What's up with February?

[Ringo8n24]

We usually have no problem getting a room at WDW around the 3rd weekend of February until this time. I have been so busy and have not sat down to book the room and it seems there is nothing available except Coronado (which I cannot stand) and AKL-Savannah view (too expensive for this short trip)...I was looking forward to my trusty old POR. Being away from the boards for a while and on limited time to sit down and do this, just wondering if the fact that the Daytona 500 and Mardi Gras escapers (like us) are taking up that weekend or is there something else going on because we normally are one of the Daytona 500/Mardi Gras crowd too? I really do not want to stay off property and I cannot change my dates because my office is giving us a 4 day weekend for Mardi Gras. This is also to celebrate my little girl's 5th birthday that week. We had to cancel it last year, but promised this year for sure and it seems I may not be able to follow through on that promise. Any thought or suggestions is appreciated. :wave:

 

[Nemo14]

Many schools up here in New England have that week off too for winter break, so it does get busy, especailly at the beginning of that week.

 

[H20Babie]

Are you booking through Disney or a TA? I know from experience if you are using a TA, tour operators may only have limited availability (i.e. blocks of rooms designated for that operator). I would call Disney directly and if they are still booked solid, keep calling every day. There are bound to be some cancellations/upgrades/downgrades in reservations. Just hang in there!

 

[Ringo8n24]

My daughter has been 3 times and is especially excited about this trip because she is now tall enough to ride the "big kid stuff". I was thinking of taking the more expensive hotel stay, but cutting the trip a day short. However, it would only give us Saturday and Sunday as full days there. Do you think that only giving her such a short stay is going to be hard on her because it will not give her much time? We are taking both daughters in December and wanted to go without the littlest one this time so we could all ride as a family for her first "big kid" rides. The husband and I want to both be able to experience her expression of them and cannot do that if we have to do the switch off.

 

[H20Babie]

That's hard to answer. I myself am a single parent of DS(5). He's been once every year since he's been born! He just had his annual check-up, and *praise be* he's now 44". I can't tell you how excited he is to be able to go with Mommy on her favourites (Space Mountain, TOT, etc.). He was able to do Splash and Test Track last time, and it was priceless to see him riding these for the first time (and second, and third, and ...). lol.

I think first of all, you have to consider your daughter's age. Is she old enough to walk all day, will you need a stroller, etc? Only you can know what she can do and put up with. If she can, go for it. But that being said, can you? For me, with mine, two days is too little time to really enjoy those moments.

 

[lcsrig]

I think any stay for a 5 yo is memorable. Also, if you're going again in Dec, I think she will appreciate this trip with just Mommy and Daddy!!
See ya there! I'm riding in a parade then leaving for Mickey's House!!! Our 5th trip!

 

[Ringo8n24]

I think any stay for a 5 yo is memorable. Also, if you're going again in Dec, I think she will appreciate this trip with just Mommy and Daddy!!
See ya there! I'm riding in a parade then leaving for Mickey's House!!! Our 5th trip!

I agree about it being memorable. Everytime she talks about it she does some little happy dance like some football player who just scored a TD. "oh yeh, I am going to Disney World for my birthday, oh yeh". It is so cute. I think she is feeling left out with the new baby, too, and this will help her realize she is still our "big" baby girl. We did not evacuate during Katrina and we just feel she really has been kind of sad since the storm...especially that was the reason we cancelled her trip last year taking care of post Katrina junk and I found out I was pregnant 2 weeks after the storm. I think I am just going to do what I can to get her there. We probably need the "quick Disney fix" too. :lol:

 

[PSU_Princess]

Which weekend are you looking for? I just checked the WDW website for the weekends of Feb 16-19 and Feb 23-26 and there was a lot of availability...including POR. Hope you are able to make the trip work :wave:

 

[Ringo8n24]

Which weekend are you looking for? I just checked the WDW website for the weekends of Feb 16-19 and Feb 23-26 and there was a lot of availability...including POR. Hope you are able to make the trip work :wave:

Those are the weekends I was trying and it is giving me no availability at the WDW website. Travelocity and hotels.com are not showing anything either on property. Maybe something is going on with the system. I just tried to call and a recording said they are getting an unusual number of calls and to call back after 1 pm.

