***Official January 2025 Thread***

[ThereYouSeeHer]

It's time to start planning for 2025!

When you book, let us know when and where!

(Vacation packages starting January 1, 2025 opened for booking on February 27, 2024. Discounts for January 2025 were released on October 1, 2024.)

Welcome all December, January, and February travelers who have some or all of their vacation in January!​

New Year Roll Call

December 28 to January 4: corn princess (AoA)
December 29 to January 5: d's do disney (AKL Jambo)
December 30 to January 1: IanDLBZF from MCMagic (WL)
December 30 to January 4: vtran004 (BWV)
December 30 to January 9: disneyfan123 (CCV, VGF)
January 1 to January 7: danikoski (WL CL)
January 1 to January 7: pevensiepals (SSR)
January 3 to January 8: GBRforWDW (Offsite)
January 3 to January 13: VicarJT (CSR GDT)
January 3 to January 14: SeanW (VGF)
January 4 to January 10: DisMomAmy (Dolphin)
January 5 to January 19: AussieAngel (BWV, Poly Tower)
January 6 to January 14: BarbLynnM (AKL Savanna View)
January 6 to January 16: MargeGriff (POR)
January 7 to January 15: marij (Pop)
January 8 to January 12: Cybertruck (SSR)
January 8 to January 14: LuvindisCruiser (Offsite)
January 9 to January 12: DisneyAsh32 (BC)
January 9 to January 12: pinkxray (VGF)
January 10 to January 12: cjlong88 (AKL)
January 11 to January 15: pixiedust2u (Offsite, Swan)
January 11 to January 16: Pyxie (ASSp, SSR)
January 11 to January 25: catbertdave99 (CBR)
January 12 to January 16: lukenick1 (SSR)
January 12 to January 25: disneydreamer1980 (BRV)
January 13 to January 18: Zhoen (SoG)
January 14 to January 22: Frank4202 (ASMu)
January 15 to January 19: UpstateMick (POFQ)
January 16 to January 20: MaidMarian444 (BC)
January 16 to January 26: kanerf (BWV Boardwalk View, OKW, RIV)
January 17 to January 26: Tbiafore (AKL Jambo)
January 18 to January 25: AngieInOH (AoA Lion King)
January 19 to January 24: Simba's Mom (AKV Kidani, BCV)
January 20 to January 27: LaurenT (AKL Jambo)
January 20 to January 29: Marrila (BC)
January 21 to January 26: VAtink (YC)
January 21 to January 26: FeliciaB23 (BWV)
January 21 to February 8: Galexia (Poly, CBR, WL)
January 22 to January 28: KSL (Swan)
January 22 to February 1: Disney_Addicted (Pop, SSR)
January 23 to January 27: tamitru32 (Poly Tower)
January 23 to February 2: Princess Katelet (OKW)
January 25 to January 31: loganjared (CR)
January 25 to February 1: kellyjeanie (BC)
January 25 to February 1: ClaraOswald (BRV)
January 25 to February 1: peachiepie (ASMu)
January 25 to February 1: Letting It Go! (AoA)
January 25 to February 2: disneydad7281231 (PVB)
January 25 to February 4: Momma of 4 (AoA, WL)
January 26 to January 30: HappyGal (Pop)
January 26 to January 31: Lioness77! (ASMu)
January 26 to January 31: 5kidsmommy (SSR)
January 26 to February 1: Jasper&Bowie (Pop)
January 26 to February 1: chimo2u (AKL Jambo Savanna View CL)
January 26 to February 2: FairyGodmother00 (WL, AoA)
January 27 to February 10: zanzibar138 (Poly, BLT, AKV Jambo)
January 29 to February 6: Griffin11 (CBR)
January 30 to February 8: Gina (Pop)
January 31 to February 2: Kurious Oranj (AKL Jambo, VGF)

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

What's New for 2025?

• Free water park! Registered Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel with a check-in date from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025 will receive a complimentary one-day water park ticket valid for check-in day only.
• Cancellation policy changes! Beginning January 1, 2025, all Walt Disney World room-only reservations must be canceled eight days prior to the check-in date. Previously, guests could cancel within five days.
• Campsite capacity! Beginning January 1, 2025, campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground will be limited to a maximum of eight guests. Previously, campsites allowed up to ten guests.

What Changed in 2024?

