***Official January 2025 Thread***

[MickeyMouseLove]

Anyone who has been to The Festival of the Arts, if you had to choose between the two days, would you suggest going on opening day (Friday) or on the Sunday of opening weekend? I presume crowds would be large either of those days, so what I am wondering is... historically, is everything up and running and available on opening day? And on the flip side, has there been any issues with things running out or other issues by the Sunday of opening weekend? Just trying to figure out which of those two days is the better plan. Any insights appreciated!

 

[catsrgr8]

Does anyone know why Epcot would open at 10am instead of 9am on Sat/Sun Jan 11/12?

It’s Marathon weekend and the half is on Sunday Jan 11 and the full is on Sunday Jan 12

 

[DisMomAmy]

Marathon weekend- they start/end at Epcot.

Oops sorry didn’t see catsrgr8 had already replied… it was on a new page.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Anyone who has been to The Festival of the Arts, if you had to choose between the two days, would you suggest going on opening day (Friday) or on the Sunday of opening weekend? I presume crowds would be large either of those days, so what I am wondering is... historically, is everything up and running and available on opening day? And on the flip side, has there been any issues with things running out or other issues by the Sunday of opening weekend? Just trying to figure out which of those two days is the better plan. Any insights appreciated!

This is a tough one. On Friday, you have adults away at work and children at school, which would normally keep attendance lower during the day. However, since it's opening day, there will be a rush of visitors trying to attend first.

On Sunday, people are generally off of work and school, so it might be busier during the day with both locals and visitors. Normally, you would think since people have work or school on Monday, they might not stay as late. However, that Monday is MLK Day, so it is an extended weekend for many people.

I would probably aim for Friday morning, but I highly recommend getting to the park at opening. Also, follow Touring Plans everyday as they release and update their crowd estimates.

https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar (scroll down until you get to the calendar, and then flip to January)

ETA: Everything should be open on Friday, and nothing should be running out by Sunday, so that shouldn't matter too much. However, certain artists or shows may be available on one day versus another, so that might sway your decision.

 

[MickeyMouseLove]

It’s Marathon weekend and the half is on Sunday Jan 11 and the full is on Sunday Jan 12

Marathon weekend- they start/end at Epcot.

Oops sorry didn’t see catsrgr8 had already replied… it was on a new page.

Thank you both for replying. I knew the race started in Epcot, I didn't know it ended there, so that makes sense for the late park opening. Thanks!

 

[MickeyMouseLove]

This is a tough one. On Friday, you have adults away at work and children at school, which would normally keep attendance lower during the day. However, since it's opening day, there will be a rush of visitors trying to attend first.

On Sunday, people are generally off of work and school, so it might be busier during the day with both locals and visitors. Normally, you would think since people have work or school on Monday, they might not stay as late. However, that Monday is MLK Day, so it is an extended weekend for many people.

I would probably aim for Friday morning, but I highly recommend getting to the park at opening. Also, follow Touring Plans everyday as they release and update their crowd estimates.

https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/crowd-calendar (scroll down until you get to the calendar, and then flip to January)

ETA: Everything should be open on Friday, and nothing should be running out by Sunday, so that shouldn't matter too much. However, certain artists or shows may be available on one day versus another, so that might sway your decision.

Thank you so much for all the insight! This is really helpful!

 

[PSUamanda]

Has anyone recently booked bippity boppity boutique? We are going January 22-28 and looks like booking right now is through the 9th so our time will be coming up soon! Wondering how hard that will be to get if we do magic kingdom on the 26th or 27th. So 60+ 4 or 5. We are going with an extended family. We have two (boy and girl) who did BBB last year and loved it. There are two more boy cousins that might want to join. I'm wondering if it will be impossible to get 4 reservations at the same time? Or if that might work at long as MK is towards the end of our trip.

Any recent experiences (or anyone currently in their booking window that wanted to spy on availability)?

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Has anyone recently booked bippity boppity boutique? We are going January 22-28 and looks like booking right now is through the 9th so our time will be coming up soon! Wondering how hard that will be to get if we do magic kingdom on the 26th or 27th. So 60+ 4 or 5. We are going with an extended family. We have two (boy and girl) who did BBB last year and loved it. There are two more boy cousins that might want to join. I'm wondering if it will be impossible to get 4 reservations at the same time? Or if that might work at long as MK is towards the end of our trip.

Any recent experiences (or anyone currently in their booking window that wanted to spy on availability)?

Unfortunately, I don't have any personal experience with BBB and I'm already past my booking window, so I can't get a peek at what end-of-vacation availability might have been.

