Does anyone know why lines are so long for January?

[Boost]

Mini trip report and just wondering why it was so tough to get on almost anything...

Just got back from a one day trip yesterday. We hit MK in the AM and Epcot in the PM. Once inside MK, we headed to Aladdin, because our two year old daughter LOVES it. Line was not too bad. From there, headed over to POTC and the line extended out of the building, just opposite Pirate and Perico. Next was BTMR, which we Fastpassed. Splash is apparently in refurb, line for HM was unreal, so we walked through Fantasyland and over to Tomorrowland. As we neared the Speedway, I remarked to my wife that I cannot recall the last time that I saw the line queue all the way out of the building and two lines deep outside. The line for SM was all the way back to Buzz and Buzz's line was snaked back and forth and extended over towards COP.

We ended up going over to EPCOT and the lines didn't seem so bad. Our only disappointment was that we got there after all Soarin' FPs were given out and the line was 90 minutes long! We chose not to wait, and found other places to go.

The crazy thing is that with all of the long lines, the park did not seem that crowded! We have been to all parks at all times of the year before, so we definitely know what mid-January is like, crowd-wise.

Does anyone have any insight into the long lines in January?

[PlutoToo]

I think this weekend is Martin Luther King weekend, and is traditionally a busy weekend. Fri. night pirates and HM were basically walk on.

[Strmchsr]

Two reasons: First, this is MLK weekend and a lot of folks come in for short trips for that since they have Monday off.

Second: January has become VERY popular with South American tour groups, especially from Brazil, since this is their big summer vacation from school.

[DizneyRox]

Are they running the rides at full capacity? Two queues for POTC? Both stretching rooms for HM? Staffing has a lot to do with the lines...

Not saying it's not busy. Having gone one year on MLK weekend, I too was surprised at the crowds, but I don't recall unusually long waits. Im also accustomoed to going in July, so lines are really not a problem...

[Boost]

Yep, aware of MLK weekend and yes, we did see several South American tours.

I was just wondering if there were any other reasons for the really long lines.

Thanks, guys...

[Dyanna]

We just returned last night from spending the last week there. I must say I thought it was just as crowded as being there for the F&W Festival & Halloween time. When we arrived on Jan 8th it was crowded due to Marathon weekend. Wait times were quite long too. Toy Story ride at DHS was at 110 minutes & the Tower of Terror was 75. Soarin at Epcot was 90 min or more, Test Track was at 60 min, At Space Mountain was also at 50. We passed on the usual long wait for Peter Pan at over an hr. This weekend being MLK the crowds were the same but did notice many many Brazilian tour groups. Also there were some local school 5th graders taking field trips late in the week as well. Jan is no longer a slow time to goto Disney but I dont think there is a slow time to go anymore. I read in another post that she saw 18 Brazilian tour flags all with fastpasses cramming in the fastpass line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I too saw that the fastpass lines were sometimes just as long as the standby lines

[Melanie]

This makes me so sad! The week after the marathon used to be THE BEST week to go.

[JPL]

Add Martin Luther KIng Weekend, the Marathon, short staffing, Tour Groups, and all the discounts together and it will equal larger crowds and longer lines.

[Ian]

There just aren't that many truly slow times left anymore. Disney has done a brilliant job at adding special events and luring in groups during the traditionally slow times of the year to help level out attendance.

I'm not shocked at all that it was crowded, especially considering that A. Saturdays are pretty much always crowded and B. it's a holiday weekend.

[Melanie]

I'm still holding out for September. It was still pretty empty this past year.

[JPL]

Well most people think I'm crazy but I can't wait for Free Dining and all the other promotions to be cut back so it goes back to somewhat normal again!

[Ian]

I'm still holding out for September. It was still pretty empty this past year.

It was pretty crowded when we were there in September of '09, although we were there a bit later in the month. I think that first week is the best.

[CaptSmee]

I'm still holding out for September. It was still pretty empty this past year.

We're going this weekend, but for longer in Sept. See you there!

[Melanie]

We're going this weekend, but for longer in Sept. See you there!

Yes, the first few weeks are great. School is back in session and Halloween parties haven't started yet. If you like just plain old Disney World (no parties, festivals going on), it's a great time to go!

[MarkC]

Very happy to hear that. We arrive the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. I realize the first couple of days might be a little busy but hoping the rest of the week is really, really quiet.

[Gator]

I don't remember a Saturday being anything but busy, regardless of what time of year you go. I've read some tour planning guides that say Saturday is a great day to be at the MK. WRONG. It's crowded everywhere on Saturdays.

[LisRich]

Yikes! Do you think it will lighten up a little in a week or so? We're coming down on the 28th for a long weekend and I was hoping for smaller crowds. We were there in mid-September and it was fine - how does January compare to September?

[PopPhan]

Well most people think I'm crazy but I can't wait for Free Dining and all the other promotions to be cut back so it goes back to somewhat normal again!

I just don't see that happening.....If they find that they can draw more people in with promos like that, and with building more resorts/dining areas/etc., I can see the money crunchers at Disney keeping it up, to the point of saturation -- where people have been there so often that they, finally, get tired of it and stay away.

If, and/or when, these promos STOP bringing in the guests, then they will stop offering them, not before. Remember, the money crunchers equate more bodies on property to increased spending and increased profits!

[rubato]

We were incredibly disappointed in the long lines and crowds. We were there the 5th -11th. I have never seen lines so long. And, I couldn't stand to be at DHS it was so bad. We went on a non EMH, non Fantasmic day and we couldn't walk through them all.

I also was unhappy to still be hearing Christmas music on January 11th. Our first day, it was a nice surprise, since we've never seen the decorations, but we were definitely done after 7 days of it.

[WDWCrazyKaren]

I'm with the previous poster! We were there the 4th - 11th, and we've never seen mobs like there were this year. The tour groups were the absolute worst I've ever seen, and the lines at DHS were so crazy, that we just left. It was miserable. And we got there for rope drop!

Now I'm trying to figure out the 1st week of Feb for next year. I can't do these crowds again!