Jan 1-8 trip

[Lfgw9206]

We were planning on Dec 26-Jan 1.

After talking to the kids schools I think we can now do Dec 31-Jan 7/8?

Will this maybe give us a few days of not HUGE crowds?

 

[lorimt]

Unfortunately, not really. We went 1/1 to 1/6 in 2023 and the crowds were really bad. The 7th and 8th may be a little better than the other days.

 

[alecam]

I went on Jan 1st two years ago and it wasn’t so bad by the 3rd or 4th. I think though with this coming year, you may deal with crowds until the 5th or so because of the ways the holidays land (Wednesdays). Still, it will be better than the week between Christmas and New Years, which is the busiest it gets, IMO.

 

[bobbiwoz]

• Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: January 8 to January 12, 2025.

So, you will most likely have crowds, but not as bad as NYE.

 

[Lfgw9206]

Unfortunately, not really. We went 1/1 to 1/6 in 2023 and the crowds were really bad. The 7th and 8th may be a little better than the other days.

Oh no! Yes I figured, I wish we could make another week work but with school and work and kids sports we just can’t.

 

[nighttowll]

Not as bad as the days right at the holidays, but the time we did first of January, it was bad, like 8 and 9 out of 10 crowd level bad. We focused on activities that didn't involve waiting like watching the parade, long adr, and scavenger hunts. I remember it was hard in some areas to even move; just wall to wall people. This was around the 6th to 12th I think. I thought the second week would be ok, but nope.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I believe your new dates will be better and the good news is crowds should get a bit lighter each day.

I understand it varies depending on where you live but our schools go back Jan 6, 2025 which bodes well for the later days of your trip as we tend to go back later than many other school boards.

 

[tobikaye]

Just remember that the 6th is the first day of Pixie and Pirate Pass AP's can go back to the parks after being blacked from mid-December. I think Sorcerer APs can get back in on the 3rd, so there may be a slight influx there.

Based on my niece's school schedule the kids in the Tampa area may not return to school until on the 7th due to a teach in-service on the 6th. I arrived on the 9th this year, equivalent of the 7th in 2025. I would say that the park crowds were moderate. I still think overall, you will not have the crazy crowds that tend to be there 12/23-1/2.

 

[HopperFan]

School districts around here (GA) seem to fall mostly to the 5th, ours is a huge district and we go to the 7th. Disney is a huge destination for folks here. Those dates are still falling mostly in to school holidays so it won't be uncrowded between that and the marathon folks coming in. Expect some crowds and if it is lighter that is a plus.

 

[baggs32]

We went 1/1-1/4 this past January and it was pretty crowded, moreso than we've ever experienced before but this was our first trip near a holiday save for Columbus Day once. We thought the crowds would lighten up towards the 3rd or 4th but race weekend was starting so as holiday crowds were leaving the runners and their familes were arriving. I don't know if there's a race that weekend next year but I wanted to share our more recent experience. We found that it was a lot better at night probably due to the coler temps and people not wanting to deal with it. The airport was a madhouse too on the 4th as you might imagine.

Is it better than the week between Xmas and NYE? Probably, and we at least had a discount on the rooms after NYE.