Crowd level this February?

[Spike-in-Berlin]

We are thinking about a trip to the World in the midst of February, around 17th to at least 25th, to celebrate my GFs birthday (18th) at WDW. We have absolutely no experience with winter trips to WDW so we appreciate any information concerning the expected crowd levels in 2nd half of February and how they change through the month, especially concerning holidays at this time as we read some quite contradicting stuff in different medias so far. Thanks a lot.

 

[R W B]

We are thinking about a trip to the World in the midst of February, around 17th to at least 25th, to celebrate my GFs birthday (18th) at WDW. We have absolutely no experience with winter trips to WDW so we appreciate any information concerning the expected crowd levels in 2nd half of February and how they change through the month, especially concerning holidays at this time as we read some quite contradicting stuff in different medias so far. Thanks a lot.

I would say it will be somewhat above avg. as far as being busy/lines. Presidents Day is Monday the 15th and a lot of schools up north in multiple states have the entire week off so you will have a lot of families their that week. I'll be there the week before and im expecting it to get a lot busier on the 13th/14th.

 

[mousehockey37]

There's a few different crowd calendars out there. With trying to do a trip this late in the game, you just have to kinda book it and it'll be what it is.

 

[mouse_luv]

I would say it will be somewhat above avg. as far as being busy/lines. Presidents Day is Monday the 15th and a lot of schools up north in multiple states have the entire week off so you will have a lot of families their that week. I'll be there the week before and im expecting it to get a lot busier on the 13th/14th.

I agree with this. Just be aware @R W B that your week is Mardi Gras week and that can get a little crazy itself with the N.O. locals trying to escape it (they come to WDW). I had this issue back in 2009 lol, not fun!

 

[Clamman73]

We are thinking about a trip to the World in the midst of February, around 17th to at least 25th, to celebrate my GFs birthday (18th) at WDW. We have absolutely no experience with winter trips to WDW so we appreciate any information concerning the expected crowd levels in 2nd half of February and how they change through the month, especially concerning holidays at this time as we read some quite contradicting stuff in different medias so far. Thanks a lot.

It's going to be a little busy...as mentioned northeast schools have winter break that week...

 

[Tinkerbell 8]

Also that weekend is the Princess Half Marathon weekend so expect higher crowds. Race expo opens on Thursday the 18th with races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

 

[sxeensweet]

I agree with this. Just be aware @R W B that your week is Mardi Gras week and that can get a little crazy itself with the N.O. locals trying to escape it (they come to WDW). I had this issue back in 2009 lol, not fun!

R W B is from New Orleans lol.... but besides that it's also not just New Orleans people it's most of the south/south of I-10 including Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama that celebrate Mardi Gras. I'm also from Louisiana but not from New Orleans (we are about 2 hours west) and we celebrate as well and many visit WDW that week because kids are out of school. My brother and his family have gone Mardi Gras week several times as well as our own Governor Bobby Jindal that he ran into and talked too a few years ago. Small world. Lol
Sorry to ramble but yes the week R W B will be going will be pretty busy as well as the following week due to Presidents' Day.

 

[R W B]

I agree with this. Just be aware @R W B that your week is Mardi Gras week and that can get a little crazy itself with the N.O. locals trying to escape it (they come to WDW). I had this issue back in 2009 lol, not fun!

I am one of those N.O. Locals hahaha. I came Mardi gras week 2013 so I know how it is. They will have a lot of "Who Dat" (I hate that phrase) and "Geaux Tigers" chants lol.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

Thanks a lot to all of you for your advice and informations, although they quite shattered our plans as my GF has a very low tolerance to long waits and huge crowds (she knows the parks mostly from visits in September when many rides are nearly walk-ons).
What about the last week? From 22nd to early March, when do the crowds start to go?

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

It's going to be really tough to plan a trip to WDW and not expect to wait in lines. Crowd levels are much higher these days compared to years past. If your gf can't handle waiting in some lines, WDW may not be the best choice for her. Though I will say if you utilize the FP options, your waits will be 10 minutes or less.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

I didn't write "no waits" but she only visited WDW in the FP-era (I know how it was before FP) on very low attendance weeks, so waits of 20-30 minutes were the maximum and very rare. We just want to know if the lines, crowds etc. will be on the more busy days of February as bad as on peak days like Christmas, New Years Eve, 4th of July etc. or more like Star Wars Weekends, Food and Wine, Flower and Garden etc.

 

[sxeensweet]

I didn't write "no waits" but she only visited WDW in the FP-era (I know how it was before FP) on very low attendance weeks, so waits of 20-30 minutes were the maximum and very rare. We just want to know if the lines, crowds etc. will be on the more busy days of February as bad as on peak days like Christmas, New Years Eve, 4th of July etc. or more like Star Wars Weekends, Food and Wine, Flower and Garden etc.

No February dates will NOT be like Christmas week or Thanksgiving week, nor like 4th of July. It's more like moderately larger crowds.
And if you wait to go later you will start running into spring break crowds that start late Feb through Aprilish. Easter is earlier this year at the end of March so sprung breaks happen weeks before that through the month after that etc. I think you will be fine in February.

 

[mouse_luv]

I am one of those N.O. Locals hahaha. I came Mardi gras week 2013 so I know how it is. They will have a lot of "Who Dat" (I hate that phrase) and "Geaux Tigers" chants lol.

LOL I wasn't trying to be offensive or anything just wanted to let you know the Parks will be a little busier and festive.

 

[YozhikRoth]

Taking my kids down to WDW for President's week, the crowd calendars are expecting 2/14+2/15 to be very high, then average the rest of the week. We shall see, but I've managed crowds before

 

[Clamman73]

Thanks a lot to all of you for your advice and informations, although they quite shattered our plans as my GF has a very low tolerance to long waits and huge crowds (she knows the parks mostly from visits in September when many rides are nearly walk-ons).
What about the last week? From 22nd to early March, when do the crowds start to go?

It's a little lull in between...That's after the marathon/winter break week and before spring break college season starts. That's when I would go if I had a little leeway with the time period you're looking to go.
If I wanted to go that previous week you were looking to go, I couldn't even get a flight on Southwest out of my home airport of Islip NY; all the flights on the presidents weekend going there and the next weekend back from Orlando are basically sold out/unavailable.

 

[reboonefamily]

Thanks a lot to all of you for your advice and informations, although they quite shattered our plans as my GF has a very low tolerance to long waits and huge crowds (she knows the parks mostly from visits in September when many rides are nearly walk-ons).
What about the last week? From 22nd to early March, when do the crowds start to go?

This time is good that is when I go and never had a problem. Not to bad lines no huge crowds

 

[cmoliver68]

Don't forget about South American Summer. Tour groups galore.

 

[R W B]

LOL I wasn't trying to be offensive or anything just wanted to let you know the Parks will be a little busier and festive.

Lol, it's all good. I definitely didn't take it that way at all. We are loud and can be obnoxious though but festive is a good way to put it lol.