View Full Version : Terrible Weather in Orlando
Well I suppose everything is relative, there won't be gridlock caused by snow, ice and grit rationing like there is here.
All the same, if you have been looking foward to a holiday in Florida and paid plenty for it, the weather forecast does not make good reading. Maximum temperature is predicted to be in the low 50s for the next ten days or so.
What do you do in Orlando when it is cold?
Put on a sweater or a jacket and go and do everything you would normally do! [msnwink]
We did experience very cold weather a few years ago at Christmas - down to freezing but we visited Disney and just put on extra clothing - we had gloves with us luckily as we were flying in from the UK. We had a great time - we 'hopped' to each of the 4 parks, finished up with the fireworks at Epcot and we did not have time to notice the cold. The sun was shining and we were on the move, it was not humid so very easy to walk round. So it really did not affect us at all.
As for what to do, well there are always the warm shopping Malls, or you could go and see the Manatees - just wrap up warm. Or there are museums, or Disney Quest, or a drive down to the coast.
Villas have heating so that is not an issue. We provide plenty of extra blankets for our guests, too, so really that should not be a problem either. And at least the sun shines more than over here where last night we had really thick ice on the cars - had to chip our way into the car before my husband could go to work- brrrrr!
Hi Ellie.
It was really a rhetorical question, I know there are lots of things to do in Orlando, even when it is cold.[msnwink]
It's still a real downer to have paid all that money to go somewhere cold, that was my real point. If you knew what the weather was going to be like, you could have gone to EuroDisney for a fraction of the cost.
I remember we were in Orlando in February and the weather was generally great but with one or two really cold days. We felt we could handle that knowing that most days were lovely but I think it would be depressing looking at today's forecast and seeing that you are not going to get any good weather (this is it).
Incidentally, when it was cold we thought 'why don't we go to the theme park today? It's cold so let's take the opportunity to beat the crowd'. On reflection, a little naive. Everyone else in central Florida must have had the same inspired thought and the queues were huge. It was actually quite fun to see everyone wrapped up in fleeces, jeans and gloves having fun at the parks. A little surreal but fun.
christhear
04-01-2010, 15:43
When you consider that a lot of people in england go to theme parks over here when its only around 50. Just miss out the water rides and I'm sure you'll have a great time. If we didn't goout whenit was below 50 some people would spend most of lives inside in certain countries.
There's a good bowling alley and Cinema at Eagle ridge mall if you fancy a day indoors
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Father
What do you do in Orlando when it is cold?[/quote]
Put your sunglasses on, swap your shorts for jeans and do exactly the same as you would do in the summer I guess ...
Relax in the sunshine. Visit a theme park or two. Head for the shopping malls. Watch a movie. Drive to the coast(s). Take a trip to any of the state parks.
Or just make a lovely pot of freshly brewed coffee, grab a good book, point your sun lounger in the direction with the best view and think about whether life can possibly get any better. [msnwink]
Katys Grandad
04-01-2010, 16:34
Seems to be very cold all across the US with some Florida highs below 50 tomorrow. It'll be Global Warming that's causing it.[msnwink]
How about going out of Orlando and staying a night in Miami or the Gulf Coast?
Well, Father, I am glad to see that you are still enjoying yourself, and thank goodness you didn't book Euro Disney with all the Channel Tunnel problems - you might have had to swim there!:D
I do hope that the sun shines on you in the next few days, and that you continue to enjoy your holiday.
I think the idea of whizzing down to Miami is a great suggestion if you have the time or the energy. It is rarely as cold down there. Its usually warmer on the Gulf Coast, too, so why not pop over to Madeira Beach, and walk around St John's Pass Boardwalk. Its a lovely place to visit with lots of little shops and great fish restaurants serving freshly caught fish.
Have fun![msncool]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Father
What do you do in Orlando when it is cold?
[/quote]Well, we are here in Orlando at the moment also. We have an extra layer, can still play golf (without winter spikes!), we've been to a couple of museums, cinema (I can recommend Avatar in 3D), Although it is cold, the sunshine is beautiful, most days have been clear skys. It is nice to read behind glass, just won't get a good tan this trip.
This is the coldest weather for 9 years so it is unfortunate to "suffer this cold" but when we were here last New Year, it was the warmest for 10 years!
I have an email from my friend at home saying he hasn't played golf since before Christmas and doesn't know when he will be able to, this if from Ipswich where they generally receive pretty good weather.
