Early January Planning

[mom2rtk]

It's been a while since I planned a full on WDW trip. But I think we're going to give this a try in January. I'm struggling with how to plan our park days with a number of hard to get FPs in the mix. And of course, we won't know how that shakes out for 4 more months, at which point some of the ADRs will be hard to move.

We're looking at arriving Tuesday 1/6 and departing Wednesday 1/15. We would have 10 day tickets and plan on briefly visiting a park on both arrival and departure days. Instead of taking down days, we would take a couple of half days somewhere along the line.

We would probably do MK 3 full days plus either arrival or departure day. Then 2 days at each of the other parks.

Beyond that, what's the best way to approach which park on which day? I think the marathon is that weekend. Any advice on minimizing the impact? Does it affect traffic more at any particular park?

I'm ignoring the fact that the new SW ride could open by the time we go. No way to know the impact. Don't really care if we get to do any of it. But we don't want to skip DHS because we love ToT, RnR and the new TS stuff.

We definitely want to do FoP.

We'll probably be at Pop Century.

General advice on choosing which park for which day? Tomorrow is ADR day so I need to commit to where we'll be. We won't have hoppers so need one park per day.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

General advice on choosing which park for which day?

Different strokes for different folks, but whenever I sit down to plan and am starting with a blank slate, I tend to default to the "avoid the parks with EMH" strategy. I don't think the results are material, but it at least gives me "something" to work with as a planning base. We've never particularly enjoyed or benefited from EMH much anyway, generally speaking. But I'm sure many others do the exact opposite.

Beyond that, what's the best way to approach which park on which day? I think the marathon is that weekend. Any advice on minimizing the impact? Does it affect traffic more at any particular park?

Yeah:

5k: 1/9
10k: 1/10
Half: 1/11
Full: 1/12

The 5k and 10k are non-issues, the Half to some extent depending on your plans, the Full is the one runD race that really bleeds over into park hours for a decent chunk of time. I will defer to others for direct experience that day. If you haven't already, I'd look up the course map for the Half & Full last year for some context. Depending on your circumstances and if the race does interfere with your destination, it might be worth a resort morning that Sunday if possible, or maybe brunch at Disney Springs, etc.

Good luck.

 

[dlavender]

Do you do EMH (what's left of them, ha!)? If so, I'd look at historical info to see which park had EMM on which day and start planning that way. Also, as I'm sure you already know, I'd put AK towards the end of the trip to get the best shot at decent FP times for FOP. No advice on marathon crowds, haven't been during that time.

 

[mom2rtk]

Different strokes for different folks, but whenever I sit down to plan and am starting with a blank slate, I tend to default to the "avoid the parks with EMH" strategy. I don't think the results are material, but it at least gives me "something" to work with as a planning base. We've never particularly enjoyed or benefited from EMH much anyway, generally speaking. But I'm sure many others do the exact opposite.



Yeah:

5k: 1/9
10k: 1/10
Half: 1/11
Full: 1/12

The 5k and 10k are non-issues, the Half to some extent depending on your plans, the Full is the one runD race that really bleeds over into park hours for a decent chunk of time. I will defer to others for direct experience that day. If you haven't already, I'd look up the course map for the Half & Full last year for some context. Depending on your circumstances and if the race does interfere with your destination, it might be worth a resort morning that Sunday if possible, or maybe brunch at Disney Springs, etc.

Good luck.

Thanks for the rundown on the marathon. That helps. I probably need to find that course and see what they did last year, hoping for something similar this year. And the Sunday morning late start might be a good plan. It's also mid-trip so timing might be good.

Do you do EMH (what's left of them, ha!)? If so, I'd look at historical info to see which park had EMM on which day and start planning that way. Also, as I'm sure you already know, I'd put AK towards the end of the trip to get the best shot at decent FP times for FOP. No advice on marathon crowds, haven't been during that time.

We're morning EMH people. We get there in time to fully use the entire hour. But without hoppers, and with the higher crowd levels in general than we are used to, I'm wondering if we should go the route of avoiding the EMH parks. This certainly is a very different creature from DLR.

I'm definitely doing AK later in the trip. I'm assuming there won't be FP for anything in SWGE and that FoP will still be the hardest to get FP. Any idea how Slinky dog is these days?

 

[mom2rtk]

I looked at the Disney site for hours and they stop a day short of our arrival day. Are there hours posted on a travel agent website or anything yet? I'm hesitant to make too many guesses about EMH parks because of the SWGE wildcard.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I looked at the Disney site for hours and they stop a day short of our arrival day. Are there hours posted on a travel agent website or anything yet? I'm hesitant to make too many guesses about EMH parks because of the SWGE wildcard.