As you suggested, I would start checking with the end of your trip. Be ready to go the morning your window opens, and be flexible about booking 1-4 at a time.

If you are unsuccessful, keep checking at 30 days and 8 days prior, which is when guests may be cancelling packages or room only reservations (and thus their BBB reservation, too). Also, it seems even the day prior will lead to more availability, as guests firm up their actual park plans (and try to avoid the 24 hour cancellation fee).

For example, right now, there is availability for tomorrow for 1 child at either 2:50pm or 3:00pm. So, you would be successful in booking two reservations--one child for each reservation--within a short window of each other, one day in advance.

Best wishes for some extra pixie dust!

 

[PSUamanda]

Unfortunately, I don't have any personal experience with BBB and I'm already past my booking window, so I can't get a peek at what end-of-vacation availability might have been.

As you suggested, I would start checking with the end of your trip. Be ready to go the morning your window opens, and be flexible about booking 1-4 at a time.

If you are unsuccessful, keep checking at 30 days and 8 days prior, which is when guests may be cancelling packages or room only reservations (and thus their BBB reservation, too). Also, it seems even the day or week prior will lead to more availability, as guests firm up their actual park plans (and try to avoid the 24 hour cancellation fee).

For example, right now, there is availability for tomorrow for 1 child at either 2:50pm or 3:00pm. So, you would be successful in booking two reservations--one child for each reservation--within a short window of each other, one day in advance.

Best wishes for some extra pixie dust!

Thank you! Good to know there are last minute cancelations the day before too. We'll see if the two nephews want to join in, but ya getting multiple reservations of 1 or 2 kids might be the only option. I'll keep that in mind, thanks!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Anyone who has been to The Festival of the Arts, if you had to choose between the two days, would you suggest going on opening day (Friday) or on the Sunday of opening weekend? I presume crowds would be large either of those days, so what I am wondering is... historically, is everything up and running and available on opening day? And on the flip side, has there been any issues with things running out or other issues by the Sunday of opening weekend? Just trying to figure out which of those two days is the better plan. Any insights appreciated!

I would suggest Sunday. Last year, I went to Epcot on a Sunday during the Festival of the Arts. I figured it would be crowded (as it had been when I'd gone on Sunday during Food and Wine), but it was not, surprisingly and pleasantly. Although I haven't been on the first day ever, I've watched You Tube videos of the bloggers, and always noticed how crowded everything seems.

 

[FeliciaB23]

Toppolino’s is closed for refurb January 12-25. Thankfully I wasn’t planning to go until the 26th! I do wonder if these will be the skyliner dates too? Hmm!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

My 60 days was today but I have a split stay with only my first night at POR and the next 13 nights at BR/WL, so I can only see and book for the 11th and 12th today but seems like there’s wide availability on those two days so far at least, except for space 220 lounge and 1900 park faire. I didn’t realize 1900PF was so hard to get, I had that lower on my list for ADRs tomorrow but I’ll have to move it up. Definitely want to eat there, it’s the only place my DD requested. Also wondering when they’ll release the FW cruises for January, I looked at the 12th and they haven’t been released yet. Can’t wait til tomorrow to make my ADRs, if they recognized split stays as one continuous stay id have been able to make them all this morning. Oh well. Also a little bitter that you can only book for 10 days. I have 14 days so I’ll have to get up early 3 days in a row after my ADR day. It’s like they punish you for staying longer and giving them more money. I don’t get it. I’m so excited to be at 60 days!!

 

[MickeyMouseLove]

I would suggest Sunday. Last year, I went to Epcot on a Sunday during the Festival of the Arts. I figured it would be crowded (as it had been when I'd gone on Sunday during Food and Wine), but it was not, surprisingly and pleasantly. Although I haven't been on the first day ever, I've watched You Tube videos of the bloggers, and always noticed how crowded everything seems.

Thanks for your insight.

 

[VicarJT]

My 60 days was today but I have a split stay with only my first night at POR and the next 13 nights at BR/WL, so I can only see and book for the 11th and 12th today but seems like there’s wide availability on those two days so far at least, except for space 220 lounge and 1900 park faire. I didn’t realize 1900PF was so hard to get, I had that lower on my list for ADRs tomorrow but I’ll have to move it up. Definitely want to eat there, it’s the only place my DD requested. Also wondering when they’ll release the FW cruises for January, I looked at the 12th and they haven’t been released yet. Can’t wait til tomorrow to make my ADRs, if they recognized split stays as one continuous stay id have been able to make them all this morning. Oh well. Also a little bitter that you can only book for 10 days. I have 14 days so I’ll have to get up early 3 days in a row after my ADR day. It’s like they punish you for staying longer and giving them more money. I don’t get it. I’m so excited to be at 60 days!!

