4/2/13 Update: Updated refurbishments and a few dates. 2014 information will be available once Disney releases the resort rate charts, which will hopefully be…soon.
Introduction
This is a month by month look at the cost, crowds, weather, and special events at Walt Disney World.
The cost section relates primarily to booking a room at a Disney-owned resort. The cost of theme park tickets, upgrades, and other add-ons generally does not change throughout the year, with the exception of theme park tickets, which usually see one price increase during the course of the year. Traditionally, that increase comes in August, though it came during June in 2011.
The weather section is based on the historical data available. For a look at the last 15 years of Orlando weather on any date, check http://www.wunderground.com/tripplanner/index.asp?MR=1 This is a handy reference tool, but make sure you look over more than just the past couple of years. The fall of 2009 was one of the hottest on record and January 2010 broke record lows when the temperature dipped below freezing several times.
The crowds section is based on data from the past several years. Generally speaking, the higher the price of a Disney resort room, the busier the Parks will be. For example, Value season usually has the smallest crowds and Peak and Holiday seasons see the highest crowds. We’ll also take a closer look at the various exceptions throughout the year.
The Park hours and entertainment section covers the hours of operation at the Disney Parks. If the hours and entertainment aren’t yet available, you’ll see (expected) after the section header. In this case, I’m basing the hours and schedule on past years.
The best week to visit section takes into account crowd level, available promotions, Park hours, ride closures, resort cost, special events, and other pertinent information. Be sure to check out the day-by-day analysis when available to check on the daily crowd levels and dates of important events.
The closures and openings section lists all known and expected ride, Park, restaurant, and other closures and openings throughout Disney World. If a ride is closed for refurbishment or reopened after refurbishment or a new ride or restaurant is expected, it will be listed here.
Finally, I’ve included a brief description of the special events and other nuances throughout the year. This will help you plan around events that may adversely affect your vacation or you might want to tweak your plans to visit during a special event of particular interest. I link straight to the Disney website throughout this calendar so you can read “the official word” about the events or purchase tickets.
January 2013
See the January 2013 Crowd Calendar with Daily Analysis Here.
January Cost:
- January 1 is New Year’s, which is just slightly less expensive than Holiday, but more expensive than any other date.
- January 2 – 9 is Value 1, the cheapest season.
- January 10 – 12 is Marathon, which is similar to Regular and Martin Luther King.
- January 13 – 17 is Value 1, the cheapest season.
- January 18 – 20 is Martin Luther King, which is similar to Regular and Marathon.
- January 21 – 31 is Value 1, the cheapest season.
January Weather: January weather is the coldest of the year in Orlando, with an average high of 69 degrees and an average low of 50 degrees. The weather is generally comfortable in the afternoon, but a light jacket or sweater may be necessary in the evening. Historically, there is little precipitation in January, although it does rain some on about 22% of days.
January Crowds: Because many United States school districts continue winter break though January 6th, January 1st through 5th continue to be quite crowded, though less crowded than the two weeks before it with the Christmas Holiday. Expect crowds similar to spring break in March, which is to say less heavy than summer, but still in the “7 to 9″ range.
Crowds are low to slightly above average throughout the rest of the month. Crowds spike for the Marathon from January 11th to 14th and again for Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend from January 18th – 21st. Still, you’re looking at average to slightly above average crowds compared to the rest of the year on those dates. Other than those weekends, crowds are well below average with January 23rd through the first ten days in February seeing the lowest crowds of the year outside of September.
January Park Hours and Entertainment: The final January operating schedule is available here: http://media.disneywebcontent.com/StaticFiles/DTA-Domestic/pdf/ParkHours/WDW_Operating_Calendar_jan.pdf.
Best Week to Visit Disney World in January 2013: January 23-30 is the best week to visit, with some of the lowest crowds of the entire year and Value season pricing.
Closures and Openings:
Continuing Refurbishments:
- The Spa at the Grand Floridian Resort closed September 19th 2011 for about 18 months, until at least June 2013. The Fitness Center remains open and guests will be shuttled to Saratoga Springs for spa services.
- Character Spot at Epcot has moved behind its original location during a refurbishment that is expected to last through the middle of February. Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto continue greeting guests during the refurbishment.
New Refurbishments:
- Splash Mountain will be closed for refurbishment from January 2nd through March 19th, reopening on March 20th.
- Main Street Bakery will be closed for refurbishment from January 6th through May 17th, reopening on May 18th. The new location will serve Starbucks coffee, pastries, and other items in addition to Disney favorites.
- Kali River Rapids will be closed for refurbishment from January 6th through February 15th, reopening on February 16th.
- Blizzard Beach will be closed from January 6th through March 16th for its annual refurbishment.
- BoardWalk Bakery will be closed for refurbishment from January 6th through April 26th, reopening on the 27th.
- Mad Tea Party will be closed for refurbishment from January 7th through February 18th, reopening on the 19th.
- Disney Jr. Live on Stage will be closed for refurbishment from January 14th through February 13th, reopening on the 14th.
Notes:
Historically, January has the most refurbishments and closures of any month. We’ll also have the last night of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Hollywood Studios on January 6th, the change back to Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade (from the Christmastime Parade over the holidays) at Magic Kingdom, and the change over to Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade (from Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade) at Animal Kingdom. Lengthy pool refurbishments are also common at Disney resorts.
January Special Events That May Affect Crowds or Your Stay:
The Disney World Marathon is held January 10 – 13, 2013. While the Marathon doesn’t increase lines at the rides much, it does cause a lot of congestion in and around the Parks on the mornings of January 12th and particularly January 13th. See http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/endurance/wdw-marathon/index?page=registration for more information on the event, including pricing and exact race times.
The last night of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is January 6th. See November and December for more information about the Lights.
Beginning in late January, South American tour groups tend to visit Disney World en masse due to a long vacation in throughout the continent. Expect to see large groups throughout the theme parks. If you do see a group, it’s best to avoid them.
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