• Park hopping! Effective January 9, 2024, Disney World guests no longer have to wait until after 2:00pm in order to hop between theme parks. As a result, park-to-park buses now begin operating at 10:00am each day.
• Park reservations! Effective January 9, 2024, date-based tickets (the standard ticket option) no longer require theme park reservations. Good-to-go days were also introduced, which are select days that do not require park reservations for Annual Passholders and Cast Members.
• Meal plans! For stays beginning January 9, 2024, Disney dining plans can be added to Disney Resort vacation packages.
• Dining reservation searches! Effective March 11, 2024, Disney World guests may now search dining availability for up to 10 days at a time.
• Genie+ renamed and reworked! Effective July 24, 2024, Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane services have been renamed to Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lighting Lane Single Pass, respectively. Disney Resort Guests may purchase passes up to 7 days in advance of their stay. All other guests may purchase passes up to 3 days in advance. Up to 3 ride selections may be made in advance: choose up to 1 experience from Tier 1, plus 2 additional experiences or all 3 experiences from Tier 2.
• Lightning Lane Premier Pass! Effective October 30, 2024, the new Lightning Lane Premier Pass allows one-time entry to each Lightning Lane experience in a theme park for guests at Disney's deluxe resorts.

Virtual Queue (as of September 9, 2024)

• Tiana's Bayou Adventure (Magic Kingdom): No standby line during normal park hours (MNSSHP will use standby); Guests may ride TBA by either purchasing a Lightning Lane Multi Pass or by joining a virtual queue at 7am or 1pm.
• TRON Lightcycle / Run (Magic Kingdom): No virtual queue as of September 9th, 2024; Guests may ride TRON by utilizing the standby queue or by purchasing a Lightning Lane Single Pass
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (EPCOT): No standby line; Guests may ride GotG by either purchasing a Lightning Lane Single Pass or by joining a virtual queue at 7am or 1pm (during Extended Evening Hours for Deluxe Resort guests, an additional virtual queue option will be available at 6pm).

Events In and Around January 2025

November 8 to December 20: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
November 8 to December 24: Disney Springs Santa Clause Meet & Greet
November 8 to December 30: Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll
November 9 to December 21: Hollywood Studios Jollywood Nights
November 29 to December 30: EPCOT Candlelight Processional
November 29 to December 30: EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
November 29 to December 30: EPCOT Olaf's Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt
December 1 to December 31: runDisney Virtual 12Ks of Christmas
December 21 to December 29: Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks
December 30 to December 31: Magic Kingdom Fantasy in the Sky New Year's Eve Fireworks
December 31: EPCOT Cheers to the New Year: A Sparkling Celebration
January 1 to January 31: Disney Springs Wellness Month
January 8 to January 11: runDisney Health & Fitness Expo
January 8 to January 12: runDisney WDW Marathon Weekend
January 17 to February 24: EPCOT International Festival of the Arts
January 17 to February 24: EPCOT Disney on Broadway Concert Series


Openings, Closings, and Refurbishments affecting January 2025

Grand Opening
The Cake Bake Shop Bakery & Restaurant (October 24, 2024)
Island Tower at Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows (December 17, 2024)

Temporary Closure
Test Track (June 17, 2024 to 2025)
Kali River Rapids (January 6, 2025 to March 2025)
Gran Fiesta Tour (January 6, 2025 to March 15, 2025)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (January 6, 2025 to 2026)
Topolino's Terrace (January 12, 2025 to January 25, 2025)
Astro Orbiter (January 13, 2025 to Summer 2025)
Hall of Presidents (January 20, 2025 to TBD 2025)

Permanent Closure
Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy (as of October 8, 2024)
TriceraTop Spin (as of January 13, 2025)
Fossil Fun Games (as of January 13, 2025)
Chester & Hester's Dinosaur Treasures (as of January 13, 2025)

Resort Refurbishment
Port Orleans French Quarter Resort Rooms (May 2024 through Spring 2025)
Bay Lake Tower Resort Rooms (September 2024 through September 2025)
All Star Movies Resort Fantasia Pool (January 2025 through April 2025)
Yacht Club Resort Rooms (January 2025 through May 2025)
Yacht Club Resort Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool (January 2025 through May 2025)
Beach Club Resort Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool (January 2025 through June 2025)

Disclaimer: All events and dates are subject to change. Please plan your vacations accordingly!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Placeholder until new information is released...

