First week of January 2017

[famy27]

Our school calendar was just released for next year, and the kids are not getting Thanksgiving week off this year, so I need to regroup and pick new dates. Because of the way Christmas falls this year, they'll have the whole first week of January off. How quickly will the crowds drop off after New Year's? The crowd calendars are showing reasonable levels, but I'm a bit skeptical. Thoughts on how bad it would be from Jan 3-8?

 

[rteetz]

The 4-8th is marathon weekend so you will have a lot of runners at WDW. Crowds shouldn't be too terrible though.

 

[taythecray]

We went this January during that time and didn't mind it, but it depends on what you're use to. It was definitely chilly which was a bummer! Only managed one day at the pool for a couple hours and the days required jeans, t shirts and light sweaters. MK was crazy packed when we went Tuesday the 5th but I'm not sure if it was still the new years crowds or the overall crowds increasing for that park. Epcot was EMPTY when we went. Test track was at 20min, but again that may be because soarin was down. Studios and Animal Kingdom were both manageable. Not as busy as MK but not as dead as Epcot. Honestly the only reason we got a lot done on our second MK day was because it POURED all morning. Still fun and we wouldn't change anything, just things I noticed Marathon crowds made no difference in the parks, just on transportation.

 

[staceyrhood]

The crowds will drop off after January 8th. Our local schools here next to DIsney go back on the 4th next year, that will help some.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

We went the 4th-9th this year. As a pp mentioned, on 1/5, MK was oddly insanely crowded. The other days had no issues.

when we went during this time for NYE 2011, we were there 12/30-1/6. On NYD, there was a huge drop off and it was light the rest of the week. I think it all depends on what days the holidays fall and when school starts again.

I wouldn't hesitate to go at this time again.

 

[famy27]

Thanks! We've done January before and had chilly weather. It was still better than Chicago, so I won't complain. As long as we can get on a flight without a blizzard, I think it will be just fine.

I just wonder if everyone else has the whole week off or if many schools will go back midweek. If lots of schools go back on Wednesday, then we might have lighter crowds.

 

[GovieMom]

We've visited WDW during the first week of January three different years. Each year the parks were packed due to: many schools not resuming til the first Monday after New Years Day, universities/colleges not resuming til later in January, and last but not least, tons of British/South American tourists, on their extended holiday vacations.

 

[nicki.momof3]

I think the first week of January 2017 is going to be a lot more crowded than it typically is. I live in Michigan and we have county wide school calendars that are posted 5 years out. 2017 is the only year I can remember (in 16 years of teaching) that has had the whole first week off. We always have 2 full week off but never way into January. The way the calendar falls we do not go back to school until Monday 1/8. Many days at multiple DVC resorts are already fully booked and we are 11 months out. We are already booked at AKV in a 2 bedroom for 12/30-1/6.

Dec. / January travel does not always mean bad weather. We always (every year) travle over the holdau break and this year we went Christmas week. It was in the 80's muitiple days we were there. We spent a ton of time at the Beach Club pool.