FEB 4th-11th crowded

[mark smith]

JUst back from our annual WDW early Feb. pilgrimage. We like to go because of low crowds,good resort(value season)rates and usually decent weather. This year the latter 2 reasons held true but the crowds were thick. Sat. 5th-MK-very crowded by mid morning(I heard a CM say the MK had record attendance FRi 4th-sun 6th)Our resort(GF) was also sold out this entire weekend-superbowl. SUn6th-EPCOT-not crowded(again superbowl),so we were lucky. Mon7th-MK-very crowded by mid morning;Tue-MGM-not bad,but building when we left at 200;wed9th-AK-the most crowded we have ever seen Ak;thurs-EPCOT-again the most crowded we have ever seen this time of year-Fri11th(MK)-ridiculous crowds by 930 am. Mardi Gras? Dance competitions? I really need to rethimk this time period for our next trip. Any suggestions for value season rates, loe crowds,decent weather?

 

[nativetxn]

It seems like the "low crowd season" is shrinking quickly. I hope you enjoyed your trip.

Katholyn

 

[riopooh]

I agree with the low season secret being out. We had two sets of good friends go down that week; both pulled their kids (3 each) out of school. My husband thinks we should do something like that - only my son struggles to maintain B's & C's - pulling him out would be a disaster!!

 

[jimmiej]

I was there at the same time Mark. You're correct. Gridlock, pure gridlock at MK especially.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I was there at the same time Mark. You're correct. Gridlock, pure gridlock at MK especially.

I've heard from some other friends that went recently (not in the same family/group) the exact same thing! I bet it's really disappointing to find it so packed when you expect it to be slower at this time.

If it's THIS packed NOW... I can't imagine how packed it's going to be in June (our trip booked) when it's already expected to be busy/packed.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

If it's THIS packed NOW... I can't imagine how packed it's going to be in June (our trip booked) when it's already expected to be busy/packed.

Gosh, I was just thinking the EXACT same thing about how packed it's going to be for our upcoming Easter/March vacation. Oh, well, we've got a plan and the weather should be nice . . . So bring on those crowds!

 

[momof2inPA]

Friday the 11th was awful at MK, but I think it was partly because it was an early entry day. We moved over to AK, and it was not very crowded.
Wednesday the 9th was not very crowded at all at MK, and late magic hours were lots of fun. We rode Space Mountain over and over with no wait. Saturday the 12th was much better than the 11th at MK, especially first thing in the morning, when my son had his hair cut with no wait at the barber shop.

Moral of the story, avoid the early entry park.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

One of the people who talked to me about this did mention that they had went to AK earlier part of that day and it wasn't as busy. I'm curious if it was an early or late EMH day that they went to MK so I can avoid whichever it was! LOL

I'm thinking it was a late EMH day since she mentioned things like food carts and some restaurants closing really early? I've heard that happens on late EMH day at MK- right?

Polyherewecome- I know... I'm trying not to worry about it. For one our trip is a longer one (10 nights/9.5 days) so hopefully we won't be in a big rush to do things (especially since now the kids have been twice- so it's not all new to them). But also we're celebrating my daughter's birthday while there- so we're planning on lots of character meals (ie: don't have to worry about 'catching' characters here and there- they have most of them in their autograph books already anyway) and we've booked the Family Magic tour so we'll be doing that on her birthday instead of standing in long lines -atleast for those 2hrs. Something fun to do and not fighting crowds. We're also planning a few days at the water parks to break the heat (although we're not all that worried about it- we're Texans and used to heat... just not the daily rains though... although after the past 9mo or so, we kinda ARE used to rain constantly now LOL) and stuff like that. Hopefully my "plan of action" is going to allow us to not be too bothered by big crowds.

The trips the kids have gone on has been busy times anyway. Our first trip (ever) our first day was at MK on Christmas day 2002.... if we can make it through that day (still traumatized a little HAHA) we can make it through any crowds! It wasn't 'slow' during our next trip Nov-Dec (thanksgiving time) either. So hopefully we're prepared- atleast we won't be SURPRISED by huge crowds. I think I'd be upset if I went Jan-Feb and was surprised by huge crowds though.

 

[kilee]

I really think if you're not going to take advantage of EMH to still try and avoid that park at all costs. It seems those parks are really, really busy. However, this theory is kind of screwing up my planning. We are staying in a rental home. My parents are only coming for 3 days. AK is the #1 thing on their list to-do. Anyhow, of the 3 days AK has morning EMH then evening EMH, so it's only leaving me w/ one day for them to go, and it was the morning right after they get in late from their flight (I think they get in right around midnight).

 

[wdw4us2]

It may have been more crowded than usual because of all the people that were in Jacksonville for the Super Bowl.

Superbowl weekend is usually a slow time at the parks.

 

[dvcgirl]

Well, don't forget that the weekend of the 4th was Superbowl weekend, and so there were definitely people in the area. It was also Mardi Gras weekend when lots of folks from New Orleans escape the crowds. This past weekend was the kick-off of Daytona's Speed week, which draws 250,000 people....many of whom combine that with a WDW vacation. And now we're coming into President's week.

MK has been *very* crowded though. More than I've ever seen at this time of the year. I really think that we're seeing the beginnings of some new crowd patterns due to guests opting *not* to hop and EMH.

 

[Big V]

We went to AK on the Sunday of the Super Bowl and it was packed. They did have the extra evening magic hours there that night, but I still didn't think it would be too crowded. Boy was I wrong! I was talking to a CM there that day and he said they brought extra help in at noon as they were'nt expecting that many people.