I’ve been worried I’m not really worrying about anything but then I read that the temperature in Orlando can vary wildly during the day during December.
I have not scheduled returns to the hotel during the day so I’m wondering how to manage clothing.
What do you do? Carry a backpack with a change of clothes?
Short answer, yes.
Long answer-I have had more experience with long days with varied temps in California. We often would rent a locker. Or, much more fun-buy a sweatshirt (this was in college, when my friend’s boyfriend (now hubby) worked at DL, so he would meet up with us on his break and we might buy a sweatshirt with his discount.
I get chilled easily in air conditioning, so I almost always have a backpack and sweater available to me.
Be from Seattle?
We leave the day after tomorrow and I’m taking a mix of shorts/capris/jeans for bottoms. Tops will be t-shirts and then I’ve got a light sweater, a running jacket, and a Spirit Jersey to layer on top, which I’ll just wad up and put in my purse. If necessary I can wear more than one of those at a time, but I plan to rotate them.
My husband’s taking Docker-type pants, shorts, and a couple of hoodies.
On California trips where we’ve wanted to take some extra clothes and weren’t taking a late afternoon hotel break, we got a locker. Totally worth it.
It can be warm one day and freezing the next. Night time gets very cold especially near the water. We are driving, so we’ll have stuff in the car if we need it. We are also leaving in the afternoons to go rest at the resort before heading back out in the evenings. None of that helps you, though. I vote backpack and wear light clothes layered.
We usually scout the weather the day before. Anything 75+ during the day (I can’t translate between C and F, sorry!), DS and I wear shorts with a sweatshirt to start the day and I store the sweatshirts in my backpack once it gets warm enough. Below that, it’s usually pants and a sweatshirt with potential layers if needed that we can remove and put in the backpack. I’ve never gone with more than a heavy sweatshirt (but it can get VERY cold).
DH on the other hand, will wear shorts and a tshirt no matter what. He embarrasses me to no end and says he’s not cold - ever. His favorite saying is ‘dress for the vacation you want, not the vacation you have’. Ugh
Probably wise to do so. At least a sweatshirt. If the temperatures aren’t TOO HIGH during the day, you can tie a sweatshirt around your waist during he warm period, and then put it on in the evening when it cools. Or, as you said, carry a backpack (probably just a super light sack).
Depending on your personal tolerance for cooler temperatures, you can often get away with wearing shorts and in the cool weather put the sweatshirt on. At least for me, my legs tend not to be what makes me cold.
I’ve heard a lot of people recommend having gloves/hat available to use in case. It can feel colder when you’re standing there, not doing anything, at RD. Or maybe a sweatshirt with a hood and deep pockets?
Why is everything to do with a WDW trip so complicated!
I have a really nice, warm hoodie. A Superdry. Deep pockets and huge, lined hood. I wouldn’t mind carrying it if I’m not wearing it. I think.
I’m wondering if I just risk wearing shorts the whole time. I could pack full trousers but I’m always trying to find a solution which is simple.
I was even hoping to not have a bag at all so that I can avoid bag check.
Honestly, I wouldn’t make your packing plans until the week before and check the weather report regularly. We were at WDW the week before Christmas in 2016 (we flew home on the 23rd so very close to the dates of your trip) and we wore shorts the whole time. I was mildly freaking out like you about the wild swings but it didn’t actually happen! At the beginning of the week the highs were near 32C and towards the end of the week the highs were around 23C. We made do with shorts (even my 65 year old mother was in shorts and t-shirts!) and then carried hoodies for the evenings when the sun went down. Worked perfectly.
Of course, you will also hear stories about people being freezing and the weather dropping to close to 0C the same week in different years. Florida winter is weird. So waiting until you have a better idea of what the weather is actually going to be is your friend.
How about those trousers which roll/fold up to become shorts? Never worn them myself but they seem to tick the boxes for changeable weather? Personally I always have a hoodie with me, a lot of the restaurants are bloody freezing.
I’ve had a pair like that, but in my case, the bottom part of the legs zipped off so you’d need a place to stash them. They aren’t really the most attractive of clothes…but on vacation, I don’t really care! 
Still, I never replaced them with another pair because I think I only ever used them in the shorts form once, so it just didn’t seem worth it.
I’m one of those always cold people, so take what I say with a grain of salt maybe. But on Lines today &yesterday, hearing of temps at Disney at 43* (48* with wind chill) in morns and eves.
We were there 1st wk of January one year, needed warm coats, gloves, hats. Another after Xmas week, were able to swim. If you have a fleece jacket & sweater to layer, maybe gloves, hat in case, I think you’ll be well prepared.
You’re telling me not to plan massively in advance but wait until just before I go?
Do you even know me at all?
It was all I could do to stop myself clothes shopping today. And that was only because it’s cold and windy and I didn’t want to walk all the way into town!
One of our days was 46 in the morning. I hadn’t layered and was in a tshirt and running skort surrounded by people in winter jackets but to me at that time of year 46 is not cold. DH did talk me into buying a hoodie and I was perfectly comfortable once I put that on. So I think shorts with a light jacket or hoodie would work. You might want to have a pair of pants or two just in case.
i’m from southern Louisiana and our weather patterns are similar to Florida… every day during the winter months I go outside to check the temp in the morning … then check the local weather forecast… it can go from 70 to 35 (Fahrenheit) in a matter of 8 hours… or from 35 to 70!!! I intend pack a few days before, after looking at a local weather forecast for Orlando… and even then pack a variety of items, simply because the weather does a cartwheel and the forecast isn’t always accurate… I am, however, a very cold natured person… I need a cardigan for restaurants during the dog days of summer… my DH can wear shorts and a hoodie during winter months and be fine… as can my oldest child… youngest and I have to pile on the layers. clear skies can get cold quick in the south… cloudy nights are warmer (but warmer is objective during the winter)… and watch the wind… a humid wind tends to hurt worse than a dry wind… it truly feels different! i’m sorry my advice isn’t much to go with, other than sounding like i’m talking in circles!! I’m hoping for mild days during our late January trip!!
Trust me, I know it was so hard for me too! I was making outfits for my daughter (who was almost 2 at the time of our trip) and I had to attempt to plan for wild temperature swings.
You just never know. We were there this year the first week of February, and temperatures stayed in the 70s and 80s the whole time, even at night.
If I were you, I would pack mostly shorts, plus 1-2 pairs of pants and a hoodie. Grab one of these compact totes and hook it on your pants or put in your pocket - no bag check. If worst comes to worst you can wear the pants more than one day if it’s freezing the whole time. Probably it’ll be chilly in the morning, requiring a hoodie, then warm up considerably during the day.
If I were me, I’d pack all long jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts and a coat.
That’s awesome, but how does that bypass bag-check?
because he’d be wearing the hoodie and the bag would be collapsed into nothingness