Hello, Julia!
It is lovely to hear you will be visiting the
Walt Disney World Resort early next year. The first part of January is a great time to go as usually the weather is a bit milder and you can sometimes catch the end of the holiday decorations before they start coming down. You are going to have such a wonderful visit.
The Walt Disney World Marathon takes place from January 8 - January 12, 2025. The first race, the Walt Disney World 5K, takes place on January 9th, but shouldn't get in the way of your park days. Other than perhaps a bit of a detour heading to the parks, depending on where you are staying, Disney plans the races super early so as to not disrupt too much! I don't think there will be a huge difference between crowds on those days, so you may want to make your decision based on park hours when that calendar comes out (usually about 60 days prior.) Personally, I like to begin every trip with that magical first walk down Main Street, U.S.A. to see Cinderella Castle, so I would probably pick
Magic Kingdom Park first and
Disney's Hollywood Studios after.
While you're waiting, one of my favorite parts of any Walt Disney World Resort vacation to plan is the
dining. Although it's a bit early to begin making plans, I suggest looking through the restaurants and menus to see where you may like to dine during your visit. If you need any help narrowing it down, I'd love to offer a few recommendations, so be sure to stop back by and let me know.
Happy planning, Julia, and have a wonderful vacation.
Magical Wishes,
Lauren