5/5/12 Update: Updated refurbishments, confirmed dates for Mickey’s Parties in September – December, updated info on Park hours/entertainment when available. Disney should release seasonal pricing at its resorts next month, at which point I’ll update January – June for 2013.
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 2012
See the January 2012 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 – 4 is Value, the cheapest season.
- January 5 – 7 is Marathon, which is just slightly more expensive than Value and similar to Martin Luther King.
- January 8 – 12 is Value, the cheapest season.
- January 13 – 15 is Martin Luther King, which is slightly more expensive than Value and very similar to Marathon.
- January 16 – 31 is Value, 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: With New Year’s Day falling on a Sunday in 2012, January 1st and 2nd won’t be as crowded as they have been in past years because of the number of people that will be traveling that day. Still, these will be the two busiest days of the month. The first week in January is busier than one might expect because of extended winter vacations in some school districts all the way to January 8th and the Walt Disney World Marathon on the 5th through 7th. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, from the 13th to the 16th, is also busier. You can expect slightly above average crowds during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend or about a “6″ on the 1-10 scale. The crowds over those four days are lower than you’ll find during any day of Summer or Peak Season, but if you’re flexible with your dates, you will want to plan around that weekend. Crowds are much lower from January 17th, through the end of the month, and into the first two weeks in February. While not quite as low as most of September, we’re looking at a “2 or a 3″ on our 1-10 scale.
January Park Hours and Entertainment: January’s operating hours are among the shortest of the year (other than January 1st through 7th which have longer operating hours and additional evening entertainment due to heavier crowds for New Year’s Holiday, the Marathon, and extended winter break vacations). After the 7th, the Magic Kingdom often closes at 8pm on weekdays and only offers the Main Street Electrical Parade three or four times each week, usually at 7pm (again, other than the first week when Main Street Electrical Parade is scheduled every night). Wishes is scheduled each night at 8pm or 9pm, depending on date. Main Street Electrical Parade at Magic Kingdom is not scheduled from January 20th through February 10th due to paving work in Frontierland. During that time, the Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade will travel around the hub and return to where it begins near the Firehouse and Emporium on Main Street. Hollywood Studios’ hours are also shorter and Fantasmic is scheduled earlier in the night, usually at 6:30pm and a second show at 8pm. It appears that Fantasmic will be undergoing a refurbishment from January 9th through February 12, when no shows are currently scheduled. Luckily, non-Fantasmic days have the usual 9am to 7pm operating hours. No evening entertainment is expected to replace Fantasmic during the refurbishment. Animal Kingdom’s hours are predominately 9am to 5pm, though the first week sees 9am to 7pm hours and 9am to 7pm hours also appear throughout the month, usually on Saturdays and Sundays. Epcot has its usual 9am to 9pm hours, as it does for most of the year, and features IllumiNations each evening at 9pm.
Best Week to Visit Disney World in January 2012: 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.
Typhoon Lagoon closed December 4th 2011 and is scheduled to reopen March 18th 2012.
House of Innoventions closed December 4th and is scheduled to reopen in April 2012.
New Refurbishments:
The Beach at the Polynesian Resort will be closed or inaccessible from January 4th through January 16th for sand nourishment. Parts may be open or closed during this time.
Tutto Italia in the Italy Pavilion at Epcot will be closed for refurbishment from January 8th through April 30th. It will reopen on May 1, 2012.
Plaza Ice Cream Parlour at Magic Kingdom is expected to close January 9th and reopen March 28th.
Fantasmic is not scheduled at Hollywood Studios from January 9th through February 12th, which points to a lengthy refurbishment of some kind. At the moment, it looks like a lot of attention will go toward the stage and water features.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant will close for refurbishment from January 9th through March 11th. It is expected to reopen on March 12, 2012 in New Fantasyland.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom is expected to be closed for refurbishment from January 9th through May 27, 2012. It is expected to reopen on Monday May 28, 2012.
Main Street Electrical Parade at Magic Kingdom will not be scheduled from January 20th through February 12th due to repaving work in Frontierland.
Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom will be closed for refurbishment from January 24th to February 9th. It is expected to reopen February 10th, 2012.
Liberty Square Riverboat at Magic Kingdom is scheduled to close for refurbishment from January 28th through February 3rd.
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 7th, 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. While the great majority of attractions will be operating, it is important to note that we will most likely be adding a lot of refurbishments throughout the month of January.
January Special Events That May Affect Crowds or Your Stay:
The Disney World Marathon is held January 5 – 8, 2012. 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 7th and particularly January 8th. 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 7th. See November and December for more information about the Lights.
Beginning in late January, Brazilian tour groups tend to visit Disney World en masse due to a long vacation in Brazil. Expect to see large groups throughout the theme parks. While they are noticeable, it doesn’t have a substantial impact on overall crowds. If you do see a group, it’s best to avoid them.
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