Do you think Jan 16 to 24 would be an ok time to visit WDW?

[kiwitinkerbell]

i know there is lots of information on best times to visit WDW and I have searched and read. We are coming from New Zealand and will be doing a cruise as well as visiting international drive. We will be away from around Dec 21 to Jan 25 and trying to work out when to book cruise and when to visit WDW. I would so appreciate your advice. We have visited a couple of times in January before and it’s been great but it was quite a few years ago. Last year we were at Disneyland over Christmas and it was crazy crazy busy to the point we did very few rides. (One of us will be using a scooter).

 

[DISNEYSQUIRRELS]

I think Disney is either busy, BUSY or BUSY!!!
We were there this year the week before you are planning to go this year & it was a great time & busy! Have a great time on your trip!

 

[Happiest.Haunt_999]

It's going to get crazy towards the end of that time frame due to people coming in for the NFL Pro Bowl.

 

[Alesia]

I don't think I would ever choose January, but considering the dates of your trip, the 16th through the 24th is probably your best option. It's going to be noticably busier than it used to be, though, so expect heavy crowds

 

[mousehockey37]

As mentioned there's the incoming Pro Bowl crowds, then there's the Arts Festival at Epcot as well. Just brings in more people.

 

[Alesia]

The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is the absolute busiest of the year. Once the holiday crowds start to think out, the marathon crowds and the dance and cheer crowds will come in. Then there's the three day weekend for Martin Luther King day, which is very busy. And as those people are leaving, the people who are going to the pro bowl will start arriving.

There are a few scattered days with low crowds in January, but they're few and far between.

 

[rteetz]

i know there is lots of information on best times to visit WDW and I have searched and read. We are coming from New Zealand and will be doing a cruise as well as visiting international drive. We will be away from around Dec 21 to Jan 25 and trying to work out when to book cruise and when to visit WDW. I would so appreciate your advice. We have visited a couple of times in January before and it’s been great but it was quite a few years ago. Last year we were at Disneyland over Christmas and it was crazy crazy busy to the point we did very few rides. (One of us will be using a scooter).

It’s usually a good time weather wise. Not very hot and not much rain. No matter when you go there will be crowds so I wouldn’t put so much into that.

 

[g-dad66]

Yep, I think that's your best time (or possibly January 7 - 15).

I think you definitely want to avoid the December 21 - January 6 time period.

 

[trishadono]

I have gone that time often because it's cheaper and less crowds compared to other times of the year. ( last 5 years in a row plus others)

Most times warm enough to swim but it could be very cold too.

Pay attention to the temps and bring layers. Mornings and evenings darn right chilly but mid day usually lovely.

 

[kiwitinkerbell]

Thanks so much for the replies, very helpful. It seems that maybe these dates may be the best for us to do WDW, now I can search for our cruise. Thanks again.

 

[Robo]

The multiple times the Super Bowl was in Florida did not bring extra guests to WDW.
(It was discussed here on major threads multiple times, but the fears of over-crowding simply did not happen.)

I can't imagine the Pro Bowl (a "nothing-burger" compared to the Super Bowl) would have any effect on WDW.

 

[magicwdw]

Pro Bowl had zero effect on our January trip earlier this year. MLK weekend brings in more of a crowd to parks than Pro Bowl I think. We usually go the last 2 weeks in January and it works well for us. Cooler weather and lower crowds, but there may be a few ride closures (Splash Mountain).

 

[NH-to-FL]

As previous poster notes, the weekend will be a bit busier due to the Monday holiday, Martin Luther King Day. But nowhere near Christmas Holiday busy. Other than that mid January is a good time to go. One of the lower crowd times at WDW. Late in January and the first week in Feburary is typically a bit less busy than mid January.

The weather in January is usually good. Though it can be a bit cool with the possibility of lows near freezing so pack accordingly. Check the record high and low temperatures for the days you expect to be there so as to to be prepared for usual Florida variability. While there might be a brief rain when a front goes through it is usually a dry time of year.

Also, January is frequently a time for ride refurbishment so be prepared for a few closed rides.
Wishing you a visit!

 

[ddavis3586]

We were there this year from Jan 7th-21st. The crowds were so much higher than I anticipated. Most days the levels were at a 7 or 8, which was surprising for that time of year. We still made the best of it and used our FP's wisely. I don't think I would go in January again though because the weather was not desirable! We wore our winter coats for many days while there, of course it did warm up later in the day, but not warm enough for me! I know this year was colder than most years, just be prepared. No matter when you go, Disney is a blast, enjoy!

 

[rteetz]

We were there this year from Jan 7th-21st. The crowds were so much higher than I anticipated. Most days the levels were at a 7 or 8, which was surprising for that time of year. We still made the best of it and used our FP's wisely. I don't think I would go in January again though because the weather was not desirable! We wore our winter coats for many days while there, of course it did warm up later in the day, but not warm enough for me! I know this year was colder than most years, just be prepared. No matter when you go, Disney is a blast, enjoy!

Due to how the holidays fell Many schools were off that first week of January yet. Then add in Marathon Weekend it was sort of a perfect storm. Weather was definitely not great.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I was there MLK weekend this year. It was a madhouse at MK on that Sunday. We found the rest of the time/parks to be manageable.

 

[dereklindd]

I was there MLK weekend this year. It was a madhouse at MK on that Sunday. We found the rest of the time/parks to be manageable.

I agree. We were there the same time. Busy that weekend. With efficient fastpasses and using all the booking windows we still had a great time even though it was busier than the year before.