We've had four inches of snow from the week before Christmas in the UK which was also when Eurostar closed down for days on end so anyone heading for Disneyland didn't make it. That snow went for all of two days (out of two weeks) and on Friday night we got another lot of four inches which is still here, large as life and just as deep and cold.
The supermarket van made it through to us this morning (and we hope the ambulance does tomorrow for my mother), thankfully the central heating is still working and all's well with the world IMHO - everything's relative.
And Orlando has that large, round yellow thing up in the sky (the SUN) predicted in the weather forecast for every day this week! [msncool] We normally go to Florida every December and January and I'm quite sure that I know where I'd rather be located...
I'm here now and it is really cold.
Just one point, FL homes are not really designed to be warm in cold weather.
Tiled floors, high ceilings and heat from an AC unit are not going to make it cosy, believe me i know!
steph_goodrum
04-01-2010, 19:11
It's no different to booking a fortnight in Tenerife and spending 2 weeks in the rain when you have expected sunshine. The one factor we can never control is the weather which is why we provide plenty to do for our guests even if they dont want to leave the house. We deliberately have carpets for the reason you say Frosty. I get cold feet very quickly on tiles. We have never found ourselves cold yet though indoors. The electric bill gets a bit higher but then it does at home too.
Even if it goes down to the predicted 26 at night for some days it's still going to be over 20 degrees higher than here.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Frosty
I'm here now and it is really cold.
Just one point, FL homes are not really designed to be warm in cold weather.
Tiled floors, high ceilings and heat from an AC unit are not going to make it cosy, believe me i know![/quote]Whenever we've used our air con heating it's warmed the house up just fine. You need to remember to adjust your ceiling fans so that they blow the hot air downwards instead of sucking it upwards.
We have just had coffee on our south facing deck. The sun is out, the sky is blue. Yes, it is cold but if you find the right sheltered spot, it is very pleasant. Having battled with the rain and snow during December back in the UK, this gets the heads up from me as the place I would rather be.
I do agree that for guests who have saved like mad to come on their 'once in a lifetime' trip, the weather could be disappointing for them but there is so much to do that hopefully it will not spoil their vacation.
Sandra
chrizzy100
04-01-2010, 20:07
I find my FL home cold and the coldest its ever been inside is 65...my MA home can go down to 49 inside some of our rooms and it feels warmer just because of its lay out of smaller rooms..I have a fireplace in FL now.. Electric but that does the trick..the flame from that fools you into feeling warmer..
I love the cool weather in FL I get to wear my fur boots and a t-shirt....
I can't understand why I feel colder inside in FL than here..maybe because the temp stays -10 for days on end in MA..where in FL it goes up and down all day so you don't get used to it..I don't really feel the cold outside I don't even own a winter coat and we have been at -5 to 10 for weeks now..
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Father
I think it would be depressing looking at today's forecast and seeing that you are not going to get any good weather (this is it)[/quote]
We're due to fly out on Wednesday for two and a half weeks. Having worked all over Christmas and New Year, and currently experiencing snow and -15C, today's weather forecast in Orlando is definitely not depressing me :D
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff
We're due to fly out on Wednesday for two and a half weeks. Having worked all over Christmas and New Year, and currently experiencing snow and -15C, today's weather forecast in Orlando is definitely not depressing me :D
[/quote]
Hope you have a simply wonderful time - by the sound of it, nothing is going to stop you doing just that![msncool]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:What do you do in Orlando when it is cold?[/quote]We would have a top time no matter what the weather is like.
[high5]
mfairhurst
04-01-2010, 21:14
We are in St Petes beach and it is in the 50f and not a cloud in the sky and wow the view from our windows ,We have someone in our villa so they are enjoying our villa .
Going for a walk on the beach as there are plenty of people and joggers as well .
I know were we like to be ( in FLORIDA not UK BRRRRR ) sounds cold there with the reports above .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ellie
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff
We're due to fly out on Wednesday for two and a half weeks. Having worked all over Christmas and New Year, and currently experiencing snow and -15C, today's weather forecast in Orlando is definitely not depressing me :D
[/quote]
Hope you have a simply wonderful time - by the sound of it, nothing is going to stop you doing just that![msncool]
[/quote]
Thanks Ellie...I will!
florida4sun
04-01-2010, 23:05
Must be something wrong with the heater. The heaters in Florida homes are over powering.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Frosty
I'm here now and it is really cold.
Just one point, FL homes are not really designed to be warm in cold weather.
Tiled floors, high ceilings and heat from an AC unit are not going to make it cosy, believe me i know!
