Touring plans in the off season?

[TeddyT]

Hi! We're heading to WDW in the last week of January, which we chose because of the traditional slowdown. We will have 8 days spread amongst the 4 major parks. Do you think we need to follow any touring plans?

Thanks!!!

 

[TeddyT]

Sorry, jsut bumping this up hoping for some expert advice. Thanks!

 

[GlennI]

We visited in November 2005, over thanksgiving, and we didn't use any touring plans, we went with what we wanted to do and when. We rode everything we wanted to, some attractions several times.

So I would say, no you probably wont need it. Just my opinion of course,

 

[beccasmom]

Hi Teddy - is this your first trip to WDW? If so, you might want to at least take a look at touring plans designed for slower season visits. You'll be able to visit and do more and will know what options are appealing to you. Take a look at the Passporter and Unofficial Guides to WDW to get a feel for the park lay-outs and ride restrictions such as height. IMHO, touring plans are useful for first-time or infrequent visitors; veterans most often re-visit their favorites and check out new attractions. In January, it's possible to ride favorites several times with minor waiting.

January - with the exception of the MLK holiday weekend - is normally pretty tranquil. The weather is tough to pin down - it's been in the 50's this weekend, for instance - so swimming may not always be a viable option. Take a look at rehabs of attractions you want to visit to avoid disappointment. http://www.allearsnet.com/tp/rehabs.htm

If you've visited before, My suggestion is to re-visit favorite attractions and check out new or unfamiliar ones - you'll have more time in January to enjoy yourself without the worry of crowds. You will probably not even need a Fast Pass except for possibly Space Mountain or Test Track, and that's doubtful.

 

[TeddyT]

Glenn and Penny,

Thanks so much for your help.

Penny, I haven't been to WDW in about 15 years. When I was a kid, I went about a dozen time to MK and twice to Epcot. I've been once to MGM but never to AK. It's been so long that it will be kind of like doing it all for the first time. (We do live in L.A. and go to Disneyland at least once a year. Between my wife and I, we've been there 50 times or so.)

However, this is the first trip to WDW for my wife and my 4 year-old son. I've read the Unofficial Guide cover to cover so I have a good idea of what is good for our son. The one thing I don't really want to do is a lot of backtracking and crossing from one side of the park to the other, which is why we always go to Disneyland on the off-season. We really want to take it easy. I would love to be able to ignore the touring plan routes back and forth across the parks and just go with the flow. (Also, since we are going to be on Pacific time, we'd rather sleep in and get to the parks a little late). It sounds to me like you are suggesting that all of this won't be too much of a problem.

Thanks again for your help! Can't wait to get there!!!

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

TeddyT, sounds like you are already prepared!

If I were you, I'd snip the UG's "clip-out touring plans" and pack them in a baggie in the backpack. As much as I love the UG, sometimes their crowd level estimates are WAAAAAY off. I say it's better to have the plans and not use them than to be caught wishing you had packed them. If you use the clip-out ones, they won't take up much room.

Just my strategy, FWIW. Happy planning!

 

[Stacerita]

You probably wont need touring plans for the off season, but its good to go over them to have an idea though. We used to Unoffical Guide as a base and were very familiar with it. We took some of the recomendations, but adjusted it to what we wanted and what the crowd level was. We found that we didn't need to follow the tour guide but we were glad we knew where the crowds tend to gather and what to avoid at what time. Also help us to be very familiar with the maps and what was where. You wont need to follow the guide, but it wouldnt hurt to have it.

 

[jbird327]

I was there this past January 9-14 and was able to enjoy the parks without much waiting. I do think that early is better in the parks - when I was there this past Dec 16 -23rd, and it was very crowded (at least compared to Jan) - it was always very empty until around 11am.

 

[TeddyT]

Thank you, everyone, for your great replies! I now feel even more prepared. A very merry un-birthday to you all (unless, of course, it is your birthday).

 

[eblack0409]

Try 1/2 day at each park....DH and I did this on our Honeymoon and we loved being able to visit 2 parks each day!!!

 

[2poohbears]

We're going JAN 31-FEB 6...bringing our 2 y/o twins for the 1st time. Our last visit was in FEB 2002, for our honeymoon. The crowd level was PERFECT then, which is why we chose the same week this time.

I bought the Unofficial Guide for this trip so I can have all the latest info. I plan to bring the cut-out portion of the guide that lists "Recommended Attractions Visitation Times" (there is one for each park - this page is in front of the pull-out Touring Guides for each park)--- Ifan area seems crowded I can refer to that list to see if there is a better time to see the attraction. I'll bring the book along and keep it in the room to review a few things each night, if needed.

I don't think you'll have any problems seeing everything you want to see...have a great time!

 

[hkite]

2poohbears- My mom, myself, and my 2 year old daughter will be at Disney the same week as you (Jan 31-Feb 5)! It's good to hear that you experienced light crowds at this time!

 

[MomofKatie]

For the time of yoear you will be visiting, you probably won't need to follow any touring plans. The only advice I'd give you is to get to the parks as close to opening as possible.

MK- You'll probably be spending quite a lot of time here, since you have a young child. Get there at park opening, and hit Fantasyland right away- do Dumbo, Peter Pan, and Pooh early. They are the three rides that really get backed up. If you start early, you can do all of Fantasyland in about 2 hours (you'll even get to do some things more than once). Biggest tip- do Dumbo first. If it isn't crowded yet when you get off, go on and ride it again.

Epcot- Do Test Track first thing, and then Soarin' as soon as you get there in the AM (or get a FP and ride Imagination and Living Seas, then go back to ride Soarin'- your FP time should be up). Save World Showcase for later in the afternoon or evening.

MGM- ToT and RnR get crowded by midday- do them early. Voyage of the Little Mermaid also gets crowded later in the day.

AK- Ride the Kilimanjaro Safari as close to opening as humanly possible. The animals are much more active early in the day. If you do Kali River Rapids, go right before you leave for the day- you'll get absolutely SOAKED, and you might get cold in January.

Have a great time, and get to the parks early!!!