First-Timer in March

[First-timer]

Hi there..... I just booked my trip to WDW on Sat. evening.... I can't believe we did it..... I have only been talking about this trip for about 2 yrs. now. My daughters are ages 9 and 15 so I finally did it... We are staying at Animal Kindom and we are going march 4th through the 10 th. I just hope we have enough time to do everything.... But can you really do everything in one trip?? Well if anyone has some tips or advice for me on the weather or the crowds let me know.. thank you Vicki (first timer)

 

[Bill From PA]

Vicki,

Early March is our usual week so I have some experience here. The weather should be great with daily highs in the 75 - 85 range and it's the third lowest precipitation month, we've had one rainy day at WDW in about 35 days there over the years. Treat yourself to a copy of Bob Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide to WDW, any decent bookstore should have it. You've got plenty of time to read the descriptions of the rides and attractions and decide what your 'must do' things are. Make a list. Since you're on property you qualify for early entry to the parks on certain days and to stay 3 hrs later on others. Use this, particularly the early morning time. Get there 20 mins before early entry, use FastPass and you'll get many of the major attractions in before lines get long. This is the start of the busy season, but crowds are what I would call Moderate. You're kids are not too young, so they might really like World Showcase at Epcot. Our strategy is to get to the Early Entry park early, do the attractions until crowds bulid, usually about 1 pm, then we hop to Epcot, every day. Epcot swallows crowds and never seems too crowded.

For each park, have a loose plan as to what you want to see/do and in what order, but be flexible, it's not a job. If something not on your agenda appeals to you, do it! Don't miss Illuminations, Fantasmic or Spectromagic and decide in advance which nights you want to see them. YOU WON'T DO IT ALL! Don't even try. This is a physically demanding vacation. If your party can't walk 5 miles a day, every day for a week, get in shape. I eat and drink like there's no tomorrow at WDW and come home lighter than when I go.

In general, bring your sunscreen, batteries, film, OTC medicines and first aid stuff because they're outrageously expensive there. Bring multiple pairs of comfortable walking shoes. Finally, frequent these boards, these folks will make you a Disney Pro in no time. We're there from March 2 - 12. If you're in World Showcase some mid-afternoon, peek into the Rose&Crown and see if these characters are there.

Bill From PA

 

[Mainebound]

Hi there..... I just booked my trip to WDW on Sat. evening.... I can't believe we did it..... I have only been talking about this trip for about 2 yrs. now. My daughters are ages 9 and 15 so I finally did it... We are staying at Animal Kindom and we are going march 4th through the 10 th. I just hope we have enough time to do everything.... But can you really do everything in one trip?? Well if anyone has some tips or advice for me on the weather or the crowds let me know.. thank you Vicki (first timer)

Vicki,


Another March veteran here -- been the first week or 2 in March the last 3 years and loved it. We also stayed a week our first trip at AKL and LOVED that.

Bill gave you some great advice.

You will have a great trip!

 

[First-timer]

thank you for the great tips.... this website is great but it is so much to take in.... i already booked a breakfast with mickey (chef mikey) on wed. morning and then we have reservations to go horse back riding.... i havent read anything about that though.... also we have a tour booked for thurs. morning at 7:00 am for the animal kingdom sunrise tour then breakfast.... i just cant believe how much there is to do here..... im just not sure on all the shuttles and busses and momorails. like for instance....we are going to chef mickey at 10:30 am. will there be a list of what shuttles go and what time they go? then from chef mickey we have the horse back riding at fort wilderness at 2:30pm. ..... so confused.... vicki

 

[Bill From PA]

Vicki,

Disney transportation starts running about 2 hrs before park opening and ends about 2 hrs after. There is no schedule as such, but generally you will rarely wait more than 15 mins for a bus to pick you up. Busses run from resort to parks and back and also between parks so you can get a bus from any resort to any park, waterparks included and back with the exception of resorts around Epcot which are within a short walk or boat ride, and you can hop from, say, MGM to MK via bus. No busses run between resorts so if you wanted to visit a resort from AK you'd have to get a bus to a park then catch a bus there to the resort you want to visit. For your Chef Mickey just wait for a bus to the park it's in 45 mins or so before the time your ressie is for and you'll be ok. My personal opinion about the horseback thing is that I don't spend any time at WDW on activities I can do at home, so I don't golf, waterpark, fish parasail or anything not unique to Disney, I only do things not available elsewhere. Time at WDW is too precious. Just my unsolicited opinion.

In order to get the most out of these boards, you might consider posting specific questions on specific boards, like your bus question on the Transportation board and so on. Good luck, and keep asking!

Bill From PA

 

[DizneyKrazed]

Bill...

your advice was great, and as we are going to Disney the exact dates you are (March 2-12!!!) I was happy to hear that we can count on good weather and crowd levels. We have never been this time of the year, and we're all concerned about the time we will be spending in lines.

If you have any more info. regarding early March trips, do tell!

 

[Bill From PA]

DizneyKrazed,

March is a great time but you do have to plan. All parks, especially MK will be busy by noon or 1 pm with standby lines for things like SplashMtn reaching waits of 45 mins and more by that time. Get there early and use FP and you'll do OK. Other than that, nothing special. Based on the dates of your past trips you've experienced hotter weather than we're likely to get, I think 88 is as high as I've seen. If Epcot interests you at all I swear by our strategy of hitting another park early, then hopping to Epcot in the early PM. WS never seem really crowded until after dinner time as Illuminations approaches. Here's to a great trip for both of us.

Bill From PA