Tell me about late Jan/early Feb

[aussiegirls]

Hi guys

So we are coming back for a 14 day stay at the end of January/beginning of February 2016. All of our previous trips have been between October and December because we love Halloween and Christmas at Disney. So this will be the first time we have ever been when the park has not been done up in some theme.

From what I understand this will be very low season, so crowds will be minimal. But this also means that it's peak for ride closures. Is this right?

Has anyone ever been at this time of year and can you give us some tips?

Thanks heaps

 

[Geemo]

This link will give you an idea of what was going on 2015 Jan/Feb
http://www.disboards.com/threads/2015-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-mhp-and-dlr.3358090/
Same idea with this one for 2016. Keep in mind 2016 info is still evolving, so check it often to see what changes there might be.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/2016-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-and-dlr.3434866/

We have been during these months many times. We try to avoid any of the time that ties in with a holiday. The volume in the parks isn't too bad.
Ride closures will be scheduled during this time.

If you want to know what to expect you can look at the historical info for the time you are planning to be there.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/historical-dlr-park-hours-entertainment-and-refurbs.2291124/
Many of the attractions go down at the same general time each Jan/Feb.

The park hours are also shorter through the week, closing around 8pm. Weekends are later with DL midnight and DCA 10pm.
Some night time entertainment is limited to Fri, Sat and Sun.

Geemo

 

[lorijohnhill]

I was there January 24-25 this year. There were quite a few returns going on to get ready for the 60th. I don't know what that will look like for 2016. As far as crowds go, it was fabulous! I had a friend with me who always goes around Thanksgiving. She remarked that it was like an entirely different place. The lines were very short and we had no difficulty getting around. Yes, the hours are shorter, but I feel that makes it easier to get an early start the next morning! The entertainment schedule is also more limited, so you will need to plan around that.

I have to say, I enjoyed visiting during January much more than July.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Forecasters are predicting a possibly very wet winter this year, so that might be something to keep in mind when packing. The 60th celebration will still be going on in Jan/Feb, so the parks will be decorated for that. Crowds may not be minimal, but they will definitely be lower than during peak season.

 

[DollBabyKG]

We went end of January 2014. It was great in terms of crowds, but there were a lot of ride closures. We missed out on It's a Small World, Splash Mountain and Fantasmic, too I believe. The weather was great, warmer than home, but not hot. And very low crowds were a definite bonus, but we're choosing different dates this year, because the long list of refurbs was sad!

 

[tricia464]

We went the week of the President's holiday this year and it was great. The weather was perfect 80 - 84 degrees. We always like to go in the off season. We were only there for a day and a half, but we got a lot done in that time. We are planning to go back at the end of January in 2016 with our grandchildren (their first trip). We are going to be ready for wet weather, but we won't let it slow us down too much. We know we will miss some rides since they'll be closed, but there is always something closed at one time or another, so we just deal with it.

 

[StormyCA]

We usually went the close to the last week of Feb. Last year we went in Feb and again in Aug. It's a choice between low crowds and possible closures and high crowds and no closures. On the whole, I prefer the low crowds. I keep a close eye on what refurbs have gone on in the 12 months prior and continuing and figure those rides will be open (although the recent lengthy refurb on BTMRR blew that theory for me). Also factor in the removal of the overlays for IASW & HM when you choose your dates.

I don't think the refurbs will be too bad this 'off season' because there were so many last off season to get ready for the 60th.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

We were there for my DD's birthday in 20014. Trip started on 1/30, and continued through Super Bowl Sunday (maybe the 2nd?). Crowds were quite low. Refurbs were plentiful. We didn't really care about IASW being down, or Splash Mtn. BTMRR was still on its epic refurb at that point, as well. I would have liked to catch Fantasmic, but even that wasn't a huge deal for our family. The weather was pleasant, especially compared to Seattle that time of year.

We went because of the birthday, but I really enjoyed that time of year. It was a nice change of pace from the half marathon weekends which are very busy!