Best Time to Visit in January?

[muse1983]

So my wife and I are planning on returning to the World in January 2015. We've always visited in either May or October so are inexperienced when it comes to January crowds etc. Preferably we would like to be there after the Christmas decorations have been taken down too (love Christmas but I want my regular ol Main Street without the decorations) What would be your best suggestion on when to visit in January? Thanks!!

 

[Webb]

We have always had a great time in Jan. The past 4 years have been low crowds and nice weather. The first year we arrived on the 1st...That was a bit chaotic! Lesson learned! Next year we arrived before marathon weekend and watched the resort fill up. It was pretty cool to see the runners with their medals after participating! I would love to be able to do what they do! The past 2 years we went over MLK day. The first time wewent to MK on that Mon. Big mistake! Again lesson learned! We avoided all the parks this past year just to be safe! The crowds aren't bad at all, the cheerleaders/dancers do flood in and its funny watching them make a human pyramid in the middle of Epcot! We were there for 12 glorious days this past Jan and it was the coldest Jan. we've ever had there. But it was still better then the zero degrees NJ was experiencing! Make sure to bring your regular jacket just in case. We usually just bring our sweatshirts and are fine, this year we had about 5 layers on and I had to buy a Kermit hat!

Middle to late Jan is a great time to go! Main Street is almost empty! Alright thats a stretch, but you don't have nearly as much congestion as other months! Enjoy planning

 

[Gomer]

Just stay away from Martin Luther King weekend. I went this past January and it was really packed.

How bad is MLK weekend really? Are we talking Easter/Christmas/peak summer levels or something closer to August/May? I’m braving it next year for the first time to conserve a day off by visiting on MLK. I’ll be there the whole week, so I’m hoping that the lower crowds after MLK will make up for it. But we are used to travelling in the first week of Feb or the first week of January, so I’m a bit worried we won’t be able to get anything done the first 3 days of our trip. I’m just starting to plot out our schedule and dining reservations and I’m having trouble planning those first three days because I don’t know how long we’ll be able to last in the parks with those crowds.

 

[Webb]

Def not peak crowd levels! You can go to the parks and not be in line for 3 hours for 1 ride. Hubby and I are just spoiled and want to walk on everything in Jan! lol

We just went in May the 11-19 and we found it to be less crowded. We were very surprised!

I'd say the crowd level is a 5 out of 10 at best for MLK, maybe a 6. IMO.. Nothing to fear, you won't have to be throwing elbows to make your way through the crowd

 

[DisneyRoy]

the past two times we have gone were either the last weekend in January or the first weekend in February. Great crowd levels. Lovely weather during the day (chilly at night). Decorations have been down. Although the crane is always still there around the castle in MK every time we have been.

 

[Arty Cordova]

How bad is MLK weekend really? Are we talking Easter/Christmas/peak summer levels or something closer to August/May? I’m braving it next year for the first time to conserve a day off by visiting on MLK. I’ll be there the whole week, so I’m hoping that the lower crowds after MLK will make up for it. But we are used to travelling in the first week of Feb or the first week of January, so I’m a bit worried we won’t be able to get anything done the first 3 days of our trip. I’m just starting to plot out our schedule and dining reservations and I’m having trouble planning those first three days because I don’t know how long we’ll be able to last in the parks with those crowds.

I compare it more to a Memorial Day kind of crowd. Pretty packed but not enough to shut the place down or close the parking lots. What I've learned is that the best time to go to Disney is the weekend before or weekend after a long weekend.

 

[Gomer]

I compare it more to a Memorial Day kind of crowd. Pretty packed but not enough to shut the place down or close the parking lots. What I've learned is that the best time to go to Disney is the weekend before or weekend after a long weekend.

Ok, so not too bad and I'll have the Tuesday through Saturday afterwards to take advantage of the short lines. Thanks!

 

[LAKid53]

After the Christmas season is over, once the lights officially come down. You can own the park. However, the Martin Luther King holiday weekend is crowded (1st time I've ever experienced the 'closure to new guests' of MK), as that is the last 3 day holiday weekend for several months. I would say after that weekend through the start of spring break is not that bad, unless the Brazilian tour groups have arrived. However, NOW might be a good time to go as I think the Brazilians are a little distracted over some minor sports thing...

 

[LAKid53]

I compare it more to a Memorial Day kind of crowd. Pretty packed but not enough to shut the place down or close the parking lots. What I've learned is that the best time to go to Disney is the weekend before or weekend after a long weekend.

Oh, I politely disagree. Our first MLK visit, the MK closed to new entries on Saturday due to the crowd. That is always our weekend to celebrate DD's birthday as hers falls that week between Christmas and New Years.

 

[CRuss26]

We were there January 4-8 this year. Magic Kingdom decorations were still up, but started disappearing in all of the other parks. The crowds were manageable (less crowded as trip went on), but don't expect NO ONE to be there like we did because there was still a decent number of people there.

Thanks to the Polar Vortex, it was FREEZING (like under 30 with wind chill) by the end of the trip...we were walking around our last night Epcot buying extra hats and scarves. Bring layers and be prepared for extremes.

 

[Arty Cordova]

Ok, so not too bad and I'll have the Tuesday through Saturday afterwards to take advantage of the short lines. Thanks!

Yeah, the Tuesday after MLK should be great with regards to lines.