What do you do with unwanted layers?

[Camps]

We are going to WDW next month (1/13-1/19). It will be me, DH, and 2 DDs (ages 3 & 6). I am packing for all weather, and we will have our serious winter coats with us because we will need them for the trips to and from the airport.

Even if we get a wonderful weather week (fingers crossed!), I expect a big swing in temperature from early AM to late night. (Lows in the 30s to highs in the 60/70s?)

So... in the morning we will need our layers and our jackets. But during the day we will need them OFF (I hope). Are the lockers convenient and do you rent them for the day?

We've never ever been before, so for those of you with real experience - - what do you do?

Thanks for your help!! We are SO excited... well, I am, the girls have NO idea - - it's going to be a BIG surprise!

 

[Yubbie]

We rent a locker everyday at the park. I believe the larger lockers are around $9 plus a $5 key deposit that is refunded once you return the key. We usually bring a backpack with extra layers and ponchos and leave it in the locker.

 

[Belle599]

I guess the locker idea is really the only way to tour comfortably without schlepping coats around.

C'mon Florida can't you be nice and warm all year round, morning, noon and night??

 

[spencerbomar]

Leave the heavy coats in your room.. you are right..only use them for the to and from trip to the airport.

Use the stroller to store the layers. T-shirt, shirt, sweat, a good light weight windbreaker. This is the formula. All of these are easily stored in a stroller when it is the warm part of the day, but easily accessible when it gets chillier and/or you stop to watch a parade and you may not be keeping yourself warm by moving around.

The lockers are a pain. They are at the front of MK under the train station. Most of the others are as well. When you are at the back part of a park and need something to wear from the locker, it can waste a lot of time to go to the locker.
How much does a ticket to a park costs for a family of four- yours? As much as $250? Divide that by the number of hours you are in the park and the 30 minutes it takes to go fetch something times the # of times you have to go get something or to store something will let you know how much it costs to use a locker.

Another tip is to take a light blanket in the stroller to use. Camping/back packing blankets are very warm and very lightweight.

www.campmor.com

Boy scout trips to Philmont have helped with this advice.

 

[shan136]

Fleece is the way to go, if you want to layer and be warm. Land's End has some great fleece jackets that are light weight and comfortable as low as 30 degrees but lightweight and easy to carry in a back pack.

We were there the first week of December, and on the nights when it got into the 40's I was super comfortable. Hope you have great weather!!!

 

[HiMagicFan]

I so so so agree with shan136 ~ do the fleece!

my sister and I got fleece pullovers from Dland in 06 and brought it with us - wore it every day! we had on a cami, long sleeve t-shirt, t-shirt, sweat shirt and the fleece...plus two scarves - one between the t-shirt and sweat shirt and one over the fleece....29 degrees didn't feel so bad then.

we also took our fleece throw to illuminations and wished we had done so for magic kingdom but didn't want to carry it around...learned our lesson!

We like the idea of the locker but only did that if we were staying at a park for the whole day (our last). All the other days we did half days and returned to the room to rest and re-evaluate what we had on.

 

[Gigi22]

DH and I tuck a pair of gloves/mitts for each of us into our park bag and wear two light layers to the parks. DH says he is bringing a knit hat along for the next time we visit WDW in Dec!
If it gets really cool, we have been known to put on those plastic rain ponchos over everything. The disadvantage of the ponchos is that they don't breathe, but they do cut the wind.
Not that I am suggesting it, but we each just purchased a "3 in 1" jacket to use for our next trip to Florida, and our return trip back home in the north. You could probably come close to replicating the effect using a windbreaker and a fleece jacket underneath.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Not that I am suggesting it, but we each just purchased a "3 in 1" jacket to use for our next trip to Florida, and our return trip back home in the north. You could probably come close to replicating the effect using a windbreaker and a fleece jacket underneath.

That`s what we`re bringing - windbreakers that are either water proof or water resistant and fleeces! Here`s hoping!

 

[irisesareblue]

Thanks for the idea regarding the 3 in 1 jacket - my husband purchased one for me last year from Columbia and I will bring that along to Florida with me when I go in two weeks.

 

[LWatson]

We are going Jan 2-7th and our kids are 2&4 (turning 3 while there!!!) and we just store the extra layers/clean clothes under the stroller. For the kids we put them in hoodies and if there is rain in the forecast (even 30%) we Line the bottom of the stroller w/ rain coats/ponchos (they lay so flat its great). DH & I will wear a hoodie or fleece (havent decided which yet). Pack gloves because they are expensive in the parks and we werent expecting a cold snap last year and had to buy them. If you dont need them that day leave them in the park, but i suggest bringing the kids' w/ you in your park bag because they are small. I agree w/ a PP about the blanket. It gets cold at night and if you are going to watch fireworks then you will want it since you wont be moving about as much to keep warm.

Sounds like a lot of stuff I know, but w/ the big weather changes its great to have!!!

 

[Camps]

Thanks for the advice. I have to say... I am in a bit of a jam because we don't have the prerequisite fleeces or windbreakers. Shopping after Christmas I suppose!