Activites in Feb 2005 that attract crowds to WDW??

[DutchsMommy]

I have been looking through the "least busy time ever" thread and someone mentioned a couple of things that happen in February that I am not familiar with - Daytona and Mardi Gras - that might attract crowds. We are going Feb 7-17 2005 and I am wondering if I need to be concerned. I know President's Day weekend is something like the 21st next year so I feel OK with that, but what about the others? Is it Daytone the car race or Daytone Bike week? I thought Mardi Gras was in New Orleans? Sorry for my ignorance, any info would be appreciated!

 

[jimmiej]

Pleasure Island has a Mardi Gras celebration. I believe it's in late February.

 

[jkfreeman33]

We are going to the Daytona 500 and staying at Disney. We are DVC members and staying at the BWV.
We always go in the off-season, but since we have a group (8) going to the Daytona 500 we will be going in the busy month of February.
Daytona 500 attracts over 125,000 people. From what we have heard, it is impossible to stay in Daytona and a lot of people stay in Orlando and drive over. The race is 2/20, but "speed week" is the entire week before. This is a HUGE event in Florida & for race fans.
If that's not bad enough, there is President's Day on 2/21 which attacts a large crowd. I believe that the east coast has something called "President's Week" and most of the schools are off that week. ie; more crowds to WDW.
We are going 2/16 - 2/23 and even with the crowds, we are looking forward to the trip.

 

[Mamu]

If Presidents Day is the 21st you will see an increase of vacationers on the 19th. Other then that the crowds are light except the weekends when the locals and weekend vacationers visit.

Most rides will be walk-on's during your stay

 

[Maude4Disney]

Mamu, I was glad to hear that. We are going 2/11 - 2/20. I was hoping the crowds wouldn't be too bad until the weekend. We will be done doing the parks by then.

 

[lulu71]

Originally posted by jimmiej
Pleasure Island has a Mardi Gras celebration. I believe it's in late February.

Mardi Gras is early this year, Feb. 8.

 

[robmpg]

Daytona SpeedWeeks is always the two weeks leading up to President's Day. The Daytona 500 is always run the Sunday of President's Day weekend. This is traditionally a very crowded time of the year for WDW; all the guidebooks show attendance during those weeks being double what it is during January.