[/quote]
chrizzy100
04-01-2010, 23:18
Its not so much the heaters its just the space...it feels colder in bigger rooms even if its not..white walls and tiles don't help...along with high ceilings..its all done to be cooler because for the most part FL is warm..
We have had a few large FL type homes built on the Cape...they don't sell because they are costly to heat..I could never live in my MA home in FL...it would be like living in an oven come summer time..
It probably depends on the type / quality heater. Our 2 Crescent Lakes houses have heaters that really blast out the hot air when required. Both our houses are the same model, but we've had 2 extra rooms added upstairs on the house we live in meaning there are no double height rooms, but both houses soon get nice and warm even on the coolest of days.
Robert5988
05-01-2010, 00:30
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:This is the coldest weather for 9 years so it is unfortunate to "suffer this cold"[/quote]It is not unusual for the temperature to drop below freezing in Jan. It did in 2006 and 2008 see
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=28450&whichpage=2
I have stopped going until late Feb early March for exactly that reason.(and I go a lot!)
The whole point of Florida as far as I am concerned is to get warm and enjoy the sea.
A cold Florida ain't fun! for me anyhow!
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
Its not so much the heaters its just the space...it feels colder in bigger rooms even if its not..white walls and tiles don't help...along with high ceilings..its all done to be cooler because for the most part FL is warm..
We have had a few large FL type homes built on the Cape...they don't sell because they are costly to heat..I could never live in my MA home in FL...it would be like living in an oven come summer time..
[/quote]Hi Chrissy,
As usual the level response i would expect!
My heater has never been overpowering![msnsmile2]
Crikes, we have had to turn our heating down in our villa before now as it certainly throws out the heat.
I do not think you would like Euro Disney with the current temps. We went in March one year and it was not very warm and some of the rides were not very nice in the cold wind. We ended up spending a lot more than we had anticipated trying to keep warm.
We returned from the UK last night - BBRRRR!
Today in Florida I've sat outside in the sun very comfortably, although it is chilly when in the shade.
During our 2 weeks in the UK we saw little, if no sun, plus a cold wind that makes it feel even cooler (especially when also raining / snowing).
When we were ther in Jan 2009 we woke to frosts on a lot of mornings but it got better as the day went on, then cooled down pretty fast as the sun went down. We will be going out on the 26th Jan and I am pretty sure it will be warmer than it is here[msnwink]
steph_goodrum
05-01-2010, 03:31
To answer what you do, I spoke to my niece today who arrived on 30th Dec. and she said one of the cooler days they took the children (6,4 and 1) to the Citrus pick your own place on Hway 27. She said they all had a great time and found it really interesting and the girls all enjoyed running through the groves and bridges etc. and would recommend it to anybody looking for something different to do. They bought a couple of big bags of fruit and she said the sop was also amazingly well stocked with marmalades they had made and food from animals reared there, hot pots etc can be bought by the pound and has no additives or preservaties. It's best done at the beginning of a trip though as obviously the fruit has to be used as it cant be brought back home.
We have also visited the Showcase of Citrus as it is near to our villa, and we had often driven past it. It was amazing to smell the orange blossom and to pick fruit straight off the tree and eat it. Wonderful.
A great place to while away a couple of hours and it costs no more than a bag of fruit.
They also do tours through the countryside in a vehicle with huge wheels. We haven't tried it yet but it looks fun.
Katys Grandad
05-01-2010, 07:00
I think the the point of the original post is that when the weather is cold, it naturally restricts some of the activities which many would consider a core part of a Florida holiday and for which they have paid an awful lot of money to enjoy. For those who know what the weather is actually like there at this time of year, it doesn't come as a surprise and we either go to do different things or choose to avoid this period and travel at other times of the year.
Of course, there are always things to keep you occupied just as there are anywhere but I suspect it's not much comfort to somebody who mistakenly believes that Florida will provide a summer style holiday in January to know that it's "even colder in the UK" or that the heaters in their rented accommodation will keep them warm and sheltered from the chilly outside.
I'll be in both Florida and California next week and it's very likely that it will be a fair bit warmer on the West Coast than it is in Florida. It's actually a full 25 degrees warmer today in LA that it is in Orlando and while that's an exceptional difference, it does demonstrate the point that you absolutely cannot rely on high temperatures in Florida at this time of year (or in California either). I'm not expecting to hear anybody who feels it isn't warm enough in California being told that they should be pleased that's it's even colder in Florida nor do I expect the weather to be anything like it is in the summer!
