Early January - how crowded??

[threeboysmom]

DH and I are heading down Jan. 1-6. Trying to get an idea of what the crowds will be like. WDW has hours at MK til midnight so based on that it looks like they are expecting HUGE crowds, but Universal closes at 7:00 each night. Is Universal not expecting lots of people that weekend following New Year's? We're still trying to decide whether to stay onsite or offsite. Time is running out ..... I'd like to make a decision and stick with it!! Right now I am holding 2 reservations - 1 at Caribbean Beach at Disney and 1 at Royal Pacific.......... Really need to cancel one or the other. We are going to both WDW and Universal. Have a car. So just trying to get an idea of crowds and whether FOTL is worth the extra money. Help!!!!!!!!!

 

[SpideyHulk24]

First weekend maybe busier than the rest of the month as people are still vacationing.

DM, can you confirm?

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Indeed. Due to how New Year's falls, crowds will still be mildly heavy (20-30 minute waits for popular stuff) until the 6th, when most schools resume. That's when the crowds will really disappear.

The 9-7 is because they know many people will be returning home after the crunch, but are not sure how many will be staying past 1/2.

 

[LunaEWOLF]

Hi new here- just wanted to post that we just came back. Got Ap for christmas!!!!!!Last day was yesterday ( Jan 2) at IOA / UA and lines were long!!!!!! Shrek and Jimmy (which we still haven't got to do)and Spiderman were over 90 minutes and the Hulk by mid day was 120!!! Going back end of the month so hopefully things will be better!!!

 

[the Dark Marauder]

This is true, it has still been very busy. This is why they upped the park hours to 830-8. Tomorrow, they drop back down to 9-7, then 9-6 on Monday. By Wednesday the parks will be desolate...

 

[bjakmom]

How bad do the crowds get for MLK weekend (16th-19th)? I'm not too worried as we'll have FOTL, but wondering how crowded to expect it to be in general (meals, citywalk, etc)

Of course by then I may be so worn out that I'll just do my early morning coaster run and spend the rest of the day by the pool sipping drinks in the cabana (as long as it's at least 60 degrees I'll feel warm!)

 

[the Dark Marauder]

It'll be busier, but still slow overall. You'll have no worries, especially since you're staying onsite (RPR?). Just take your time, and enjoy it. It'll probably still be warm, but this is FL, so you never know...

 

[bjakmom]

Thanks, DM, that's what I was hoping to hear! We're ending our vacation here for the weekend- with FOTL I think it's a great way to 'wind down' from WDW(and keep out of their holiday crowds!) Thanks to all the help here at the DIS we're staying club level at HRH (hotelkingdom rate of $216!!) - I figure the cabana discount alone makes it worthwhile for us - and hey, I'll milk a milestone birthday for all it's worth! Last trip we spent a day at their pool and decided it would be the next hotel we tried. Short trip in Dec. is back to RPR for 2 nights (love that hotel, too!).

I'm so blessed!! Dancing and Packing my heart out!

So far the weather looks pretty good to me - nothing will keep me out of the hot tub! -temps dropping into the teens here tonight!!

 

[pathubia]

bjakmom,

We are staying at the HRH the same weekend as you. I booked cabana #10 for Sat and Sun (17th and 18th). If you see us there stop by and say hi. I remember talking to you when we were deciding whether or not to book the Club room. We didnt. We have 2 rooms booked and it would have been around $120 more per night for the 2 rooms, I didnt think it would be worth it for us. (plus I just had the 3rd night price adjusted to $119, so it would have been around $200 more for that last night).

There will be 6 of us, plus my sister and my dad live in Fla. and they may come to spend a day.

I cant wait!!!!!

Patty

 

[bjakmom]

Patty - you need to double check with the Fitness Center at HRH!!

When I read your post I said "Yeeaaah, I get to meet a Dis member!" Then I said, "Wait a minute, I have # 10 rented for Sat and Sun!! " Since there will be so many of us, I had called and rented cabanas for all 4 days of our stay back in July. I called the Fitness Center and they didn't have my name down in the book at all (!) and neither did they have anyone booked into # 10 for Sat or Sun (!?) Well, since they were now going to charge me $70 for # 10 instead of $40 (club level rates), I decided to take #9 for Sat and Sun (#1 Fri, #6 Mon)- so hurry and call them because #10 is still open, and they must have messed up your ressie, too!

Hopefully, you'll be in #10 - prepare yourself !!, my gang will be in # 9 (we're up to 16 for Sat, then drop to 11 when the Tampa crew heads home that night)! I'm just hoping the weather stays warm enough to sit by the pool! I'll see you there!

PS: thank you soooo much for posting - I would have been really upset if I had gotten to HRH with no cabana (my 4 mos old granddaughter will be with us!)- saved by the DIS again!!

 

[pathubia]

Holy Screwup!!! I just called and hopefully it is now straight. I dont know what happened, she did say that the kid I talked to yesterday did put a question mark next to my original ressies. I cant believe that they didnt have either of our ressies. I had originally booked #10 for monday the 19th, but we will only be there till 4 and i figured that would be a waste (since its $100 for the whole day, 9am - 10pm). So I called and changed it yesterday. That so cool that you will be "next door".
I'll be there with my DH, 2 DDs, 19 and 10 and the 10 year olds best friend and the 19 year olds boyfriend , My sister just moved to the area and she may stop by with her son, 11, and my dad lives on the west coast of fla and he may stop by, and my sister in law who is visiting her parents may stop by, so this should be good.

I hope we get a chance to meet. Hopefully it will be warmer there it is FREEZING here today!!

Patty

 

[SpideyHulk24]

Bring us back some reports on the HRH! Inquiring minds want to know if they should book it!

 

[bjakmom]

Patty - Wow! we'll fill up that corner of the pool!! I'll be down with my DH, DS15, DD24,DD26 & her best friend, my new granddaughter (she'll be the really !!!! cute one that I am doting on ), my dear friend and old roommate from Boca Raton, her DH, her DD13, DS10- then my brother, sil, niece, her DH and their DS2 are coming from Tampa for my birthday dinner friday night and staying through Sat. Are we going to have fun or WHAT !!!!??

I am so glad that we saved each other a lot of grief when we arrived! I hope I get the chance to introduce you to my kids- they call the DIS "mom's Disney Friends" (yep, they always roll their eyes!), as in "where's mom?". . . "up talking to her Disney friends!!"

I am way too excited!!

Spidey Hulk - I will take detailed notes on the beer, wine and the oreos for you!

 

[SpideyHulk24]

LOL!!!! I look forward to it!

 

[pathubia]

I wish we had club rooms too. Maybe we'll get upgraded Ya right. I would be happy to get upgraded to deluxe though.

Between both our parties I think we will be taking over the whole pool.

Patty

 

[bjakmom]

The hot tub will be ours. . . . ALL OURS !!!


We will only admit people with DIS 'handles' !! (is that web lingo, or am I stuck in some 'CB' timewarp ?! - oooops! showing my age!)


Sorry, gang, we seem to have hijacked this thread!!

I promise to post regarding the "crowds in early January" (other than those at cabanas 9 & 10!) when I return!