January is a great month to visit Walt Disney World. Immediately following the holidays, you typically find fewer families taking extended time off from work and school to visit Orlando, meaning crowds are noticeably lighter than the month or so preceding. The weather is also ideal if you don’t want soaring high temperatures and oppressive humidity – we’ll cover weather in more detail in a moment.
Let’s start with the major happenings around Walt Disney World in January. You might think January is a sign of those winter doldrums, but Disney World is as busy as ever this time of year.
What’s happening at Walt Disney World in January
Disney After Hours returns
Throughout the first half of the calendar year, Disney World hosts Disney After Hours events at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT. These hard-ticket events require separate admission to attend and take place after the regular posted hours. Hours and ticket prices vary from park to park, but attendees can expect lower wait times for attractions, special character meet and greets, unlimited popcorn, ice cream novelties, and soda beverages, and more.
You can expect Disney After Hours to begin around mid-January on select evenings and continue through early summer. They’re a great tool to use if you want to maximize your time in a park on a particular day, especially if you have a shorter trip.
READ MORE: SHOULD YOU BUY A TICKET TO DISNEY AFTER HOURS?
Walt Disney World Marathon weekend
The month starts with the largest runDisney event of the year – the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. Usually held over the first or second weekend of January, the marathon encompasses several early morning races: a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon, and a marathon. While other runDisney races throughout the year also offer those first three events, this weekend is the only one that includes a full-length marathon.
Around this event, you’ll spot runners appearing in the days leading up to the races, and as the weekend progresses, you’ll spot participants sporting their well-deserved medals around the park. If you want to cheer the runners on, the parks admit guests at no cost in the early hours for select races (nothing will be open in the parks, of course, but it’s fun to cheer on runners along Main Street, U.S.A.!). The Walt Disney World Marathon weekend normally occurs on the first full weekend of January.
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts
EPCOT begins its festival lineup each year with the Festival of the Arts. This is a shorter-running festival, typically lasting a little over one month. As the name suggests, the Festival of the Arts celebrates all things visual and performing arts.
Throughout EPCOT, you’ll spot larger-than-life paintings you can pose with, artfully inspired food and beverage items available for purchase, scavenger hunts, limited-time merchandise, and more.
The Festival of the Arts is also when EPCOT hosts the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series. Each evening, Broadway stars from Disney musicals perform a selection of show tunes at the American Gardens Theater in the American Adventure Pavilion. The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts normally begins in mid-January (historically it has been on the third Friday of the month) and runs for around five weeks though late February.
READ MORE: THE BEST TIMES TO VISIT DISNEY WORLD IN 2026
Walt Disney World in January weather
You’re in the thick of the winter season when visiting Walt Disney World in January. For many, the weather will be more mild and comfortable than it is back home — I’m currently based in New England, so trust me, Orlando sounds wonderful this time of year! But this doesn’t mean it will be hot. On the contrary, you’d be surprised just how cold it can feel at Disney World during the winter months.
According to Weather Spark, January is actually the coldest month in Orlando on average, with an average daily low of 52°F and high of 71°F. Once it gets into the 50s, you’ll definitely feel a chill. Be sure to bundle up with jackets, hats, and even gloves.
READ MORE: WHAT TO PACK FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD IN THE WINTER
Tips for visiting Walt Disney World in January
Catch the final days of holiday decorations
If you visit early enough, you can typically see some of the holiday decorations before they are taken down for the year. This is especially true at Magic Kingdom, where the Christmas tree typically stays up through the marathon weekend.
Though the bulk of holiday events have already wrapped up (the after-hours events usually conclude before December 25), you can still catch a glimmer of the holidays (and maybe a specialty menu item or two) in the first week of January.
READ MORE: PLAN A HOLIDAY VACATION TO WALT DISNEY WORLD
Be aware of marathon crowds and road closures
The runDisney events are always very popular and sell out far in advance. This means that runDisney event weekends see a bump in crowds, which could mean longer wait times and busier days in the parks overall. If your vacation overlaps with the Walt Disney World Marathon weekend, just being aware can set your trip up for success. In addition, there are typically road closures around the resort during these events. The 5K and 10K mornings shouldn’t impact your travels much, but the half marathon and full marathon mornings might. Allow for extra travel time in getting wherever you want to go.
Carve out time for the EPCOT Festival of the Arts
The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts usually runs mid-January through late February. Though this festival is far shorter than, say, the Flower & Garden Festival or the flagship Food & Wine Festival, it’s no less extravagant! The food served during the Festival of the Arts usually has a creative flair, and EPCOT is filled with colorful displays and vibrant performances throughout the festival. I highly suggest planning on trying some of the festival food and beverage items during your EPCOT day.
Consider booking a DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series Dining Package
If you want to check out the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series during your EPCOT visit, the best way to get guaranteed seating is by booking a Dining Package. These packages include a lunch or dinner reservation at a participating EPCOT Table Service restaurant, along with a reserved seating section for your party and other Dining Package participants. It’s a great way to skip the standby line for the concert that evening, and if you were already planning on dining at an EPCOT restaurant, it’s a convenient way to check multiple items off your “to do” list.
Be prepared for cooler temperatures!
You might think I’m insane for saying this, but if you’re visiting Walt Disney World in January, make sure you pack a jacket, hat, and even a scarf or gloves if you’re more prone to feeling chilly. Orlando can get downright cold in the winter months, and you don’t want to be caught off-guard without gear to keep you warm. Pack those winter essentials so you don’t wind up needing to buy extra sweatshirts once you’re there (although, I’ll never say no to an opportunity to stock up on cute merchandise).
READ MORE: SHOULD YOU BOOK A SUMMER TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD INSTEAD?
Walt Disney World in January was originally published on The World of Spark.
