February weather, crowds etc?

[2kidsForMe]

Hi everyone. So many questions. The kids and I are heading to Disneyland and Southern California for February break (the week of President's day) Yay!. What is the weather like then? Do CA schools have that week off? What can we expect in terms of crowds? Is the Disneyland Hotel a good choice for a mom and 2 kids? Does DL provide resort transportation, like they do in Florida? We are DisneyWorld vets, but not quite sure how to handle CA. Thanks for any input.

 

[It'sKim]

Hi everyone. So many questions. The kids and I are heading to Disneyland and Southern California for February break (the week of President's day) Yay!. What is the weather like then? Do CA schools have that week off? What can we expect in terms of crowds? Is the Disneyland Hotel a good choice for a mom and 2 kids? Does DL provide resort transportation, like they do in Florida? We are DisneyWorld vets, but not quite sure how to handle CA. Thanks for any input.

We really enjoy going in February, though we try to avoid the holiday weekend. Last Feb when we went, it was warm enough for t-shirts during the day, but in the evening we usually put on a light jacket/hoody. My sister has been a few times in February, and it rained every time.

The crowds are much smaller than in say summer, but sometimes the lines were still 15-20 min. We are at DL right now, and both my husband and I agree that we like February a lot better.

There are a ton of hotels right across the street within easy walking distance, plus the 3 resort hotels. There's a lot of different posts about which hotels people prefer/dislike. Lots of good choices!

 

[aristocat65]

We have been in February 2 times and were lucky with beautiful sunny weather both times. This year we went over Valentine's Day weekend, and even though it was great for us, it was cool and rainy after we left (If I remember reports correctly). We also enjoyed low crowds at this time. I think it can be fairly busy around Presidents day though. I would avoid long weekends.

California weather is difficult to predict, so I ALWAYS check Accuweather before we leave and pack accordingly.

Disneyland hotel is a great choice. It is about a 5-10 minute walk through Downtown Disney to the parks. The Grand Californian Hotel is the closest with and entrance directly into California Adventure. Aside from the trams from the parkades to the parks, Disneyland does NOT provide resort transportation as it is not needed. The 3 hotels are all walking distance, and the 2 parks are across from each other. It is wonderfully compact. No 10 minutes bus rides needed. As a PP said there are also many walking distance hotels/motels on Harbor Blvd and some are even closer than the Disneyland hotel some say. Many are motels though, which I think may be a consideration as you are a mom and 2 kids? I personally prefer hotels with interior corridors-feels safer to me.

Check out Hydroguy's thread for WDW Vets and it will answer many of your questions. It is great.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

 

[LisaT91403]

The weather in February is really hit-and-miss...you could have wonderful weather, or it could be cold and rainy. We were supposed to go in February last year, but had to cancel due to rain (lots and lots of rain). February is the rainiest month of the year here. Since we live in Southern California, it was easy enough for us to cancel 2 days before our trip, and reschedule for March when we had great weather.

Some people like going to the parks in the rain because the crowds are really minimal. Then there are others, like me, who would be *miserable* in the cold and rain.

It's really easy to walk from the Grand Californian to the parks. No need for transportation!

Have a great trip!

 

[HydroGuy]

Hi everyone. So many questions. The kids and I are heading to Disneyland and Southern California for February break (the week of President's day) Yay!. What is the weather like then?

See "Detailed Weather Data for DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=23004158

Do CA schools have that week off?

Most do not.

What can we expect in terms of crowds?

Presidents Day weekend and week spike up. Otherwise low crowds.

But be careful! There are some drawbacks to off-season trips. Make sure you know about all that so you will not be disappointed.

"What You Should Know About Off-Season at DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=18462889

Is the Disneyland Hotel a good choice for a mom and 2 kids?

Great choice.

Does DL provide resort transportation, like they do in Florida? We are DisneyWorld vets, but not quite sure how to handle CA.

From the airports? No. To the parks from the hotels? Sort of. There is a monorail that actually takes you from DTD into DL's Tomorrowland. But it often is not much of a time saver. Sometimes it takes longer than walking. Don't think of the monorail like at WDW. It is more of a ride at DL and not transportation.

