First week of January 2018 - are we nuts?

[g-dub]

Our family (myself, DW, DS 15 and DS 11) are considering a trip over New Year's and the first week of January 2018, from 12/30 through 1/7. My wife is a runner and would like to do the Half Marathon on the 7th. We are quasi-veterans, with 5 trips to DW under our belt and 4 trips to DL. I am the planner and definitely up to speed on dining reservations, FP+ reservations, etc.

That being said, are we nuts for considering this time frame? In the past we have gone first week of June twice and over Halloween twice, and it was busy but not insane. I did a solo trip over Spring Break in 2016 and it was insane - but I was by myself and it was easy to handle. My wife and I did DL between Christmas and New Year's but that was 12 years ago and without kids.

When is your winter break? Our kids get the last week of December and the first week of January off, and don't go back until the 8th. With the timing of Christmas and New Year's I am assuming this schedule is not uncommon across the country. I was hoping a decent percentage of schools would have the last two weeks of December off and go back on the 2nd, but maybe that's wishful thinking.

When do the Christmas decorations usually come down? We were hoping to catch some of those as we've never been during the Christmas season, only Halloween.

I am confident that we can manage as best as possible with rope drop, FP+ usage, afternoon breaks at the resort and extra magic hours, but I know it will be insane. I follow wait times using Lines and remember seeing 3-4 hour headliner waits last year over New Year's and 1-2 hour waits on C and D ticket attractions. I'm not sure I can tolerate waiting an hour for Figment or Small World.

Not sure how the family will handle the crazy crowds - maybe it's easier to tolerate crowds when it's not in the heat of the summer? I am trying to decide it's it worth the crowds and expense to be able to enjoy the Christmas decorations, the experience of New Year's eve, and the Marathon.

I am looking into renting DVC points (still a few resorts available, likely OKW or SSR) or staying at a moderate.

What do you think?

 

[Accident]

If schools are back in around the 2-4th, it's usually a very quiet time and why the marathon happens that weekend. I'm seeing a bunch of schools going back for 1/9 which is basically what happened this year and it was as crowded if not more than xmas week.

 

[rteetz]

Due to how the holiday's fall this year and into next some schools will still be off into that first week of January. This was also the case this year during Marathon weekend. I will say that from Thursday on into the weekend crowds started to die down.

Christmas decor starts coming down in all parks but MK that week. MK waits until the full marathon is finished.

 

[heybravo626]

We done 4 of the last 5 Christmas weeks and NYE's at WDW. The first few days will be real crowded (12/31 like nothing you've ever seen). The weekdays after the new year won't be so bad. Ar least in PA, it's not common for kids to be off school the whole first week of January. They will go back on the 2nd or 3rd. Christmas decorations will still be up wen you get there but will start coming down after New Years (Epcot tree for NYE). The special Christmas events like the parade and Candlelight processional will stop with NYE.

You are correct that is manageable if you are early (some EMH will start at 7AM), use FP+ wisely and take breaks. Another tip is that MK also does there NYE fireworks on 12/30. We've watched them in MK on 12/30 and then outside of MK (Polynesian favorite spot for the 360 fireworks outside of park) or gone to Epcot on NYE where it is less crowded and has more space.

 

[rteetz]

The weekdays after the new year won't be so bad. Ar least in PA, it's not common for kids to be off school the whole first week of January. They will go back on the 2nd or 3rd. Christmas decorations will still be up wen you get there but will start coming down after New Years (Epcot tree for NYE). The special Christmas events like the parade and Candlelight processional will stop with NYE.

That is not the case this coming holiday season and this past. Due to how the holidays fell a lot of schools did not go back on the 2nd or 3rd.

 

[g-dub]

This is fantastic advice thanks - so you would recommend watching the NYE fireworks at MK on 12/30 and then spending actual New Year's Eve at Epcot for the Illuminations show and NYE finale? I had read this advice elsewhere as well and thought it sounded reasonable to me...

 

[g-dub]

Touring Plans has New Years Day a 7, then 10 for the next few days, then dropping to a 7 by the weekend. I imagine that's a reasonable expectation?

 

[heybravo626]

That is not the case this coming holiday season and this past. Due to how the holidays fell a lot of schools did not go back on the 2nd or 3rd.

