Crowds January 3-6, 2019?

[czmom]

How crowded are the parks after the New Year? We are looking at adding park days before a cruise, but not if it's still the big Christmas/NY crowd. Also- when do the January refurbs usually start?
Thank you

 

[Robo]

If the local schools are still out of session for Christmas break (that is now often the case)
it will still be busy at WDW.

 

[Alesia]

Crowds will be very heavy

 

[GADisneyDad14]

One perhaps good thing in 2019 is given the way the calendar falls, the marathon will be Sunday 1/13. It was 1/7 this year.

 

[czmom]

One perhaps good thing in 2019 is given the way the calendar falls, the marathon will be Sunday 1/13. It was 1/7 this year.

Maybe this will help with lower crowds? Good point!

 

[GovieMom]

Crowds will be very heavy

This will be the case, as New Years Day falls on a Tuesday. The holiday crowds will remain in full force the remainder of the week, due to most schools remaining closed until the following Monday. Expect the parks to be slammed.

 

[czmom]

This will be the case, as New Years Day falls on a Tuesday. The holiday crowds will remain in full force the remainder of the week, due to most schools remaining closed until the following Monday. Expect the parks to be slammed.

Not what I wanted to hear, but I appreciate the honesty.

 

[tlmadden73]

it's talked about all over here: There is no "dead" time to go to WDW anymore.
Just plan to go when YOU can . .and plan accordingly.

There is another thread that is talking about how January 2018 "felt" more crowded than June of 2017.

 

[czmom]

it's talked about all over here: There is no "dead" time to go to WDW anymore.
Just plan to go when YOU can . .and plan accordingly.

There is another thread that is talking about how January 2018 "felt" more crowded than June of 2017.

That's the thing- we don't have to go then. I'd pick May or November again over crazy Christmas/NY crowds!

 

[tlmadden73]

That's the thing- we don't have to go then. I'd pick May or November again over crazy Christmas/NY crowds!

It's getting harder and harder to do .. but what I've done the past few years (since I have been able to choose my dates easily with no kids in school (yet))
1) Try and avoid marathons/special events
2) Try and avoid going directly on or very near holidays
3) Try and avoid the summer
4) Try and avoid when "everyone" is out of school (see #2 and #3).

So I've gone in late January, late March, late August, and early October with pretty good success. I wouldn't say any of those times were "not crowded", but the important thing is we still had fun.

I am breaking Rule #2 this fall and going on Veteran's Day weekend . .simply because it falls the week between Halloween and Thanksgiving and saves me and my son a day from taking off work/school. Oh well!

 

[brave321]

If you're not specifically going for the holidays or New Year's, I would avoid it. We went for NYE (had an amazing time even with crowds) and with the marathon being the next weekend, it was still pretty crowded. That being said, weather that week was awful so that helped a bit with crowds, but not too much

 

[czmom]

If you're not specifically going for the holidays or New Year's, I would avoid it. We went for NYE (had an amazing time even with crowds) and with the marathon being the next weekend, it was still pretty crowded. That being said, weather that week was awful so that helped a bit with crowds, but not too much

The marathon is the following weekend in 2019, but I don't know if that will significantly lessen crowds.

 

[GovieMom]

Not what I wanted to hear, but I appreciate the honesty.

Thank you for saying that. So many people on these forums tend to sugarcoat things, which ends up being misleading for many posters. I always respond with the honest (and blunt) reality of my experiences, which I'm sure some find disheartening or off-putting. So thank you for what you said.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

It's getting harder and harder to do .. but what I've done the past few years (since I have been able to choose my dates easily with no kids in school (yet))
1) Try and avoid marathons/special events
2) Try and avoid going directly on or very near holidays
3) Try and avoid the summer
4) Try and avoid when "everyone" is out of school (see #2 and #3).

So I've gone in late January, late March, late August, and early October with pretty good success. I wouldn't say any of those times were "not crowded", but the important thing is we still had fun.

I am breaking Rule #2 this fall and going on Veteran's Day weekend . .simply because it falls the week between Halloween and Thanksgiving and saves me and my son a day from taking off work/school. Oh well!

I don’t know that #3 is true anymore. Lots of people reporting moderate crowd levels in the summer the last 2 years. I would go then over the week of NY unless you’re going for colder weather.

 

[czmom]

Thanks everyone! We decided to go another time!

 

[czmom]

Bumping this back up We are looking at going once again the 2-5 of January just for a couple days pre-cruise.

 

[gharter]

As all pp, expect it to be extremely busy. If you know what you're getting into, you just plan for it. FPs are extremely important. Getting to the parks at RD, leaving mid day for a bit and then returning works well.

 

[HopperFan]

As all pp, expect it to be extremely busy. If you know what you're getting into, you just plan for it. FPs are extremely important. Getting to the parks at RD, leaving mid day for a bit and then returning works well.

THIS^

Expect it to be very crowded, with lots of school age families. Book those FP+, especially in the morning after the golden hours so you have a chance of rolling the 4th and do rope drop if you can.

OR as we do, arrive late morning to FP+ and plan to shut the parks down. As long as you are prepared for the worse, it can only be better than that if you get lucky. Have fun!

 

[OFF2NVRLAND]

These are the dates I’m looking at too. In the parks Jan 2-5. We have been Veteran’s Day weekend and Memorial Day week. I hope we don’t regret going the first week of January. We are working with 4 school schedules and none of them break at the same time except for major holidays

 

[Alesia]

These are the dates I’m looking at too. In the parks Jan 2-5. We have been Veteran’s Day weekend and Memorial Day week. I hope we don’t regret going the first week of January. We are working with 4 school schedules and none of them break at the same time except for major holidays

Expect much higher crowds than you've experienced before.