January trip 4 1/2 park days, which parks?

[tulabelle]

Planning trip for the end of January for our family with 2 kids ages 7 and 9 at time of trip. DD loves characters, DS loves rides so we will be trying our best to do as much of both as possible. DD and I had a short trip 4 years ago pretty much to meet the princesses. We did not plan ahead and were there over President's Day weekend, so we weren't able to do as much as we should have been able to do while there. Since January will hopefully have much lower crowds, I am not sure how to portion out our park days.

Flight will arrive around noon so we will have a partial day then but not sure if we should do a park since it will be a very early flight for us that morning.

We will be staying 5 nights so will have 4 full park days.

Then leaving for the beach so not sure if we should do a partial park morning or just leave for the beach after checking out.

Any advice on park days? My initial thought are to head to MK after arriving for dinner, so see the castle, and do a couple characters or rides with an early bed time.

Would you then have a full day at each park or would you get hoppers to have 2 full MK days, 1 Epcot, and combine AK/HS? Or some other combination?

 

[2Gma]

First I would recommend looking at a crowd calendar on easywdw or undercover tourist (both free) to get an idea of what the "best days" are for each park as you will be able to get more accomplished at a "recommended park." What type of touring does your family like to do? early risers/stay late? With that short of timeframe I am not sure I would pay the extra to get hoppers and waste park touring time with traveling in between the parks unless you plan to do half day AK/ half day DHS. I do feel there is enough to see at each of those for about 8 hours if you haven't been before. I guess I would consider doing 2 days at MK where there is the most to do, 1 day at Epcot and 1 day at either AK or DHS. I would ask your kids (if it isn't a surprise for them) what they would most like to see/do and then decide how you can best accomplish that at each park. I know making a plan for vacation sounds silly but honestly when we go with a "loose plan" or even a very detailed one we tend to get more done rather than just walk around deciding what to do next and have to crisscross the park.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I'd do

2 days MK
1 day EP
1 day DHS
1/2 day AK

 

[tulabelle]

First I would recommend looking at a crowd calendar on easywdw or undercover tourist (both free) to get an idea of what the "best days" are for each park as you will be able to get more accomplished at a "recommended park." What type of touring does your family like to do? early risers/stay late? With that short of timeframe I am not sure I would pay the extra to get hoppers and waste park touring time with traveling in between the parks unless you plan to do half day AK/ half day DHS. I do feel there is enough to see at each of those for about 8 hours if you haven't been before. I guess I would consider doing 2 days at MK where there is the most to do, 1 day at Epcot and 1 day at either AK or DHS. I would ask your kids (if it isn't a surprise for them) what they would most like to see/do and then decide how you can best accomplish that at each park. I know making a plan for vacation sounds silly but honestly when we go with a "loose plan" or even a very detailed one we tend to get more done rather than just walk around deciding what to do next and have to crisscross the park.

Thank you for the recommendations!

We definitely will make a more detailed plan this time around, made that mistake last time and wasted so much time!

Kids and I are early risers so we are planning to be there at rope drop daily. We would like to be at MK one evening later to go on some rides later plus Wishes.

 

[tulabelle]

I'd do

2 days MK
1 day EP
1 day DHS
1/2 day AK

Thank you for your opinion!

 

[clr055]

I am also planning a late January trip (20-28). Park hours should be released at the end of this month and then the crowd calendars will become more accurate. This will also give you the firework/parade schedules so you can really hone in on where you want to be... not to mention getting those ADR's set. Lets pray for some lovely 70 degree weather and no tour groups!

 

[tink9702]

I wouldn't bother with Park Hoppers for that short of a trip. Since neither child is that into shows I'd do the following:

1/2 day at DHS on arrival day to do rides & characters, hit Characterpolooza for sure, FP+ for TSMM, Star Tours & ToT and wait in line for RnRC if they are tall enough, Quick service dinner
2 days at MK
1 day at Epcot
1 day at AK


OR -
1/2 day at AK on arrival day, FP+ for Everest, Dinosaur & either character spot or Primeval whirl if tall enough
2 days MK
1 day Epcot
1 day DHS

I'd just start figuring out which day you want as the 1/2 day by jotting down what you want to see at AK or DHS and which will take longer make the full day.

 

[tulabelle]

I am also planning a late January trip (20-28). Park hours should be released at the end of this month and then the crowd calendars will become more accurate. This will also give you the firework/parade schedules so you can really hone in on where you want to be... not to mention getting those ADR's set. Lets pray for some lovely 70 degree weather and no tour groups!

Thank you. I will be watching for the hours and calendars.

Haha, yes I agree, I will take 70 without the big tour groups!

 

[tulabelle]

I wouldn't bother with Park Hoppers for that short of a trip. Since neither child is that into shows I'd do the following:

1/2 day at DHS on arrival day to do rides & characters, hit Characterpolooza for sure, FP+ for TSMM, Star Tours & ToT and wait in line for RnRC if they are tall enough, Quick service dinner
2 days at MK
1 day at Epcot
1 day at AK


OR -
1/2 day at AK on arrival day, FP+ for Everest, Dinosaur & either character spot or Primeval whirl if tall enough
2 days MK
1 day Epcot
1 day DHS

I'd just start figuring out which day you want as the 1/2 day by jotting down what you want to see at AK or DHS and which will take longer make the full day.

