Early January advice

[mom2rtk]

We haven't been to DLR since December 2018. We are considering a short trip in early January and I feel so out of touch! I know all days are busy now, but some busier than others. We will only have a couple of days, so I want to do the best I can.

I've heard weekends have been better than week days? My daughter has to be back for school (I think) around the 15th so I don't want to hit too close to that date. I know Magic Key blackout dates drive a lot of attendance, so I want to be careful with that.

So, if you had 2 days in early January, which would you choose to avoid the biggest crowds? What should we be considering in this?

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'd avoid the first couple of days, as more people with younger kids might be traveling over their shorter break until January 2nd or even 3rd - but beyond that, I'm not sure.

 

[Federalist45]

Early January comes down to Holidays vs non-Holidays, IMO. Do you want the spectacular Holiday decorations with larger crowds? Or, potentially smaller crowds, but decorations taken down and a ride closure or two? Also, check the dates for the Disneyland races and decide if you’re ok being there that weekend.

Personally, I’d go the first week of January and catch rail end of the Holiday season.

 

[RoseColored97]

What makes January complicated is that after that first Friday, the Christmas decorations will fully come down and Haunted Mansion goes down for about a month.

Another consideration is that after that first week, the fireworks and Fantasmic will not show during the week and only on weekends. If those are important to you (HM, F!, fireworks, etc) I would shoot for going that first week. If not, it opens it up and you could go anytime that second week when it will probably be less crowded.

 

[AZMermaid]

The half marathon weekend is January 11-14. I believe hotels are already fairly booked and I’d expect the parks to open an hour late and be packed. My district in AZ doesn’t go back to school until the 8th- so I’d guess others are in the same boat. There may be a sweet spot M-W before the runners come.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'd avoid the first couple of days, as more people with younger kids might be traveling over their shorter break until January 2nd or even 3rd - but beyond that, I'm not sure.

Yeah, I think the first few days might still have close to peak crowds, so will try to avoid. Nice to see you over here @PollyannaMom . Are you planning a trip?

 

[mom2rtk]

Early January comes down to Holidays vs non-Holidays, IMO. Do you want the spectacular Holiday decorations with larger crowds? Or, potentially smaller crowds, but decorations taken down and a ride closure or two? Also, check the dates for the Disneyland races and decide if you’re ok being there that weekend.

Personally, I’d go the first week of January and catch rail end of the Holiday season.

Yeah, those are my issues. Finding the right balance of those issues. I would love to catch the last couple days of holiday decorations if crowds weren't going to be insane. Do you know when the decorations come down?

 

[mom2rtk]

What makes January complicated is that after that first Friday, the Christmas decorations will fully come down and Haunted Mansion goes down for about a month.

Another consideration is that after that first week, the fireworks and Fantasmic will not show during the week and only on weekends. If those are important to you (HM, F!, fireworks, etc) I would shoot for going that first week. If not, it opens it up and you could go anytime that second week when it will probably be less crowded.

So decorations down after the 5th? They're usually up a little longer in WDW, I think because of the marathon.

I'd like it if the fireworks and Fantasmic was showing, but it's not a dealbreaker on such a short trip.

I thought I saw something saying HM didn't tend to close until late January? Maybe I was wrong. That one might be a dealbreaker.

 

[mom2rtk]

The half marathon weekend is January 11-14. I believe hotels are already fairly booked and I’d expect the parks to open an hour late and be packed. My district in AZ doesn’t go back to school until the 8th- so I’d guess others are in the same boat. There may be a sweet spot M-W before the runners come.

Ooh, that's very helpful. Thank you!

I was originally targeting a couple days early that week thinking schools would be back in session. But it also looked like one of the levels of MK opens back up those days. I know in the past the first days a MK opens up after an extended blackout tends to be easy. Any idea about the impact of that?

 

[joseph821]

So decorations down after the 5th? They're usually up a little longer in WDW, I think because of the marathon.

I'd like it if the fireworks and Fantasmic was showing, but it's not a dealbreaker on such a short trip.

I thought I saw something saying HM didn't tend to close until late January? Maybe I was wrong. That one might be a dealbreaker.

I suspect the decoartions will be up through Sunday, January 7th. This year HMH did not go down until late January/early February.

 

[mom2rtk]

I suspect the decoartions will be up through Sunday, January 7th. This year HMH did not go down until late January/early February.

Thanks. Do you know if HMH is typically up through late January or if this year was unusual?

Do the garlands over Main Street have any impact on whether the Magic Happens parade? I assume the parade will switch over right away after New Years?

 

[RoseColored97]

I just checked and it said HMH was scheduled to come down on January 8th of this year, for some reason it was extended out to the 29th. Maybe they'll do it again this season but I think typically it goes down with the rest of the holiday decorations.