Gotcha... that's why I mentioned in PA. I was there this past year 12/27 - 1/5. It was more crowded than prior years into January but I did not think the first few days of January were as bad as 12/30 and 12/31. Maybe we got lucky with parks we hit.

 

[rteetz]

Gotcha... that's why I mentioned in PA. I was there this past year 12/27 - 1/5. It was more crowded than prior years into January but I did not think the first few days of January were as bad as 12/30 and 12/31. Maybe we got lucky with parks we hit.

I have gone during marathon weekend for the last three years including this year. This year was much more crowded during the first half of my trip (1/2-1/6) then the second half (1/7-1/10).

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Agree with @rteetz - Crowds will be very high (9 or 10) through at least Wednesday and maybe all the way through the marathon weekend because a lot of schools are not starting back from Christmas break that first week. We are there most years that week, and will be again in 2018. We expect to ride our FP+ rides and not much else that week, but we will still have a great time.

 

[revdon64]

I'll be there with my son 1/3 - 1/5 and 1/8 - 1/14 with a DCL Dream cruise sandwiched in between. Not planning anything in parks for the first part of the trip mostly because of the likelihood of big crowds and such. Fully expecting the second part of the stay to be much lighter.

 

[PSUGuy]

In 2005 we arrived at WDW on New Year's Day our first park day was the 2nd. By the 3rd or 4th the place was a ghost town, I actually wished there were more people in Pleasure Island. The Christmas decorations gradually came down over the first 5 days of our stay but we did get to see them. We caught a great break on the weather, half of our stay had highs in the mid 80s the rest in the mid 70s.

This was a while ago so things may have changed.

Bill From PA

 

[LizGirl]

We will be there with you! I rented points for 12/30-1/7 at SSR. Book soon - availability was limited when I booked two weeks ago!

We are in TX and are off that whole first week of January also. I know it will be crazy. We are passholders so we are typically fine doing partial days and fewer rides. We enjoy the ambiance and favorite foods . We also have family in Orlando so we take breaks to visit with them when it just gets too crazy. I think it can be fun if you adjust your expectations.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I used to go for the very first week in January-the school where I taught opened later than others, and it was a great time to go. Then, for the last two years, DH and I went for marathon weekend (yes, this year he was signed up for the half-marathon that didn't happen). Remember, I think next year, the half is on Saturday the 6th, the full marathon is Sunday the 7th. If this is her first WDW race, she'll love it-it's well-done and quite an experience, but NOT a race where you look to run a personal best.

 

[g-dub]

Yeah I think the race might be the clincher - my wife has always wanted to run a WDW race but never has - and this is the first time the schedule works out for all of us to be there during a race...

 

[rteetz]

I used to go for the very first week in January-the school where I taught opened later than others, and it was a great time to go. Then, for the last two years, DH and I went for marathon weekend (yes, this year he was signed up for the half-marathon that didn't happen). Remember, I think next year, the half is on Saturday the 6th, the full marathon is Sunday the 7th. If this is her first WDW race, she'll love it-it's well-done and quite an experience, but NOT a race where you look to run a personal best.

Agreed, runDisney races are one of a kind.

 

[DVC_Dad_Canada]

Just looking at our school calendars, the first day back is January 8th. Also, it's the 25th anniversary of runDisney marathon weekend from Jan 4th to the 7th.

So in other words, crazy crowded.

 

[HopperFan]

7-8 hours away, WDW is a very popular destination and we will have hundreds of thousands of kids out of school until Jan 8-9 next year. Add the marathon on a year where it's very doable for whole families to attend.

Yeah I think the race might be the clincher - my wife has always wanted to run a WDW race but never has - and this is the first time the schedule works out for all of us to be there during a race...

And for many others too.

I would go expecting big crowds, being flexible and if it's less then pixie dust.

 

[Willow1213]

Our school calendar in Metro ATL (at least our county) goes back on Thursday 1/4. They did a split week Thu-Thu (12/21 - 1/4) due to where the holiday fell.

 

[quandrea]

We will be there with friends that week. They are first timers and school is out. They head home Sunday January 7 but luckily we stay on til the 19th. I'm looking forward to watching the crowds clear out. I sure hope we manage to have a nice trip despite the crowds. Are we looking at phased closures, do we think?