Orlando was chosen as the home for Walt Disney World in large part because of the weather. It didn’t snow basically ever, and temperatures, similar to Southern California and Disneyland, were usually fairly temperate, never getting too cold. There was always the possibility of hurricanes at Disney World, but those, at least back then, were rare. That’s not to say that it doesn’t get cold in Orlando from time to time. I was just at Universal Orlando for the holidays, and the weather wasn't great. Things have gotten even colder since then, leading to the characters of Disney World bundling up, allowing fans to see them in ways they rarely do.
Fans are having a blast getting a look at what certain characters look like when it’s too cold to wear the traditional costume. Most Disney World attractions happen regardless of weather, so a little cold isn’t going to stop the parade from happening, but it will change the look of that parade.
The cold in Magic Kingdom made for small modifications in the Festival of Fantasy Parade today - all of the princesses are bundled up in their winter wear! pic.twitter.com/MKiX4H8cQ7November 28, 2023
The number of responses on social media in the form of likes and retweets shows how many people are into amplifying this rare situation. Even in the winter, the Orlando area doesn’t often get so cold that you need a heavy coat in the park. Especially since performers are usually only out for short stretches of time, it’s possible to brave whatever elements there are, at least for a while.
A lot of people have decided they really love the look of characters dressed up much more warmly than we’re used to seeing. Beautiful flowing princess dresses look amazing, but they’re not necessarily the warmest things to put on. Some characters at Walt Disney World like Frozen's Anna actually have a bundled-up look from the movies they can fall back on, but most don’t.
And, of course, the unseasonably cold weather is just as unseasonable for Aladdin and Jasmine, who live in the desert of Agrabah, as it is for the actors who portray Aladdin and Jasmine, and live in Florida. The performers only have to deal with this level of cold every once in a while, so it’s pretty funny to see them trying to deal with it.
Aladdin and Jasmine aren’t used to this chilly weather 😂❄️ pic.twitter.com/lRgdjCXxfzNovember 29, 2023
Some fans compare it to wearing a jacket over your Halloween costume, which, to some extent, I suppose it is. Aladdin here is just wearing a long coat, which doesn’t clash with his costume terribly, but certainly isn’t the look guests would likely expect. At the same time, you have to let the Cast Members be comfortable. If everybody is freezing, nobody is going to have any fun either.
The summer in Orlando can get hot and humid, and be a lot less fun for a lot of people. But honestly, there might be some folks at Disney World willing to make that trade right about now.
