Clothes/shoes/bags for Disney Florida!

[rollonthesummer]

Very forward planning here, but I need some advice! We are off next Easter- three children (15/13/7), me and DH for a fortnight.

What sort of clothes should be looking at taking? How hot is it in April? Comfy sandals? T-shirt and jeans or is it shorts weather??

Is a handbag big enough or do you find yourself lugging lots about? Should everyone have a rucksack for water/food? Or just the grown ups? What about coats-rain macs or would you just go inside if it rains?!

What about money-I've seen people talk about post office credit card-is that a good idea?! Can you withdraw money on them?Plus cash.

What about mobile phones-do you use them over there? Can you arrange a deal where you don't pay through the nose? Can you tell we don't travel much?!!

Am v excited but need practical help!!

It will be warm but not roasting - somewhere in the 20s probably. Take the most comfortable shoes you own, you will walk miles in the parks. A small bag should be fine, you won't want to be carrying too much.

It's not that rainy in April but you can always buy plastic ponchos in the parks in an emergency. There are plenty of places to get out of the rain anyway.

I use a post office card all the time, it works just like a debit card so you can use it at ATMs and in shops.

Every phone provider offers different desks when you are overseas. I'm on Vodafone and it costs me £5 per day in the U.S. on top of my normal tarrif. Check in your phone provider's website.

Have a great time!

We went in April and it was HOT, in the 30's. If we go again I'll take a rucksack for each adult for snacks and drinks, suncream, hats sunglasses etc. We all wore summer clothes, we would have died in jeans. Although everywhere inside is air conditioned so take a cardigan too. You'll need the comfiest shoes you can find.

You can add some international minutes to your contacts but if you want to keep in contact in the parks with each other lots of people take walkie talkies.

They were selling plastic ponchos in tescos today for £1 each. - you would pay about £5 each in the parks. Worth buying here and popping in your suitcase.

We went in April a few years back and it was pleasantly hot. I also recommend the comfiest shoes you can find - we walked a LOT. Our kids were much younger so DH and I carried everything - we managed with one bag that we took turns carrying. We took raincoats that packed down into small bags - really useful (though more for the few days we spent in NYC on the way home!) Also hats, sunglasses, sun cream etc. It was far more rainy when we went again in August a few years later. I'm not sure we had much rain at all in April.

Best days for us (with 4 yr olds though) were Magic Kingdom & the water parks. It was also relatively quiet compared to our August trip more recently.

We are here now
Yesterday the weather was awful. We put our water proofs on and went to the works anyway but we were soaked through eventually. It wasn't cold though so not awful.
The ponchos were on sale at Universal for US$10.
Todwy we've been in shorts and t shirts and it's hot hot hot!
Rucksacks for the parks are a must as it taking your own lunch I would say. Lunch there is expensive and the queues are too long. There are water fountains but the water tastes a tad unpleasant.
Last night I went out in a short sleeved top and was plenty warm enough but DD put a light cardigan on.
I can't help on money and phones as I leave that to DH. I'm in charge of booking and packing.

We were there for a week from Easter Saturday. The weather was not as hot as when were there mid-April but still shorts and t-shirt weather - you might want a cardi in the evenings but mostly because the restaurants are ferociously air-conditioned!

We tend to do big breakfast and then snack in the parks so just take a small bag with sunscreen & wallet; DS has a small rucksack and we stick some bottles of water in there. You walk a lot and it can be v.hot (we had a couple of days of temps pushing 30 while we were there this time and it was regularly in the 30s last time) so carrying big bags is not fun. Also they really do inspect them in depth so it adds to the time getting into the park if you all have huge bags.

Comfy shoes are the most important thing (I was logging 18k steps a day on my fitbit most days). I wear crocs sandals (like this) or croc flipflops or Timberland sandals. Lots of people wear trainers but I would melt in them (I can't stand having hot feet).

For phones, EE do overseas bundles that include x amount of mins and texts (think mine was £10 for 100 texts and 30 mins). The parks have free Wifi and if you're in a villa they generally have free VOIP phones or we skyped people. Top tip whenever you're overseas is generally to disable voicemail so you're not using your minutes/paying to pick up messages about PPI etc.

Opinions vary on the poncho front - they do keep you dry (and if it rains it is TORRENTIAL) but you sweat massively in them so you end up wet anyway. I wouldn't bother (we had them in Mexico when it was raining and I took mine off after 5 mins, you don't dissolve in the rain and it was much more pleasant than sweating in a plastic bag.

