MrsPete said:
January?
That's when the parks close at 6:00 instead of 12:00 midnight or later.
That's when they hold parades once or twice a week instead of twice per day.
That's when they hold fireworks only on Saturday nights instead of every night.
That's when it's too cold to take advantage of the water parks, the pools, and the water mice.
January is not for me and my family.
Yes, the parks have longer lines in the summer, but with planning you can avoid long waits. We use early entry then hop to another park after lunch, we go back to the hotel for mid-day, we take advantage of Fast Pass and e-ticket nights. In some ways it takes more effort, but we much prefer summer.
I'm not exactly sure which Walt Disney World you are thinking of -- but you're, of course, completely wrong. The WDW I'll be visiting in about 2 weeks will be a lot different than the one you visit in the heat of summer.
By going during the month of January when many others aren't able to go my family will take advantage of much smaller crowds than your family. With lighter crowds and the Unofficial Guide touring plans, we'll be waiting in line for a minimal amount of time and seeing so much more. We won't have to pick and choose between one attraction or another and we won't need to take the mid-day break because we won't be exhausted by the heat and the crowds.
With the new EMH we can stay in EPCOT until midnight on January 6 and at MK until 10pm on January 5. My family will have Illuminations, Wishes and Fantasmic every night of the week and we won't have to fight the crowds for seats at Fantasmic. Spectromagic will be wonderful -- regardless of whether we see it on January 6, 8 or 10. Add to that something called "The Lights of Winter" at EPCOT from January 1-9. You won't get that in August. Parades are each and every day -- once again, no crowds to push my daughter out of the way.
I was able to book a PS at Cindy's for the morning of Epiphany. I didn't get up early 90 days ahead of time. I didn't practice my number punching technique. I called at around 10:30 in the morning, got through on my first call, waited about 30 seconds before chatting with a WDW Dining CM and casually asked about a PS at Cindy's for January 6. No problem. I had my pick of the entire morning. Same for Princess Storybook Breakfast at EPCOT and same for Chef Mickey's -- "what time would you like?" they always asked me. Openings all morning. Try that in the summer months.
We aren't waterpark people ourselves, but the pools at the Disney Resorts are heated and Canadians in January won't mind anything above 60 degree F. Don't forget the nice hot tubs. Come on in! The water's fine!!
I'm sorry you think that WDW is no place to go in January. I think it's a much more valuable place anytime the crowd levels are nice and light -- and that isn't in the summer in Florida. My time is more valuable than wasting it by standing in line in the heat and humidity of Florida and risking hurricanes when I can be spending it basking in the warmth of a Canadian summer at the beach or in the woods.
