Questions about our February trip

[fizzle75]

Howdy folks, long time no see!:wave:
Due to hand surgery, a hectic work schedule and a recent WDW trip, I haven't been on the boards much lately but I've had a blast getting to know some of you a little better over on Facebook.

My wife and I will be returning to our favorite place in the world in late February and I have a few questions. We normally go in mid April for our Anniversary and early December for the holidays, but due to scheduling conflicts at both of our work places we are unable to vacation in March or April this year and as a member of management i am prohibited from vacation during our busy season which lasts from May through Labor Day...SO, we decided we would go in late February for my birthday for my birthday which is on February 25th.

We are hoping to do alot of firsts on this trip as far as both dining and experiences go. Most of the restaurants we picked we have never eaten at and we are hoping to do a tour or two, and we have never done a tour at WDW either. We are really bummed that we won't be able to attend the Flower & Garden Festival next year but we felt a little better about it when it dawned on us that we would be able to attend the Pirate & Princess Party...until we found out they have been cancelled for next year. We haven't seen La Nouba since 2006 so we are hoping to work it into this trip as well.

Here are my main questions...

I realize that Florida weather is nigh impossible to predict and changes all fo the time but TYPICALLY, what is the weather like in late February?

Is it warm enough to enjoy a water park?

What are the crowd levels like in late February?

Which tour do you recommend?

We called and booked all of our ressies yesterday and surprisingly we were able to get everything we wanted except our desired Fantasmic Dinner package. The only restaurant available for the dinner package on the night we are going is Hollywood and Vine. We have never been very intrigued by Hollywood & Vine and most of the reviews we have read have been very lackluster so my question is this...Should we go ahead and book the ressie at Hollywood and Vine or skip the dinner package alltogether and hope we can wait in line and still get a good seat at Fantasmic? I suspect crowd levels at DHS will be pretty heavy on Fantasmic nights since they've cut the number of Fantasmic performances so I'm leaning towards going ahead with the ressie...what do ya'll think?

My final question is this...who's gonna be there during the same time we will be(2/19-2/27)? I would love to meet up with some of you guys to say hi and maybe get some pics, so let me know if you are interested in meeting up.

Just a brief side note: We are booked at Old Key West but we are on a waiting list for Boardwalk, Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge. We booked this trip way too late(thanks boss!)and the only thing available was Saratoga Springs and Old Key West. We just got back from SSR so we went with OKW. We stayed at OKW back in the fall of 2007 and while it is a beautiful resort we were very disappointed with the rooms so we're having a hard time getting excited about staying at OKW. Hopefully something else will open up and we'll be able to stay elsewhere, but if it doesn't it's no biggie...at least we'll still be at our most favorite place in the whole world!

Anyhoo, here's our itenerary...

Thursday, February 19th- Arrive at Orlando International Airport at around 6:00pm, hop onboard a Magical Express bound for Old Key West and then head over to Downtown Disney for an 8:15pm ressie at Raglan Road(one of our favorites). Are we allowing enough time to get from Orlando International to DTD?

Friday, February 20th-Spend most of the day at Epcot, dinner ressie for Teppan Edo at 5:15pm. This will be our first time eating at Teppan Edo.

Saturday, February 21st-Spend most of the day at Magic Kingdom then head over to The Contemporary for a 5:30pm ressie at The Wave. This will be our first time eating at The Wave.

Sunday, February 22nd- Spend most of the day at Disney's Hollywood Studios. This is the day we are wrestling over whether to do the Fantasmic Dinner Package at Hollywood and Vine or not.

Monday, February 23rd- Spend most of the day at Animal Kingdom then head over to Downtown Disney for dinner at T-Rex. We didn't realize until we called to make our ressies that T-Rex that it is walk up only. For those of you who have been, typically how long is the wait time?

Tuesday, February 24th-Spend most of the day at DHS, then head over to the Yacht Club for a 7:10pm ressie at The Yachtsman Steakhouse. This will be our first time eating at The Yachtsman Steakhouse.

Wednesday, February 25th(my birthday)- Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare at 8:30am, then Spend most of the day at MK, dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table at 5:40. We have never eaten at CRT but have always wanted to so I chose it for my "birthday dinner". I originally wanted to eat at Victoria & Albert's for my birthday but it just wasn't in the cards for this trip...oh well, maybe next time.

Thursday, February 26th- Spend most of the day at Animal Kingdom, then head over to Downtown Disney for a 6:30pm dinner ressie at Wolfgang Puck Cafe. We are still deciding if we want to do La Nouba, if we do it will be on this night. If we decide to do it, will we be allowing enough time to finish our meal at Wolfgang's and then head over to La Nouba?

Friday, February 27th(our last day)-Spend most of our last day at Epcot, dinner at San Angel Inn at 6:00pm. San Angel Inn is one of my favorites.

Well folks, there it is! Whaddaya think?

