Bad idea to book now for Jan1-5?

[blabbermouth]

I was thinking of booking a trip for March break, but now my husband is trying to bump it up to the first week of January. We haven't been in almost ten years, although I'm a pretty good planner. If there is hotel and Park availability for that week is it a bad idea to plan with such short notice? I'll take any advice you have! Thanks

 

[CarolynFH]

No, that's not a bad time, at least as far as I'm concerned - the Christmas/New Year's crowds will be gradually diminishing as work and school holidays end. People will be arriving starting on Tuesday or Wednesday for Marathon Weekend, and there will be races on Thursday and Friday, but those races are short and don't interfere with visiting the parks. If you leave on Friday the 5th or Saturday 6th, Marathon Weekend shouldn't affect you at all.

 

[sponica]

I'm torn, because in March you won't have park reservations or park hopping restrictions to deal with and you might possibly have the ability to pre-book Genie+.

 

[blabbermouth]

I'm torn, because in March you won't have park reservations or park hopping restrictions to deal with and you might possibly have the ability to pre-book Genie+.

Yes the park reservations is something I was thinking about as a negative.

 

[blabbermouth]

No, that's not a bad time, at least as far as I'm concerned - the Christmas/New Year's crowds will be gradually diminishing as work and school holidays end. People will be arriving starting on Tuesday or Wednesday for Marathon Weekend, and there will be races on Thursday and Friday, but those races are short and don't interfere with visiting the parks. If you leave on Friday the 5th or Saturday 6th, Marathon Weekend shouldn't affect you at all.

Thanks, that's helpful! I wouldn't have thought about the marathon.

 

[Tom_E_D]

I was thinking of booking a trip for March break, but now my husband is trying to bump it up to the first week of January. We haven't been in almost ten years, although I'm a pretty good planner. If there is hotel and Park availability for that week is it a bad idea to plan with such short notice? I'll take any advice you have! Thanks

I looked for your dates and there seems to be plenty of onsite resorts available. The first week of January should be crowded. So, if your alternative was a low-crowd time, I'd recommend the low-crowd time. But March break isn't a low-crowd time. I think 2+ months should be enough time to do all your planning.

 

[scrappinginontario]

If there is availability then there will be time to book for either trip as the 60 day window has not opened for either yet. Parks have potential to be busy either dates. Kids go back to school here Jan 8 so some schools will still be out your Jan dates. Weather has potential to be cooler in Jan.

I’m looking forward to the freedom of no park reservations or hopping restrictions but haven’t found either of them too hard to work with.

 

[CoasterGT24]

School breaks are later than normal this year. Orlando schools are out the entire first week of January 2024.

 

[Silvermist999]

School breaks are later than normal this year. Orlando schools are out the entire first week of January 2024.

We were there the first week of Jan 2023 and the crowds were manageable. We also have that same week Jan 2024 and I’m definitely concerned that the Orlando schools are starting later than last year.