January crowds?

[sophie_the_pooh]

Hey guys!

We are just back from an amazing trip to the World and I am trying to fight post Disney depression by planning our next trip. We were thinking January 2017, after the marathon and MLK day, to avoid crowds. What's your experience with trips during that time? How are the crowds? How is the weather (I am from Montreal, so I know cold...)?

Thanks!

 

[lunchbox1175]

Crowd levels are excellent, this is a pretty good time to go. Weather can be a mix....I have been 4 times during that season, and have had weather in the 50s with slight rain, a couple times in the upper 60s to mid 70s, and once that it was 85 and sunny every day. Superbowl weekend is another excellent time to go as far as crowd levels are concernd.

 

[Takeitforgranite]

As long as you avoid MLK day, it should be fine. We went this year, and it caught us off guard. After the holiday, it calmed down a good bit, though.

 

[TXDisney]

We got married in January at Disney and thought the crowds would be low being winter and after the holidays. surprisingly crowds were busy the whole week. A lot of South Anericans

 

[sophie_the_pooh]

We got married in January at Disney and thought the crowds would be low being winter and after the holidays. surprisingly crowds were busy the whole week. A lot of South Anericans

When did you go in January?

 

[sheriffwoody]

As long as you avoid MLK day, it should be fine. We went this year, and it caught us off guard. After the holiday, it calmed down a good bit, though.

I'm going that weekend I read that between President's Day in Feb and MLK Day, MLK was a little better. Luckily we're checking out on Monday, so we'll be there on the days leading up to the holiday. Hoping the Thursday and maybe Friday we are there will be nice. I know Sat and Sun will be busy regardless.

 

[sophie_the_pooh]

Would end of November or early December be a better idea? Low crowds and Christmas decorations?

 

[Tuvalu]

Would end of November or early December be a better idea? Low crowds and Christmas decorations?

There will be crowds in late November/early December too. The parks are busier than ever. We love the parks decked out for the holidays so would always choose that time frame over January.

 

[sophie_the_pooh]

Very, very true. Weather is more important than crowds.

So you wouldn't recommend January because of the weather? Would early December be better? I'm not sure if weather is more important to me than crowds, I think it has to be a little bit of both...Also, being from Montreal, January weather in Orlando sounds like regular Fall weather out here!

 

[LAKid53]

So you wouldn't recommend January because of the weather? Would early December be better? I'm not sure if weather is more important to me than crowds, I think it has to be a little bit of both...Also, being from Montreal, January weather in Orlando sounds like regular Fall weather out here!

I live in North Florida and it can get chilly in January. However, Central Florida is usually several degrees warmer. And most importantly? Low humidity. And a beautiful clear sky. We've gone in January and it's been chilly. I would plan on daytime temperatures in the upper 60s, low 70s once the sun is out. And 50s at night. Just make sure to bring long pants and a jacket. But then you're from Montréal, so January in Florida will be like shorts weather for you, lol.

 

[officialtom]

I live in North Florida and it can get chilly in January. However, Central Florida is usually several degrees warmer. And most importantly? Low humidity. And a beautiful clear sky. We've gone in January and it's been chilly. I would plan on daytime temperatures in the upper 60s, low 70s once the sun is out. And 50s at night. Just make sure to bring long pants and a jacket. But then you're from Montréal, so January in Florida will be like shorts weather for you, lol.

Eastern Canadian here, and January in Florida is absolutely shorts weather. We went last year, and are going back again at the end of January this year. Can't wait to work on my tan!

 

[officialtom]

So you wouldn't recommend January because of the weather? Would early December be better? I'm not sure if weather is more important to me than crowds, I think it has to be a little bit of both...Also, being from Montreal, January weather in Orlando sounds like regular Fall weather out here!

PEI here. As long as you're not expecting tropical too-hot-to-do-anything weather, go in January! We absolutely loved it last year and are going back this year. Every day hovered around 20-25C once the sun got up. For the evenings, we wore light jackets or sweaters once or twice, but it was perfectly fine. Crowds were very very low. We highly recommend January!

 

[MickeyKimmy]

We have been a few times in late January/early February and it is a favorite time to go along with September because of the low crowd levels. As far as weather, it can be unpredictable. We have had trips where it is 70's and 80's every day cooling off a little at night but still very nice. Also had a trip about 2 years ago in Jan/Feb where we had to wear hats and gloves around the parks. Yes, we do live in north FL now so maybe we have less cold tolerance but pretty much everyone was wearing hats, gloves, and thicker jackets. We are going again this January so keeping my fingers crossed for the nice weather!

 

[Jiggsawpuzzle35]

I went during January of 2009 and it was freezing. I had to buy a hoodie on one of the nights cause it was so cold and I didn't come prepared. It was in the mid to low 40s. The crowds were light which made our experience even better. Only negative were the festive and loud South American groups.

 

[SweetPea]

We've done the Wed before MLK through the Wed after three different times and each time has gotten a bit more crowded. Be aware that this is when the Brazilian tour groups are there and they are all over the parks. This past January, I sat down on a bench to wait for DH to do ToT and watched the groups file in one right after the other, all with their flag-waving tour guides and these groups easily had 30 to 40 plus in each group. Weather can be all over the place in January as well.

We also have done the week before Thanksgiving quite a few times. It seems to be a bit quieter as people are waiting until the following week so that they don't have to take the kids out of school for quite as many days (we take our out for the whole week, but that's a whole other can of worms). Weather is usually pretty nice with it being a bit chilly in the morning (we still wear shorts, but wear a sweatshirt or hoodie in the am). It warms up nicely and then cools back off in the evening (put the hoodie back on). I've also heard the week or two before school gets out for Christmas vacation tends to be a bit quieter and picks up toward middle of December through New Years.