crowds Jan. 1-9, 2006?

[Partridge4ever]

With the way Christmas fall this year, my kids are out of school Dec. 23-Jan. 9. We're thinking of going to WDW that first week of Jan. I've always read that crowds drop significantly beginning Jan. 1, but I'm wondering if this year will be more crowded? I wonder if many schools will have that same 2 weeks off?

 

[scanmom]

what our dates are yet, but I think most schools usually do have the same times off...it usually depends on how x-mas falls on the calendar.? I don;t think that affects crowds much, but it could I guess!

 

[kelleigh1]

I'd be interested in seeing what anyone else thinks. I don't have kids, so I have no idea when school vacations are. But we were looking at that week to go to WDW because we'd heard the crowds were much smaller.

 

[Partridge4ever]

I talked to someone in the neighboring county. They go back Wed. Jan. 4.

 

[3xthecharm]

I'm from the NE and our schools are mostly back on Monday 1/2. My family will be in WDW though.

 

[kelleigh1]

My husband thought I was nuts when I mentioned this thread to him. He said "who gets 2 weeks at Christmas?" I didn't remind him that we've been out of school for 15 years and I can't remember anymore. :teeth

 

[HopperFan]

My initial reaction was to say that we were there this year Jan 6-9 for the Marathon weekend and we thought it was all very manageable and couldn't wait to return next year to run again and hit the parks...............but then I read your dates so I pulled up my calendar for next year. YIKES ! My kids are off those dates too. It's great we won't have to "pull" them out of school to go run BUT I really have to wonder about crowds and rooms now ! We were there for the entire second week of our xmas vacation in 2002 and it was very crowded. Could go either way I suppose.

 

[Beth8266]

We were their from 1/9-/15 this year and the crowds were minimal. It is a great !!!! time of year to go.

 

[kelleigh1]

Maybe we should look at Jan. 14-21 instead. After the marathon and between Christmas and February vacations.

 

[Diznut84]

We have been to WDW the first weeks of January for four of the past six years. The parks typically clear out very quickly after New Years Day. I'll bet that in 2006, the crowds will be down to "medium" on January 2nd, and be "slow" by January 3rd.

It's a great time to go if the weather cooperates!

 

[wonderlandaddict]

The schools in the south will return on the 2nd. But, we are waiting till the 2nd week of Jan just to make sure everyboby has left!

 

[drusba]

The little bit of checking I have done indicates that having that full first week in Jan off will be the exception and not the norm as most will be breaking starting week before Christmas or during the week before and returning 1/3.

If so, it shoud be a rather normal first week of Jan which means: (a) 1/1 to 1/2 will be Christmas size crowded (huge, can't breath, wall to wall, elbows in your face type of crowd); (b) 1/3 will still be crowded because a lot of people will not leave until that day and even day after but it will still be lighter than 1/2; (c) 1/4 and rest of week will be manageable crowds, still more than a seeming off-season but nothing stiffling.

 

[the kabuki]

Maybe we should look at Jan. 14-21 instead. After the marathon and between Christmas and February vacations.

Jan 14-21 would not be a good choice....MLK federal holiday is on Monday the 16th. Judging from others' posts, that weekend is terribly crowded.

As to schools, just checked calendar, and vacation is from Dec 22 to Jan. 3rd.

IN 2004- we went Jan 2nd-9th: Christmas crowds still there through the weekend , then tapered off quite a bit by Mon & Tues.

IN 2005-we went Jan 5th-11th: Everyone had gone back home by this time, parks were terrific, no lines

Sounds as if most schools are going back that Mon the 2nd or Tues the 3rd. If I had to choose(wish it were me going...sigh...I'll just live vicariously through you) I would choose Jan 4th through the 10th, 11th, however many nights you're planning

You could start a poll here to see when everyone else goes back

 

[Partridge4ever]

I should learn to start a poll.

I'm still debating. I'd like to arrive a few days early to see the Christmas decorations, but I don't know if the crowds and increased points cost (we're DVC members) is worth it. We've been in early December before but my youngest daughter doesn't remember. Plus the Animal Kingdom and MGM parades weren't special for Christmas at that time like they were last year. On the other hand, if we wait til then it will have been, gasp, over a year since our last visit.

 

[the kabuki]

Yes the Christmas decorations are nice, but if it's decorations vs. light crowds, no waiting in lines & cheaper rates, I'd wait till later. I've done both, trust me no crowds beats out Christmas decs anytime.

 

[3xthecharm]

I have researched this quite a bit since we have no choice but to go 12/31-1/4. We are doing the Christmas Magic cruise the week before. My sister also was there this year from 1/1-1/8.

Most people including a few CMs say that the crowd will drop the Monday after NY. This would be 1/2. I think your opinion depends when you are used to being there. If you are used to a busy season, this time won't seem that crowded. If you are used to a very low season, it may seem packed.

My sister who visits frequently during different crowd times felt that her visit during this time was very manageable. (She traveled with 4 young children) She used EMH and FP. She also felt the crowd drop on that Monday.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I plan to go 12/31-1/5. I did see the Christmas Decorations last year, but the cooler weather will make any crowds more tolerable. We even got to swim in late December last year but had to wear heavy coats two days earlier. We are hitting the beach this summer and doing Disney in January. Plus, I think the fireworks at NYE must be spectacular at disney.