***January 2022 Thread*** - Kicking Off 2022 with WDW!

[DaniellePoppins]

Anyone hear anything about ride closures and refurbishments going on in January? I know Everest will be closed until April. I'm super bummed about that. Not the biggest AK fan, so I didn't go the last trip since Pandora was newly opened and I didn't want to deal with those crowds, but I plan on going this trip and I'm sad to miss that. I know the water parks are usually closed in the winter at some point, not worried about that. Last time I was down in January it was in the 40s two of the days which is not swimming weather lol. I am curious if Splash will be down at any point. (It used to get closed in January for cleaning all the time.) I know it seems like the remodel on that is a ways off. I'm guessing that's not even on the table until other major construction like Tron is complete.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I find All Ears to be a good resource for this information as personally, I find it difficult to find on the Disney website. (If anyone has a link to the info on the Disney website or a recommendation how to easily find it, I'd greatly appreciate learning from you!)

https://allears.net/closures/walt-d...park_id=0&sort_order=0&button=Update+Results#

So far, it only appears to be Expedition Everest as you shared @DaniellePoppins

 

[DaniellePoppins]

I'll be very happy if not much is closed in January. And finger crossed by September when I go back Tron and the railroad is open. I will miss the railroad on this trip. Sometimes its nice to just take a ride around the whole park when you want a break instead of just sitting on a bench. And of course those times when you're in frontier and need to get back to main street and the feet are on the tired side its nice to catch a ride.

What's everyone's plans for magic bands (if you're still getting them)? I would love to have one of the new interactive ones, but I'm not sure when they'll actually be available and I'm guessing it won't be in time for my January trip. I'm not sure when to put in my order for it. I was under the impression you picked them up when you arrived at the hotel, but then elsewhere on the boards I saw they still ship them to you. I'm waiting to put in that order until closer to when my final payment is due. I need to make a slight change to my reservation to add another park day and Genie+ whenever that's announced. Plus it doesn't hurt to wait to pay if there might be some discounts coming for January.

 

[disney-inspired]

I'll be very happy if not much is closed in January. And finger crossed by September when I go back Tron and the railroad is open. I will miss the railroad on this trip. Sometimes its nice to just take a ride around the whole park when you want a break instead of just sitting on a bench. And of course those times when you're in frontier and need to get back to main street and the feet are on the tired side its nice to catch a ride.

What's everyone's plans for magic bands (if you're still getting them)? I would love to have one of the new interactive ones, but I'm not sure when they'll actually be available and I'm guessing it won't be in time for my January trip. I'm not sure when to put in my order for it. I was under the impression you picked them up when you arrived at the hotel, but then elsewhere on the boards I saw they still ship them to you. I'm waiting to put in that order until closer to when my final payment is due. I need to make a slight change to my reservation to add another park day and Genie+ whenever that's announced. Plus it doesn't hurt to wait to pay if there might be some discounts coming for January.

I purchased a magic band for my trip this year but the 50th anniversary ones are so cute! And since I can't use my apple watch to open my room, I'll probably wear both while I'm there.

 

[DaniellePoppins]

I purchased a magic band for my trip this year but the 50th anniversary ones are so cute! And since I can't use my apple watch to open my room, I'll probably wear both while I'm there.

Yeah I don't get that at all. Either the watch should be able to do everything (ie having a MDE app on the watch itself) or don't even bother having it at all and just do magic bands. Limited functionality doesn't really work unless you're an AP pass holder and just have your ticket on there and use the watch wallet feature. It would be far more useful to have the watch do room opening, ticket entrance, wallet, and send you notifications for your Lightening Lane reservation times when that becomes available. Unless that's something the plan to integrate when Genie rolls out , it seems like magic bands are still the way to go. Although with the likely bugs that happen with Disney technology I wouldn't hold my breath.

@disney-inspired Did you already get your bands in the mail? I was reading a lot of people said theirs are taking forever to arrive. I know I have plenty of time, but I don't want to leave it to chance.

 

[disney-inspired]

Yeah I don't get that at all. Either the watch should be able to do everything (ie having a MDE app on the watch itself) or don't even bother having it at all and just do magic bands. Limited functionality doesn't really work unless you're an AP pass holder and just have your ticket on there and use the watch wallet feature. It would be far more useful to have the watch do room opening, ticket entrance, wallet, and send you notifications for your Lightening Lane reservation times when that becomes available. Unless that's something the plan to integrate when Genie rolls out , it seems like magic bands are still the way to go. Although with the likely bugs that happen with Disney technology I wouldn't hold my breath.

