First week of January

[MUTZIE77]

I am planning a trip for the first week in January. I was just wodering if anyone could tell me how long they keep the Christmas Decorations up and the castle lights lit? Also I know Splash Mountain has its month long refurb around this time, has it been announced when the refurb will start in 2012?

 

[Scuttle]

I am planning a trip for the first week in January. I was just wodering if anyone could tell me how long they keep the Christmas Decorations up and the castle lights lit? Also I know Splash Mountain has its month long refurb around this time, has it been announced when the refurb will start in 2012?

No it has not been announced to the public yet. They usually keep the decorations up a week after new years. New years day is sunday this year, so bet on them being up through that week probably until the 7th or 8th.

 

[Disney Dawg88]

I am planning a trip for the first week in January. I was just wodering if anyone could tell me how long they keep the Christmas Decorations up and the castle lights lit? Also I know Splash Mountain has its month long refurb around this time, has it been announced when the refurb will start in 2012?

I've been a participant in the Marathon Weekend, this year it's January 7th and 8th, several times now and the Christmas Decorations have always been up. The race weekend is usually always the first full weekend in January. If I remember correctly Splash Mountain is usually open still but closes right after the Marathon Weekend. Don't quote me on this as I remember one year it closed right after the New Year's crowds left WDW and wasn't open during Marathon Weekend. I don't think the dates have been announced as of yet.

Also, if you're going to be around during the Marathon Weekend, don't worry about the crowds as most of the parks are pretty empty and there aren't very long waits on the rides. Just make sure you're aware of any road closures in WDW if you're planning on going to the parks early Saturday and Sunday morning. Saturday it will affect Magic Kingdom and Epcot, but Sunday it will affect all of the parks as that's the day the marathon is run. Hope this helps.

 

[dreamfinder]

The decorations are something different than the Christmas events/parades. I believe that January 3rd is currently the last day for the Jingle Jungle Parade at AK, as well as the Osborne lights. So the other events will be wrapping up then (if not already done by the end of January), but then the decorations will start to slowly come down. I've been down there for the Marathon a few times. One year we saw just a few decorations left up while we were there. Another trip (2 years ago during their freak cold snap) almost everything was still up when we left, and they didn't get it all down til mid January.

So it depends on what day you arrive. You should see at least some of it, but I would definitely make it your priority the first few days if you want to see the Osborne Lights (awesome) or the Jingle Jungle Parade (meh) and then plan the rest of your trip after that. It is kinda weird to see the Christmas tree and decorations in the lobby of your hotel at night, and then when you wake up the next morning they are all gone.

 

[kstella]

The crowds should be small then, though. I'll be there at around that time, too!

 

[MUTZIE77]

Thanks for all of the input guys. My GF was a CP and said after the first of the year it is pretty much dead. I hope I can still catch the Osborne lights, Ill have to go the night I fly in and catch the lights and Fantasmic before the refurb. I tried booking a room through DVC today and was told all rooms were booked up at all resorts and that the most nights i could stay anywhere besides Saratoga was two nights. I find it hard to believe that there are that many people participating in the Marathon that all rooms are booked. I guess you really need to book 11 months out to get what you want.

 

[Disney Dawg88]

If I'm not mistaken there are anywhere from 15,000 - 30,000 people that participate in the half marathon alone. Plus you need to add all of the people that run the marathon on Sunday. I've only stayed on property at Port Orleans and Caribbean Beach, and "off property" for all of the other years I've been a participant. Best of luck geting a place.