This may help regarding transportation - "Airport Proximity to DLR and Ground Transportation Information" by 3TinksAndAnEeyore www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2318297

Looks like someone else already posted this link but I will add it again as it will help you figure out which questions to ask:

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599


Some notes about 2012.

It is already known that Matterhorn will be down in early 2012 for a number of months as they install new ride vehicles. So you would miss that classic attraction.

The DCA park is under heavy construction that will last into June 2012. When I say heavy I mean heavy. They are essentially refurbing the entire park. The Main Entrance is shut down and being completely redone. Guests are re-routed from the entrance into a side temporary entrance. There are construction walls everywhere.

Part of this is the addition of a whole new land called Cars Land which will be a 12 acre recreation of Radiator Springs. It too is due to open next June. It will be an awesome addition. Three new rides. One E-ticket.

I am not saying don't go in February. I am just informing you so you can make the best decision for you.

 

[HydroGuy]

The DCA park is under heavy construction that will last into June 2012. When I say heavy I mean heavy. They are essentially refurbing the entire park. The Main Entrance is shut down and being completely redone. Guests are re-routed from the entrance into a side temporary entrance. There are construction walls everywhere.

Part of this is the addition of a whole new land called Cars Land which will be a 12 acre recreation of Radiator Springs. It too is due to open next June. It will be an awesome addition. Three new rides. One E-ticket.

For example go to this MiceAge link and scroll down to DCA. The park is going to look much like this until June.

http://micechat.com/blogs/in-the-pa...land-dca-knotts-six-flags-news-universal.html

 

[Susie63]

We went to Disneyland in February 2010.It was our first trip to a Disney Park and it was great. We spent 8 nights at the Disneyland hotel. The deal at the time was stay 2 nights get the third one free.Wish we could have done nine nights but that's how holidays go.
As mentioned previously,the weather was very rainy.However the parks seemed empty.We did not wait more than 15 minutes to get on anything and lots of times we just rode twice because there was no one in line we got to the loading area. When it was sunny it was 70-80 during the day and 50-65 in the evenings.T-shirts during the day and a hoodie at night.
The Rivers of America were drained last year so we did not get to do the Mark Twain,Fantasmic or anything else on the water.I can't wait to see what that actually looks like when we go in Febrauary 2013.All I saw was a big green wall but since I didn't know what it looked like without the wall, it didn't seem like I was missing anything.
The Matterhorn was also down so I am looking forward to that as well. The park hours are also shorter.10 am-8 pmon weekdays. We didn't leave the park though so 10 hrs a day was enough.
Fireworks(Fantasmic) will only run on the weekend.
We will be better prepared for the rain next time.We had our rain coats and pants but our feet did get wet.I have now bought rubber overshoes for my DH and I to put right overtop of our runners. I bought Crocs rain boots for my DD. She loves them and she says they are super comfy.
As for the holiday weekend,yes it got really busy. However it certainly wasn't packed and when we made good use of the fastpass system it was great.
I think if you are prepared for rain and whatever closures may be in place, February is the perfect time to go. I would even say that a lot of people will postpone their trip till later in the year to catch the opening of Radiator Springs and that could also work to your advantage for lighter crowds.

 

[2kidsForMe]

Thanks everyone. Wow, a lot of construction at California Adventure. I wonder if we should skip that park? Are the pools open in February, and do people swim that time of the year? I know the temp ranges say 60's and 70's but does it feel too cold to swim? I don't mind some chilly rain, it sure beats snow!

 

[Carmatts]

Thanks everyone. Wow, a lot of construction at California Adventure. I wonder if we should skip that park? Are the pools open in February, and do people swim that time of the year? I know the temp ranges say 60's and 70's but does it feel too cold to swim? I don't mind some chilly rain, it sure beats snow!

I wouldn't skip DCA, just know there will be a lot of construction walls including the main entrance into the park. Think of it like this. If you were to walk into Disneyland and have to make a hard right because Main Street is closed and be rerouted into Tomorrowland. Carsland will be in what used to be a parking lot, so you won't have to be rerouted around things there. As long as you know construction walls will be all over, you will be fine. There are plenty of good rides in DCA and World of Color is great.

