2024 is starting off with a bang at Walt Disney World! January is going to be a very busy month, so make sure you catch up on everything that’s going on if you’re visiting over the next month.
With these monthly roundups, I typically share these in order of magnitude, but there are so many big things happening in January that I figured it was better to share them in chronological order. In particular, January 9 is going to be a big, big day when it comes to how you go about planning your future Walt Disney World vacations. Even if you aren’t visiting in January, it’s worth a read to know exactly what these big changes are and how it could impact your 2024 trip!
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
Each New Year kicks off with the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. Disney World hosts a number of runDisney events throughout the year, but this is the only weekend that includes a full marathon! This year’s events occur from January 3 through 7, comprising a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Marathon.
If you’re visiting Disney World during this time, expect to see a lot of runners around the parks adorned with their well-earned medals! Since the races take place early in the morning, you shouldn’t expect too much of a delay getting to the parks. If you’re in the parks the morning of the full marathon, you may even spot some runners completing their course! Feel free to cheer.
CLICK HERE TO DETERMINE THE AVERAGE COST OF YOUR NEXT DISNEY WORLD VACATION.
The Return of the Disney Dining Plan
January 9 is a big, big day for Walt Disney World. Sure, the parks will look the same, but planning your days in the parks – and your vacations, for that matter – could change drastically. First up is the return of the Disney Dining Plan!
The Dining Plan has been M.I.A. since March 2020, but now your vacation packages can include this foodie feature. In short, the Dining Plan is a meal package you pay for in advance that gives your vacation a more “all-inclusive” feel. By pre-paying for your food (note that tips are not included in the Dining Plan), you don’t have to worry about budgeting out your spending on meals once you’re on vacation.
CLICK HERE TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOU SHOULD GET THE DINING PLAN ON YOUR 2024 DISNEY WORLD VACATION.
Park Reservations (Mostly) Go Away
Also taking place on January 9 is the biggest change to the Park Reservation System, a service that was rolled out when Disney World reopened in July 2020. As of January 9, the entire system effectively goes away for date-based tickets. That means if you’re visiting Disney World this year and you’re purchasing regular park tickets, you will no longer have to make a Park Reservation in order to enter a park!
The biggest exception to this change is Annual Passholders, who are still required to make reservations prior to their visits.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT HOW A 2024 DISNEY WORLD VACATION WILL LOOK DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS YEARS.
All-Day Park Hopping Returns
Another big change coming on January 9 has to do with Park Hopping. The ability to visit multiple theme parks on the same day has been in some modified state since the parks reopened in 2020. That changes on January 9, when all-day Park Hopping officially returns!
Guests will no longer have to wait until a specific time of day to Park Hop when they purchase theme park tickets with Park Hopping privileges. As of January 9, you can travel from park to park whenever you please!
CLICK HERE TO START PLANNING YOUR 2024 WALT DISNEY WORLD VACATION.
Disney After Hours Return
Throughout the year, Disney World offers After Hour events that give guests the ability to spend extra time in the park with lower crowds. As the name implies, these events take place after the park’s posted operating hours. At Disney World, these are good opportunities to experience popular rides with shorter wait times!
The first slate of After Hour events for 2024 begins in January. Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have its first After Hour event on January 10, with more taking place on select evenings through April 10. The next day, on January 11, Magic Kingdom will have its first After Hours event of 2024 with more taking place on select evenings through April 8. These are hard-ticket events, meaning that you need to purchase separate admission in order to attend. Tickets range in price from $155–$175 per person plus tax for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios’ events.
CLICK HERE TO DETERMINE WHICH SEASON IS BEST FOR YOUR NEXT WALT DISNEY WORLD VACATION.
Good-To-Go Annual Passholder Days Begin
Remember earlier when I mentioned that Annual Passholders are still required to make Park Reservations ahead of their visit in 2024? Well, there will be some exceptions to this exception. They are known as “Good-To-Go Annual Passholder Days,” when a Park Reservation is NOT required, even for Annual Passholders, if they wish to visit a theme park.
The first slate of Good-To-Go Days will be unveiled on January 11. This should hopefully give us a good idea of how frequently these Good-To-Go Days will be available to Annual Passholders in the year to come.
CLICK HERE FOR A 10-STEP GUIDE FOR PLANNING A WALT DISNEY WORLD VACATION.
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts Begins
January also marks the start of the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts! The first of four annual festivals at EPCOT will begin on January 12 and conclude on February 19.
This festival is known for its vibrant and creative dishes, DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series, scavenger hunts, and works of art on display across EPCOT.
