When to go in Winter

[jennygirlmt]

My daughter was granted a wish trip and I just missed a call from her coordinator looking for dates.

We initially had asked for winter. My daughter is extremely susceptible to heat so we want to avoid that. We also liked the thought of evening entertainemt being early. We have a chance of making 8pm fireworks, no chance of 10pm.

Recently a few Orlando friends freaked me out saying it was freezing in January. We went in Dec 2014 and while we needed gloves and hoodies for morning the cool 60s was amazing. But I don't think we'd enjoy 30-40 degrees.

Our girls will be 6, 4, and 1.5. I'm stressing over choosing dates, then planning adrs and BBB without knowing all the hours at the time of making them (as we all do I'm sure.) We will have a 3 day hopper (also can't imagine hopping though we might just for FEA.)

The low crowds are also a perk though not essential since this trip will have the magical genie pass.

Any die hard Jan/Feb goers? Or other opinions? Thank you so
Much!!

 

[aprilp]

I was disappointed last year when my family went mid November 2015 and it was in the 80s (however one and two years prior the same time period it was low to mid 70s and was great). I ended up going back with a group of friends in late February 2016 and we wore jeans and short sleeves (sometimes we had to have light jackets in the evening..I believe it was high 60s or low 70s during the day and 50s at night). However, it IS florida, and you never know. If a cold front had come through we totally could have gotten some freezing weather. Long story short, January and February is a bit of a gamble in central Florida. I used to live in Tampa for many years and we would oftentimes get no freezing weather at all through Dec-Feb while other years we would have several instances where it was freezing and all the plants had to be covered up. Sorry, that wasn't much help!

 

[10MoreMinutes]

I vastly prefer going in January versus any other time of year. The crowds are lower and I don't feel like I'm going to melt into a puddle of sweat. Having grown up in the Orlando area, usually January is cool but not cold (highs in the upper 60s-low 70s)...I will say, though, we went at the end of January this year and it happened to be during a cold snap (lows in the 30s, highs in the 50s and WINDY) and I was totally unprepared. All I had with me was a light sweater, which was no match for the wind and the cold. My mom had a windbreaker, though, and she seemed fine. I would recommend layers so that if it stays cold, you'll be warm, but if it warms up, you can shed some layers.

IMO, the only downside to going in January/February is that more rides are down for refurbishment at that time of year.

 

[Anal Annie]

We have had at least 3 or 4 January trips (2 or 3 over MLK weekend and last year the first week in January). It has never been warm enough for pools when we've gone in January. We usually end up with a few days where we need to break out our lightweight packable down jackets & gloves. And we usually have a couple of days where we can get down to shirt sleeves during the daytime for a couple of hours. Sure, it's warmer than at home (MD) but it's definitely never been WARM when we've gone. My cousin has gone tho when they hit low 80's for a couple of days. I would say March might be a little more reliable if you're looking for warmer weather as long as you avoid the couple of weeks surrounding Easter if it falls in March. While warmer weather would be NICE we're still going again this coming January for the 1st week in January as our DS is off from college so it works.

 

[JennyDrake]

I've been in January when it was almost 90 and I've been when it never got over 55. Truly, you cannot "plan" on any type weather for certain! As far as crowds, you want to avoid any and every federal holiday.

 

[JustMeFran]

We love going in January...the week between Marathon Weekend to the weekend of MLK day. Low crowds, mild, but not too cold, temps. MLK weekend is BUSY, so we leave that Sunday. Next year (2017)we are there from 7th-14th Jan...this year we went 9th-17th Jan and it was wonderful temps (especially for this New Englander!)

 

[PanamaMike]

I've gone several times the last week of February & first week of March.

It's after the Presidents' Day holiday and before the March/Spring Break madness begins, so crowd levels are pretty low

Weather has been warm some times and in 2010 it was unseasonably cold, frost on the car in the morning cold.

