Orlando golf in December and January: holiday crowds, the PNC Championship and the PGA Show
Orlando golf in December and January: cool mornings, holiday crowds, Magnolia's overseed, the PNC Championship, the PGA Show and January rate rises.
Open the 3D map of every course →
Orlando golf in December and January brings cool, dry weather (about 72F to 74F by day), cheap early-December rates and very busy holiday weeks. Disney's Magnolia is closed December 1-18, 2026 for overseeding, the PNC Championship takes over Grande Lakes on December 14-20, and peak green fees start at Disney on January 8. The PGA Show fills hotels January 26-29.
This guide to Orlando golf in December and January covers the two coolest months: the weather, the holiday and event weeks to plan around, what green fees do at the turn of the year and where to play. Rates and dates were read in November 2026 for the 2026-27 season and change.
Quick facts
- December weather: about 73.8F / 52.9F; 2.48 inches on 7 days.
- January weather: about 71.8F / 49.5F; frost delays possible after cold fronts.
- Overseed: Disney's Magnolia closed Dec 1-18, 2026.
- PNC Championship: Dec 14-20, 2026 at Grande Lakes.
- PGA Show: Jan 26-29, 2027; Demo Day at Orange County National on Jan 26.
- Price step: Disney winter peak from Jan 8, 2027.
Orlando golf in December and January: the weather
| Month | High / low (F) | Rain (in) / days | Wind (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|
| December | 73.8 / 52.9 | 2.48 / 7.1 | 7.8 |
| January | 71.8 / 49.5 | 2.48 / 7.0 | 8.2 |
NOAA 1991-2020 normals at Orlando International (MCO); Sanford, north of town, is within about half a degree in January. Days are mild and mostly dry, and winter is good golf weather all day, but dawns can be cold. After a strong cold front, early mornings can drop near freezing and frost can delay first tee times (no frost-day count was read). Light is short too: sunset is about 5:30 pm in early December. Winter Park Golf Course keeps winter hours of 6:30 am to 5 pm and closes on Christmas Day. See Orlando weather by month for the full year.
Early December: the sweet spot
The first two weeks of December are quiet and good value: snowbirds are arriving, the holiday rush has not started, and shoulder rates still apply. Providence charges $99 before 2 pm and $59 after for November-December, and Disney's fall pricing (about 20% below winter peak) runs to January 7, with the Sunset 9 at $55-65 after 3 pm.
The catch is Disney's Magnolia, closed December 1-18, 2026 for overseeding. Disney's Palm (reopened after its November 9-27 overseed) and the rebuilt Disney's Lake Buena Vista take the overflow. The Disney World golf courses guide has the details.
The PNC Championship at Grande Lakes
The PNC Championship, the PGA Tour Champions and PGA Tour family team event with major champions and a family member, plays at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, Grande Lakes. Event week is December 14-20, 2026 per the PGA Tour, with competition December 17-20 per The Golf Wire. The course closes to guest play around the event, and The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes and the JW Marriott next door fill.
If you want to play Grande Lakes, come before or after that week. The Grande Lakes course guide covers access and rates; 2025 guides gave $299-375 for the public. Shingle Creek is a few miles away if you need an alternative.
Christmas and New Year
Christmas-New Year (about December 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027) is the busiest and most expensive park week of the year. Hotels, vacation homes and rental cars price at their highest, I-4 and the park roads are congested, and golf tee sheets are busy on holiday mornings with visiting family groups. Camping World Stadium west of downtown traditionally hosts the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day, which brings traffic on event days.
For a family that golfs, book tee times as soon as windows open (90 days at Disney) and pick early starts, which leave the afternoon for the parks. The Orlando golf family vacation guide shows how to fit rounds around park days.
