Im in a dilemma and need opinions

[vin1215]

I am planning a trip for January 08 but heres my issue. I would like to go the 3-6 because I want to be there while most of the christmas decorations are up but I really want to avoid crowds, and I read that those dates will be busy. I am able to go the following week or even 2 weeks after but I am not sure what I should do. So do you guys thing it will be that busy during those dates or should I just got he folowing week or even 2 weeks later.

 

[DizneyNutz]

Because we have never stayed there in January, but wanted to let you know that the Disney Marathon is Jan. 10th - 13th so that week will probably be busy. I have friends who did this last year and advised the marathon attendance is constantly growing.

 

[jenseib]

I think if schools are still out then that will week will be still REALLY busy. I would go a bit later, but not over Martin Luther King day either. I think I heard that weekend gets busy as well.

 

[DeeDeeDis]

We are going Dec 30th to Jan 4 and are Planning on it being PACKED!! we are going more for the company, there are 20 in our party and sounds like about a million other people then the rides.

We are frequent visitors so if the lines are really long for any ride we will just skip it cuz we know we will be back within the next 6 months.

If we didn't visit as often as we do, i would never go this close to any major holiday. If I was you i would go later in January.

Yes your'll miss the christmas decorations but that will just force you to have to plan another trip anytime between the week immediately after Thanksgiving to about the 15th of December - all the Holiday Events and decorations without most of the people.

 

[Sandi]

I think it will be busy then because most schools are out until January 7. If there is any way you can go in early to mid-December, that is a slow time and all of the decorations are in full bloom.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[HopperFan]

Because we have never stayed there in January, but wanted to let you know that the Disney Marathon is Jan. 10th - 13th so that week will probably be busy. I have friends who did this last year and advised the marathon attendance is constantly growing.

Marathon is growing because they split it into two days hence increasing the number of runners.........BUT.......I do believe the reason it has gotten so crowded at WDW that week is because the last three years it has been the first weekend in January and you still have carryover from all of us that were out of school through the 7th or 8th. We would head down for a week of fun, then run, then head home. A perfect example is last year the Family 5k sold out in the summer. We totally missed doing it because it went so fast. This year the race is the next weekend after the last of us return to school. The last time I checked a few weeks back the 5k was still available for registration. That tells you that the runners are coming to the race, but the families are not coming. Can't pull them out when they just went back. It's fine if you can do a two trip in one........but if not, I think you will find it to be what we did a few years back........drive in Thursday, Race packet Rest Eat and Bed on Friday, RUN, maybe a park for a few hours.........and home.

Having been the last few years, and having experienced the first week of Jan .....we are not returning this year because the increasing crowds made it not worth it to us.........I would chose to go the next week and have it all to myself. Many people have no choice but to travel the holiday break. If you have a choice.....I wouldn't do it. Less crowds would be so much more enjoyable to me than getting to see the decorations..............other option is mid December as someone said.

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

i thought my sil and family told us that like the day after new years when they got to the parks all the decorations were down . that was a few years ago , so im not sure. she said there one day and gone the next............

 

[ccigliano]

I thought I read a post here on the Disboards saying that the decorations are only up for the first couple of days in January. By the time you get there on the 3rd - its sounds to me like they'd be down already. Save yourself some aggrevation and go in the middle of January when things cool down a bit.

 

[dunbarfamily]

I know that the Marathon time is busy, but how is it the week after it? We'll be there the 17-22 after a 4 night DCL cruise.

Hoping it won't be busy!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Christmas decorations usually come down around the Marathon time.