Removal of Christmas Decorations

Around January 4: Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort
Around January 4: WDW Christmas Background Music Loops
Around January 4: WDW Resort Hotels
Around January 8: WDW Theme Parks (Potentially through Marathon Weekend)

Remember, it's Christmas All Year Long at the Following Locations!

Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf
Disney Spring's Days of Christmas Store
Magic Kingdom Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe (look for the special station where you can write and send letters to Santa!)
EPCOT Die Weihnachts Ecke (The Christmas Corner)

Disney World Mailboxes (mail stamped letters and postcards at various mailboxes in all four theme parks or at resort front desks)

Disney's Holiday Central Webpage

Official January 2023 Thread (for reference)

Disclaimer: All events and dates are subject to change. Please plan your vacations accordingly!

 

[disneyfan123]

We are booked from December 30 to January 9. Split stay between CCV and VGF.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Can't believe it's time to do this all over again!

Same as before, we are tentatively looking at the first week of January.

Excited for the new perk of a free water park on arrival day. Hopefully, the water parks will stay open, and it won't be too cold or rainy!

Welcome, everyone!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

We are booked from December 30 to January 9. Split stay between CCV and VGF.

Yay! Welcome, you've been added!

 

[Tbiafore]

Thank you for starting this thread. It's much appreciated.

Jan 17-26: Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo House)

 

[Tbiafore]

Your post above mentions that Splash Mountain is closed 23rd thru the 31st of Jan. Is that correct as its not going to be called Splash Mountain?

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Thank you for starting this thread. It's much appreciated.

Jan 17-26: Animal Kingdom Lodge (Jambo House)

You're welcome! You've been added!

Your post above mentions that Splash Mountain is closed 23rd thru the 31st of Jan. Is that correct as its not going to be called Splash Mountain?

The current lists are copied from a previous year, so they are just placeholders right now. It will be a messy work in progress for a bit, so keep checking back for more up-to-date information!

 

[Griffin11]

I was hoping someone would start this thread soon, thank you!

We are travelling Jan 29 - Feb 6 (CBR).

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

I was hoping someone would start this thread soon, thank you!

We are travelling Jan 29 - Feb 6 (CBR).

You're welcome!

Yay, our first vacation stretching into February. You've been added!

 

[Tbiafore]

The only caveat for QS is that you won't be able to order more than 2 adult and 2 kid meals at a time. You don't have to only do mobile order for QS, we usually send just one person into the line to order if not using mobile order, and just one person places the order for the entire party.

The current lists are copied from a previous year, so they are just placeholders right now. It will be a messy work in progress for a bit, so keep checking back for more up-to-date information!

Ahh makes sense. Thanks!

 

[Frank4202]

We are booked at All Star Music for Jan 14-22. It will be my son's first trip, just before his 3rd Birthday.

My mother is a cast member so hoping in September, she can start to get us some discounts or upgrade our resort for a small fee.

 

[Frank4202]

I also noticed that the refurbishment of the pool at All Star Movies is not shown. I only found it by clicking the "Recreation" tab.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

We are booked at All Star Music for Jan 14-22. It will be my son's first trip, just before his 3rd Birthday.

My mother is a cast member so hoping in September, she can start to get us some discounts or upgrade our resort for a small fee.

Yay for first visits! You've been added!

I also noticed that the refurbishment of the pool at All Star Movies is not shown. I only found it by clicking the "Recreation" tab.

View attachment 841125

Ooh, thanks! This information has now been added to the refurb list!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

FYI. Yacht and Beach Club's Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool will now be closed January 2025 through June 2025 (previously announced as January through May).

This has been added to the refurb list in the second post.

Stormalong Bay refurbishment to be longer than first thought at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort

 

[kanerf]

Jan 16-19 BWV 1BDRM Boardwalk View
Jan 19-22 OKW 1BDRM
Jan 22-26 RIV SSV

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Jan 16-19 BWV 1BDRM Boardwalk View
Jan 19-22 OKW 1BDRM
Jan 22-26 RIV SSV

Welcome! You've been added!

 

[zanzibar138]

Yay, our happy dance thread is open

We'll be arriving on 27 January and departing on 10 February.
Have just booked BLT from 31 January to 7 February - will book the few nights either side in due course.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Yay, our happy dance thread is open

We'll be arriving on 27 January and departing on 10 February.
Have just booked BLT from 31 January to 7 February - will book the few nights either side in due course.

Yay, you've been added!

(Just let me know whenever you book the rest, and I'll get it updated!)