Crowds for Presidents Day week?

[TJDisneymama]

Are they normally INSANE? I had looked at Tp.com which has the crowd ranging from 5-8 (only 1 day is an 8, the saturday before presidents day). Then i looked at several others which indicate the week is one of the worst for crowds, like an 11 on the richter scale of crowds. Like XXX, bright red for STOP, skull & crossbones for that week. I expected that weekend and monday (pres. Day) to be crowded, and i was planning to arrive on that monday and figured the rest of the week would slow significantly (as per tp.com), but now i'm wondering if i should just scrap the whole plan.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I assume you are talking about 2015?
President's week overlaps with Mardi Gras next year which brings it from a very busy week to a totally crazy week. I would expect 9s and 10s for crowd levels next year.

 

[mesaboy2]

Are they normally INSANE? I had looked at Tp.com which has the crowd ranging from 5-8 (only 1 day is an 8, the saturday before presidents day). Then i looked at several others which indicate the week is one of the worst for crowds, like an 11 on the richter scale of crowds. Like XXX, bright red for STOP, skull & crossbones for that week. I expected that weekend and monday (pres. Day) to be crowded, and i was planning to arrive on that monday and figured the rest of the week would slow significantly (as per tp.com), but now i'm wondering if i should just scrap the whole plan.

It is the most crowded week over the months of January and February. It's busy, kinda sprig break levels. But not insane, just very busy.

 

[Itinkso]

The Princess Half Marathon weekend begins the Thursday following Presidents' Day. The 25,000 runners didn't seem to impact the parks much but DTD was packed after the 1/2. Even with the parks being busy, our group was able to select "day of" Fp+ when we entered parks late in the afternoon... BTMRR and HM were available at MK as were Star Tours, GMR and Fant at DHS.

The 1/2 Marathon and the shorter races do impact early morning traffic near Epcot. Overall, Pres' Week didn't seem too bad - busier than the second week of December 2013 and definitely not as bad as New Year's Day, 2013.

 

[Yubbie]

As others have said, it is a very busy time. I've done it a couple of times and now intentionally avoid it.

 

[KayW]

It is busy, but not stopped in the Middle of Main Street bad. We have gone every Feb. break (MA vacation week) since 2006. We get on every ride we want. Plan your FP accordingly and just enjoy.

 

[BuffaloJim]

Presidents Day week is our normal week to visit. As others have said, it's busy but manageable. 2015 is probably going to be somewhat worse than normal because it's also Mardi Gras. But that wouldn't stop me from going.

 

[Marthasor]

Just this year, we visited during Veteran's Day Weekend, President's Week and the week before Easter. Of the three, President's Week was actually much more manageable and I was surprised how low the crowds were, given my expectations. We went on every ride we wanted to, never felt crowded walking down Main St., etc.

I would do President's Day week again!

 

[TJDisneymama]

I'm just confused as to why TP.com has the #s so low compared to the others....I've used them in the past and they seem to be pretty accurate so I'm just baffled. I guess I need the Easywdw #s too to make a decision, lol.

 

[mrs_incredible]

I have never experienced a Pres Day only weekend so I can't help much there. I have however experience a Pres Day/Mardi Gras combo weekend and my advice is to avoid it if you possibly can. In 2015 Mardi Gras will be the day after Pres Day.The mass exodus for us over this way usually starts the Friday before and will last most of the week. I just read the marathon will be that week as well so I'm sure that will complicate matters just a bit. With all the new FP+ testing (worked out great for us in March) and the new Mine Train opening, I'm pretty sure you should expect long lines and crowd levels closer to a 9 or 10. Oh and I just remembered that while we were there last year at Mardi Gras (early Feb 2013) there will still quite a few South American tour groups in the parks and at AoA. Our main issue with that was trying to maneuver around them on crowded streets since they always seemed to meet up right smack in the middle of walkways.

If you reeeeeeally have to go that weekend just be prepared for some down time. Rope drop, and late night it if you can. Good luck!

 

[1Grumpy9]

I have a coworker that was there in 2013 and she said the lines were insane. I was there a week later (Feb. 26, 2013) for one day...We did EPCOT and MK and our longest wait was 30 mins for Soarin' first thing in the morning.

I know that the Princess Marathon Weekend is the weekend after President's Day, along with the Daytona 500 on the 22nd, so it will be busy the end of that week.

 

[TJDisneymama]

UGH, I think I need to accept that February ain't happening.
I was SO excited to go in February instead of April (which we did last 2 times). The months after Christmas are SO. LONG. (especially in New England) and once the excitement of Xmas dies down (pretty much on 12/26, lol), the long wait until April was PURE torture for us. Torture, I tell you! February seems so close, especially since the summer months FLY by and before you know it it's September and thus only 5 months away. But NOW......thinking about April.....that's a WHOLE YEAR away!!!

