Weather question

[kateandy08096]

Hello everyone. We are headed to WDW in January with our 2 year old grand daughter and curious what the weather will be like. Decided if needed will go to some stores today to get clearance spring and summer stuff if its going to be warm. We generally only go in april may july aug and sept. Looking forward to NOT sweating on this trip

 

[HBGdancermom]

We were there 2 years ago in January and it was in the 50s and raining. Very chilly. I don't think that is the norm though. I heard Jan is just hit or miss but usually more in the 60/70s. We are going this January again so I am packing a mixture of hot and warm clothing. Sorry to not be helpful at all.

Have a great trip!

 

[kateandy08096]

Thanks so much. We are just flying with a backpack since we have an owners locker. Only problem is I cant remember what is in the locker

 

[Moliphino]

Be prepared for anything. It will most likely be quite chilly at night. During the day you could be anywhere from the 40's to the 80's (average is about 70). We go in December and I can usually get away with wearing shorts and sandals (aside from one cold trip when we wore pants and winter coats), but always carry a sweatshirt/coat around, too.

 

[kateandy08096]

We were there 2 years ago in January and it was in the 50s and raining. Very chilly. I don't think that is the norm though. I heard Jan is just hit or miss but usually more in the 60/70s. We are going this January again so I am packing a mixture of hot and warm clothing. Sorry to not be helpful at all.

Have a great trip!

Have a great trip also! We are going for my husbands bday. Cant wait. We are from NJ so I hooe the weather isnt too chilly

 

[Luvs Mickey]

We’ve been there in January many times as PP it can be hit or miss. Mostly it’s been cooler than warmer, but comfortable. I’ve packed the full range of weather specific clothes: shorts, tees, jeans, winter coat, sweatshirts and rain gear and needed it all in the span of a week. The good thing about Florida weather is it can change rapidly and weather fronts don’t get stuck for days on end like they do in the Midwest, where we live.

 

[MsThumper]

Nobody will be able to tell you this with any accuracy. Everybody can tell you what it was when they were there, but that means nothing. It could be below 30 degrees or above 90 degrees. Sorry, I’m not trying to be mean or snoty. I’ve lived in Florida for 32 years and my best advice is check the forecast before you go and plan on layers of clothing.

 

[SharonZ]

I second that it's unpredictable, I've also experienced everything from upper 60s to lower 50s during the day.

 

[kateandy08096]

Thanks all. Looks like we will need to pack a mix of clothing we just came back from disneyland. I packed 2 extra suit cases of clothes we never wore. I was trying to eliminate that issue this time around.

 

[gillep]

We go in January every year and it has been in the 30s and it has been in the 90s. One trip the weather changed drastically mid trip and everyone, us included, was buying gloves and blankets at the parks, I now just pack everything.

 

[AaronB]

Just adding on to what others have said, it is very unpredictable. I go down in January for the RunDisney marathon each year, and it has been in the 80's and it has been in the 30's, even within the same trip. I forget which marathon weekend year it was, but I did the 10K one day in 80 degree weather and then 2 days later it was in the 30's for the marathon.

You can check forecasts closer to the trip, but bringing layers is going to be the way to go.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Temps can vary a lot.
Average high is 71.
Average low is 51
You could have days in the mid 80's.
You could have nights in the low 30's.
You could have a day that doesn't make it out of the 30's. That is rare but has certainly happened in the winter when there has been a cold spell.
Since the temps only tend to be at their warmest during late morning into the afternoon and then drop once the sun starts going down whiich is pretty early that time of year I'd say pants and t-shirts would be good and then of course jackets for morning and night.
I would't go wild with a new spring/summer wardrobe. Maybe just pick up a few pieces in case. And maybe just maybe a swimsuit if hers from this summer is no longer going to fit.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Yup, it's Florida, where one day it's 50F and beautiful out. The next day it's in the 80's then the next day it's 50 and rainy.

It's rare it'll go below 50 but it happens. Rain is always a possibility.

 

[FSU Girl]

This past January it was beyond freezing when we went, high 30s low 40s. A cold front had come through. Other times it can be hot in January, it's really hard to predict. Check the weather a few days out to get a better idea before you leave and keep an eye on the weather channel in case they are talking about any cold fronts going through.

 

[Lynne M]

It's really impossible to say. Winter weather in Central Florida can be anything from the 70s to the 40s, sometimes in the same week. Crazy temperature swings are the norm.

You really need to pack layers for that time of year, a mix of everything. I've had late January trips where I've been wearing short sleeves, and then there was that one time where I had to buy a hoodie to wear over my long-sleeved shirt and fleece jacket, and still left Epcot at lunchtime and went back to the resort because I was so cold it wasn't any fun. If I'd been able to find gloves and a hat, I would have bought them too.

 

[Miffy]

Layers are your friend. I've been in January numerous times and, as everyone else has said, the weather is unpredictable. I've had January trips where I wore my winter coat the entire time, including during the day, and I've had trips where it was in the high 70s and sunny during the day.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I'm going against the grain here.
I don't recommend too many layers because that ends up being more clothes to carry around in the parks and to pack.
I know of some people that wear pants, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, and a jacket in the morning and then pack a pair of shorts and literally change into shorts and shed all the layers and then put them all back on again. Seems excessive to me.
Here's what I do in the winter months.... At home I will set out pants, capris, and shorts and then monitor the weather. The night before I will decide how much of each to bring and which day I will wear which depending on the highs and lows. For tops I stick to t-shirts. I then bring a lighter jacket and a heavier jacket wearing the heavier jacket through the airport since I'm already leaving from a cold area in the winter.
This year I'm going December 7-11 and unless the temps look exceptionally warm or exceptionally cold my plan is leggings/capris, t-shirts, a light jacket and a heavier jacket just in case.

 

[ktlm]

In December and January, you have to be prepared for anything. We have been in December when the high was in the 80s and we were hot and we have been when the high was 50 and we were in coats and gloves. We have also been when we started the week in shorts and t-shirts day and night and were fine, and ended the week in sweaters, gloves and coats day and night freezing. I can recall being at MK late at night with a temperature of 43 degrees. The weather is unpredictable and can change really fast.

You also can not trust the weather forecast even the day before your trip. The time it was in the 80s, I checked the websites for all the local news stations in Orlando the day before our trip and the forecasts all agreed it was going to be between 70 to 73 for highs all week- so I had packed jeans and thin long sleeved shirts. They were right for the first day for our trip, but after that there was a heat wave and it was between 82 and 85 degrees and getting close to, if not hitting record highs the rest of our trip. We all had to buy short sleeved T-shirts in the parks. I learned my lesson that trip.

 

[buzznina]

Also; 50's at night in Central Florida feels colder than up north because of the moisture. We're originally from Michigan and I use to here that a lot when family would come down to visit us

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Also; 50's at night in Central Florida feels colder than up north because of the moisture. We're originally from Michigan and I use to here that a lot when family would come down to visit us

Yup. For the same reasons that the heat fells that much hotter with the humidity.

I am born and raised in South Florida and was amazed on my first trip to Ohio. It was 45F. In Florida, I'd be doing the shivers dance and crying about the cold. In Ohio, that 45F was nothing!!