Hi have booked 3 weeks over christmas/new year have only been in summer before. I now keep reading that it can de really cold ie coats and gloves at this time. can anyone who is lucky enough to live in florida confirm or deny this?
Also wheres the best pleace to go new years eve with 3 boys 17,13 and 9
any other info on that time of year would be great
thanks
Hi and welcome to the forums. I don't live in Florida but have been there for a holiday over Christmas/new year. The first day we arrived had to put the heating on in the villa and actually s[bad language filtered out]ed ice off the car! We managed fine with fleeces but the girls all needed gloves for the evenings. Having said that new years day was spent by the pool and we had a bbq for dinner it was beautiful. Go prepared and wear layers. It is a fantastic time to go. I am so jealous.
Gloves? I've never taken or worn gloves in Florida nor a coat. We go every year for Christmas and New Year and yes, it can get chilly like at night or on a couple of days but the rest of the time it's around 70 - 80F and shorts and T-shirt weather.
So that's good advice to take layers and a fleece with you (as well as some long trousers or jeans) but most of the time the weather's great with sunshine and little rain (much better than a British summer!).
It's a really great time to visit Florida as the magical turns into even more magical with all the lights and decorations - you'll have a great time!
For New Year's Eve there's the parks of course but you need to arrive before about 10.00 am as they sometimes close the gates if it's too busy. That makes for quite a long day so choose somewhere that you all enjoy if you decide on this. As a change from the parks, Celebration might be a good place to try as they have fireworks, etc or Kissimmee Old Town?
blott
Last Christmas was pretty cold here, rained a bit too, Christmas Day wasn't great weather. It's pot luck what the weather is going to be like at Christmas. I've been here some years where it's been in the 90s and other's where I feel like I've landed back in England. Take your warm clothes in case and hope that this Christmas will be nice and hot for you, although my personal opinion is Christmas feels like Christmas when it's colder.
Roughly what time does it get dark in December?
For instance, flight landing at 1725 at Tampa would eqaute to leaving the airport no earlier than say 1830/1900 i would guess, would it be dark by 1830?
If so, how easy is it to get away from Tampa Airport and up the I-4 to Kissimmee?
Yes it probably will be dark by then. I think when we went to tampa we used I4 to 275. Someone might correct me though.
The best advice is that given previously - take layers of clothing - ie. jeans, fleeces etc. We have been a couple of times over Xmas/New Year and have found it to be variable. The first time we felt the cold, I had (luckily) got a coat with me as it was cold in the UK and I did not want to leave it in our car prior to taking the car park transport to the airport. Boy was I glad I had it with me! Remember walking around Universal and being totally in awe of having to wear a coat - never heard of before. That year, all the plants outside hotels/motels/eateries had fleece wrapped around them for protection. That said - another year we were sunbathing by the poolside end January....so this shows how variable it can be!?![msnwink]
I always feel that Disney crowds them in just that bit too many at Xmas - but hey! However, Celebration is good! On the main street - it is ''snowing nightly'' once an hour whilst Bing sings 'White-Christmas.' All that 'foam' snow - lovely for adults/kids alike. Complete with huge Xmas tree, carol singers, horse drawn carriages etc.etc. All the usual 'Stepford wives' stuff but nice anyway. Worth a look for an hour or two of an evening! Wish I was going now[msnsmile2]Enjoy!
Les
We`ve not been at Christmas but have been mid December. We had hired a convertible and had the roof down everyday even driving along the A1A at Melbourne beach [msncool]. Nights were cooler and a fleece was plenty for us. Epcot is fantastic at that time of the year with all the carol singing and the lighting of the Christmas tree each evening. Have a great time.
Hannah.
Hiya Dot - welcome to the forum of forums on all things Orlando!
We go most years at Christmas/New Year as the fellas find it much more pleasant. The evenings do get cooler - for the past few years we have found that a pool cover is essential to keep the heat in and haven't needed the air-con in the villa.
Dress wise, advice is spot on - jeans,layers and a fleece for night time....and possibly a shower proof jacket. During the day it can be variable - I seem to remember it pouring down for Christmas day last year...and yet a couple of years ago it was scorching at Busch Gardens on Boxing Day!!..but don't worry if you take jeans and you need more shorts- or vice versa - remember the 'other' passtime of shopping!!!
As Blott has already mentioned, New Year's eve in the parks can end up being a very long day so we head down to Celebration or the Old Town for a couple of hours and then spend the evening in the villa ( we're also very lucky 'cos we can watch the Seaworld AND Epcot fireworks in the distance from the decking )
Personally I think it's a fantastic time to visit with all the decorations, etc. everywhere - we love it. Year before last we stopped at home for Christmas Day as our youngest( now 12) couldn't remember a Christmas in the UK....afterwards he said thanks, but he really would prefer going back 'home' in future!!
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