Late January Guidance

[Dchef]

We are planning a trip in January and after looking through SO MANY books and thoroughly reading them through, I am not sure that I know anymore than when I started. But I know I get what I need here so can you help?

I have no idea really what is open and happening at the world during the winter months. If the parks close early...what does that mean exactly? Does transportation shut down and restaurants etc. will our day really end at 6pm and then we drive to get dinner?? WHAT?
I know that was extreme, but I really don't have a clue since we have never been before--We are a clueless family going in blindly.
Please feel free to elaborate and join in on my ignorance

D

 

[scoutsmom99]

Hey Dchef,

I'm headed to WDW in January so I will try and help answer some of your questions.

1.Hours
I think the MK is really the only park that closes early per say...Epcot is open till 9:00, MGM till 7:00, AK is open till 5:00, and MK seems sporadic with the times. Here is a link for you to look at the hours just put in when you are going and it will give you the official hours. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm#hm-parkhours-cntr-click

2. What else is there besides the parks
Also remember that Downtown Disney will be open and you can go shop, get some dinner, see a movie, go to Cirque, people watch, etc. The boardwalk area by Epcot has dining, entertainment, and of course shops which you can enjoy (at night they have a dueling piano bar and a dance hall among other things). If you are interested in swimming Blizzard Beach (disney water park) will be open when you are there. Plus you can go on carriage rides at some resorts, play mini golf, pin trade, go boating, etc. The possiblitys are endless!

3. Food after the parks close
Park restaurants will close when the park closes, but you can still eat at the resort hotel sit down resteraunts and food courts. Transportation to the parks goes until 1 hour after the park closes...so if you are relying on Disney transportaion you can still eat at resort hotels and use DTD as a hub.

4. what is going on in January
As far as things going there doesn't seem to be much in January other than the WDW marathon on January 9th. There are a few good sites to check out for planning:

http://allearsnet.com/index.html is a great site to start at look under the planning section and you can find information of things from rehabs and closures at the parks and information on tickets, etc.

http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/
Is a site that has information on Live entertainment at WDW.

Ok I hope that wasn't confusing (now that I'm looking at it I think it might be)! Anyways I hope that helps a little if you have other questions or need clarification please post.

 

[jordanyosh]

Stop. Take a deep breath. Now exhale.......

January is a great time to go to WDW. But there is alot of different information for you to know...

Crowds: January typically has very light crowds with a few exceptions. Martin Luther King weekend is busier and WDW has a marathon January 9th which tends to be more of an inconvenience than an attendance increaser. Other than that, should be fairly quiet.

Weather: Prepare for anything. It could be in the 70's or it can be downright chilly. We went one year at the end of January and it never made it out of the mid 40s during the day. Keep a close eye on weather forecasts......

Hours: MK: will close at 7-8pm;AK: 5;MGM: 7pm;Epcot: 9pm, with slight variations....Yes the parks close earlier, but the crowds are so light you should be able to do everything you want with ease.
Resort restaurants and DTD stay open later. So you should find no problems. Busses continue to run from the resorts to DTD til PI closing which is late,late...

FYI: There will be some attractions down for rehab during January. The Land Pavilion will be down for some remodeling during the whole month of January and then some. Typhoon Lagoon is also closed for rehab Jan-March, although you may not be going to a water park if it is cold. Small World is doing a major rehab and won't open again til spring 2005...

There are several cheerleading competitions throughout January. Some of the value and moderate resorts will be housing them. You may want to check www.varsity.com and find out when those competitions will be. If you are staying at a deluxe resort, you probably won't run into them other than seeing them at the parks...they really are harmless. Unless you are staying at one of the resorts where they are staying.

This is a start........

 

[Dchef]

Thank you so much---We are staying at the WL. I have just been flustered with the amount of info there is and I just think that when I get there I will be like a deer in the headlights.
The PS and eating is a big concern and I yet have no idea how far and how big everything is and how long it will take to get places, but I am sure that the first day or two things will clear up

I am hoping they will be able to help us at the WL.
It always helps to come here for reassurance.

Thank you

 

[scoutsmom99]

Dchef,
If you are wondering how early to leave for PS in the past when I have booked PS the operator on the phone has said how much time to allow for transportation if using Disney transportation. I don't know if that is standrad or not. I would think if you are eating in the Magic Kingdom area then you should allow 20 mintues to 30min for disney transportation. If you are eating outside the MK area after parks close and are relying on Disney transportation I would allow an hour for transportation (45 minutes if you are using a park (when they are open) as a hub station). I'm sure the CM's at WL will be able to guide you in what to do. What has worked best for me if I'm eating at hotel I try and transfer at the closest park (disney seems to tell you to use DTD) if it is open if it isn't open then I use DTD. Enjoy your trip.

 

[AimeeM]

We have gone to WDW for the past 6 January's and will be going back down again Jan. 05. Its really an awesome time to go. As everyone else said, the weather can be anything! We have had a year where it was in the mid 80's and a few years ago it was 28 one morning when we woke up ( of course, it was negative 13 , negative 30 with the wind chill, back home in Pittsburgh, so we were still happy with 30 !!) We have had some trips where we never had to change out of shorts at night, and some trips where its warm enough for shorts in the day, but you need pants and a sweatshirt at night. YOu just never know. You need to check the weather the day before you leave, and go by that. We have had more warm days and cool nights than we have had cold days and frigid nights.

Yes, the hours are much shorter than summer hours, but the crowds are so low ( except MLK weekend) that you can get sooo much done, even when the park closes at 6 or 7. Most of the fast passes wont even be open because the parks are so UNcrowded. We always hop over to Epcot at night when we are in an early closing park. Its always open until 9, and they show Illuminations at 9. By the time you get back to your hotel, its after 10. I like that we arent getting home at midnght or later. It gives us a chance to get something to eat back at the food courts and the kids like to swim at night while we hang out enjoying our frosty drinks from the bar while we watch them. The pools are heated. My kids even swan one night when it was about 40!! Boy did they get back to the room fast that night. haha You day will absolutely NOT end at 6pm!! Dont worry about that!

As for making PS, we are leaving on Jan 28th, and we are past our 90 day out mark. MAKE YOUR PS NOW! Especially any character meals, as they fill up faster. Since you are staying on property, you wont need to drive anywhere! Disney transportation will run about 90 minutes after that park closes. When I make my PS. they always say allow enough time to get there. From the All Stars for instance, its at least 15 minutes in the bus, if not a little longer to get to MK. Figure in your 'waiting for the bus' time, which is at least 15 minutes. And even if it takes 20 minutes to get to the MK, you have to add time for walking from the bus/boat/monorail to security, then to the main gates. Then, if say your PS is at Cinderellas, you have to figure in at least 10 minutes to get to the castle from the gates! So dont just think.. oh, it take 15 minute to get there I will leave 20 minutes early.