Best week in Jan 2013 to visit Disney?

What are your thoughts on the better week to visit disney, our two options are Jan 5-12 or Jan 12-19, the marathon weekend is the 12&13th, and MLK is on the 21st.
 

Disney Dawg88

Active Member
What are your thoughts on the better week to visit disney, our two options are Jan 5-12 or Jan 12-19, the marathon weekend is the 12&13th, and MLK is on the 21st.

I've been at the World for marathon weekend five or six times now, I'm a participant, and the parks aren't crowded at all, ride time waits aren't very long. This is compared to other times during the year, and I visit at least once per month when I'm in town for work. I would say the 5th through the 12th would probably be best as 1. The holiday crowds will be gone, 2. All of the holiday decorations will still be up, 3. You will miss any of the crowds for marathon weekend.
 
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wiigirl

Well-Known Member
There is an exodus after new years day..thats a great time to visit

I agree....everyone is partied out and the lines are short. :p
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ctosh

Well-Known Member
for several years we would do middle of January and always loved it..no crowds!! My daughter playes basketball and that moved our trips to June.. but when she graduates in 6 years we will hit January again..lol
It will be cold so pack to layer
 
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Mori Anne

Active Member
In the Parks
No
we go all the time in January. The week after new years seems to be the time we like most:) I'd say pick the dates with the better discounts:) If the both have good discounts, pick which works best with ur schedule. As a tie breaker, check out the park operating times/EMH and see if one is better than the other. REMEMBER gloves!!!! While we are usually fine with sweatshirts and a scarf (easier to pack) the gloves make it soooo much better!!! :) just my opinion!!
 
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dnscbus

Member
We went this past January and it was ridiculously hot! We also went in 2010 I think and it was freezing! (It was the year the entire country had snow.) January seems to be getting busier though. I am currently trying to decided when to go in January, and I always check Touringplans.com. They have higher numbers than last year, but I don't endorse them or anything (it's just more info for us OCD panning types). It seems like Marathon Weekend is 4 days this year as opposed to 2. Maybe someone knows if that is true, but I remember it only being a 1/2 on Sat and the full marathon on Sun. Still, I think we're going to aim for the 5th-12th. I put the general numbers from Touringplans below, but they also break it down by park, that can make a big difference as one park could be a 7 and another a 3 but the average would be 5. Obviously the park with a 3 would be better than a park with a 7. Maybe I'm getting too in depth for you. I'll stop there.

DATE CROWD LEVEL BEST PARKS PARKS TO AVOID NOTES
Sat, 5, 2013 5 out of 10 MK EP AK
Sun,6, 2013 3 out of 10 EP MK
Mon,7, 2013 4 out of 10 EP HS
Tue,8, 2013 2 out of 10 MK AK EP
Wed,9, 2013 3 out of 10 HS EP
Thu,10, 2013 3 out of 10 AK MK WDW Marathon Weekend
Fri,11, 2013 4 out of 10 AK EP WDW Marathon Weekend
Sat,12, 2013 7 out of 10 EP MK WDW Marathon Weekend
 
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Witchy Chick

Well-Known Member
It seems like Marathon Weekend is 4 days this year as opposed to 2. Maybe someone knows if that is true, but I remember it only being a 1/2 on Sat and the full marathon on Sun.

There are children's races at the WWoS Complex on Thurs Jan 10, Fri Jan 11, and Sat Jan 12. 5K on Fri Jan 11. Half-marathon on Sat Jan 12. Full-marathon Sun Jan 13.

Our kids are doing the kid races, I'm doing the 5K, and DH is doing the full. :)


Witchy
 
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EvilQueen-T

Well-Known Member
we go each year in january because of my granddaughters birthday at the end of the month. we've been over marathon weekend which was a little more crowded but easy. we have noticed more tour groups at that time of year than there use to be. and yes the weather can be shorts and t-shrits one day then jackets and pants the next...it's just how florida winters are...we live here and still stress over feeling like we have to pack everything.
 
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Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
This will be my 3rd time in January from the 27th to Feb 10th and I find that the week right after MLK Weekend is pretty good as many kids were taken out of school during that week. and as school gets back into session wait times are great..And I'm going for 2 weeks!:D
 
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Tinkwings

Pfizered Fairy
Premium Member
In the Parks
No
We're considering Jan 21 - Feb 1, what kind of feedback does anyone have on the dreaded tour groups???

Well speaking of Jan and early Feb....seems every week has had some tour groups...can't speak to volume level but with overall lower park traffic early January they didn't bother me as much as per se Presidents Day week when it was super crowded and the tour groups got in line just ahead of us....time to reroute....ugh...this year I would like to go after the new year as the marathon is not the immediate weekend but two weekends into January. We were there that week last year but marathon was immediate weekend....a few brazilian tour groups were at the gate but did not run into them in park much at all. I like seeing the Christmas decor up one day and then POOF....it magically disappears. :D
 
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Ariel484

Well-Known Member
It seems like Marathon Weekend is 4 days this year as opposed to 2. Maybe someone knows if that is true, but I remember it only being a 1/2 on Sat and the full marathon on Sun.

There are children's races at the WWoS Complex on Thurs Jan 10, Fri Jan 11, and Sat Jan 12. 5K on Fri Jan 11. Half-marathon on Sat Jan 12. Full-marathon Sun Jan 13.

Our kids are doing the kid races, I'm doing the 5K, and DH is doing the full. :)


Witchy

Tracey's right. Marathon weekend begins on Thursday, January 10 - the first day the expo is open at WWoS and the first day of the kids' races. This has been the schedule for a few years now. The races actually come to the parks on Friday/Saturday/Sunday, but for the most part the runners are gone by the time the parks open, except for the full marathon on Sunday.
 
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