Yeah, that's one of the more common gripes about scheduling at 180 days out these days. Disney only releases their calendar on a rolling 180 day basis. The TA calendars and similar sources are no longer publicly available or published like they were in the past. You can make educated gueses that will probably be right, but you're flying blind a bit in terms of EMHs.

Touring Plans and other similar crowd calendar sites publish hours past 180 days out, presumably from reliable sources/information. Still subject to change later on, of course.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yeah, that's one of the more common gripes about scheduling at 180 days out these days. Disney only releases their calendar on a rolling 180 day basis. The TA calendars and similar sources are no longer publicly available or published like they were in the past. You can make educated gueses that will probably be right, but you're flying blind a bit in terms of EMHs.

Touring Plans and other similar crowd calendar sites publish hours past 180 days out, presumably from reliable sources/information. Still subject to change later on, of course.

OK, thanks. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

So if I want to make some educated guesses (Not sure yet if we'll go with the EMH or avoid it but I need a starting point anyway) would you look at:

1) January 2019
2) current July dates since SWGE opens in August and could affect things
3) avoid November and December dates as an example because of the parties switching things up?

Perhaps a dart board?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

So if I want to make some educated guesses (Not sure yet if we'll go with the EMH or avoid it but I need a starting point anyway) would you look at:

1) January 2019
2) current July dates since SWGE opens in August and could affect things
3) avoid November and December dates as an example because of the parties switching things up?

Perhaps a dart board?

A dart board works, because the below is probably clear as mud.

I usually eyeball last year's hours. Around marathon I'd watch out for any adjustments to the 'usual' EMH pattern, so let's see what things looked like for your same Tuesday to Wednesday dates this year:

MK 2019
Wednesday - PM EMH
Friday - AM EMH
(so, normal pattern)

Epcot 2019
Tuesday - PM EMH
Tuesday - PM EMH
(the normal Thursday AM EMH that week was shifted to Monday that week due to the 5k)

DHS 2019
Sunday - A rare PM EMH, shifted from the normal Sunday AM EMH due to the Marathon. Big caveat in who knows what EMHs will look like in this park this year.

DAK 2019
Thursday - AM EMH
Saturday - AM EMH
Monday - AM EMH
(so, some slight shifting from the normal Saturday & Monday AM EMH pattern)

Phew... I need a drink!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

And if I tweak the presentation above to fit your plan, your days COULD (key word) look like this:

Tuesday - Epcot PM EMH
Wednesday - MK PM EMH
Thursday - DAK AM EMH
Friday - MK AM EMH
Saturday - DAK AM EMH
Sunday - DHS PM EMH
Monday - DAK AM EMH
Tuesday - Epcot PM EMH
Wednesday - MK PM EMH

 

[mom2rtk]

A dart board works, because the below is probably clear as mud.

I usually eyeball last year's hours. Around marathon I'd watch out for any adjustments to the 'usual' EMH pattern, so let's see what things looked like for your same Tuesday to Wednesday dates this year:

MK 2019
Wednesday - PM EMHs
Friday - AM EMHs
(so, normal pattern)

Epcot 2019
Tuesday - PM EMH
Tuesday - PM EMH
(the normal Thursday AM EMH that week was shifted to Monday that week due to the 5k)

DHS 2019
Sunday - A rare PM EMH, shifted from the normal Sunday AM EMH due to the Marathon. Big caveat in who knows what EMHs will look like in this park this year.

DAK 2019
Thursday - AM EMH
Saturday - AM EMH
Monday - AM EMH
(so, some slight shifting from the normal Saturday & Monday AM EMH pattern)

Phew... I need a drink!

And if I tweak the presentation above to fit your plan, your days COULD (key word) look like this:

Tuesday - Epcot PM EMH
Wednesday - MK PM EMH
Thursday - DAK AM EMH
Friday - MK AM EMH
Saturday - DAK AM EMH
Sunday - DHS PM EMH
Monday - DAK AM EMH
Tuesday - Epcot PM EMH
Wednesday - MK PM EMH

Thanks so much for taking the time to read the tea leaves. I see where you're coming from with it and see how it might turn out like that. Or not.

I'm sort of leaning toward doing one day morning EMH in the MK, and one day not. Maybe 2.

Do you (or anyone else reading along) have experience with FoP during EMH?

 

[AuntDJ]

We are planning on a Jan. Trip so, I wanted to chime in and see what all are saying

Also, if you google crowd calendar for WDW, you should find a couple of websites that show anticipated crowds and anticipated park hours. Of course, they are not from WDW so they are not set in stone, but they gave me a good starting point for ADR.

My biggest concern is we ALWAYS go in June and do early to the park, rest mid-day and the park evenings....with the historical January times, the park hours are much shorter so I am not sure how to go about my day? Will I need to become an all day in the park person?