I hope that 1900 Park Fair opens up for your dates. There is plenty of availability until the end of December, and then nothing from Jan 1-13 (dates of my trip). Interestingly, the Grand Floridian Cafe has no availability from 1/3 onward for me.

 

[SeanW]

Anyone who has been to The Festival of the Arts, if you had to choose between the two days, would you suggest going on opening day (Friday) or on the Sunday of opening weekend? I presume crowds would be large either of those days, so what I am wondering is... historically, is everything up and running and available on opening day? And on the flip side, has there been any issues with things running out or other issues by the Sunday of opening weekend? Just trying to figure out which of those two days is the better plan. Any insights appreciated!

I'm going to suggest Sunday as well, but I can see the idea of Friday being a decent day in the morning except for the fact that school is out in Florida (at least in Coral Springs) at that time so all of the kids are going to be home and you might have Parents that are going to take the day off. If that is the case you can expect locals to head to Epcot for the Festival. Plus, it is the opening Day and opening day is usually the busiest with people trying to get there and see the festival and every vlogger trying to get their video out 1st or live streaming the festival etc. With Sunday, you aren't going to have as many people there later on in the day (the opposite side of the Friday argument) since they have to go to work or school the following day) and the rush for opening day has waned a bit.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Did my ADRs this morning. Easily got everything I wanted with multiple choices available except for NO 1900 park faire. They must be working on it or something. I was able to get an Epcot FW cruise by calling in, and I had to call in for my post happily ever after fireworks dessert party too because you can’t pay with a gift card online, which makes no sense. The last couple days of my trip I couldn’t book for yet, I’ll have to do it one day at a time since my stays longer than 10 days but ADRs on those days shouldn’t be hard to get (BOG, Rainforest cafe and whispering canyon). I’ll have to keep checking on 1900 Park fair.

 

[SeanW]

Did my ADRs this morning. Easily got everything I wanted with multiple choices available except for NO 1900 park faire. They must be working on it or something. I was able to get an Epcot FW cruise by calling in, and I had to call in for my post happily ever after fireworks dessert party too because you can’t pay with a gift card online, which makes no sense. The last couple days of my trip I couldn’t book for yet, I’ll have to do it one day at a time since my stays longer than 10 days but ADRs on those days shouldn’t be hard to get (BOG, Rainforest cafe and whispering canyon). I’ll have to keep checking on 1900 Park fair.

Did you also try to get some of the harder-to-get reservations? That was our experience, too. It seems like maybe the parks aren't as busy when we are going. This time it should have been theoretically harder for us to get everything we wanted since we were planning a trip with 9-12 people on any given day, and we are staying at the GF for 12 nights. My wife and I had to book 2 reservations to accommodate the number of people even with the traditionally hard-to-get restaurants we got every restaurant we were looking to get. Previously we have gone in January and that wasn't always the case. There has usually been 1 or 2 restaurants that we weren't able to get a reservation for.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’m

Did you also try to get some of the harder-to-get reservations? That was our experience, too. It seems like maybe the parks aren't as busy when we are going. This time it should have been theoretically harder for us to get everything we wanted since we were planning a trip with 9-12 people on any given day, and we are staying at the GF for 12 nights. My wife and I had to book 2 reservations to accommodate the number of people even with the traditionally hard-to-get restaurants we got every restaurant we were looking to get. Previously we have gone in January and that wasn't always the case. There has usually been 1 or 2 restaurants that we weren't able to get a reservation for.

I had a few ADRs that I used to have trouble with (Space 220, SciFi,Ohana, etc) and they all had wide open availability. Was much easier than usual. I’m hoping this means the parks are less crowded, but maybe it’s just that they’re getting so expensive that people don’t want to do TS meals anymore? I don’t know, but hopefully it is low crowds. I’m glad you got everything you wanted!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

1900 Park Fare reservations for January are finally available, not sure why they jJust dropped. I’m happy though because I really wanted to eat here.

 

[Frank4202]

Booked our dining today. We got Chef Mickey's for January 18th. Im sure our nearly 3yr old will love it.

My wife wanted to do Ohana so we booked that for the January 20th. Ive heard mixed reviews about their breakfast but well wait and see.

Normally, we don't do character dining but with the addition of our son and our plans not to return to Disney for at least 5 years, we figured this was a good time to try them out.