DL in January?

[themommamouseketeer]

Hi,
Frequent DW traveler but new to the DL scene. In an attempt to beat the heat and try something new, we decided to do DL this year. We will be going Jan. 6-11. I originally picked these dates because I knew the parks at World are crowded on the 1st because of the Holiday and wanted to avoid the seasonal crowds. I am now seeing that there seems to be several rides that are redecorated for the holiday season and may be closed down to remove the decorations. Should I look into rescheduling the dates? The haunted mansion is my son's favorite so I would hate for him to miss it.

Any other helpful tips for Land in January is welcomed!

Thanks!

 

[figment_jii]

Haunted Mansion Holiday (this is the version with the NBC overlay, not the classic Haunted Mansion) usually closes right after the Holiday season ends. This year, it's slated to end on 1/6 (Monday - which is a little odd, but it might have to do with the Three Kings Day celebration in DCA) so HM will probably go down on the 7th to have the overlay removed. So, you might have a chance to see HMH on the 6th, but that's probably the only day. Normally, IaSW Holiday will remain open until HM returns (it takes about 10-days for the overlay removal). Then IaSW goes down and comes back towards the end of the month. I don't think there is much (if any) downtime needed to switch the Carsland rides back (I don't recall any closures last year).

If you do move your dates, just note that RotR is slated to open on 1/17.

 

[lalasmama]

Just a consideration since you said you are trying to beat the heat of WDW.... When I was at DL mid-to-late January, I was wearing 3 layers each morning, including a parka. It was 36° a few mornings. And buckets of rain. Very uncommonly cool and wet... So, while avoiding the WDW, you'll be risking the opposite direction of the thermometer

As @figment_jii notes, Haunted Mansion starts being dismantled the day after Three Kings Day. Then, about 10 days later, it reopens as the traditional Haunted Mansion, and Small World Holiday will go down for the next 10 days or so.

Other common refurbishments/closures around this time are Splash Mtn and Grizzly River Run (similar to WDW's Kali River Rapids). The canoes may or may not be running. There will also be quick downtimes on some rides when/if it rains.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Hi,
Frequent DW traveler but new to the DL scene...

This classic thread has great information for you: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets.