Hi Whitney!
Welcome back to planDisney! And thanks for making us a go-to resource as you plan your trip. We appreciate it!
I’ve visited the parks in January for the past few years, so I’m happy to help give some guidance. While we can never truly predict crowd levels, I would expect both of those weeks to see lighter crowds than normal, especially the week of January 12-17.
With that being said, I may just choose the week of January 19-24 even though there’s a chance of bigger crowds between the two weeks, and here’s why.
First of all, any time there’s a holiday, there’s a chance to see a spike in crowds, so that’s why January 19-24 might see higher crowds than January 12-17. But, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with crowd levels around MLK Jr. Day the past couple of years!
Next, and most importantly for me if I were making the decision, is that there’s a better chance that the
Festival of the Arts will be going on during that second week you’re thinking about. I’m a sucker for
Epcot festivals, and the Festival of the Arts is such a fun one!
We don’t know the 2026 festival dates yet, but in the past, Epcot’s Festival of the Arts has started right around MLK Jr. Day. In 2025, it was held from January 17 through February 24.
Otherwise, as of now, there have been no announcements of any openings or closings of attractions around that time to plan around. The
Skyliner will be closed for refurbishment from January 25-31, 2026, but that will be after the two weeks you’re considering.
So for me, it would really come down to the festival at Epcot! If the festival is a priority, I’d go with January 19-24. And if it’s not, I’d go with January 12-17. Either way, keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for any announcements leading up to your trip!
I hope that helps! Have the BEST trip! And of course, let us know if you have any other questions.
Jenn J.