We are trying to plan a Florida trip to break up the cold weather blahs. I have a horrible time getting through winter. We are trying to decide the best time go. I have never been there, so I'm not sure weather wise what the better choice will be. We will be staying in or around Orlando.
We might attempt Disney, our younger two are 3 and 5. Then we may also stay w/ friends who have a pool and live close to the ocean.
Any advice? I wan to be able to go to the beach and swim in a pool.
TIA
We've been to Orlando in Jan, never Nov, but while I would say it probably still won't be warm enough for pool/beach (60's, maybe low 70's if you are lucky), I would still do Jan. If you want to break up the winter blahs, that is more like half-way through winter rather than right at the start of it. A couple of years ago we went in Feb and lucked out with temps in the mid 80's - better for the pool!
I would avoid Disney at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. All the parks have been filling to capacity the past couple of years and it is not worth the money to stand in line all day.
If you come before Christmas and after Thanksgiving it is not too busy around here and everywhere is decorated for the holiday's. The weather is around the high 60's to low 70's with little to no humidity. I would not recommend swimming in an unheated pool (the resorts heat theirs).
I love the winters here in central Florida (swimming or not) it is the best time to visit.
It will be too cold for the beach and pool. We went in April and it was still too cold to swim but then again we are used to Texas weather. January will be less crowded in Disney but the holidays at Disney(I hear as I have done the holidays) are fabulous.
We have done WDW in January and February and had gorgeous weather both times. I love going in that January/February time frame because it is after all the excitement of Christmas, and winter lasts until April out here!
You should be fine to swim as long as it is a heated pool. No matter what the weather is in Orlando, it will be warm compared to what you're getting in OH :-)
Good luck!
My advice, get a room and don't stay with the friends. Read my recent post. I will definitely rethink staying with someone ever again.
Both will be too cold for the pool, but November is usually warmer than January.
I lived in Orlando for several years and I will say for the locals November is a winter month. My family from Maryland came to visit me in Orlando in November, I was wearing a jacket and had the heat on in my house, yet they were fine in the pool swimming and ran the AC. Oct - November is typically when Disney makes great deals for the locals to come, because its not tourist season. January is usually better, weather wise and usually hurricane season is over by then as well. I would avoid going near any holiday as Disney is very crowded at those times of year.
Go in November BEFORE the Thanksgiving holiday crowd. January can actually have cold weather fronts that swing super low and freezing temps, even in Orlando. November is much warmer on average.
We went in October once, perfect weather. Only problem is we went when the Brits have what they call "holiday", a two week break everyone takes, and they all seem to hit the east coast of the U.S., especially Florida. So Disneyworld was PACKED until the day "holiday" was over. Thank God we were there a few more days after that.
If you want to do that beach, Cocoa Beach has a lot of hotels and is fun.
I was there in January of this year, and it was chilly for FL. High of only 60. My kids swam in the pools because they were heated, but when they got out, it was a mad dash to get inside and get warm. We went to Disney and all had to wear fleece the entire time. It may not always be that way, but be prepared for it!
none of the months are 'pool' months or beach months per say. we have done orlando in november and april. april was a good time to go. november was too cold to swim. unless you are doing disney strictly, i would choose another month.
Try the Caribbean. We are going on a cruise in Feb to break up the winter!
We went in 2009 for Chritsmas and it was chilly. The kids swam in the pool one day, but it was so cold.
November should be nicer, but still maybe not pool weather.
We flew into Miama last January for our cruise. People were doing the ocean and we enjoyed the pool at our resort the night before for hours! So if you go further south you might be lucky.
The water will be too cold, unless the pool is heated.
I'm the same way about winter. Personally I'd recommend January, when the busy holiday season is over and spring seems like a lifetime away. Just have a backup plan in case of weather delays while traveling. Prices should be better, but the beach will not be warm unless you go way south. Have fun planning. :)
I have been in November and most days were delightful. No much beach going though. We walked along it with shorts on and waded in it. For more adventuresome it might be fine. I've been in December and it got down in the 30s one night. Too cold for beach swimming but Disney was fine. If school is not a factor, don't go the two weeks around Christmas, it's very, very crowded. Cool to see the Christmas Parade, but too crowded.