Thank you for your advice.

Shows aren't their 1st choice but they would enjoy them if I am able to figure out timing to include them, especially DD.

 

[Jeannie in NJ]

my children were the same ages as yours for their first trip to WDW. We were there for 4 full days , no park hoppers, spent a day in each park. My dd, age 9 at the time, loved the countries in Epcot the best and my son, age 7 at the time, was crazy about the Indiana Jones Stunt show, he went and met all the actors afterwards and was the happiest little boy to meet them. Neither of them , then, or on later visits have been interested in meeting the characters so we never had to worry about working that in on our visits to the parks. Other than the characters, we were able to do everything they wanted to in the 4 days, including swimming in the pool late at night (first trip was in Oct. so plenty warm, however our last trip was in Jan. and it was warm enough then to go in the pool, but another Jan. visit we froze.)

 

[Lucius Best]

We've been several times late January, it is a good time to go crowd-wise. Note that it's only $10 to upgrade a 4-day ticket to a 5-day ticket (and another $10 to make it a 6-day ticket). One of the advantages of FP+ is being able to go to a park on arrival day and having 3 FP waiting for you. Rides are shortest in the morning, so you could easily swing through a park early on last day before heading to the beach. For a short trip like yours with kids, I don't think you need park hoppers. I would go heavy on MK in schedule, and alternate long days (Epcot, MK) with short days (AK, HS), depending on park hours, EMH, recommended days, etc. Recently we've decided to try to avoid HS (not enough rides) and MK (very popular) on weekends. In January, crowds will be heavier on the weekends. At Epcot, there is more room to spread out into the World Showcase in the afternoon, and AK has trails and shows that don't make weekend seem as bad.

Day 1: arrival, MK in afternoon
Day 2: HS/AK
Day 3: Epcot
Day 4: MK
Day 5: AK/HS
Day 6: MK rope drop for few hours before leaving (MK or kids favorite park)

 

[tulabelle]

my children were the same ages as yours for their first trip to WDW. We were there for 4 full days , no park hoppers, spent a day in each park. My dd, age 9 at the time, loved the countries in Epcot the best and my son, age 7 at the time, was crazy about the Indiana Jones Stunt show, he went and met all the actors afterwards and was the happiest little boy to meet them. Neither of them , then, or on later visits have been interested in meeting the characters so we never had to worry about working that in on our visits to the parks. Other than the characters, we were able to do everything they wanted to in the 4 days, including swimming in the pool late at night (first trip was in Oct. so plenty warm, however our last trip was in Jan. and it was warm enough then to go in the pool, but another Jan. visit we froze.)

We've been several times late January, it is a good time to go crowd-wise. Note that it's only $10 to upgrade a 4-day ticket to a 5-day ticket (and another $10 to make it a 6-day ticket). One of the advantages of FP+ is being able to go to a park on arrival day and having 3 FP waiting for you. Rides are shortest in the morning, so you could easily swing through a park early on last day before heading to the beach. For a short trip like yours with kids, I don't think you need park hoppers. I would go heavy on MK in schedule, and alternate long days (Epcot, MK) with short days (AK, HS), depending on park hours, EMH, recommended days, etc. Recently we've decided to try to avoid HS (not enough rides) and MK (very popular) on weekends. In January, crowds will be heavier on the weekends. At Epcot, there is more room to spread out into the World Showcase in the afternoon, and AK has trails and shows that don't make weekend seem as bad.

Day 1: arrival, MK in afternoon
Day 2: HS/AK
Day 3: Epcot
Day 4: MK
Day 5: AK/HS
Day 6: MK rope drop for few hours before leaving (MK or kids favorite park)

Very helpful, thank you both!

 

[jcemom]

When I help someone plan, I start by going over every single attraction in each park and making a list of their must-do stuff, would like to do stuff, and leave off the stuff they just aren't interested in. That helps a LOT with deciding how much time to give to each park. Everyone has different tastes, different likes and dislikes.

Once you know which park gets the half day (or half days, as you do have arrival day and departure day, and an extra ticket doesn't cost much once you're buying five day passes anyway). You don't want to totally exhaust everyone, but generally the parks close fairly early in January, so you won't likely have very late nights, which will help. Plus, the cooler temperatures make a huge difference.

I usually recommend AK on arrival day, as long as you can be there early enough to get a few hours in before the park closes. It helps resist the temptation to stay too late on arrival day because the park closes around 5:00. (Even though I know better, I have stayed at MK until midnight on arrival day when we had a really early flight and it was horrible the next morning lol.)

Your four full days could then be DHS, Epcot, and two days at MK. Your last morning could be a return to hit something you missed, or do your favorites again.

Your must-do list might look a lot different than mine though.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

everything depends on which park you like. For July I have a 5 day park hopper pass (thinking of adding a sixth day). My five days right now are scheduled so I will have each park one day with the fifth date to be split between MK and Epcot. I may go to Epcot a few days at the end to eat there. But I am thinking of doing a sixth day and doing a second full day at both MK and Epcot. Also going to Universal three days.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

Question as well, when in January? If you go over MLK Jr. Birthday, you will run into high crowds. Otherwise crowds should be light.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

I'd do

2 days MK
1 day EP
1 day DHS
1/2 day AK

Especially with children I would also do this.