I'm not positive but fairly sure the pools would be closed that time of year. January and February are the rainiest months in California and even if it is sunny, we get coastal fog and a breeze off the ocean that makes 60 feel like 50. As other's have said though the weather is unpredictable this time of year, so check a few days out. No snow though!

 

[aristocat65]

Thanks everyone. Wow, a lot of construction at California Adventure. I wonder if we should skip that park? Are the pools open in February, and do people swim that time of the year? I know the temp ranges say 60's and 70's but does it feel too cold to swim? I don't mind some chilly rain, it sure beats snow!

I agree with PP that you should not miss California Adventure. There are always refurbishments going on somewhere in DLR. This is just a little more extensive California Adventure is already shaping up to be a better park than it ever was.
We were at the GCH in Feb this year and had great weather (we caught the only nice days in the month I think) and the pools were definitely open and getting lots of use.

 

[It'sKim]

Thanks everyone. Wow, a lot of construction at California Adventure. I wonder if we should skip that park? Are the pools open in February, and do people swim that time of the year? I know the temp ranges say 60's and 70's but does it feel too cold to swim? I don't mind some chilly rain, it sure beats snow!

I wouldn't skip it. The construction is just a minor inconvenience, there's still a lot to do and see. As for the swimming, we were in the pool every night when we were there. We stayed at the Park Vue and the pool was heated. It was actually quite comfortable for a swim. Once you got out though BRRRRRRRR. It was a chilly walk back to the room. The hot tub was great then too.

 

[Susie63]

The Neverland pool at the DLH was open and we swam 4 or 5 times.Mind you what a person from northern Canada will claim to be perfect pool weather is probably a lot different than a resident of SoCal.
Yes,go to DCA.It is a ton of fun.Especially Mickey's Wheel of Death

 

[rainyday77]

We go each President's day week in Feb. as our school division in Alberta has the week off. The 3 years we have gone we have had ok to good weather. 1 year was a bit chilly, last year was t-shirt weather, I think of the 3 weeks we have been there in feb we only had 1 rainy day - and that meant walking onto many rides. I do take a light pair of long underwear to wear under my jeans at night as it does get chilly once the sun has gone down.

I noticed crowds were a bit busier last year than in previous years, but still nothing like peak season. A few rides will be down for refurb. which is a minor inconvenience. The construction is a minor inconvenience but nothing that would deter me from going to Disneyland. We swam one year but the water was cold at the hotel. We will be staying at the Desert Inn and Suites this year which I believe is the only hotel with an indoor pool. It is nothing fancy but will be nice for the kids to swim in. I am much too cheap to stay at a Disney hotel but there pools look really nice.

 

[MillauFr]

We almost always go in February. In the last 7 years I only remember 1 year when it was a washout. Rained almost everyday and hard. The other years the weather was good to great. Our favorite weather for the park is cold and overcast. The crowds are usually smaller. When it gets above 65 - 70 it is too hot for me.

 

[It'sKim]

We almost always go in February. In the last 7 years I only remember 1 year when it was a washout. Rained almost everyday and hard. The other years the weather was good to great. Our favorite weather for the park is cold and overcast. The crowds are usually smaller. When it gets above 65 - 70 it is too hot for me.

lol I agree! We are just finishing another trip right now, and wow it is WAY WAY too hot for me. I find it really hard to enjoy the parks when its 90+ degrees. This is the second time I've been in early Sept and it was just way too hot. I told my husband we need to stick to the Jan/Feb trips now.

 

[sweetlovin']

All of the refurbishments are suppose to end in June? I am booked May 21-25 Are they due to take it all down in June or as they finish with certain rides?

 

[HydroGuy]

All of the refurbishments are suppose to end in June? I am booked May 21-25 Are they due to take it all down in June or as they finish with certain rides?

The unprecedented "park wide refurb" at DCA is supposed to be completely done by June. Latest estimates/rumors are saying third or fourth week of June.

 

[chttyangel]

I am from Northern CA. Our school and almost everyone in our area has the entire President's week off. It is something new they are doing.