Season guide · Orlando · United States
Orlando in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jedi94, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Mild, dry and sunny with cool nights; quiet in January and early December, but the Christmas holidays are among the busiest weeks of the year. Expect highs up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 10°C (50°F), with about 18 rainy days across December–February. January–February are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 10°C (50°F) to 24°C (75°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 18
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22°C (72°F) | 10°C (50°F) | 6 | 10.5 h | 3/5 |
| February | 24°C (75°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 6 | 11.1 h | 3/5 |
| December | 23°C (73°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 6 | 10.3 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 23°C (73°F) against a yearly 29°C (84°F), and 18 of the year's roughly 112 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (usually January)
- January: EPCOT International Festival of the Arts (usually mid-January to February)
- February: Mardi Gras celebrations at Universal Studios Florida (usually February to March)
- February: EPCOT International Festival of the Arts (usually until late February)
- December: EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays (usually late November to December)
- December: New Year's Eve fireworks at the parks (31 December)
Make the most of the weather
Theme park · Walt Disney World
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom mixes a zoo with a theme park: Kilimanjaro Safaris drives through savannah habitats with giraffes, lions and elephants, while Pandora – The World of Avatar has the Flight of Passage ride and glowing forests after dark.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Nature
- Iconic
Theme park · International Drive
SeaWorld Orlando
Check the day's show and feeding schedule on arrival and plan coaster rides around them.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
- Nature
Park · Downtown Orlando
Lake Eola Park
Lake Eola Park circles a lake in Downtown Orlando with a walking path of about 1.5 km, the illuminated fountain that is a symbol of the city, swan-shaped pedal boats and resident swans.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
- After dark
Experience · Winter Park
Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
Combine it with lunch on Park Avenue and the Morse Museum's Tiffany glass a few blocks away.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Nature
- History
- Off the beaten path
Zoo · South Orlando
Gatorland
Open since 1949, Gatorland is an old-Florida attraction with thousands of alligators and crocodiles, a breeding-marsh boardwalk with a wading-bird rookery, feeding and wrestling shows, and a zip line over the gator pools.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- History
Day trips in winter
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (About 1 hour by car) — On Merritt Island, the visitor complex displays the Space Shuttle Atlantis and a Saturn V moon rocket, runs bus tours towards the launch areas and hosts astronaut talks.
- Cocoa Beach (About 1 hour by car) — The nearest Atlantic beach to Orlando has wide sand, the Cocoa Beach Pier and surf shops including the large Ron Jon Surf Shop.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Orlando?
Yes: January–February are among the best months. Mild, dry and sunny with cool nights; quiet in January and early December, but the Christmas holidays are among the busiest weeks of the year.
+What is the weather like in Orlando in winter?
Highs of up to 24°C (75°F) and lows around 10°C (50°F), with about 18 rainy days over the season.