January 13-18 at Disneyland

[kiwitinkerbell]

Coming from New Zealand. What do you think the week January 13-18 will be like to visit Disneyland? Have read through the posts but would love your thoughts/tips.

 

[IAmDis]

It's not bad, but could be rainy and cold, or could be 80+. So Cal has been weird the last few years with weather, as it's harder to predict now in the Winter months. It used to be 70s all winter. Lately, the last few years, it's been rain on and off and a bit cold, for California standards.

As far as the parks go, crowds die down a bit after the Holiday season, so it's perfect to come out for 2-3 days to see and do everything.

However, do note, Jan-Mar are considered DL's off-season. So you will run into attractions that are closed for their yearly refurbs, so it's best to do as much planning and research as possible. Refurb calendars do change from time to time, so keep that in mind. Expect fireworks, Fantasmic and a few other outdoor shows to be down during these months. They try their best, but on average, these shows maybe go once a week, or are shut down altogether till later in the Spring.

But overall, it's a good time to come out and not feel the bustling crowds around you at all times - except DLR adds a ton of passholders during Christmas, so you'll always see an influx of locals that stream through the park on a daily basis.

It's a different era of DLR, as I remember as a kid, the park would close at 6pm during the weekdays and there was like nobody walking around in Jan months, ha... the days...

 

[dieumeye]

January is a great time to visit. As PP said, there could be rain, but even if it rains, it's usually not that bad, and all it does is thin out crowds even more. Or it could be blue sky and 72 degrees. You might hit some attractions down to remove holiday overlays (Haunted Mansion, Small World). Impossible to say exactly what crowds will be like with SW:GE opening this summer, and RotR opening at an unknown date later this year, but if you're looking for a potentially less crowded time to go, this is as good a week to pick as any.

 

[kiwitinkerbell]

Thanks very much for the replies. Have booked today! Now very excited

 

[theluckyrabbit]

As other posters have noted, be prepared for the non-peak schedule at DLR. That means shorter hours, lower staffing, more refurbs and construction/repairs in the parks, rides running at lower capacity (so lines can be longer, even with lower crowds), longer restaurant lines (due to lower staffing), less entertainment, nighttime entertainment on weekends only, etc. At that time in January, either HM or IASW will be down to remove the holiday overlays. (Both rides won't go down at the same time.) Plan your touring schedule accordingly. If you know in advance that you won't have the full peak schedule available and you are willng to be flexible about the hours and possible weather quirks, you'll be fine!

 

[gogirlgo]

Those are the dates we went this year! It was so much fun (it was also my bday, so there's that) - and probably our best trip in years. Sunday was the busiest of our days (Sun-Wed), but not nearly as a weekday during our usual summer trips.

We had light rain off/on and cooler temps. Even when it says it'll hit mid-70s, keep in mind that's for a short time when the sun is out. Mornings and late afternoon/evening can be chilly. We dressed in light layers, brought ponchos and rainboots (waterproofed Uggs for me), and it was perfect. We carried a backpack and also had a locker, so easy to quickchange with the weather.

The only bummer was HM was closed to remove its holiday overlay (huge sad face as it's my fave), but IASW was still a holiday bonanza, and we'd never see it dolled up. It was fantastic, like a completely different ride.

It was a great time to go!!

 

[Version 6]

I will be there at the same time (visiting from Sydney).

As others here have helpfully pointed out to me, just bear in mind that the NAMM Convention is on in Anaheim at that time, which people report brings big numbers to Anaheim (and affects the price and availability of hotels albeit not necessarily a dramatic impact on numbers in the parks).

Also, 20 January is MLK Day - so, that will likely have an impact in terms of crowds on the 18th and 19th.

The other thing to consider is that no one really knows when ROTR (the 2nd ride in Galaxy's Edge) will debut. If that happens to fall on or shortly prior to our dates, you can expect an impact there too.

I have no prior experience visiting at this time personally (prior recent visits were in April and August). Just passing on what I've learned from the very helpful folks here.

 

[Missknz]

I'm from Auckland and visited 2016 in January. We were there 10days and had some rain most days. However, only one day rivalled rain that we are used to in NZ. We loved visiting with cooler temperatures and spending all day in the park was doable with earlier closing. It does get cold in the evening - We had our Kathmandu puffers on hand every night. We swam once at the hotel as it really was chilly. Crowds were easily manageable if you know how to navigate FP etc. It was a magical time with lights etc. Highly recommend going in winter. Have an awesome trip.