January: peak season begins
For prices, Orlando golf in December and January straddles a rate change. On January 8, 2027 Disney switches to winter peak pricing, which runs to March 21. Twilight then starts at 1:30 pm and super twilight at 3:00 pm (to February 11), and the Sunset 9 rises to $65-75. Providence's January card is $129 before noon, $109 from noon and $65 late. Snowbirds settle in, and MLK weekend (January 16-18, 2027) busies the parks.
| Course | December | January |
|---|---|---|
| Disney (Magnolia, Palm, Lake Buena Vista) | Fall pricing, about 20% below peak | Winter peak from Jan 8 |
| Providence | $99 before 2 pm / $59 after | $129 / $109 / $65 |
| Streamsong Blue, Red, Black | $375 / $425 to Dec 14; $315 / $365 from Dec 15 | $315 / $365 to Jan 13; $395 / $445 from Jan 14 |
| Winter Park Pines | $55 Mon-Thu, $60 Fri-Sun with cart | Same |
Streamsong figures are resort guest / day guest; all three courses there are walking only from December 24 to February 28, and Streamsong's December 15-January 13 window is its cheapest of the winter. See Orlando golf rates for more.
The PGA Show
The PGA Show is trade only, but it shapes late January. Demo Day is Tuesday, January 26, 2027 at Orange County National Golf Center, where the courses and range are taken over, and the exhibit hall runs January 27-29 at the Orange County Convention Center on International Drive. Tens of thousands of industry visitors fill International Drive, Universal-area and Grande Lakes hotels that week.
For a visiting golfer, that means two things: Panther Lake and Crooked Cat are not available on Demo Day, and rooms near the Convention Center cost more. Base elsewhere that week, for example in Kissimmee, ChampionsGate or Winter Park. More in Orlando golf events.
Driving down for the winter
Snow on I-75 in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, or on I-81 in Virginia, can slow December and January drives from Ontario, Quebec and the Midwest. Toronto to downtown Orlando is about 2,052 km, roughly 24 hours of free-flow driving. For snowbirds, Orlando golf in December and January is the start of the season; read Orlando winter golf and Canadian snowbirds in Orlando. To compare the Gulf coast in the same months, see Naples golf in winter.
Plan it on the map
Open the Orlando golf map to see which courses are open for your holiday dates. The plan fits rounds around park days, or covers the whole winter with a weekly rotation.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
Is December a good time to golf in Orlando?
Early December is one of the best times: about 74F by day, dry, quiet and good value before the Christmas rush. Watch for Disney's Magnolia, closed December 1-18, 2026 for overseeding, and the PNC Championship week (December 14-20) at Grande Lakes.
How cold is Orlando in January for golf?
January is the coolest month, at about 72F by day and 50F at dawn at Orlando International. After a strong cold front, dawns can drop near freezing and frost can delay first tee times, so a midmorning start is often more pleasant.
When is the PNC Championship in 2026?
Event week is December 14-20, 2026 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club Orlando, Grande Lakes, per the PGA Tour, with competition December 17-20 per The Golf Wire. The course closes to guest play around the event, and the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott Grande Lakes fill.
Can the public go to the PGA Show in Orlando?
No. The PGA Show (January 26-29, 2027) is trade only. Demo Day is January 26 at Orange County National, whose courses and range are taken over, and the exhibit hall runs January 27-29 at the Orange County Convention Center. It fills International Drive, Universal-area and Grande Lakes hotels.
Are Christmas and New Year busy for golf in Orlando?
Yes. Christmas-New Year (about December 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027) is the busiest and most expensive park week of the year, with the highest prices for hotels, vacation homes and rental cars. Tee sheets are busy on holiday mornings with visiting family groups.
Do Orlando green fees go up in January?
Yes. Disney's fall pricing (about 20% below peak) ends January 7, 2027 and winter peak starts January 8. Providence goes from $99 before 2 pm in December to $129 before noon in January, and Streamsong from $365 to $445 for day guests on January 14.
Is Streamsong cheaper over the holidays?
Yes. Streamsong's December 15, 2026 to January 13, 2027 rate is $315 for resort guests and $365 for day guests, against $375 and $425 before and $395 and $445 after. All three courses are walking only from December 24 to February 28.
Keep reading
SeasonsThe best time to golf in Orlando, month by monthThe best time to golf in Orlando, month by month: weather, green fees, park crowds, Disney overseed closures, hurricane season and the busiest weeks.6 min read
ItinerariesOrlando buddies golf trip: tee times for big groups, vacation homes and a real budgetPlan an Orlando buddies golf trip for 8 to 16: courses that suit big groups, booking rules, pool homes near ChampionsGate, a sample budget and nights out.7 min read
SeasonsOrlando golf in March: peak season, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and spring breakOrlando golf in March and the February-April peak: weather, peak green fees, the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, spring break and tee times.6 min read