Sunday, October 2, 2022 - 07:32
It has been announced this week that the popular Disney After Hours events are returning in January. Guests will be able to visit Disney's Magic Kingdom on select nights beginning January 9 and Disney's Hollywood Studios starting January 4, 2023.
Disney After Hours are separate ticketed events with limited availability, meaning wait times are usually lower than normal. Guests can experience three hours in the parks after regular closing, with entry from 7:00PM. To add that extra bit of magic, you can enjoy ice cream, popcorn and select beverages during the evening.
Tickets for Disney After Hours events go on sale for guests from Disney Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels as well as Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort on October 4 and on general sale from October 7. Prices range from $129 to $159 (plus tax).
Specially priced tickets are available for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members are available for select dates.
For specific dates and to purchase tickets, visit the official website. Are you excited to see the return of Disney After Hours events at Disney's Magic Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios? Let us know your thoughts by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
Co-founder of the site alongside her amazing Husband Nick who had the vision and inspiration to create Theme Park Tourist from scratch. Natalie has always been amazed by theme parks and thinks nothing beats walking around a Disney Park soaking up the sights, sounds and magical atmosphere hand in hand with the ones she loves.
Sign Up For Your Free Account
About Theme Park Tourist
Theme Park Tourist is one of the web’s leading sources of essential information and entertaining articles about theme parks in Orlando and beyond.
We are one of the world’s largest theme park guide sites, hosting detailed guides to more than 80 theme parks around the globe.
Find Out More About Us...
Plan Your Trip
Our theme park guides contain reviews and ratings of rides, restaurants and hotels at more than 80 theme parks worldwide.
You can even print them.
Start Planning Now...
January is a wonderful time to enjoy Walt Disney World! In fact, it’s one of my favorite times to visit. The holiday crowds have gone home, and the spring break crowds are still months away. But that doesn’t mean crowds won’t play a factor. In recent years, January has become a more popular time to visit the parks. Cooler temperatures and special events will play a key role. And for many, January is an easier time to take off from school and work. So when it comes to visiting Walt Disney World in January, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind before finalizing your travel dates.
*This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
**The reopening of Walt Disney World is an ongoing process that is constantly changing. Be sure to visit our guide to visiting Disney World during the phased reopening for updated information to guide your vacation planning!
January At-a-Glance
- Prepare to wear layers! January weather can be unpredictable. I have personally visited when temperatures were close to freezing overnight and in the early morning. (Rope drop was VERY cold!) And I have also visited in January when temperatures were over 80 degrees. Typically, you will want to layer up as mornings and evenings are cooler and afternoons warm up a bit.
- While some days are warm enough to swim, others are not. And sometimes pools are closed due to cooler temperatures. Water parks tend to take this time to refurbish as well.
- January prices tend to be less overall. Park prices, hotel prices, and airfare prices are typically lower in January as it isn’t a peak travel time. Disney is also known to offer discounts and incentives for January, so be on the lookout for these when planning your vacation!
- There will most likely be refurbishments. Because January sees fewer crowds, Disney often uses this time to refurbish certain attractions. This includes some of the bigger water attractions like Splash Mountain.
- New Year’s, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend tend to be busier times for Walt Disney World. If you’re visiting in January to avoid the crowds, be sure to avoid these weekends.
January Events
In 2022, Epcot hosted the Epcot International Festival of the Arts from January 14 to February 21. And it is likely this event will occur around a similar time frame in 2023, although nothing has been announced or confirmed by Disney at this point.
According to Disney, this festival celebrates the “creation of art and cuisine.” It also boasts some of the best activities of all the Epcot festivals. In addition to all of the artistic culinary creations, you will find animation classes, a paint-by-number mural, workshops (for an additional fee), photo ops throughout the park, and must-see galleries as well as artwork available for purchase. Epcot festivals tend to bring more local crowds on evenings and weekends, so plan on visiting Epcot during the week if crowds are a concern.
ESPN Wide World of Sports typically hosts several athletic events each month. These events don’t usually have a major impact on crowds in the parks, but they can affect resort availability and crowds at Disney’s value resorts. Here are the events scheduled so far as well as events that are typically held in January:
- UCA National College Cheer & Dance Championship – TBA (held January 14-16 in 2022)
- Disney Girls Soccer Showcase – January 13-16, 2023
- 2022 USA Field Hockey Sunshine Showcase – TBA (held January 28-30 in 2022)
Other dates to consider in 2023 would include New Year’s weekend (December 30 – January 2) and Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend (January 13 – January 17). These weekends will be significantly more crowded as they are holiday weekends.
January Refurbishments & Closures
*We’ve included all current refurbishments here on this list… even ones that may be open in time for January 2023. (Please note that this list could change at a moment’s notice.)
Magic Kingdom
- Walt Disney World Railroad is closed indefinitely due to construction on the new Tron roller coaster.
- Enchanted Tales with Belle is also temporarily closed with no reopening date yet announced.
- Tron Lightcycle Power Run is opening in Spring 2023!
- Splash Mountain will close at some point for retheming to become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. No dates have been announced yet, however.
EPCOT
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is now open!
- Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is expected to open in 2022
- Canada Far & Wide in CircleVision 360 is closed through November 2022 (most likely for the Food & Wine Festival)
- The American Adventure is closed from September 19 thru December 16, 2022
Hollywood Studios
- Star Wars: A Galaxy Far, Far Away (stage show) has permanently ended
- For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration will be closed January 9-27, 2023
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid is temporarily closed with no reopening date yet.
- Jedi Training Academy: Trials of the Temple is also temporarily closed.
Animal Kingdom
- Primeval Whirl is permanently closed
Other
- Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park will reopen on November 13, 2022.
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park will be closed for refurbishment beginning November 13, 2022.
January Weather
January Disney World Crowd Calendar
Crowd calendars are very popular, but they can also be a bit unpredictable. That being said, the pandemic has made predicting crowds even more difficult than normal.
While crowd calendars can be a big help in planning your trip, keep in mind, they are predictions at best. When designing our calendars, we take a look at events, school calendars, ticket prices, park hours, holidays, and typical monthly patterns. But unfortunately, our crowd calendars cannot predict other things such as weather, travel advisories, pandemics, or last-minute openings or closings of shows and attractions.
January isn’t usually considered to be a crowded month. In fact, it usually boasts some of the lowest crowds (and prices) of the year. If crowds are a big concern, avoid holiday weekends as well as the marathon weekend, and you should be good to go.
Overall, most weekdays in January are going to be fairly low in terms of crowds. That being said, it is worth noting that Disney World will be nearing the end of its 50th Anniversary Celebration (which concludes in March 2023). This could draw many to the parks who are trying to take part in the festivities before they end. So we expect January 2023 to be a bit busier than typical for this time of year.
**For a free printable PDF version of this crowd calendar, be sure to visit our resource page to become an email subscriber! You will also gain access to other printable resources to help you plan your next Disney vacation!
Ready to start planning your visit to Walt Disney World in January?
Here are some resources to help you get started!
Disney Value Resorts
Disney Moderate Resorts
Disney Deluxe Resorts
Walt Disney World Dining Guides:
Dining in Magic Kingdom
Dining in Epcot
Dining in Hollywood Studios
Dining in Animal Kingdom
Attraction Guide for Magic Kingdom
Attraction Guide for Epcot
Attraction Guide for Hollywood Studios
Attraction Guide for Animal Kingdom
There’s nothing better than knowing what to expect on your Disney World vacation. Our monthly guides can help you visit with a plan!