Need Help-1st Trip in January

[TIGGERGUY]

I am a WDW veteran taking my first trip to DL in January. My dates are very flexible, but I hear this is the lowest crowd time of year. My intention is to go for a few weekdays (Tues-Thurs). Here are my questions:

1) What week in January is the best to go? The first week some rides might still be open from Christmas overlays (HM?) along with longer hours and more shows/parades open, but some reports say some midwest schools don't go back til Jan 11, keeping the crowds high. Going later in the month might mean lower crowds but many rides down for maintenance and decoration removal.

2) Hotel. Very little time will be spent there. Basic (cheap) is good, but easy walking distance is a plus (no rental car). Suggestions?

3) Airport Transportation. I'm using Delta frequent flyer miles, likely flying in via LAX. What's the cheapest way to travel from there to DL and back?

4)What other times of year are good to go? Times with low crowds but most things running/showing are preferable?

Thanks for the help!!

 

[HydroGuy]

I am a WDW veteran taking my first trip to DL in January. My dates are very flexible, but I hear this is the lowest crowd time of year. My intention is to go for a few weekdays (Tues-Thurs). Here are my questions:

1) What week in January is the best to go? The first week some rides might still be open from Christmas overlays (HM?) along with longer hours and more shows/parades open, but some reports say some midwest schools don't go back til Jan 11, keeping the crowds high. Going later in the month might mean lower crowds but many rides down for maintenance and decoration removal.

Be careful. DLR's off-season works differently than WDW's and if you try too hard to miss crowds you very well may miss many of the excellent shows at DLR as well as have some closed attractions. As you noted, HM goes down in January for a couple weeks to remove its holiday overlay.

Here is some more info on this: "What You Should Know About Off-Season at DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18462889

2) Hotel. Very little time will be spent there. Basic (cheap) is good, but easy walking distance is a plus (no rental car). Suggestions?

I always recommend walking distance. Check the links in this thread:

"HydroGuy's Hotel Rule" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862

We have stayed off-site at BWPPI and HoJo's and have settled on BWPPI for several reasons including its location - it is the closest hotel after the GCH.

3) Airport Transportation. I'm using Delta frequent flyer miles, likely flying in via LAX. What's the cheapest way to travel from there to DL and back?

Can't help you there. We do not travel to DLR from any of the airports.

4)What other times of year are good to go? Times with low crowds but most things running/showing are preferable?

As I said above, low crowds but most things running/showing do not go hand-in-hand. If I were you and wanted the low crowd experience I would plan to overlap some weekend days to catch the entertainment. But the weekends will be much more crowded in general.

The month of May seems to be a good time to balance the tradeoffs. The weather is better by then, the crowds have not picked up much and the winter ride refurbs are mostly done by May.

Here is some more info you might want to review:

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

"Comparison of Weather For WDW and DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1711098

 

[ChanStrong]

We went January 6-9th and that seemed like a good time (still had Christmas decor up for those first couple of days). It was a Sunday thru a Wednesday. That Sunday still had many activities going on from the holidays. Then crowds seemed to taper off for the rest of the week, but there were less parades/fireworks. Usually however, there was at least one big event per day, such as Fantasmic one evening and fireworks the following evening. Also, it was not hot, so you can do a lot more without feeling as tired and run down.

We stayed at a Holiday Inn a few miles from the park, however they had a complimentary shuttle. We were the only ones using it apparently because we were the only ones that ever scheduled it. That is a good option to look for if you can find a cheaper hotel a bit further from the park than would be out of walking range.

All in all, I would say January is a good time to go if you want less crowds, but I agree with the previous poster to make sure part of the time is a weekend so that there will be more activities going on. Have fun!

 

[TIGGERGUY]

HydroGuy,

Before starting this thread I was reading through your previous discussions on the subject. They have been very informative. It was those postings that made me question my original plans. It's my intention to start going to DL once a year. Now I can see the advantages of varying what time each year I go.

 

[dizneekrazee]

Thats what we try to do, vary the time of year each trip.
We usually stay at Desert Inn & Suites, it is right across from the park, and has some very good rates. We are going Halloween weekend and got our rate at $69/night!!!

HTH!!

 

[avalon451]

If you book far enough in advance, you can get great rates at Desert Inn, as the PP said. If you don't mind walking one block up Harbor (once you get out to Harbor, it's a difference of about 5 minutes' walk) you can stay at a nicer hotel, Howard Johnson. January 4th-14th, they have their Entertainment rate available. Deluxe room for $74, standard for $59. http://www.hojoanaheim.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14

Hope that helps!

 

[TIGGERGUY]

Any other thoughts on when in January is good to go?

