First Week of January

[mikey53]

We are thinking of visiting WDW with my wife's sister and her family from Australia during the first week of January (arriving Jan. 1). What are the crowds like then? What kind of day time/night time temperatures can we expect? Will the kids be able to swim? What would the park hours be during this time? Any info/advice from expereinced forums members would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Disney Gator]

Don't count on being able to swim, chances are it will be cold. It's possible you'll get a warm day, the weather is unpredictable here, but most likely it will be cold. January is when the temperature drops, especially at night. Might get a warm day though. You can expect 30's to 40's at night, 50's, 60's, maybe 70's during the day.

Crowds will be busy on the 1st and 2nd for sure, but you'll be amazed at the drop off around the 3rd and 4th. The time between New Years and the MLK weekend is one of the least crowded times. It's a good time to go, just be prepared to dress warmly at night.

 

[Bob P]

Hi Mikey,

Here is link to historical park hours for the last few years so you can see for general guidance:

http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/calendar/historical/archive/default.asp


Good luck,

Bob

 

[drusba]

Jan 1 and Jan 2 will be hugely crowded days. Jan 1 will still have close to Christmas time hours (MK to 11, MGM to 10 or 11) and Jan 2 may see the same or drop somewhat (in 2005, despite what that site provided above shows, MK and MGM both went very late on Jan 2--MK went to 11 and MGM went to 10 and then had extra magic hours until 1). On Jan 3, MK and MGM hours will fall to the 8 p.m. closing time (Epcot is always 9, and AK will fall from about 7 to 6 or 5). Crowds will drop significantly on the 3rd and then more on the 4th and remain at a steady pace thereafter with moderately heavy crowds (popular rides, like the mountains, can still accumulate 45 minute to an hour lines but that does not exist all day; most other things have fairly short lines)

Weather varies to extremes. They publish an average temperature (something like high 60's) but that time of year is seldom "average." In 2005, it was high 70's to mid 80's the entire week and there was almost no rain all week, and people flocked the pools. Evenings were very pleasant -- light jacket was needed some of the nights. When we did it in 2003, temperature was in the low 60's daily and a couple days it was only in the mid-50's and nights were cold (low 40's and down into the 30's) and virtually no one did the pools.

To determine likely temperature, go and look at what is happening in Chicago, Illinois about 3 to 4 days after Christmas. If there is a huge cold front moving into Chicago out of the artic at that time, then it will be cold at WDW about 3 days later because those fronts move right on down to the southeast and finish off in Florida. If it is in the high 20's to 30's in Chicago and no artic cold front moving through, then WDW will likely be warm.

 

[clori]

wrong place deleted

 

[Bob P]

Clori,

We did the marathon in 2004 and despite the additional 25,000 participants (and their families in many cases) that weekend, I have never seen the parks so empty. Pretty much everything was a walk-on.

I think you will find it a little more crowded, but still manageable, on MLK weekend.

Good luck,

Bob

 

[Harambe]

We were there for the 1999/2000 New Years. The weekend after the New Year, crowds dropped off sharply. We walked on everything. Yes the parks close early, but you get a lot done during the day.

The weather for that trip was high seventies every day for a week - no rain. HOWEVER - we went a few Januarys ago during MLK weekend - crowds were a bit more, but very managable. The weather was freezing! We had to go back to our resort on two different nights, because it was way too cold, and I refused to buy everyone sweatshirts! LOL! DD got a new sweatshirt one morning at AK because it was freezing and she didn't bring anything with her!

 

[2Xited4Disney]

In our trip Jan 7th-14th It was amazing weather... high 70's during the day and low 50's at night

MK- Did every attraction
EPCOT- Whole world showcase ate there 4 nights (every ride twice)
MGM- Everything except Little mermaid and the other thing across from it
AK- Everything (Kali Twice)
Plus a day of boating

The parks are completely empty... but the hours counter act it.... We went to Pleasure Island DTD and boardwalk at night with the extra time!

 

[alloyd1170]

A lot depends on when New Years falls and when kids head back to school. We arrived on the 2nd this year after a cruise and it was still busy on the 2 & 3. We left the 4th, but heard it started to taper off then. I think the FL kids headed back to school on the 5th. The nice thing was that some of the Christmas decorations were still up on the 2nd (Osbornes, etc), but they started coming down the next day.

We had some warm days, but it was cool at night. Keep in mind also that as the slow season kicks in, more attractions are closed to do renovations. Pools might be closed too for cleaning. Park hours are shorter too.

alison

 

[Princess Mommy]

We have gone twice in Jan (usually closer to the middle of Jan though) and the weather has been cold and 40's some days and others warm and 70's. And quite honestly, neither trip did it rain during the day.
So, no swimming- but no lines either!

 

[BeckWhy]

I can't remember which day we arrives (either 3rd thru 6th).

But the least amount of people there I ever saw. The longest wait we had was for the House of Innoventions (20 min). Everything else was pretty much walk on. We got a chance to ride every ride and see every show.

It was cold, very cold. 30s and 40s in the mornings, maxed at about mid 50s. But the year before my sister's friend went and it was in the 80s. It's not a bad time to go, the cold didn't bother me. But just make sure you bring hats and gloves.