 

[cajunCinderella]

I wasnt expecting this time of the year to be this busy and was very surprised when we decided to change our reservations from POR to a different resort after finding out the food court would be closed at that time. There wasnt much to choose from. Last time I looked all they had available was Coronado and Fort wilderness & Saratoga.. Good LUCk...


See you guys there...:wave:

 

[Space Mountain]

Call every morning as soon as the lines open!

 

[gjpjtj]

That is Presidents Week, very busy usually. I have been there when there are Cheerleading competitions that week as well, not sure if they are this year as well. I would think it will slow down the week after, (At least I hope so, because that's when we are there).

 

[eroyee]

:wave: I was thinking about a Feb. trip from the 14th to the 23rd and went on their website yesterday trying to get rooms at POR. Instead, they said I had to sign up for Fort Wilderness cabins or Saratoga Springs resort. dont know whats up.!! doesnt look good.!!:lookaroun

 

[PinMadness]

I was wondering the same thing. What IS up with February?!?!

I am attending a College Program reunion in February. I booked my room eons ago. Last month, I went online to book a room for my friend so he could tag along and nearly everything was taken! The only availability with my discount was Saratoga Springs and that is a bit out of his price range.

Who woulda thought?

 

[gjpjtj]

I really don't think this is so unusual for Presidents Week. According to AllEarsNet.com:

Highest Attendance:
Presidents' week in February
Mid March through Late April ("Spring Break")
Memorial Day weekend
Mid June through Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day and weekend
Christmas week through New Year's Day

I know they had lower attendance during the years following September 11, 2001, but I believe things are close to being back to what they used to be.

 

[Luke82580]

I am going down 2nd weekend in February for 4 days, also had trouble getting accomidations. Was unable to get employee discount through a friend of mine because of increased occupancy during that time. I know there are several weeks in February that typically are the slowest for Disney but it seems this year there is not going to be a slow time...

 

[bob0012]

Those are the weekends I was trying and it is giving me no availability at the WDW website. Travelocity and hotels.com are not showing anything either on property. Maybe something is going on with the system. I just tried to call and a recording said they are getting an unusual number of calls and to call back after 1 pm.

The WDW site has been going a little wacky recently, but I checked and did see availablity. Somtimes it get stuck on one hotel for some reason.

Also keep in mind theres an agressive AP discount going on in feb (as low as $59 a night) and valintines day visits around around then too.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Presidents Week has ALWAYS been extremely packed at Disney. Before I started college, we used to go to WDW every Presidents Week (1989-2002) and it has always been incredibly packed. Notice that the Magic Kingdom is open from 9 am til midnight the weekend you are planning to visit. That never bodes well for ride wait times. I'm not sure I would recommend a two-day trip on that particular weekend. You'll get on about 15 rides the whole weekend...if you are lucky. Park hours are always a good measure of how crowded you can expect the parks to be. Expect crowds similar to Christmas week, Spring Break, or the peak of summer.

 

[cajunCinderella]

Expect crowds similar to Christmas week, Spring Break, or the peak of summer.

Wow.. I was thinking the crowd level would be the same as it was the week before Christmas.. now you got me worried!..:veryconfu
atleast we will have 7 days there so hopefuly it levels off some by the end of the week..

 

[Nemo14]

Wow.. I was thinking the crowd level would be the same as it was the week before Christmas.. now you got me worried!..:veryconfu
atleast we will have 7 days there so hopefuly it levels off some by the end of the week..

We've been going every February break since 2000, and the crowds have got bigger every year. It's still manageable though, especially later on in the week.