If you want hot weather and to get full enjoyment from all Florida has to offer, the bottom line is that this isn't the best time of year to get that. If you know that's the position then you can make a choice and plan accordingly. The people who I feel most sorry for are those who buy the hype that the weather's as good now as it will be from April onwards.
chrizzy100
05-01-2010, 19:00
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Frosty
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
Its not so much the heaters its just the space...it feels colder in bigger rooms even if its not..white walls and tiles don't help...along with high ceilings..its all done to be cooler because for the most part FL is warm..
We have had a few large FL type homes built on the Cape...they don't sell because they are costly to heat..I could never live in my MA home in FL...it would be like living in an oven come summer time..
[/quote]Hi Chrissy,
As usual the level response i would expect!
My heater has never been overpowering![msnsmile2][/quote]To be honest I'd worry if the heat coming out was that hot when my neigbours did that her house went up in flames....its background heat..my Villa does not take long for the temp to rise when the heating is on..but it never feels cozy warm unless I turn on the living room fire..hot air heating is wasteful and not that good ..
chrizzy100
05-01-2010, 19:10
I don't think the weather matters as long as its not cold rain...I love FL in the cool weather and we do a lot more..you do need to make sure you have thick blankets..my bedroom is freezing at night..keep your feet and hands warm around the parks..take a light coat everywhere..even if the day looks warm riding the tram from the car park to the parks can be very cold..its not a lot of difference than it being to hot really...the rides are warm...the shops and places to eat are too..I think its really fun...
But if you are going for warmer weather or on a once in a life time break I would give this time of year a miss..
florida4sun
05-01-2010, 19:33
Well I am basing this on the 80 homes we used to manage. Gas heaters are very over powering and can heat home incredibly quickly. Electric heaters are over powering if the emergency heat or rapid setting is used. Heaters in Florida are designed for quick instant heat, simply because they are rarely required and cold spells are usually quick and brief.
The houses heat extremely quickly, is all I am saying. Sorry if the reply was not worded how you want, I don't do mind reading!!!
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Hi Chrissy,
As usual the level response i would expect!
My heater has never been overpowering![msnsmile2]
[/quote]
steph_goodrum
05-01-2010, 21:02
My niece just dropped in, they were headed for Lake Louisa and stopped when they saw it. She mentioned the buggy ride but I'm not actually sure if she said they went on that or not. She said the bags were really good as they have a map of where each of the fruits are and you could try different ones. He told them when filled the bag would be around $10 but it came to $7 and amongst others they had grapefruit, key limes, oranges, and others but forget which.
The Showcase of Citrus can actually be visited without buying anything, if you just want to wander up and down the avenues of trees, and that is fascinating for children who have only seen oranges and lemons in the supermarket. You can pick your own fruit if you want to, as its not an 'attraction' as such, just a bit like our Pick Your Own farms in the UK. The difference is that it is a bit of a novelty to see citrus fruit growing naturally. We picked some oranges to take back to squeeze for fresh orange juice - lovely!
You do have to pre-book for the tour though, and that looks fun.
Hope you have a great time next time with good weather, 'Father.' Looks like you will enjoy it whatever the weather. [msncool]
We just returned from Animal Kingdom. Well the cold weather has certainly not kept everyone indoors. It was very busy with families all wrapped up and plenty of fleecy blankets draped around people. It was sort of strange seeing all the hats, coats and scarves but we had a great few hours and again sat in lovely warm sunshine for our lunch. It was just riding the tram to the gate from the car that it felt really chilly and you did need something round your ears. It certainly did not appear that people were not enjoying themselves and we were quite surprised with the numbers.[msncool]
Sandra
steph_goodrum
06-01-2010, 03:43
We were there for the last cold snap 10 years ago and they were even more unprepared for it then. Even Walmart didnt have hats, gloves or scarves for sale nor Disney so everyone was improvising. You could tell who had flown with Virgin from the multitude of coloured towelling socks that were being used as gloves, it added somehow to the New Year camraderie.
bargainqueen
19-01-2010, 02:58
On our first trip last 2 weeks of Jan 97 we had to spend a day shopping as I'd brought mainly spring clothes to wear.
The following year we returned for the first two weeks in Jan and I packed the same clothes I'd bought. The weather was totally different and I was able to wear shorts even for the late night parades.
Eight years ago we went again for New Years and we were surprised to find that the car windscreen frosted overnight. I walked around Disney wearing a Mickey Mouse bobble hat, scarf and matching gloves.