Central Florida is one of the most popular vacation spots in the world for many reasons – countless entertainment options, world-class theme park attractions, thousands of hotel rooms, bargain shopping at the many outlets… and who can forget the beautiful year-round weather! But, just because the City Beautiful resides in the Sunshine State doesn’t mean that every day is 75 and dry. In fact, many people end up packing the wrong things for their vacations to Central Florida, especially those who travel southward during the winter months. If you don’t want to end up being stuck with all of the wrong things for you and your family, be sure to read on for our full-proof guide of what to pack for your next Orlando vacation!
First and foremost, what you pack should be based on what time of year you plan on visiting. As we mentioned above, if you are visiting any time between the months of November to early March, your suitcase may need to be a lot larger than someone who is visiting during the warmer months. While it very well may be shorts and tank tops weather one day, it could just as easily be jeans and sweater weather the next. One thing you won’t have to cope with nearly as much during this time is rain, but there are some random rainfall days, so be sure to check the weather ahead of time to see what the forecast calls for. Whatever you do, just be sure to pack some warmer clothes even if the forecast calls for warmer temperatures, as it does get cool at night. The last thing you want for your family vacation is a suitcase full of shorts and T-shirts because you thought you were coming to Florida in the winter!
If you are planning a vacation for the months of March until October, you should have two things in your suitcase for sure – sunscreen and an umbrella! Beginning in March, and perhaps even before then, the upper 80-degree weather returns to Central Florida, and by mid-May, the rainy season begins in Florida as well. So, if you check the weather forecast and see rain every day of your vacation, don’t panic! Most summer days, almost everyone in the area will see a passing rain/thunderstorm. However, it almost never ruins an entire day – in fact, most approach quickly and leave the area even faster. And, besides the humidity that these storms leave behind, the skies almost always clear up after these afternoon storms and the rest of your evening is beautiful. Bringing along a small umbrella or poncho can save your family an evening in soggy clothes, and on the same note, a hat and sunscreen can protect your loved ones from a critical sunburn that could leave you miserable as well!
Another thing that most families do not think of when packing is proper footwear. If you plan on park-hopping, tennis shoes are a must, as flip-flops do not hold up well and end up hurting your feet after a good solid 10-12 hours of walking and standing on your feet all day. You may definitely want to bring along flip-flops or water shoes if you plan on hitting a water park, however – the concrete can get extremely hot on bare feet, so it would be wise to wear these shoes and then hold them as you go on the ride (if you can’t wear them) rather than having to deal with blisters later on.
No matter what clothing or footwear you decide to pack, it is also a good idea to bring along an extra duffel bag or even another small empty suitcase for souvenirs and things that you plan to pick up along the way. Those purchases of Mickey Mouse ears or that Islands of Adventure T-shirt may not seem like a big deal when you are buying it, but if you are trying to pack them into already-stuffed suitcases, you may find yourself in trouble the last night of your vacation.
Finally, if your purchases on vacation include a snow globe, and you are flying, it may be wise for you to pay the extra money to have Disney personally ship your globe back to your home for you. Many people understandably do not want to pack these breakables in their suitcases, so they try to carry them onto flights. However, due to restrictions on liquids on airlines, many people end up having to leave theirs behind at the security checkpoint. In order for this not to happen to you, be sure to take the necessary steps to have it shipped, or you can order anything you saw at Disney once you get home by calling 407-363-6200 during business hours and telling them what the product was and where you saw it at Disney.
All of these tips above are designed to help you and your family have the best possible vacation experience. But, perhaps the best tip we can pass along is right here at your fingertips on OrlandoFunTickets.com – that you don’t have to pay full price to enjoy all of the world-class attractions in the area! In fact, you don’t have to go anywhere to get your tickets into the theme parks for Disney, Universal, Sea World or the many other attractions in Central Florida, as you can purchase them all right here. And, with advance shipping, you can pack your theme park tickets right along with everything else before you even arrive in the Sunshine State. To get started on your ticket bargain shopping now, just click here and let the fun begin!
