When is the best time to book a January trip?

[funkyspunky871]

Hey everyone! I'm looking to plan a trip to WDW for January 2019 as a celebration for graduating from college later this year. I know there's always this and that "special offer" for vacations on the Disney website, whether that be 15% off rooms or free dining. I've never gone to Disney in the winter though so I'm not familiar with the 1.) when these types of offers would become available or 2.) what types of offers I can look forward to. Any ideas? When's the best time to really start looking at hotel rooms and/or packages?

Also on that note, when do they take Christmas decorations down at Disney? I was hoping to go early January. Would there still be some Christmas magic then? Haha

 

[g-dad66]

We got a 15% room discount for January 2017. The discount was announced on September 28, 2016.

 

[Masiri]

If you're looking for very early January, you might be out of luck discount wise - especially with school schedules similar to how they were this year (my kids didn't go back until 1/8, I'm guessing that next year will be the same, with the first week of Jan off school), and marathon weekend to boot.

We booked a stay, play, dine package for 1/20-1/28 on 10/3.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Yeah, I would echo what PP said. If you want to see the Christmas decorations, you’ll need to go in the first week of January. But that week still has high crowds plus the marathon the next weekend, so discounts probably won’t be available.

However, if you wait until later January crowds will be lower and more discounts available. Another benefit would be the Festival of the Arts at Epcot, which looks so cool and I’m totally going to see it next year!

You can check here for historical discounts, though Disney has become stingier and stingier with the actual discount as well as the availability of rooms (ie they may offer 15% off a room, but then the only room types available are upgraded views, so in the end you wouldn’t save much money). https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/

 

[Eastern]

Discounts are so variable that time of year. I would wait for the first deal that comes along for a hotel I like and then book it: discounted room categories, especially standard (cheapest) will sell out.

There is a Disney specific TA here that people use (that we can't mention) that usually has some early January discounts available before the general discounts come out but I forget when it happens. Just keep looking and watch the January 2019 discounts thread. (you can start one yourself on the resorts discounts board as I didn't see one)

 

[TIS Grandma]

Can't answer about discounts, but we were there last week and Christmas decorations were up until Wednesday Jan 10.

 

[Animal]

Marathon weekend 2019 is NOT the first weekend in January. It's the weekend of Saturday January 12. Unlike this year, New Years week 2019 won't have the added complication of marathon weekend at the end of it!

https://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/

 

[rteetz]

Marathon weekend 2019 is NOT the first weekend in January. It's the weekend of Saturday January 12. Unlike this year, New Years week 2019 won't have the added complication of marathon weekend at the end of it!

https://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/

Marathon weekend is from Wednesday Jan. 9th through the 13th. I wouldn't call it a complication either. Crowds were especially high during this year's marathon weekend because of how the holidays fell. Many schools remained off that week which increased crowds.