@disney-inspired Did you already get your bands in the mail? I was reading a lot of people said theirs are taking forever to arrive. I know I have plenty of time, but I don't want to leave it to chance.

I went back in May and don't recall when they were delivered.

 

[Wishfuiiy]

every time i go to disney, the railroad has been closed which is now a hilarious joke with my family.

 

[disney-inspired]

Disney Genie Launching Oct. 19 at Walt Disney World Resort: Create Your Best Disney Day

BREAKING: PRICES Revealed for Pay-Per-Ride Attractions in Disney World

Big news day!

 

[tinabina919]

every time i go to disney, the railroad has been closed which is now a hilarious joke with my family.

This is the same for us with the MK Riverboat!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thankful there will be a few months of Genie-pigs sharing their thoughts and experiences with us prior to our trip. Thankful to all those who will be taking this new offer a spin for us!

 

[DaniellePoppins]

Yes I'm glad there will be plenty of people to give pov and experiences with Genie before I get there. I probably will add it to my trip since it does look like January may be on the busy side, but I'm going to hold off on adding it to my September trip until after I get back. September so far looks to be a lot less crowded and I want first hand experience to decide if its worth it to add.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

We are booked for the 2nd half of Jan 2022 at AKV Jambo. Staying 10 nights. Since Everest will be down, we will head to Universal for a day.

 

[MickeynMinnie]

I'm jumping on the January trip train! We just booked Jan 15th-22nd at All Star Movies!! I'm so excited and can't wait!! It's my first trip back since April 2019. It's been way to long! I'm so ready to go back!! Waiting on some room discounts! Look out Disney here we come!!!

 

[disney-inspired]

Looking at Mousesavers historical discounts chart, they released the Jan - early April 2021 hotel room only discounts on 10/21/20. If they stay on track, then we should hopefully have the discounts for 2022 in 10 days!

 

[EmilyGahr]

Ugh - I'm so impatient over here for discounts!
Military room discounts are usually released end of September, that's what we were waiting for, but at this point I'll take anything!

 

[MickeynMinnie]

Ugh - I'm so impatient over here for discounts!
Military room discounts are usually released end of September, that's what we were waiting for, but at this point I'll take anything!

Me too!! I keep checking! Our flight just went down this morning so that’s a plus!

 

[nurseberta]

We are booked for the 2nd half of Jan 2022 at AKV Jambo. Staying 10 nights. Since Everest will be down, we will head to Universal for a day.

I am considering this. will you do park to park? Is it possible to do a lot for only 10am-6pm park hours? I am so disappointed that we are losing Everest. last time I was there we got rained out of AK!!!!

Looking at Mousesavers historical discounts chart, they released the Jan - early April 2021 hotel room only discounts on 10/21/20. If they stay on track, then we should hopefully have the discounts for 2022 in 10 days!

I am dying waiting!!!!

 

[nurseberta]

I have to ask because I have never stayed in January. Do the parks really close that early. AK at 5? HS 8? please tell me Epcot is at least open until 9. what do you fill the nights with? We have a Disney Springs night planned but do I need to book shows and bowling. what is January like in the evening?

 

[scrappinginontario]

I have to ask because I have never stayed in January. Do the parks really close that early. AK at 5? HS 8? please tell me Epcot is at least open until 9. what do you fill the nights with? We have a Disney Springs night planned but do I need to book shows and bowling. what is January like in the evening?

If you have a TP subscription you can look back at historical hours over the years. You may wish to look at both 2019 and 2020 to get a better idea.

 

[MrsSLF]

I have to ask because I have never stayed in January. Do the parks really close that early. AK at 5? HS 8? please tell me Epcot is at least open until 9. what do you fill the nights with? We have a Disney Springs night planned but do I need to book shows and bowling. what is January like in the evening?

I remember that when we went in January 2020 the hours were probably one of the only downsides, for us at least, of that trip. The lack of humidity, comfortable temperatures, and lower crowds (we didn’t go during a holiday weekend and aren’t this time around, either) made up for it. We also got to do an awesome after hours event at Animal Kingdom that was icing on the cake—-here’s hoping for more of that to return.