4 Reasons Why You Should Visit Disney World in January
One of the most difficult parts of planning a Disney vacation is deciding when to take it. Now obviously, there are lots of things to consider when choosing a time to travel. But might I suggest you visit Disney World in January? We have taken three separate vacations to Walt Disney World during the first month of the year. In fact, it’s one of our favorite times of the year to go. Here are just some of the reasons why you should visit Disney World in the month of January.
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Planning a Disney World vacation in 2024? Be sure to check out our guide to all that the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer this year including the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the return of the Disney Dining Plan, and more!
Cure your winter blues
I don’t know about you, but January is not a good month for me. I live in the Pacific Northwest. We see our first snow as early as October, and I thoroughly enjoy the snow through Christmas. But once January hits, I’m ready for it to go away… which usually doesn’t happen until March!
The first year I planned a visit to Disney World in January, I did it because it was a good time with our jobs. But in the end, I realized a January vacation was exactly what we needed! What an amazing time to escape the snow and enjoy 70-80 degree days in Orlando!
Holiday crowds have gone home
Disney World is crazy busy during the holidays. For some, being in Disney World at Christmas is worth putting up with the additional crowds. But if you’re anything like me, I would rather visit when it wasn’t so crowded. Now, the weekends can still be a little busy… especially during the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend… but for the most part, January crowds are quite pleasant.
One thing to keep in mind (which might be a deterrent for some), Disney World often saves some of their bigger refurbishments for the month of January. This usually includes the water rides as well as one or both of the water parks since it’s a little cooler outside.
The vacation as a whole may cost less.
This one was a huge incentive for my family. January brings some of the least expensive pricing at Walt Disney World when it comes to resort stays and park tickets. It is also one of the cheapest times to fly. This becomes even more important when you have a bigger family.
Enjoy milder temperatures.
We have visited Walt Disney World three times in the month of January. That being said, we have enjoyed some amazing weather. Most of our days were between 70-80 degrees. It only rained once in three vacations. (Orlando’s rainy season is actually in the fall.) Now, we did have an unusually cold day on our last trip. But according to some of the locals we spoke to, it was extremely unusual weather for Orlando. (It was below freezing!) Even with the cold, however, it was still sunny and enjoyable. No need to head back to the hotel room to rehydrate due to 90+ degree days in the Florida sun.
Bonus: January is a wonderful time to cruise, so consider adding a Disney Cruise to your Disney World vacation!
We did this on all three of our January vacations to Disney World. December-February is a great time to cruise to the Bahamas or explore the Caribbean. In fact, this is probably one of the biggest reasons we try to visit Disney World in January. Visiting during the summer or fall means we risk hurricane season when sailing. On one of our trips, we took a 7-day Caribbean cruise, and on the other two we ended up on a 3-day trip to the Bahamas. It was perfect. We spent our weekdays in the park and set sail during the weekend allowing us to rest from walking as well as avoid the weekend crowds!
Looking to plan your Walt Disney World vacation? Be sure to visit my step-by-step guide to get started!
