The difference between different weeks in January?

[Golden Rose]

We find ourselves in a slightly strange situation, and I realized there is no better place to ask for advice than right here. Is there a substantial difference in crowd levels in the parks and the DVC resorts between the first full week in January and the second? We would like to get in one more trip before our APs expire, which is a huge argument for one of those two weeks.

We are very good friends with a couple who is considering taking a WDW trip the week of Jan 3-9. They have expressed some hope that we might be there at the same time, as they know we go often, although they would be doing the parks commando style and we just don't. We have thought we would meet for meals and maybe do a few things together. They aren't certain they are going to do this trip - they want to combine it with a Disney cruise, but they haven't been able to book a package yet, so they are considering just doing a cruise instead.

We prefer to go at less crowded times of year, as DS really, really hates crowds. (MLK day this year, he actually said he wanted to go home and go back to school because he didn't like Disneyworld! )

We were thinking that the week of the 10-16 might be a little less crowded, as some kids might be back in school, but then you're back into MLK weekend, so maybe it wouldn't be any better. Does anyone have any experience with these weeks and know how the crowd level shifts as the month progresses? And isn't there a marathon in there somewhere? Just how much does that mess up transportation?

Are the DVC resorts generally hard to book for early January? I don't have a reservation yet, and was thinking about waiting until our friends decided what they were doing... but then I thought maybe I should go ahead and book one (and maybe both) weeks we're considering to make sure we get the room type we want. (We have the points to book both weeks. Couldn't we do that and release the one we end up not wanting without it doing anything to our points with regard to banking?)

 

[drusba]

This is based on having been there many times both weeks:

1. Jan 3 will be more crowded than you can imagine: example Soarin will have 3 1/2 hour standby line. Take that MLK crowd you saw and multiply by 3.

2. Jan 4 will also be hugely crowded, but cut about an hour off that Soarin line; this is the day (Monday after New Years when New Years is toward end of a week) when the Christmas crowd will start to leave but huge numbers are still there and won't leave until Tuesday and thus they fill the parks on Monday.

3. Jan 5-7 will be fairly good crowd wise and, particularly in late afternoon to evening, a lot of things will have short lines.

4. Jan 8-10 is Marathon weekend. Crowds at parks will increase but they really don't get real large. It does not really affect bus or other Disney transportation much (routes busses take may be different at times) but can affect car traffic if you are driving somewhere.

5. Jan 11 to 14 will be lighter than Jan 5 to 7 were.

6. Jan 15-16 will start to see large crowds, more the Sat than the Fri.

Book with 11 month window to be safe and then try to change at 7. Not a super high DVC demand time but still busy, VWL and BCV are ones most likely to fill before 7 months out but BWV and BLT could also. Also, if you are thinking of that first week then night of Jan 3 will be the most iffy one at 7 months out to get anything at any resort and imperative you reserve now if you can. As long as you have the points you can book both weeks and then cancel one. As long as you are within banking window (first eight months of your use year) when you cancel, you can bank.

 

[Golden Rose]

So if we're in Florida on the 3rd, we probably just need to hang out at the resort.

I guess I will go ahead and book both weeks now, to be certain we'll have something. If our friends do end up at WDW, we'll go the first week. If they don't, we'll go the second. Glad we have the points to play these booking games...

 

[nunzia]

We are going that exact time. I expect the crowds to be awful on the 3rd, but my reason for going that week is to see the Osborne lights before they come down, so that is all I really expect to do that day. I'm thinking of taking the behind the scenes tour on Monday, and then hopefully Tues-Fri will be more manageable. I haven't been to WDW in 16 years (do DLR every year) so I really want to take in the highlights of things DLR doesn't have, as well as see Fantasmic there and eat the the Yachtsman. This is our trial run for WDW. None of us really cared for it before and we are going trying to see what everyone loves about it! Hopefully we will find that and want to go again.
I need to start making a list!

 

[Golden Rose]

I went ahead and booked both weeks in one bedrooms this morning. 5 nights one week AKV, Savannah View at Jambo House, 6 nights Standard View at BWV the other week. (Boy is that a points saver...) I am a little tempted to see if a few nights are available at BLT at the 7 month mark for either week, but really, I'm so happy with both our home resorts that it isn't a big deal.

 

[twoexcitedtosleep]

We are going Jan 3-9. We are very excited. Where are the lights at? That's a great idea. We had to go one more time before our AP ran out!

 

[cyndixo]

We went for New Years stayed thru first week of Jan. It was very crowded til around the 4th. Parks were packed and so were hotels. After the 4th it seemed fine.

 

[twoexcitedtosleep]

We went for New Years stayed thru first week of Jan. It was very crowded til around the 4th. Parks were packed and so were hotels. After the 4th it seemed fine.

The 4th was the Sunday after the holiday? How did it compare to other weeks in January? We were there Marathon week and it was cold, but no lines after the race. Thanks

 

[Pixieflip]

Anyone have a guess on availablility at Kidani the week of Jan. 3 when reserving at 7 months? There's nothing reported on the resort availablitly thread.

 

[DVCBELLE]

I went that week last year (2008). I didn't arrive until Tuesday though b/c I was doing the marathon and staying 2 days after.

That week Tues-Thurs is when the CMs told me is the lightest time of the year. I literally walked on everything - Space Mtn, Soarin, RnR, ToT - it was actually insane on how light the crowds were. People will stay until the 3rd for Holiday break but then parents tend to take their kids back to school and the crowds disappear. The CMs say it is amazing to go from the longest lines to the shortest lines in less than a week. The marathon traffic will start to trickle in on Thursday then. But the crowds will still be manageable.

 

[twoexcitedtosleep]

I went that week last year (2008). I didn't arrive until Tuesday though b/c I was doing the marathon and staying 2 days after.

That week Tues-Thurs is when the CMs told me is the lightest time of the year. I literally walked on everything - Space Mtn, Soarin, RnR, ToT - it was actually insane on how light the crowds were. People will stay until the 3rd for Holiday break but then parents tend to take their kids back to school and the crowds disappear. The CMs say it is amazing to go from the longest lines to the shortest lines in less than a week. The marathon traffic will start to trickle in on Thursday then. But the crowds will still be manageable.

Wow!!! YEAH!!

 

[drusba]

The 4th was the Sunday after the holiday? How did it compare to other weeks in January? We were there Marathon week and it was cold, but no lines after the race. Thanks

Was there then. Jan 4 was typical holiday crowd -- wall to wall people everywhere. Note Monday Jan 5 was almost as large (that is now typical annual pattern as people start to leave on Monday but really don't clear out until Tuesday). Tuesday was fine. Weather this year was better than ideal for first 7 days of Jan, 70s daily and 80s a couple days.