Disney World in the winter has advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that crowds tend to be lighter on a cold day. The disadvantage is that a cold front can definitely snatch your sunny Florida vacation and make it a little less magical.
However, Disney World in the winter requires some additional planning and preparing your bags more carefully in order to carry everything you need to be comfortable for any weather that arises. Read here about some ways to make sure you dress as comfortably as possible.
1. Check the weather every morning
Take a look at the weather in the morning before dressing. The weather at Disney during the winter months can be unpredictable. Just because the temperature was warm the day before does not guarantee that we won’t be freezing today!
2. Wear multiple layers!
During the winter, layers are the best strategy to dress in Disney World. The day could have a pleasant heat, however, things could change drastically at night or in the morning. Use layers to be able to adjust if the weather changes. You could start the day wearing jeans, a blouse and sweatshirt. During the day, take off your sweatshirt and wear wrapped around the waist. Then, at night, you might need the sweatshirt again – possibly accompanied by a heavy duty jacket and maybe a hat and gloves too.
3. How to handle the cold
People tend to think that Disney World is a hot place year round. What some don’t know is that during the winter, Disney World can become cold, with very low temperatures. If the weather is extremely cold, dress extra carefully. Wear no less than two pairs of pants.
Wear warm exercise pants that fit under a pair of jeans, or corduroy pants, to ensure warmth at all times. As for shirts, wear as many as you can. Start with an undershirt and wear a long-sleeved shirt over it, followed by a sweatshirt and a jacket. Also, we recommend you wear at least 2 pairs of socks. If you have boots wear them too. Remember to wear a hat and gloves because that’s where you’re most vulnerable.
In addition to warm clothing, on very cold days, we also recommend you have plenty of hot drinks such as coffee and hot chocolate, and take advantage of the heaters by entering souvenir shops and indoor attractions to escape the weather.
4. Be prepared for everything!
When packing for Disney World in the winter remember that anything can happen. The weather can change dramatically during the night!
Once, when I visited Disney World in December, we walked around in shorts and T-shirts for two days. Suddenly there was a drastic change of weather and we ended up wearing jackets and hats for the rest of the trip!
Bring warm clothes and also lots of cold-weather clothes, just in case. Be prepared for all kinds of weather because if the cold takes you by surprise…be prepared to pay the price. Clothing prices in Disney stores are extremely high!
