Has anyone gone in January?

[sjams]

I am sure there is someone out there who has gone in January. I am thinking of planning a 'surprise girl's only' trip for me and my dd(8) for Jan 12-16th..
How is the weather? Would this be a good or bad time to go?
I can't get good rates past Feb 15 for either plane or resort so that is why I am planning on this time...
Any HELP would be appreciated!!!

 

[fiveacesmmb]

I went in 2001 from Jan. 15th-25th. It was awesome. The weather was 80 degrees for maybe half the time and around 60 the other half. But there was no one there!!! Longest we waited for anything was Dumbo at 10 minutes. When we went to MGM we were the only ones on certain streets. I would go back during January again if given the opportunity. Enjoy!!!

 

[Bob P]

Mid-January is a great time to avoid crowds. Downside is that the weather is completely unpredictable. You could have days in the 80s with cool nights, or you could have mornings near freezing with highs near 50. You'll need to pack everything you own!

Bob

 

[DVCJEN]

We go nearly every year in January. The weather can be a little tricky--sometimes as low as the 50s on occasion as high as 80. But you can't beat the light crowds. You will be amazed how much you can get done before noon in the parks! ( Marathon weekend tends to be a little busier, but not unmanageable.) Go for it. You won't be sorry.

 

[goofydad621]

Was there Jan 2005 for nine nights

Highs around 75 lows one morning in 30's bring something warm!!

Let me say that we had the time of our life in Jan but we are from New Hampshire so for us we were having record cold and then a blizzard at home while we were at disney, we also planned for it and had warm clothes with us. At home in Jan if the water ain't hard enough to walk on and fish thru then it is swimable so we still hit the pools, the pools were all heated to about 82° anyway.

My inlaws came to visit us from Key West and they froze. Best thign we had were those little stretchy cotton gloves for 99 cents a pair from walmart, kept are hands from being cold.

If you don't mind tour cool it was great low or no lines etc. Be forwarned that Jan. is prime time for shut downs and rehabs so check the rehab list often and break the news to your daughter early if some of her dream rides are not operating.

This was my DD first trip she is 7 and there was no Dumbo, no Small world, and one other she really wanted to ride but couldn't but she did great with it but we talked about it long before we got there so no let down shock.

Go bundle up for night and enjoy the no line touring

Dave Dionne

 

[Gluman11]

We actually prefer January.................minimal crowds makes up for any "unpredictable" weather that may surface................

In our many trips to Orlando in Jan., we've only experienced one or 2 days where we actually went to a park and said, "Man, I should have brought a sweatshirt"...........nights are "cool" but days are great.................Most of the time........

 

[wendypooh]

See my sig.......... we always go at this time of the year. It is a great time to go.......... I agree, the weather can be tricky. Last year the first 6 days was gorgeous, in the 80's, we even swam in the pool at night after the parks closed......... but on the last day.......... YIKES, it was downright COLD, in the morning we wore sweatshirts, and we were fine, it warmed up during the day, but for the fireworks that night......... brrrrr, sweatshirts back on!!!!


Only 4 more months for us............. I can hardly wait!!!!

 

[chrismb22]

We went in January 1997 (last week of Jan/First week of Feb) and it was great crowd wise but it was FREEZING!! Granted, everyone said it was a fluke but I'll never forget it was me and my best friend. We left for the park one morning in sweatshirts/t-shirts under that and shorts and figured it would be cold for an hour or so and then warm up. Uh-uh. We had to go back to the room and I swear she put on everything she had in her suitcase. It was the funniest thing. I have never seen one woman with so many clothes in. I belive just on her legs she had pajama bottoms, stockings, jeans and then sweats on top of her jeans. She had a t-shirt, a flannel pj top, a sweatshirt and her jacket. We didn't have coats or that would have solved all our problems.

I remember having a fit everytime she had a soda or coffee -- cause then she would have to stop in the ladies room which took an hour just to take some of those clothes off!!

 

[dyna]

We went the 1st full week of Jan one year a few years ago it was GREAT!!!!!

Packed half winter and half cooler clothes used it all at some point thru out the week including our winter coats and gloves while watching Illuminations. Did laundry halfway thru the stay.

NO crowds loved it!!!!!!

 

[shellybaxter]

We went from Jan 5 to the 19th this year. The weather was nice, but a bit cold some of the time. I was glad we had jackets for the boat ride to the WL one evening. The crowd levels were really good, except for MLK weekend. It was MLK day on Monday and the largest convention in Orlando history - the International Builders Show started on Thrusday or Friday. That Thrusday the WL became extremely full - people everywhere and MK was PACKED the whole time. We went on Saturday because it was our friend's last day and they wanted to do a couple of MK things. By noon Peter Pan was posted at an 85 min wait. We also went over to Epcot that day though and everything was like it had been the rest of our trip - really uncrowded.

It didn't effect us that much, because we'd already been there a week and a half. But if that was the only weekend I was going, I wouldn't have been happy.

Shelly

 

[shellybaxter]

Just a PS to my last post

I looked it up and the International Builders Show is January 11 - 14 this year in Orlando just as it was last year. Last year they had a special after hours party at the Magic Kingdom. Didn't see if they were having one this year.

Shelly

 

[sjams]

ShellyBaxter,
I am thinking of the 12th-16th..leaving on MLK day. Am I making a HUGE mistake going then?

 

[MickeyMouseGal]

I'm a January veteran! I've lost track, but it's been something like 7 trips in January in the last 10 years. Like everyone else has said, crowds are tiny but the weather can be a bit iffy. I spend a lot of time on intellicast.com and local6.com, etc. the week before the trip so I can decide what will make the 'final cut' on the wardrobe for the week. It can literally go from low 80's to mid 60's for daytime highs from one day to the next. The only thing that I don't like is that it gets dark so early, (although it's more time to marvel at the Magic Kingdom at night) but the parks close early as well. I'm curious to see how the EMH will change this!

 

[shellybaxter]

ShellyBaxter,
I am thinking of the 12th-16th..leaving on MLK day. Am I making a HUGE mistake going then?

I think if that's the time you can go to Disney, you should go then. Get to Magic Kingdom early and hope to another park when it gets too busy. Know that there could be more people than normal because of the convention. There attendance figures for last year show 104,000 people. The news down there showed major traffic problems by the convention center. But obviously not all those people will come to Disney. Four of the hotels listed on their site as "convention hotels" are Disney hotels - GF, Poly, POR, POFQ.

If you can go another time I'd choose to do that. If you can't, then I'd go anyway and just plan for some crowds

Shelly