Hi there Lisa!
How exciting that you'll be heading to the East Coast to visit Walt Disney World Resort! You'll notice some things are similar to Disneyland Resort in California and others are much different. One of the things that often surprises Guests who are familiar with Disneyland Resort is just how large and spread out everything is at Walt Disney World Resort. I'm glad you stopped by planDisney with your questions. You'll be an expert on both coasts in no time!
Weather in January in Central Florida is highly variable. I have experienced warm days in the 80's perfect for swimming, and other times when the temperatures were near freezing and we needed hats, gloves, and warm coats -- sometimes on the same trip! The average high in January is in the low 70s and the average low is in the low 50s. I would say most days are pleasant during the day and chilly in the mornings and evenings. January sees much less rainfall than other months of the year. Definitely check the weather forecast prior to your visit, and be prepared for any type of weather.
Locker rentals are available in all theme parks and water parks. In the theme parks, small lockers are $10 and large lockers are $12. Magic Kingdom Park and EPCOT also offer jumbo lockers for $15. At Disney's Water Parks, small lockers are $10 while large lockers are $15. (Prices are subject to change without notice.)
Walt Disney World Resort has multiple Fuel Rod stations throughout the parks and Disney Resort Hotels. The easiest way to find them is by using the
My Disney Experience mobile app. Use the search button at the bottom of the screen to type in "
Portable Phone Charging System Kiosks" and select "Find on Map" to view locations.
Unlike Disneyland Resort, in most cases, it is not possible to walk from park to park. Transportation between parks is usually by bus, with a few exceptions.
Bus transportation from park to park will start shortly before park-hopping hours begin at 2:00 pm. Head to the bus loading area and check the transportation board to find the bus headed to your destination. To travel between Magic Kingdom Park and EPCOT, take the
monorail. Transportation options between Disney's Hollywood Studios and EPCOT include the
Disney Skyliner (my fave!),
boat transportation, or a walking path. The walking path is a little over a mile and usually takes about 20 - 25 minutes. Directions can be found in the My Disney Experience mobile app. Use the search button to type in your destination, then choose "Get directions". You'll be able to enter your starting location and the app will show which transportation method to use and approximately how long the journey will take. If you prefer to drive, roadways around Walt Disney World Resort are well-marked, and GPS can help you find your way. When traveling to or from Magic Kingdom Park, I recommend using resort transportation -- the parking lot for Magic Kingdom Park is at the Transportation and Ticket Center and requires traveling by ferry or monorail to reach the gates.
While cashless low-contact transactions are recommended, cash is accepted nearly everywhere at Walt Disney World Resort.
Lisa, if you think of any other questions you have, please feel free to visit us at planDisney again anytime. Have a wonderful trip!
Anne Marie