Going Jan. 1st-8th: What can we expect?

[Sweet_Thing]

Hello there

My DH, DD, DS and I are going to WDW Jan. 1st until the 8th. I have read here that it is pretty busy the first week...is it really bad? We normally go from Jan. 8-15th, but that wasn't possible this time, and everytime we have gone it has been great, very LOW crowds!

So what can we expect? Anyone with advice, please let us know and thank you so very much for the insight!

 

[sam_b]

Hi,

We went to WDW Jan 2nd a few years ago and I seem to recall that crowd levels were fine. We are used to going out of season (mid Jan or Nov) so I think that I would remember if we had to queue more.
I do remember that we had frost one morning and had to buy fleeces!

Have a great time.

 

[Beejayjay]

My crew and I were in Orlando this past January (from Boxing Day thru Jan 11th).

I used to visit in late September, October and February when I was a single guy (but with the family now, that necessitated the visit during school Hols), so like you I'm used to quiet parks with short queues.

(By the by, being on the "beach" at Blizzard Beach on New Years Eve in 82 degrees was almost surreal ! Fantastic, but just not the New Years Eve we're used to. But I digress...)

The week between Chrimbo and New Year was mentally busy - we went to Magic Kingdom on Dec 30th, by the evening the queue for Mission Space was nearly 3.5 hours !! Thank god we got our Fast passes early, there was even a huge queue for those...

However, after the exodus back to work began around Jan 2, that changed radically, and wait times were not much worse than in most off peak times. A few 30, 40 minute waits but as I recall that was only for newer stuff like Fantasmic etc. You should be just fine.

Even if for some reason you find it a bit busier, a little judicious planning - ie weeding out the rides you know you don't want to do again - should mean you still easily get to do all you want. A visit to one of the numerous leaflet displays in hotels and shops, for park maps and event time sheets, is job one...

Hope this helps

 

[fizz13]

We went 3 years ago from jan5 to jan 19 and the parks were weird quiet all day and then hundreds of people seemed to appear for evening things (Illuminations, Fantasmic) which I suppose shows how good the parks can be at spreading people out. This year we go on New Years Day (Saturday) and I'm hoping by Monday people should be back at work/school. (This is what I've been told anyway). We won't hit WDW parks till then and planning Seaworld for Jan 2. I think if you get in the park early, get the first FP for your must-do big draw ride and line up for the next one you'll be doing fine.
BTW we went to Wet n Wild the first week and had the park to ourselves as Florida was having a "cold" January. It felt like summer to us. Oh and definately hit the parks when its raining. Most of the rides are inside and the crowds clear away in the rain. Enjoy free reign through the park.
Much pixie dust,
Claire

 

[Sweet_Thing]

Thank you so much everyone, I appreciate it!!!