1st or 2nd Week of January

[Lori2816]

With my DD starting college in the fall, we will have to plan a January vacation. I have never been to WDW in January. Which is the better week...first or second...and why? Thanks for any help!!

 

[iloveokw]

I would go the second week, cuz the Christmas crowds are often still in force the first week.

Just my two cents.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I agree. After the Marathon weekend would be best.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Marathon in 2008 will be Jan 10-13.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Avoid the marathon!

 

[winjos]

I've been the first week, third week, and fourth week of January. Missed the second week. I will tell you that each of those weeks were fine. We just went this past weekend (MLK) and it was a little crowded at MK on Monday. Not too bad though.

Here's the thing to watch out for during January ... the groups from South America. They are everywhere. I have never been bumped into so many times. Plus, sometimes you miss the preshow because of the noise.

We had 80 degree weather over the weekend, but I have had a gamut of weather. From 40 degrees and frost everywhere to 80 degrees and everyone is in shorts and t-shirts. You just never know!

I really like January because the crowds are low and it is easy to get around the parks. You have time to watch shows, ride rides, and eat without feeling rushed.

Enjoy!

 

[DMKEDM]

We just returned from a 1/5-1/12 stay...and we arrived with the marathoners...(we was me, my college son home for winter break, and a single mom friend w/her college son (a friend of my son's) also home for winter break)...

The marathon was really awesome to watch (and you can't miss it as you go to your park destination Sat & Sun--there are two separate races--the 13 mile half marathon on Sat and the 26 mile full marathon on Sunday)

It made for the longest line I've ever seen at Magical Express...but it moved very efficiently...took 40 minutes before the ME bus started driving toward WDW, much longer than "usual" but nowhere near as bad as it looked like it would be from all those people in line!

We had Christmas decorations up almost everywhere til 1/7...after that we were "back to normal"

It wasn't crowded in the parks at all before lunch, and only "comfortable" in the afternoons/evenings (by comparison to the mornings--when it was positively empty each morning--it felt crowded; by comparison to our T-giving week trip, it was MUCH less crowded...longest wait line I saw (other than Soarin on Sat 1/6) was 30 minutes...

So, I think the marathon does make a big difference in terms of what you find in the way of lines, crowds, ADR availability, etc. And how much of that first week in Jan is still part of the Christmas holiday has an impact too...our last 3 days (1/9-1/12) it was Christmas-less and totally not crowded...

And it was all wonderful...

If I were choosing, I'd go w/a week that had a piece of each in it, like we just did...I can't begin to describe the goosebumps from watching the marathoners (as I was walking into the park; I wasn't part of the audience); it was so worth seeing...and it was neat seeing the tail-end of the holiday decorations, too (altho we'd seen them over T-giving and between that and our own Christmas at home, we were ready for Christmas to be over)...

Good luck w/your choice...

 

[Kimmumum]

We went 12/31-1/7 this year for the 1/2 marathon. Low season starts 1/1. I can tell you that the crowds were insane. We wend to the Magic Kingdom on 1/2 in the POURING rain and the waits were crazy...120 minutes for Peter Pan, 50 minutes for It's a Small World, 180 minutes for Space Mountain. We did what we did because our boys had to go back to school on 1/8. I'd definitely go the week after the marathon but not before.

 

[zackspal]

Just returned from long weekend. Jan 11 to 14. very crowded, MLK day. weather was 70 / 80

 

[gnewone]

WE just went to Disney jan 2 and got back on 9th/ It was very crowded due to marathon but I would go back still the same week.
WE are probally going to buy into vacation club tommorow as we are thinking about it.
good luck
Patty