I'm Going To Disneyworld....help!!!! :-)

[Big Pooh]

Hi everyone,

I booked my trip to the Happiest Place On Earth today....WOOOHOOO!!!!!!! :sohappy: :sohappy:

We'll be there Jan 23-Feb 1. Needless to say, I have questions, questions questions.:lol: So lets start from the beginning.

1. How busy is the end of Jan.
2. What are park hours, historically. I know they're not posted yet.
3. How's the weather in Jan.

I already have a VERY early game plan, so here it is. If anyone has advice, I'll gladly take it.

Thurs: Epcot all day
Fri: MK all day, and PI that night
Sat: AK till 1 or 2 and MGM/Fantasmic dinner pkg
Sun: Day off from parks/ Super Bowl XXXVII at ESPNZone
Mon: US/IOA
Tue: US/IOA
Wed: US/IOA
Thur: AK/Epcot/PI
Fri: MK
Sat: MGM/PI

We may do DQ Sun morning before heading to ESPNZone for the Super Bowl. This plan gives us 2 mornings at AK, 1 1/2 days at Epcot, 1 1/2 days at MGM and 2 days at MK. I'm going with a first timer, and it'll be my first time in a long time, too long in fact. I can't wait!!!!:king: :sohappy:

I just thought of a couple more questions. In the off season, how often do they do Fantasmic!, Fireworks at MK, parades and things like that. I HAVE to see Fantasmic!. I want to see Illuminations, and I'd like to see a couple of parades, with Stars and Motor Cars at MGM topping the list. Any advice or info would be appreciated very much.

Cheers:wave:

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

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[wdwguru]

Big Pooh,

When I went there at the end of January, a few years back:

1) The crowds were not bad except for one day at the Magic Kingdom when they had invited some large group or another.

2) Parks do close early, except for EPCOT, but that has been happening anyway since 9/11 and visitation is down.

3) Weather is very unpredictable, much like December. It can be hot or cool, or even worse: 50s in the morning and 80s in the afternoon. We found we had to layer when we left in the morning and then come back and change into shorts in the afternoon. However some days were too cool for shorts.

As far as parades and stuff, usually only the night time ones were limited, like MK fireworks and Spectromagic. To the best of my knowledge, they have continued to have Illuminations nightly as well as Fantasmic.

I will be there at the end of January too, so I guess we will both find out as time gets closer.

 

[cymbaldiva]

The only time I've been in January was in 2000 - the crowds were light, but the weather was AWFUL! It was soooo cold! I'm pretty sure that was a nasty freak of nature though...usually the weather then is supposed to be quite nice!

 

[PuertoRekinSam]

No ESPN ZONE in DisneyWorld. For that you'll have to go to Baltimore, DC, Vegas or DownTown Dinsey Cal.


Luck for you, there is a ESPN Cafe on the Boardwalk

:lol: just like to be an instgator

 

[Big Pooh]

Needless to say, I have another question. :lol: What's the difference in an ESPNZone and an ESPN Cafe, and can I watch the Super Bowl there?

Cheer:wave:

 

[Big Pooh]

Just bumping up the thread. If anyone has anything to add on my itenirary, please do.

Cheers:wave:

 

[bearboysnc]

3 days at US/IOA is over kill. You'll be bored. ESPECIALLY in January.

 

[DMC-12]

Originally posted by Big Pooh
Needless to say, I have another question. :lol: What's the difference in an ESPNZone and an ESPN Cafe, and can I watch the Super Bowl there?

Cheer:wave:

The main diffrence between the zones and the cafes is size

"zone" is huge... tons more games..and a few more bars than cafe

"cafe" smaller....not as much stuff as a "zone"

we have a zone here in Chicago....its neat...though I dont go there often...yet, I walk right by it twice a day, right by my office

 

[ucf disneyfan]

I agree that 3 days in IOA is to much. It's to small and you can bang out the whole park in a day. I've been to Disney World in January and I also agree that the weather is unpredictable. I've been there where there has been frost on the ground and I've been there where I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.

 

[Big Pooh]

Thanks for the responses. I'm going with a first timer and he really wants to do US/IOA, so I thought we might need 3 days. I was thinking 2 might be enough especially in the off season but I was'nt real sure. I'm buying AP's for both places so I can go back in Oct. '03 for MNSSHP and HHN, but I'm not sure what kind of passes he's gonna buy yet, so we'll see. I know he's buying an AP to US/IOA, we already have those, but I'm not sure about WDW. Thanks for the advice.

Cheers:wave:

 

[bgraham34]

I will say this about the end of January. I went this year and the park was dead. I mean there were less people there then when I went a week after Sept 11th.

Also it was suppose to be Superbowl weekend.