When does Haunted Mansion shut down to remove the holiday overlay?

 

[HydroGuy]

Any other thoughts on when in January is good to go?

When does Haunted Mansion shut down to remove the holiday overlay?

Not sure it is scheduled yet but it will happen in January. Last year it was Jan 4-23. See the MousePlanet DLR Park Update from Jan 2008 here:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=dl050103xx

 

[TIGGERGUY]

Not sure it is scheduled yet but it will happen in January. Last year it was Jan 4-23. See the MousePlanet DLR Park Update from Jan 2008 here:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=dl050103xx

Thanks for the link, but that link was for January 2005. I used it to find the Jan 08 link. Great resource. Turns out it was HM was down Jan 7-24 for the overlay removal. Makes me wonder if my targets should be either the first week or the last week of January. First week might let me see some Christmas stuff but more crowds. By the end of January all the holiday decor will be gone and so will the crowds (and the shows-bummer).

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for the link, but that link was for January 2005. I used it to find the Jan 08 link. Great resource. Turns out it was HM was down Jan 7-24 for the overlay removal. Makes me wonder if my targets should be either the first week or the last week of January. First week might let me see some Christmas stuff but more crowds. By the end of January all the holiday decor will be gone and so will the crowds (and the shows-bummer).

Oh well, January is January no matter what the year. Right?

Looks like Jan 7, 2008 was a Monday. A good guess is that HMH will go down Jan 5 in 2009 - the first Monday after New Years Day.

I have never been to DLR around New Years Day but folks here say it is one of the most crowded times of the whole year. And you would need to have some days prior to Jan 5 in order to ride HMH before it goes down - if you want to go first week.

DLR usually takes HMH down first and then later in January it takes down Small World to remove its holiday overlay. So a late Jan visit would mean you would miss Small World. Heck, I try to avoid Small World so that would mean nothing to me, but some people (especially female people ) are really into Small World.

In any case, late January will also likely means lots more rides down for refurb. And often major rides go down in Jan or Feb for lengthy refurbs.

 

[DangerMouse]

It's being reported on MiceAge that the official end of the DLR Holiday season is January 4 this year, so I would also guess that HMH will go down on the 5th. They will keep IASW Holiday open for an extra week or two before removing the overlay.

 

[DangerMouse]

Heck, I try to avoid Small World so that would mean nothing to me, but some people (especially female people ) are really into Small World.

Trey, you will be going on IASW at least ONCE after it reopens from this extensive refurb, right? I mean, you gotta see the improvements at least once.

While it's not my favorite, I'll be interested in seeing what they've done with it over a 10 month period, and what"upgrades they've added. That way I'll be able to participate in the "complaining and whining" threads that will be sure to follow.

 

[HydroGuy]

Trey, you will be going on IASW at least ONCE after it reopens from this extensive refurb, right? I mean, you gotta see the improvements at least once.

While it's not my favorite, I'll be interested in seeing what they've done with it over a 10 month period, and what"upgrades they've added. That way I'll be able to participate in the "complaining and whining" threads that will be sure to follow.

Actually, I like IASWH. And I will go on regular IASW to see the changes. I always make fun of IASW and tease DW about how she likes it. But I do ride it. Sometimes.

 

[tinkermell]

I will put in my 2 cents.

Why not go in January right before they take down the overlays? That way you will be able to see them. Something new! And they are great!! My DD and I love the HMH overlay better than the original.

Going along with what Trey said. Try to stay at least one weekend day to see the fireworks. They are the best ones that I have seen. Not the Holiday ones ( although these are good too), but the ones that they have kept over from the 50th Anniversary, "Remember Dreams Come True." Also Fantasmic is different, and most prefer it to WDW. That I can't comment on for sure, cuz we didn't see it while at WDW.

Good luck on your decision!

 

[JaneJetson]

Really you just have to decide what is most important to you....low crowd levels? More rides being open? Christmas stuff?

We are going in January. The 21st - 26th. (Only in the parks on the 21st, 22nd, and 25th.) Low crowds is most important to us...but we've been to Disneyland hundreds of times (used to be AP holders) so we don't care if we miss certain rides. And the last time we went was last year around Christmas so I don't mind if we miss that stuff.

We are making sure that one of our park days is a Sunday so we can see the fireworks. The non-Christmas fireworks are the best ones, in my opinion.

A hotel I always recommend is the Anaheim Plaza. It's about a 10 minute walk from hotel to turnstiles. There's a Denny's on the way which is nice to stop at for breakfast. I think there is an IHOP too. It's an older hotel but it's always been clean. The rates are typically $69 a night.