January Trip Planning and very scared right now

[cisco911]

Okay guys. Hopefully this isn't too much of a rant type question. We are planning on being in florida for Christmas and my wife has put it in my head "maybe we do Disney for a few days." So now my Disney planning brain has taken off and I feel like I'm a WDW nebw all over again. Our last trip was summer 2019 and I feel SOOO much has changed! We are planning on checking in January 1st. Doing EPCOT on Jan 2, Hollywood Studios Jan 3 and MK Jan 4 and checking out Jan 5. Now for the questions.

1. Is that a slow time at WDW? never done it outside of the summer.
2. How crazy is the weather during that time? Will it shift significantly?
3. Will it still be Christmasy at the MK?
4. We don't want to spend money on new magic bands (trying to keep it "cheap" and cheerful this trip). Can we use our magic bands from 2019 or is it better to just use the cards? Also, can we get the cards at the hotel?
5. We are planning on staying at Pop. Anything bad about that in January?
6. What else do we need to book in advance? I know no more fast passes at 60 days but I hear anything star wars like lightsaber building has to be booked 60 days out.

My disney planning is usually on point and I have no worries but I feel very uneasy this time around. I don't know if it is COVID or what but I definately don't feel prepared.

Thanks in advance for any help and if you want to add anything else to my list of worries, please feel free

 

[Stacybaeasm]

1. That time of January will be pretty busy - at least at the front part of your trip. LOTS of people go from Christmas through New Years. In fact, in the pre-park reservation days, Jan 1. could often be a partial closedown due to crowds.
2. The weather...is the weather. It may be warm, it may be cool, it may be cold. Prepare for anything and BRING LAYERS. It could be chilly in the morning, in the 70's in the afternoon, and almost cold in the evening. Or any combination there of.
3. Yes - the Christmas decorations will stay up through the first week in January.
4. Magic bands SHOULD work but they do have a battery life.
5. Pop is lovely. I think early in January is ok. It will get busy for Marathon weekend.
6. If you want sit down restaurants, you need to book those at 60 days. Since you are onsite, you can book for length of stay so you can book ALL your sit downs at the 60 day to check in day mark. Dining reservations open at 6am EASTERN time. If you want difficult to get dining - look for that later in your stay if possible. If you want to build a lightsaber, you also need to make a reservation to do that. That is 60 days out for whatever day you want. I believe those ressies open at midnight at 60 days. That can make for a lack of sleep if you want both. I remember for my nephew's special trip, I had to be up late to get the droid ressie and then up crazy early for dining.

 

[CarolynFH]

Crowds will diminish gradually during your dates as families leave to go back to work and school. Marathon Weekend begins on Wednesday the 4th and extends through Sunday the 8th, but it doesn’t necessarily mean huge crowds in the parks. So, overall, it won’t be nearly as crowded as the week between Christmas and New Year’s will be.

As above, weather is unpredictable, so you need to pack layers. It won’t be nearly as humid as the summer is, and you probably won’t have nearly as much rain, so it’s a much more pleasant time to go, in my mind.

Your 2019 MBs will work fine for everything that involves tapping Mickey to Mickey, such as entering the parks, opening resort room door, etc. They may or may not work for linking ride photos to your MDE, but if you allow MDE to link to Bluetooth on your phone, that should pick up those photos.

No, FP+ is gone, but now there’s Genie+. Read the first 7 posts in the Genie+ thread, (really! They’re updated as things change!), then start near the end and follow along as your trip gets closer.

We love Pop, when we’re out of DVC points!

So stop worrying - just read up on changes, and you’ll have a great time!

 

[RoseGold]

I'd get at least one new Magic Band to make sure your photos sync. The old kind are only $10 right now, you order with the hotel reservation on MDE on a computer (not app). My 2019 ones all didn't work on the rides last trip, bummer.

This will be very busy, expect crowds.

A big change from 2019 is mobile ordering food, which I think is a game-changer and timesaver. Now you just tap some buttons and pick up the food at the window at so many places. You can try it now on your phone to see what's available.

 

[Micca]

Looked at Touring Plans crowd calendar:

Your Epcot day is 8 out of 10
DHS is 9 out of 10
MK is 7 out of 10

Is that accurate? Can't say for sure, but if it's correct those are big crowds/busy days. Nothing is probably as busy as Christmas Eve/Day and New Year's Eve/Day, but early January is a very busy time.

 

[cisco911]

Looked at Touring Plans crowd calendar:

Your Epcot day is 8 out of 10
DHS is 9 out of 10
MK is 7 out of 10

Is that accurate? Can't say for sure, but if it's correct those are big crowds/busy days. Nothing is probably as busy as Christmas Eve/Day and New Year's Eve/Day, but early January is a very busy time.

Okay what i also want to know is what is 9 out of 10. We have always gone in end of July and things have been busy but not what I would call crazy.....well except for rope drop for Hollywood studios...that was insane! And that was just toy story, I can't even imagine what its like for a ROTR rope drop.

 

[meremac]

Okay what i also want to know is what is 9 out of 10.

Busy. Really busy unfortunately. Looking at late July this year, crowds were roughly at the 5-6 level. Your dates will be much busier than that, especially because that week is kind of a "perfect storm" this year. With New Year's Day being on a Sunday, many schools have at least a couple of days off after that before going back, if not the whole week. Then you've got Marathon Weekend the following weekend, so people will start coming for that midweek.

 

[Micca]

Okay what i also want to know is what is 9 out of 10.

For me, personally -- I'd stay away. When the parks are at a 5 or 6 they are still busy, but you can manage touring. But I have the luxury of going at less busy times, and I go at least twice per year. If this is a "Everything sort of falling into place" situation, I'm sure you could go and have a good time.

 

[cisco911]

The thing with this trip is that it is our kid's 3rd trip. Princesses are done. Characters are kinda take it or leave it. So its more rides and experiencing the park. Outside of ROTR and maybe GOTG, every other ride we have done so its not a once in a lifetime kinda thing. I am hoping to have a pretty relaxed day at epcot and magic kindgom. Ride what we can ride and enjoy the atmosphere. Hollywood studio's is the only day that will stress me out because I have been looking forward to Galaxy's Edge since forever. LOL

 

[Disneylover99]

Okay what i also want to know is what is 9 out of 10. We have always gone in end of July and things have been busy but not what I would call crazy.....well except for rope drop for Hollywood studios...that was insane! And that was just toy story, I can't even imagine what its like for a ROTR rope drop.

The one good thing about going in January, if you’re used to July, is the weather. Lines don’t feel as long when the weather is cooler.

 

[RoseGold]

The thing with this trip is that it is our kid's 3rd trip. Princesses are done. Characters are kinda take it or leave it. So its more rides and experiencing the park. Outside of ROTR and maybe GOTG, every other ride we have done so its not a once in a lifetime kinda thing. I am hoping to have a pretty relaxed day at epcot and magic kindgom. Ride what we can ride and enjoy the atmosphere. Hollywood studio's is the only day that will stress me out because I have been looking forward to Galaxy's Edge since forever. LOL

There will be no "relaxed" in a 9/10 crowd, unless you consider waiting in line relaxing. There's plenty of that. Honestly, the kiddie trip might be better in 9/10, because at least you can get a princess G+ and you can always ride teacups and the carousel. I was in Galaxy's Edge in a 4/10 and I thought it was too crowded for me.