January Pros:
- Low crowds and prices most days after the 2nd week of the month.
- ESPN Wide World of Sports hosts a FREE Pro Bowl event that is fun for the whole family!
January Cons:
- Common time for ride closures/refurbishments.
- Can be cold! We were there in January of 2018 and it got down to 28°! Brrr! Watch the forecast!
January Weather:
- Average temperature is about 72° (high)/52° (low).
Packing Tips:
- Layers are the best!
- Plan on cool mornings and evenings with mostly pleasant afternoons.
- Swimsuits!
- I have seen some people swim in January but they could have been related to Elsa! Just kidding!
- All Disney parks and resort pools are heated year round to 82°!
- Ponchos!
- Even though January is not “rainy season” it is nice to have when your kids make you go on Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids (assuming they are not under refurbishment)!
- Sunscreen is always a must in Florida even with cooler temperatures!
- Chapstick with SPF and Lotion can come in pretty handy.
- It can get quite windy occasionally. Clown lips and alligator skin are not appealing!
- A Small Towel to wipe down seats on water rides, benches or chairs outside at quick service tables.
- It is not uncommon to see rain in Florida no matter what month!
- Hand Sanitizer and Wet Ones Hand Wipes!
- January is still flu season and it will seem like your kids literally touch everything in site!
- I even pack travel size Clorox Wipes for the plane seats and tray tables, hotel room light switches, door knobs, phone, remote control, etc...
- Adult and children Cold Medicine. Tis the season no matter where you are!
- Sudafed (the kind you have to show your ID at the pharmacy for) is helpful for the ear congestion on the plane as well as sinus headaches you may get when vacationing in a different climate than you are used to.
- Ibuprofen or Tylenol for any kinds of aches and pains! Plan on LOTS of walking!
- I have been known to dose up on Echinacea the week before and during vacation to give the ol’ immune system a booster! It can’t hurt!
- Adult and kid Pepto Bismol for possible upset tummies after all those yummy treats!
January 2019 Holidays and Events:
- January 1: New Years Day!
- Expect HIGH Crowds January 1 - 5!
- January 9 - 13: WDW Marathon Weekend
- Expect Moderate Crowds
- January 11 - 13: UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship
- Expect Moderate Crowds
- January 21: Martin Luther King Day
- Expect HIGH Crowds the whole weekend
- January 27: Pro Bowl
- Expect Moderate Crowds
January 2019 Refurbishments:
- January, 2017 - June 30, 2019: Coronado Springs will be undergoing a major remodel of the resort.
- Construction should not be heard between dusk and 9am.
- February 1, 2017 - 2019: Caribbean Beach Resort - Barbados and Martinique sections demolished to later become Disney's Riviera Resort.
- August, 2017 - December 31, 2019: Art of Animation will be undergoing constuction for a new gondala system called the "Disney Skyliner".
- November 2017 - July 31, 2019: Disney Springs (West Side) will be demolishing the old "Disney Quest" and turning it into the NBA Experience which is planned to open the Summer of 2019!
IF IT WAS MY VACATION (2019)...
- I would plan the week of January 24 - 30 because the crowds are not predicted to be greater than 6/10 that whole week!!
- What my week would look like:
- 1/24/19: Arrival Day; Tour and enjoy resort activities!
- 1/25/19: Animal Kingdom
- 1/26/19: Magic Kingdom Day #1
- 1/27/19: Epcot
- 1/28/19: Magic Kingdom Day #2 OR Resort/Disney Springs Day!
- 1/29/19: Hollywood Studios
- 1/30/19: Departure Day; Check baggage at Airline Check-In on property (if staying at Disney Resort) and enjoy resort activities/pool until Magic Express picks us up!