Last week of January 2020 Crowds

[prbkcc]

There are a few threads on January crowds, but I keep hearing from podcasts and other sources that January and February 2020 are going to be busy in the parks. Our trip is planned for Jan 26 - Feb 1st 2020, and I would like to know if any travel agents or anyone else in the know can comment on what the crowd levels are starting to look like with resort bookings, available rooms, etc. The latest discounts released don't seem to have much availability, combine that with rumors/comments on crowds are leading me to believe that the week we picked is unfortunately going to be very busy.

Thank you in advance,
Patrick

 

[WawaCoffee]

Can't comment on the last week of January (we come down the first weekend into the second week), but generally speaking the parks will always be busy to some degree. There are events planned throughout the year to fill any major downtime. My honest advice would be to just enjoy it.. especially if your trip is already planned.

 

[shbarrett]

Touring plans just reduced their crowd calendar levels for that week.

 

[DisFan2]

Yeah, I’m not sure what’s going on - trying to book a value (heck, maybe even a moderate) for the week of Friday, January 31 to Sunday, February 9 and the best I can do at a value resort (ASMu) is Feb 1 - 5. I’ve been checking several times every day for the last week, trying to add those missing days at something less than $200/night without success. I’ve noticed that there is/was a discount on rooms, so perhaps that and SWGE are having an impact....

 

[courtky]

I'm going the same exact dates as you and I was becoming a little concerned, especially after the special offer dropped and all the rooms were gone fast. From what I can tell, the crowd calendars only have one busier than average day that week and I think it was the Tuesday, can't remember off the top of my head. Fingers crossed it isn't too crazy.

 

[DisFan2]

I'm going the same exact dates as you and I was becoming a little concerned, especially after the special offer dropped and all the rooms were gone fast. From what I can tell, the crowd calendars only have one busier than average day that week and I think it was the Tuesday, can't remember off the top of my head. Fingers crossed it isn't too crazy.

Were you able to find a room? I may have to bite the bullet and stay - gasp!, off site. I just renewed my TouringPlans subscription after being completely underwhelmed by their performance at Disneyland in March of 2018 and WDW last October. I noticed the same thing about the crowds for next February - fingers crossed!

 

[CamperMouse]

Well, those are our dates too! Jan.26- Feb.2 This will be our first non holiday, non school vacation trip. Still hoping for lower crowds and cool temperatures.

 

[StarSeven7]

We've gone that same week several times, including this past year. It's definitely still crowded but not crazy. I would say crowds generally average around 6. Be careful what you wish for if you want cool temperatures - this past year we had quite a chilly week with many days of a high around 50 degrees!

 

[GrandMum]

There is a Field Hockey Showcase at WWOS Jan 31 to Feb 2. Lot of teams plus 100+ college coaches.

 

[PanamaMike]

Similar timeframe. I got two nights at AS Music for $85/night. Then I have to move to Pop Century for 3 nights ($165/night) and then the last four nights at AS Movies for $100/night.

 

[WEDWDW]

There is a Field Hockey Showcase at WWOS Jan 31 to Feb 2. Lot of teams plus 100+ college coaches.

Plus Jan/Feb is "secondary season" for The 15s.

 

[pannm]

Here is what I have been told. There are A LOT of sports teams, cheer activities and things going on. Most of those groups have filled the value resorts and don't effect the crowd levels at all. There will be thousands of people staying at the resorts, but large amounts of those people don't have park time.

Also, if you are using a discount package or deal to book a vacation with Disney...only so many of those deals are available at each resort. If you continue to just search for that deal rate, it will show that rooms are unavailable even when rooms are still available.

 

[ADisneyAgent]

one never knows for sure, but as a Travel Agent.. I have been booking a lot for Feb 22 week. That is the Northeast NH vacation time. So that is my take on it. The week before NH is the Massachusetts Feb Vacation time.

 

[GrandMum]

Here is what I have been told. There are A LOT of sports teams, cheer activities and things going on. Most of those groups have filled the value resorts and don't effect the crowd levels at all. There will be thousands of people staying at the resorts, but large amounts of those people don't have park time.

Also, if you are using a discount package or deal to book a vacation with Disney...only so many of those deals are available at each resort. If you continue to just search for that deal rate, it will show that rooms are unavailable even when rooms are still available.

My granddaughter's team is staying at the Coronado. The teams can't go to the parks until they are finished playing which is usually Sunday.

 

[focusondisney]

We stayed at POR Jan 29-Feb 2, 2018. It was the first time we went during that timeframe. I had read that week was “empty” the year before. The resort was full & the parks were definitely not empty. The food court was packed at breakfast everyday, families were walking around with trays of food looking for tables. We hadn’t stayed at POR in years, but It was busier than when we used to stay there in the end of August. I particularly noticed it did not seem to be tour or sports groups, but families.

This year, we were at YC Feb 3-9th. Again, the resort was full, but this is also a deluxe that books up with convention goers, so there are not as many families. The parks were moderately crowded again. I would say crowds levels were 5s- 7s both years. Headliners had typical long waits & we didn’t really experience any real walk ons, except the usual Tiki Room, Peoplemover, Muppets 3D, etc. Things like Spaceship Earth, Pirates & HM had waits well over 30 minutes without FP.

Certainly it isn’t holiday busy, but as PP said, there is always something going on to bring crowds in..... late Jan - early Feb now has the Arts Festival at Epcot. There are sports & cheer competitions many months of the year. And Disney now adjusts staffing based on info gathered from ADR & FP bookings. Expect & plan for moderate crowds at least & if you experience anything less, it will be a pleasant surprise.

 

[courtky]

Were you able to find a room? I may have to bite the bullet and stay - gasp!, off site. I just renewed my TouringPlans subscription after being completely underwhelmed by their performance at Disneyland in March of 2018 and WDW last October. I noticed the same thing about the crowds for next February - fingers crossed!

Yup! I've been booked since June this year. I was booked at All-Stars but switched to AoA last month. I wish I could have got the deal, though.