSANDRA]

LAYERS....It can be all over the place. We have a ton of trips under our belts from Early December though late January. We have had everything from lows in the 20's to highs almost 90. MOST trips, we do mostly jeans or long knit pants and t-shirts. We can add a hoodie as needed. We try to take clothes that can mix and match well, and we do wear jeans and hoodies more than once. We always take a couple pairs of shorts, as well as enough long pants, We take plenty of t-shirts, a few turtle necks and a hoodie or two and a mid-weight jacket or warm sweat jacket too. We take gloves and a knit hat. We have needed these almost every trip at some point. We sometime take our swim suit and sometimes not. Pools are heated but air can be cold getting out. Mostly we wear tennis shoes but we always take crocs too, and yes we have been known to wear these with our socks on cold days

 

[Arenita]

Layers...and I always pack air-activated hand warmers, just in case it gets really cold. I have bought them at Target and Walgreen's. Link here from Home Depot. They work very well and take up little space.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-HotHands-Air-Activated-Handwarmers-HH-2ACS/202525488

 

[rachael95]

It also depends on whether you're hot or cold-natured. My DH would wear shorts as long as it was warmer than 60 degrees. Me, I'll go as cool as 68 for shorts.

We usually do what a PP does and wait until very close to the time to leave and get a better idea of the weather. Then, we usually end up packing about 2 pairs of jeans, a pair of shorts for almost every day, T-shirts and maybe a light jacket or sweater (I don't like sweatshirts and prefer being able to leave a jacket open if I get warm going into a building). You're still going to be fairly active and walking a good bit, so that is going to help keep you warm.

 

[Trip planner]

I didn't pack shorts and I wished I had one day last December, temps were in the 80's. Other days we all wore light jackets in the early morning and the evening. The weather was all over the place. Luckily we could store. The jackets in the stroller.

 

[ABCastillo]

We zip lock packed for the twins last year for our Nov/Dec visit.

We had a 12 day trip planned. I packed 4 cold-ish weather zip locks and 4 warm-ish weather zip locks for the trip, and 4 both warm/cold zip locks, figuring that over the course of the trip, that would cover everything.

So, the cold weather zip locks included pants, short sleeve shirt and long sleeve shirt.

The warm weather zip lock included shorts or skirt, short sleeve shirt or a dress.

The both had 1 pair of pants, 1 pair shorts/skirt, 1 short sleeve and 1 long sleeve all of which coordinated.

Hoodies were packed separately since they were multiuse.

Dresses were separate zip locks, as we dressed for dinner some nights.

It ended up being joyously HOT our trip, so we ran out of warm weather clothes and had to do laundry half way through the week. That was fine, I was prepared for laundry, and my wonderful husband did the wash over nap time one day while the kids and I napped.

My packing list is similar to this one when going to Florida in winter months. Just remember that you can do laundry if needed!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[maplevale]

We go in February and usually go SOUTH in the winter so this is uncharted territory for me!

I plan to check the weather the few days before we go and pack majority of my stuff according to that. My family always re- wears clothes (NOT doing laundry on vacation!!) so 2 pairs of pants at most. Shorts take up little space. Then - we always layer anyway... tank, sweater, vest, hat and mits can get us to well below freezing. DD and I will wear sandals till it snows!

 

[wiigirl]

My advice for visiting Disney in late November/early December would be to leave the tank tops, shorts, and capris at home. Wear T-shirts with light-medium weight pants and bring one or two medium weight hooded sweatshirts with zippered pockets that can hold one fleece glove each. You can either wrap the sweatshirt around your waist during the warmest part of the day or rent a locker. Don't forget to check weather.com a couple days before you leave home so you can get an estimate on the number of rainy days you may (or may not) encounter.


8/1977 - off property, 8/1982 - Holiday Inn, 8/2004 - Pop Century, 8/2005 - Pop Century, 3/2006 - French Quarter, 7/2006 - Pop Century, 8/2007 - Pop Century, 4/2008 - Pop Century, 12/2008 - Pop Century, 6/2009 - Pop Century, 10/2009 - French Quarter, 1/2010 - Pop Century, 8/2010 - Pop Century, 12/2010 - Pop Century and Saratoga Springs, 12/2011 - Pop Century, 9/2012 - Paradise Pier (DL), 12/2012 - Art of Animation, 7/2013 - Pop Century, 12/2013 - off property DL, and 5/2014 - Pop Century