Edited to add: This link shows historical downtime for Haunted Mansion. It looks like going back as far as 2012 it has gone down towards the end of the first week of January/Monday of the second week full week https://touringplans.com/disneyland/attractions/haunted-mansion/closures

 

[joseph821]

Thanks. Do you know if HMH is typically up through late January or if this year was unusual?

Do the garlands over Main Street have any impact on whether the Magic Happens parade? I assume the parade will switch over right away after New Years?

This year was unusual for HMH. Usually it will close right after the holidays ends. The Magic Happens will not be scheduled until after the holiday season. I would not be surpised if the MH parade did not come back until the following weekend.

 

[mom2rtk]

I just checked and it said HMH was scheduled to come down on January 8th of this year, for some reason it was extended out to the 29th. Maybe they'll do it again this season but I think typically it goes down with the rest of the holiday decorations.

Edited to add: This link shows historical downtime for Haunted Mansion. It looks like going back as far as 2012 it has gone down towards the end of the first week of January/Monday of the second week full week https://touringplans.com/disneyland/attractions/haunted-mansion/closures

Thanks so much for that! Lots of stuff is expendable, but HMH is a big deal for my daughter. That might really drive the date decision more than anything.

This year was unusual for HMH. Usually it will close right after the holidays ends. The Magic Happens will not be scheduled until after the holiday season. I would not be surpised if the MH parade did not come back until the following weekend.

So do you expect the holiday season to run through that entire first week of January? Would they run the Christmas parade that week or just go with no parade? That's too bad. I was really hoping to get to see the new parade. that's disappointing. Honestly, it's been 5 years since we've been there but I'm still a little tired of the Christmas parade (saw it every year for a number of years leading up to 2018).

 

[joseph821]

Thanks so much for that! Lots of stuff is expendable, but HMH is a big deal for my daughter. That might really drive the date decision more than anything.


So do you expect the holiday season to run through that entire first week of January? Would they run the Christmas parade that week or just go with no parade? That's too bad. I was really hoping to get to see the new parade. that's disappointing. Honestly, it's been 5 years since we've been there but I'm still a little tired of the Christmas parade (saw it every year for a number of years leading up to 2018).

Yes I believe it will end on the 7th. Yes the Christmas parade through the 7th.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Yeah, I think the first few days might still have close to peak crowds, so will try to avoid. Nice to see you over here @PollyannaMom . Are you planning a trip?

Unfortunately not - just caught this from the "new posts" page. I would love to get out there sometime, though!

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes I believe it will end on the 7th. Yes the Christmas parade through the 7th.

That's very helpful. Thank you. Thinking about arriving on the 6th, doing parks on the 7th and 8th, and returning home on the 9th. That should get me one day with HMH open.

Do you have any idea of the last day of the holiday season is particularly busy?

Most schools in the area will likely be back in session on the 8th. Anything before that might have slightly higher crowds.

It would be lovely if crowds dropped a little on Monday. But I think one of the levels of Magic Key opens back up that day so I do worry there will be an influx because of that.

Unfortunately not - just caught this from the "new posts" page. I would love to get out there sometime, though!

I appreciate you replying! And I hope you can make it out one day. We live in the middle of the country so have done almost as many DLR visits as WDW visits. We visited annually between 2013 and 2018 and haven't been back since then. Looking forward to getting back.

 

[foolish_mortals]

That's very helpful. Thank you. Thinking about arriving on the 6th, doing parks on the 7th and 8th, and returning home on the 9th. That should get me one day with HMH open.

Do you have any idea of the last day of the holiday season is particularly busy?


It would be lovely if crowds dropped a little on Monday. But I think one of the levels of Magic Key opens back up that day so I do worry there will be an influx because of that.


I appreciate you replying! And I hope you can make it out one day. We live in the middle of the country so have done almost as many DLR visits as WDW visits. We visited annually between 2013 and 2018 and haven't been back since then. Looking forward to getting back.

The last day of the holiday season isn’t particularly more busy than the say the Friday/Saturday. I would honestly expect Monday to be busier than the other days. Historically Mondays are the most crowded and as you said MK blockouts lift. A lot of schools do a half day on the first day back from the holidays. So a lot of people either go in the afternoon or don’t bother sending their kid to school the first day.

 

[mom2rtk]

The last day of the holiday season isn’t particularly more busy than the say the Friday/Saturday. I would honestly expect Monday to be busier than the other days. Historically Mondays are the most crowded and as you said MK blockouts lift. A lot of schools do a half day on the first day back from the holidays. So a lot of people either go in the afternoon or don’t bother sending their kid to school the first day.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. I knew that about mondays, and intended to try and avoid it, but I don't have much choice if I want to be sure and catch HMH.