 

[sponica]

@AuntDJ historically for January, you didn't have to be, because the crowds were much more manageable (as in non existent).

I feel like the past couple years people have been saying it "feels" more crowded as in the waits are longer due to decreased staffing or only one side of a ride will be operational.

 

[mom2rtk]

We are planning on a Jan. Trip so, I wanted to chime in and see what all are saying

Also, if you google crowd calendar for WDW, you should find a couple of websites that show anticipated crowds and anticipated park hours. Of course, they are not from WDW so they are not set in stone, but they gave me a good starting point for ADR.

My biggest concern is we ALWAYS go in June and do early to the park, rest mid-day and the park evenings....with the historical January times, the park hours are much shorter so I am not sure how to go about my day? Will I need to become an all day in the park person?

Thanks! I'll google and compare notes.

We did WDW in December for many years and generally don't get park hoppers so were always "all day" visitors. I'm not exactly sure how we'll approach it this time, but will probably be all day visitors with a couple of partial days worked in to get off our feet more. Of course that's easier if you go for a longer trip.

 

[mom2rtk]

@AuntDJ historically for January, you didn't have to be, because the crowds were much more manageable (as in non existent).

I feel like the past couple years people have been saying it "feels" more crowded as in the waits are longer due to decreased staffing or only one side of a ride will be operational.

I worry about that. But we were there on a day in June that was expected to have heavy crowds, and it did. And that really affected our enjoyment of the park. I'm hoping that even if they staff down some we'll still enjoy at least some less busy walkways. Truth is I really don't know what to expect. But we're sort of hemmed in on dates all we can do is hope for the best.

 

[mom2rtk]

So I think I have a working plan. But try as I might, I end up with going to the MK on Marathon Sunday (1/12). Hopefully we can do a later start but hate worrying about the traffic. It would be so much better if I could have chosen a gondola accessed park that day, but I just couldn't work it out.

Anybody have a guess on when traffic will be back to normal that morning?

 

[vicarrieous]

So I think I have a working plan. But try as I might, I end up with going to the MK on Marathon Sunday (1/12). Hopefully we can do a later start but hate worrying about the traffic. It would be so much better if I could have chosen a gondola accessed park that day, but I just couldn't work it out.

Anybody have a guess on when traffic will be back to normal that morning?

No idea on traffic but its a concern for us too. We are at the Boardwalk and wanted to go to MK but may do Epcot or HS since both would be walkable. I am trying to decide which park would be best on Sunday the 12th.

 

[AuntDJ]

We are planning on doing Sunday at MK too. I haven't really thought about how to get there yet, but that is our first day and we always do Buzz as our first ride '

I did read a trip report that was from January 2019 and they said Marathon day wasn't as bad as they expected. So maybe if I go in expecting June crowds and it is less, we will be excited

 

[mommy2mrb]

We are going Jan 12-19 (park days 13-18) and staying at POP.
Kind of going with the flow this trip and only 2 ADR to plan which makes park planning so much easier. We usually are rope drop to close taking breaks in the park people.
Going to be doing MK twice -taking keys to the kingdom tour one day
Epcot twice - Friday and Saturday for festival of the arts. Not worrying to much about rides though. If we get soarin one day and TT the next I’ll be good. DD likes MS.
AK and DHS once each. If we get lucky to ride smugglers run will go, mostly want to see the land and try some food. We now do single rider lines if they have them.
AK we love FOP and EE.

 

[sponica]

I worry about that. But we were there on a day in June that was expected to have heavy crowds, and it did. And that really affected our enjoyment of the park. I'm hoping that even if they staff down some we'll still enjoy at least some less busy walkways. Truth is I really don't know what to expect. But we're sort of hemmed in on dates all we can do is hope for the best.

My January 2013 trip is probably my favorite trip, still using paper FPs but because crowds were so low I don't think we really used them, we got more done in 3 park days than I've ever done with longer trips because crowds were so low.

But yeah, I'm willing to take a longer wait time if it means the walkways aren't as crowded.

 

[cinderaimee]

We were in Disney this January 10-19. I would 100% recommend going to MK on the marathon day! I knew it would take a little extra time on the bus so I didn't plan a rope drop or super early reservations or FP and we arrived around 10 AM. The crowds were so light this day! I think a lot of local AP holders avoid the parks during the marathon because there are a lot of road blocks and detours, plus the marathon finish line is over by Epcot, so a lot of the runners seemed to tend to stay in that area and don't make it to MK until later in the day, if at all.

If you have single park day tickets, I would actually avoid EMH days at parks because they tend to be more crowded. If you have hoppers and are morning people, you could RD the EMH morning parks and then head to another park.

Also, prepare yourself for Christmas decorations everywhere until after marathon day!