We got back last week. We were in Florida for 18 nights over easter. Coolest day was 27°C, and the warmest was 35°C. Shorts everyday. It rained 3 times while we were there, luckily two of those times were while we were driving.
On park days adults have a bumbag each (2a+2c). We take essential medical stuff, camera, wallet, frozen bottle of water (top up from the drinkers, the water tests better cold) and as many cereal bars/sweets as will fit. We don't do many park days, so snack while queuing rather than 'wasting' time sitting around having meals.
The Post Office credit card has a near perfect exchange rate, but is expensive if you want cash. We took a $500 cash, but basically used the card for almost everything, the cash was back up and we spent it in the last couple of days.
We buy a couple of tracphones from Walmart - $8 each including 20 minutes talk +/or 60 texts (a text cost 1/3 minute). Can top-up in $10 increments if you need to. Only called home twice but just used normal phone.

If you haven't already got a PO credit card check quidco - there's usually between £25-£40 cashback.

We went in April. It was hot when we were there, light weight macs would be useful also for the wet rides as you can get sopping wet and not dry for a bit.

We brought one reasonable sized rucksack and used that for all of our stuff. You have to put your backpack/bags in lockers for some of the rides so handy just to have the one.

We used walkie-talkies when we were in the park and they were absolutely fab and much quicker to contact each other than using a mobile, however I've since learnt that you shouldn't use UK ones as they may interfere with important frequencies, but apparently you can buy them over there in Walmart very cheaply.

Clothes wise, it's very casual. I think jeans would probably be too hot, wore shorts most days. At the parks the most important thing is to have comfortable shoes as you will be doing a lot of walking. I bought a pair of sandal style crocs over there ( much nicer than they sound) and they did me well.

I have a post office credit card that is recommended for having a better conversion rate than many other credit cards. Unfortunately they won't up my limit on it and whilst it's perfectly generous for all other occasions, it doesn't quite cover everything for a Florida 2 week holiday.

Where are you staying?

Easter next year is mid April so it should be warmer by then. You may need a cardigan/sweater for early morning but by mid to late morning it should warm up quite a bit.

Use a tote sized bag; your children do not need to each carry around a rucksack in the parks (those will get in the way when it comes to the rides and there is sometimes little in the way of storing those).

Have a look at 3 re making calls from the US to the UK.

We go in 4 weeks.
Taking very comfy shoes.
Shorts t shirts hats hot weather stuff
Rain ponchos
Taking backpack for sun cream, wipes, ponchos etc
Not taking food and water to parks we have Disney dining plan
Taking mobiles it's free internet data and we have they Disney experience app with all our fast passes ex and ADRs on. We won't be calling home.

You will still need water even on the DDP for when walking about, queueing etc

Have changes of shoes, so you don't use the same ones every day (and ones with socks can be more comfortable) - you will do a lot of walking.
We had bumbags each, to carry water, a few snacks and money. A handbag would be a pain in the parks. If you have little kids then a rucksack might be necessary.
Layers are useful. Plastic ponchos.
If you go to a water park one of their clippy containers is useful for valuables.

Prefer to get cold water when we need it than carry warm water round in bottles.

Just got back and it was really hot, 30's almost every day so definitely shorts and t-shirts weather. I wouldn't want a rucksack as you're always grabbing your phone for the app to check your fastpass+ on the app and camera to take photos. I had a cross body bag that was waterproof and it was brilliant - easy access and kept my phone and camera safe.

All the drinks carts in Disney will give you free iced water so no need to carry bottles around.

Check out the Halifax credit cards, recommended on moneysavirngexpert as the best overseas card.

We had an AMAZING time.

We go in 4 weeks. I applied for 2 post office credit cards through topcashback and got £25 cash back on each one. I also would get water from any of the counter service restaurants when you want it (just ask them) rather than carry in. All taking raincoats, and will all have rusk sacks (except for my youngest child) to carry those, suntan lotion, iPad mini for Disney app to check lines/make bookings etc, jackets. We always but trainers to wear but I agree that this could be too hot for some people. The main priority is comfortable and supported footwear.

We went a few weeks ago.

It was nice and sunny with some rain.

Comfortable footwear and cool, comfortable clothing.
Practical if you like roller coasters.

We just had one rucksack, you have to put all bags in lockers on the big rides, so I'd be wary about taking too much stuff.

We did eat at the parks and enjoyed being inside where it is cool, or on one occasion out of the rain.

We bought ponchos at the park but they are more expensive.

We used a money card, I think it's like the post office one but I got mine from the travel agents. I also took cash as well incase my card wasn't accepted.

With regard to taking your own food, some of the parks, I think the water parks, have restrictions on taking your own food in..

Have a great time - we loved it.

Those who have been recently, how did you keep the kids cool, we have been to plenty hot countries but for pool or beach not walking round theme park and queuing, bit concerned about us all flaking!

To keep cool - most queues are in the shade, with fans and some are inside with air con. As many rides as possible are also inside with air con, plus there are water rides where getting wet cools you Drink plenty and keep to the shade. Restaurants are also air con.