Our most recent trip was very rush, rush , rush as we had family with us that were WDW newcomers and we were trying to work in as many experiences as possible, so this upcoming trip will be very laid back and MUCH slower paced. At some point we hope to spend a few hours at a water park(If I'm not mistaken, Blizzard Beach will be the only one open when we're there), play some mini golf at Fantasia Gardens and do some resort hopping. We definitely plan on visiting Caribbean Beach Resort since we haven't been there since April of 2006 and we have fond memories of staying there. We also really want to check out the new pool refurb. We have never visited Port Orleans French Quarter or any of the value resorts so we hope to visit each of them as well.

Oh yeah, one last question...Is the new T-Shirt shop at Downtown Disney open yet? If so, for those of you who have been, what do you think of it?
Okay folks, that's it! Sorry to unload so many questions at once but I truly appreciate any info or advice you can give.

See you at the parks!

 

[brent2124]

I ate at Hollywood and Vine jsut a couple weeks adn would NEVER consider going again. The food wasnt at all good and had below average wait service.

The new T-shirt shop is open but i didnt get to check it out.

If you are running late for Raglan Road call ahead and see if they can accomodate you but i think you are cutting it close.

Have Fun!:sohappy:

 

[Monty]

February temps are warm-to-hot during the day, cool at night. Long pants and sleeves in the evenings, possibly a jacket.

Crowds shouldn't be too bad at all. Have no idea what the reduced performances' effect will be on Fantasmic!, you might be fine to wait... :shrug:

I'll be there the weekend before you arrive.

 

[maggiegrace1]

It is Mardi Gras week that week...so that may make crowds a bit heavier...

Weather is usually warm/cool and colder at night..we usually go the first week of march and that is how it is for us then..

I will be arriving on the 28th..just missing you..

 

[fizzle75]

Thanks Dana and Monty!:wave:

I really hate that I'm gonna miss you guys.

Monty, when you say warm/hot during the day, what average temperature would you translate that into?

 

[maggiegrace1]

I hate that too...

Like how Monty says warm/hot and I say warm/cool...

The highs when we usually go are 70 and the lows get to 50 or so..for me that is shorts light jackest in the morning and heavier ones at night...

 

[Monty]

Thanks Dana and Monty!:wave:

I really hate that I'm gonna miss you guys.

Monty, when you say warm/hot during the day, what average temperature would you translate that into?

I hate that too...

Like how Monty says warm/hot and I say warm/cool...

The highs when we usually go are 70 and the lows get to 50 or so..for me that is shorts light jackest in the morning and heavier ones at night...

I'm from Canada - 70's is HOT! :lol:

She's from Louisiana... :shrug:

 

[fizzle75]

:ROFLOL:Thanks Monty! To me 70's isn't hot...but it's definitely warmer than I would like it to be, I'll take it over 80's and 90's any day!

If the highs are only going to be in the 70's then I probably won't be able to get my wife within 10 miles of a water park!:lol: ...and I was really looking forward to a few laps around cross country creek.

Dana & Monty, if you think about it drop me a line when you get back and let me know what the weather was like.

 

[maggiegrace1]

I'm from Canada - 70's is HOT! :lol:

She's from Louisiana... :shrug:

:lol:

&0 is nice and 50 is cold...it is 54 right now and I am freezing..LOVE it though..

:ROFLOL:Thanks Monty! To me 70's isn't hot...but it's definitely warmer than I would like it to be, I'll take it over 80's and 90's any day!

If the highs are only going to be in the 70's then I probably won't be able to get my wife within 10 miles of a water park!:lol: ...and I was really looking forward to a few laps around cross country creek.

Dana & Monty, if you think about it drop me a line when you get back and let me know what the weather was like.

I will be there after you..so you tell me..

 

[fizzle75]

I will be there after you..so you tell me..

Oops! Sorry Dana, I wasn't paying attention.

I'LL be sure to drop YOU a line when I get back!:lol:

 

[sbkline]

I can't answer any of your questions, but let me know what you think of T-Rex. I read about that new place in the latest issue of Celebrations and it looked really awesome. I plan to try it out next time we go, if we're so fortunate as to be able to go sooner (as in April 2010) rather than later. We'll be taking both kids, if so, and I bet our son would love it.

On a sidenote, I sure can't wait till the end of the week, when I'll be able to say "next year" instead of "April 2010". I sounds so far away to say it that way as opposed to "next year". :lol:

 

[HollyBelle]

We just returned from a stay at OKW and I loved our room. If you don't get to switch to another resort, hopefully you'll have a better stay this time.

We showed up for dinner at T-Rex on December 15 around 6:15pm and there was absolutely no wait for a party of 5, and many open tables. However, the restaurant was starting to fill up as we were leaving. So I'm guessing wait time will depend heavily upon the time at which you want to eat.

Also, we did the "Around the World" Segway tour at Epcot. I'm really glad we did it and enjoyed it tremendously. It's totally worth it for the Segway fun, but I wouldn't recommend it for the informational aspect, as you don't get a lot by way of actual info about the countries. My suggestion on a tour would be to go with one in a park/area you're most interested in learning more about.