 

[Canooknic]

Our last 2 trips have been in February and it's been fine, a couple of chilly mornings/evenings but tshirt weather......although we are leaving around -25-30c so most temperatures are good for us

 

[agavegirl1]

I have been a few times in February, twice it was downright cold (needed better outerwear) and once it was really beautiful with cool mornings and nights but in the 70's during the day. Pools were only an option during the mid-afternoons. If you like cool, either January or February is likely to be low crowds and doable for you.

 

[bumbershoot]

in 2010 it was unseasonably cold, frost on the car in the morning cold.

January 2010? That marathon (or half) was known as Disney on Ice, and it started SLEETING at the start.

December 2010? That was our first trip. It was literally freezing for som eof it. The morning I finally bought the family Harry Potter scarves it was under 30 and we hit early entry and rode Flight of the Hippogriff 14 times in a row. That was the day I started losing my voice and got VERY sick, and I wasn't healthy and with a full voice for *months*.

January marathon weekend 2015 it was cold cold cold the morning of the 5K. DH and DS were running and they were huddled together with all their newest friends. I was volunteering and only "survived" because they gave us windbreakers that I put on over my layers of sweatshirts (and my gloves etc etc). We sat in the first aid tent before the start and snagged the space blankets. I found out later that the vrundisney staff were REFUSING to hand those out to the runners. Nor did they have heat lamps. The following month it was even colder for Princess, and they did hand out the blankets and they did have heat lamps.

Basically, don't go when we go if you don't want it to be freezing at some point.

And even when not freezing, 50s in Orlando is nasty. DH is a big guy and at home rarely changes from shorts until it hits the freezing level. December 2010 we were trying to watch Illuminations, and the wind whipping across the water made the cold just seep into our bones. He was nearly in tears, he was so cold.


Orlando is not *always* like that in winter (and even late fall...our December 2010 trip ended before the actual season change), but it CAN be.


Be prepared. Have layers. UNDER-layers, like long underwear, and fleece for over the top. Gloves, hats, GOOD warm socks. Have those available AND bring your proper Florida clothing as well. The packing will be heavier than normal!

 

[MsThumper]

I need tp go when bumbershoot goes.

I live in central Florida and I hate the heat. Whenever we go to Disney lately, it is hot. We went the first week of November 2015 and it was close to record heat. We went the first week of February this year and it was close to 90 everyday. The day we left, the high was suppose to be 65.

As others have said, be prepared for anything, bring layers of clothing and be prepared for rain. Also, the longer your trip is, the more chance in encountering the weather going from one extreme to the other.

 

[AJA]

Congrats on your trip!

You never know in January what the weather will be. It's a toss up, will it be highs in the 60s/lows in the 50s or 40s/30s.

We went the end of January this year and I had my hat and gloves.

ETA: we found the crowds at attractions about the same at the end of January and the first week of May. January had closings, and because of lower crowds there were fewer lines open (like in a food court and shopping) so the actual wait times were very similar to what they were in May with much nicer weather.

 

[jennygirlmt]

Thanks everyone! So basically I will have no idea until 3 days before. That's what I thought

I might aim for end of February (not Presidents' Day) or the very beginning of March.

Thank you!

 

[Paigesmom2013]

We were there this year Feb. 28 to March 5 and I found the weather to be delightful. Cool in the morning and then it warmed up soon after (capris and tshirts.) Crowds were decent too. The day we arrived it was 67 degrees. My kids swam in the pool that afternoon but me and DH would not go in. We live in WI, for a frame of reference.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

We've been in January, September, December and once in the heat of the summer.

I am betting your friends that live in Orlando thought it was "freezing" in January.

But like you, I am from PA. "Freezing" is different.

Yes, you might need long pants and sweaters. And maybe even a coat.

But when we were there in December 2014, we were surprised at the number of people wearing full on winter gear. We had on long pants with a sweatshirt to put on after the sun went down. Different strokes.