 

[practicallyperfect77]

UGH, I think I need to accept that February ain't happening.
I was SO excited to go in February instead of April (which we did last 2 times). The months after Christmas are SO. LONG. (especially in New England) and once the excitement of Xmas dies down (pretty much on 12/26, lol), the long wait until April was PURE torture for us. Torture, I tell you! February seems so close, especially since the summer months FLY by and before you know it it's September and thus only 5 months away. But NOW......thinking about April.....that's a WHOLE YEAR away!!!

I'm in the Midwest and I agree about the torture from 12/26 - April. Especially this past winter. It always helps having a break in Feb. Anyway you could go to the beach in Feb to get away?

 

[KayW]

UGH, I think I need to accept that February ain't happening.
I was SO excited to go in February instead of April (which we did last 2 times). The months after Christmas are SO. LONG. (especially in New England) and once the excitement of Xmas dies down (pretty much on 12/26, lol), the long wait until April was PURE torture for us. Torture, I tell you! February seems so close, especially since the summer months FLY by and before you know it it's September and thus only 5 months away. But NOW......thinking about April.....that's a WHOLE YEAR away!!!

Honestly it really isn't that bad. We are household of 2 teachers so we can only go vacation weeks. We get up and go for EMH, enjoy the parks, go back and rest for a while, and then head back at night. Sure there are crowds and sure there are waits, but that happens whenever you go. I would love to be able to go in October, but alas that will never happen. Message me and we can talk. Like I said, and you can see in my signature, we have gone EVERY Feb. break.

 

[TJDisneymama]

Honestly it really isn't that bad. We are household of 2 teachers so we can only go vacation weeks. We get up and go for EMH, enjoy the parks, go back and rest for a while, and then head back at night. Sure there are crowds and sure there are waits, but that happens whenever you go. I would love to be able to go in October, but alas that will never happen. Message me and we can talk. Like I said, and you can see in my signature, we have gone EVERY Feb. break.

we are early birds so we do the rope drop/back to resort for a rest thing already but we are really used to NO long waits at all so I think we're kind of spoiled. I think the max we ever wait is like 15 minutes. DH absolutely will NOT stand in line any longer than that. If we had no choice and Feb. vacation was the ONLY time we could go I guess we would suck it up and go but when I see April vacation is all 2-3s, it makes it tough even though I desperately would prefer February not only because it's 2 months closer but also because I prefer the cooler weather. Ugh.

I think if it was just a regular Presidents Day week, it wouldn't be bad but it sounds like with Mardi Gras and the marathon, it's going to be extraordinarily busy, much more so than usual. Maybe you better change to April vacation this year!

 

[Itinkso]

we are early birds so we do the rope drop/back to resort for a rest thing already but we are really used to NO long waits at all so I think we're kind of spoiled. I think the max we ever wait is like 15 minutes. DH absolutely will NOT stand in line any longer than that. If we had no choice and Feb. vacation was the ONLY time we could go I guess we would suck it up and go but when I see April vacation is all 2-3s, it makes it tough even though I desperately would prefer February not only because it's 2 months closer but also because I prefer the cooler weather. Ugh.

I think if it was just a regular Presidents Day week, it wouldn't be bad but it sounds like with Mardi Gras and the marathon, it's going to be extraordinarily busy, much more so than usual. Maybe you better change to April vacation this year!

On another thread, it's being reported that rolling Fp+ will be in effect. Begin by choosing 3 Fp+ and after you use the first one, book another one so you will always have 3 in hand. That would decrease your line times.

With an early morning strategy, you will get a lot done. MK opened at 7:00 each day of Pres' Week this year.

 

[Satchmo128]

We went for our honeymoon in 2009 and our trip started one week after President's Day (but did coincide with Mardi Gras). If you can postpone for a week, then I would recommend it. We were there 2/23 - 3/3.

 

[TJDisneymama]

DH is a teacher so it's either February vacation or April vacation. We skipped this year because I was out of work in February and then Easter fell during April vacation and ain't nobody got time for those Easter crowds, lol.

Only other option is Xmas week (um, NO).

I am pretty resigned to moving it back to April vacation. I guess 2 months isn't the end of the world.
Glad I posted about this or I wouldn't have known about Mardi Gras or the marathon!

 

[KayW]

How much does Disney actually do for Mardi Gras? I can see DTD being crowded and even the Port Orleans resorts, but the 4 big parks won't be any more crowded then it usually is. April also has many of the music groups going down to perform so there will be larger kid groups.

 

[Love Tink]

How much does Disney actually do for Mardi Gras? I can see DTD being crowded and even the Port Orleans resorts, but the 4 big parks won't be any more crowded then it usually is. April also has many of the music groups going down to perform so there will be larger kid groups.

The parks are more busy because of the people who are off from school for Mardi Gras, not because of park activities.

OP, I have never been to WDW during February, but I can say that every year - every year - there are tons of threads on here around that holiday saying how huge the crowds are, and why did nobody predict these huge crowds, and "never again" and so on. A couple of years ago, when it fell near Mardi Gras, it was even worse than usual.