Have fun!!

 

[Boray]

We went to T-Rex back in October (the 24th to be exact ) and really enjoyed it. The food was good and there is so much to see! The meteor shower was enjoyable and our kids (son, 9 and daughter, 6) want to go back on our next trip. I would recommend getting there early for dinner rather than late. We came at 5:00 and were seated by 5:30 (there are 4 of us). Granted, the restaurant had just opened for business less than a month before we were there, but I would expect it to be popular.

 

[fizzle75]

Thanks for all of the input guys!

I'm really looking forward to T-Rex as I really enjoy Rainforest Cafe and Yak & Yeti, Landry really seems to know what they're doing...yeah, the food doesn't blow you away but it's pretty good and pretty good food combined with an awesome atmosphere makes for a great experience in my book.

As far as a tour goes...we're leaning toward the Keys To The Kingdom and/or the Behind the Seeds tour at Epcot. I would love to do the Segway tour but, alas, I exceed the maximum weight allowance by just a teeny bit...and I'd hate to be pulling my Segway around behind me while everybody else is riding theirs. :lol:

As far as Fantasmic goes...I'm thinkin' we're gonna throw caution to the wind and just book a ressie at Sci-Fi Dine-In and wait in line for Fantasmic. Sci Fi is one of our favorite restaurants and we haven't eaten there in several trips now.

Thanks again for all of the advice folks! Anybody care to weigh in on whether or not we should hit Blizzard Beach?

 

[noladave]

we go every Mardi Gras, and that's usually 2nd or 3rd week in February.

Weather is usually VERY GOOD, with little rain, and cool mornings and nights (jacket or sweatshirt depending on your personal tolerance), and shorts and t-shirts during the day.

However, there are always exceptions. One year, an cold front actually made it through Orlando, and it was in the 40's for a day - it quickly rebounded, and was back in the 60's and 70's within 2 days.

It has also been in the upper 70's and humid, so you have to plan for a lot of possiblities.

For what it's worth, President's week is ending, just as Mardi Gras week is beginning. Crowds should be of a good size, but tolerable.

 

[sbkline]

we go every Mardi Gras, and that's usually 2nd or 3rd week in February.

Weather is usually VERY GOOD, with little rain, and cool mornings and nights (jacket or sweatshirt depending on your personal tolerance), and shorts and t-shirts during the day.

However, there are always exceptions. One year, an cold front actually made it through Orlando, and it was in the 40's for a day - it quickly rebounded, and was back in the 60's and 70's within 2 days.

It has also been in the upper 70's and humid, so you have to plan for a lot of possiblities.

For what it's worth, President's week is ending, just as Mardi Gras week is beginning. Crowds should be of a good size, but tolerable.

I know what you mean about exceptions. It's normally summer weather down there in April...at least everytime we have gone. Except this past April. When we arrived Sunday April 13, it was fairly decent, but then a cold front moved in that night and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, we about froze our butts off. I don't know what the actual recorded temperature was, but for us, it felt like the 40s or 50s...especially on the boats when the wind was blowing off the water! I was talking with one of the CMs at POR about the weather and she said that the weather they were experiencing was more like what they normally see in January!

 

[fizzle75]

I know what you mean about exceptions. It's normally summer weather down there in April...at least everytime we have gone. Except this past April. When we arrived Sunday April 13, it was fairly decent, but then a cold front moved in that night and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, we about froze our butts off. I don't know what the actual recorded temperature was, but for us, it felt like the 40s or 50s...especially on the boats when the wind was blowing off the water! I was talking with one of the CMs at POR about the weather and she said that the weather they were experiencing was more like what they normally see in January!

Ahhh yes, I remember that well...I personally enjoyed the cold front but I seem to remember a certain couple that refused to watch Wishes with us on the observation deck of the Contemporary because they were too cold.:lol:

We've caught cold fronts in April on several occasions and then endured sweltering heat in April as well...it's just so hard to predict Florida weather so I always try to pack some jeans and a light jacket just in case.

 

[fizzle75]

WARNING: SHAMELESS THREAD BUMP AHEAD!

Thanks for the great input folks, I just wanted to check back in to get a feel for what the current weather is like since we leave in a little over two weeks. What are some of the extended forecasts predicting? Also, has anyone been to the new T-shirt shop at DTD and if so what did you think about it?

Thanks! :wave:

 

[PaintTheSky]

I'm from Canada - 70's is HOT! :lol:

She's from Louisiana... :shrug:

I hear you...I feel fortunate that it's 32 right now here in Western NY! 55/60 down there and I'll be sweating!

 

[One Lil Spark]

We live so close to each other and we'll be at WDW one day together! Your last day is my first day, and sadly we'll be in different parks.

"It's a small world after all!"

*Can't wait to wear skirts and flip flops*