First week of March, what is going ON?

[heycher]

We have gone the first week of March before and found it to be a good week. Touringplans and TGM both show it is "before" Spring break season and a good time to go.

However, we have a CM friend who checked his database for a room for us and there is almost NOTHING available. Not one room at a deluxe, no mods, and I think a couple of values were available.

I've got a code for 35% and see availability there, and know that CM rate rooms are limited, but for there to be NONE, sends up a yellow flag in my mind.....

Any insights from the experts here?

Thanks in advance!

 

[fla4fun]

Well, maybe the CM's want to take a break before the busy season starts? Or maybe Disney adds a slight cushion to the retail inventory just before spring break gets into full swing by not having much CM inventory available?

I'm sure that the CM availability is a lot tighter than any other type of discounted rooms. It's difficult to predict exactly when the spring break crowds will come in because it's not tied as much to Easter anymore. So I could see them limiting March and April on a regular basis, just to make sure they don't have any issues.

The bigger question would be, can they see CM availability for the other weeks in March? If there is wide open availability for the rest of the month, then I would be curious about that first week . . .

(I could have just said that I'm going to be there the first week in March and have closed the resort to everyone else to limit crowds, lol . . . . .)

 

[heycher]

That is what I'm guessing too,that availability for the 40% CM rooms is limited. I will ask him to look at the remaining weeks in March to see what that inventory looks like.

Thank you for your reply! We have been to disney that week before and had a wonderful time, hoping it's just as good this year!!

 

[Sandi]

The first week of March is Spring Break for a number of colleges and universities. Below is a non-exhaustive list on break that week. My husband is a prof and his spring break is that week and he and I are going to WDW. When I booked through the "special offers," the availability for many deluxe resorts was pretty limited, but if you're willing to pay rack rate there was plenty of choices.

Assumption College
Ball State University
Boston College
Catawba College
Christopher Newport University
Clark University
College of Charleston
College of the Holy Cross
College of William and Mary
Davidson College
Delta College
Duquesne University
Elizabethtown College
Emerson College
Furman University
Georgetown University
Green Mountain College
High Point University
James Madison University
John Carroll University
Kennesaw State University
Kenyon College
Lebanon Valley College
Lewis University
Longwood University
Loyola College
Loyola University Chicago
Lycoming College
Mary Baldwin College
Mary Washington College
Mercer University
Meredith College
Michigan State University
Niagara University
North Carolina State University
Northeastern University
Penn State U Harrisburg Campus
Penn State University-Altoona
Penn State University-University Park
Providence College
Roanoke College
Rollins College
Seton Hall University
Shawnee State University
Siena Heights University
St. John Fisher College
St. Joseph's University
The Catholic University of America
The University of Findlay
Thomas More College
University of Central Florida
University of Dayton
University of Evansville
University of Florida
University of Indianapolis
University of Maine
University of Michigan–Flint
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
University of North Carolina-Charlotte
University of Pennsylvania
University of South Dakota
University of Toledo
University of Vermont
Valparaiso University
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Western Michigan University
Wingate University
Wittenberg University

 

[kkbutterfly]

Anyone know what the last week of Feb is like?? I was a bit worried to book late Feb/Early March!

 

[heycher]

The last week of February looks to be half and half. Crowds will be very high during the first couple of days of that week (feb 22/23) - because of the end of the Presidents Day crowds... then there are the Princess 1/2 marathon crowds that weekend too. As you get into Monday and Forward (25/26), crowds will be much lighter, based on the predictions I am seeing.

Wow --- thank you for the list of the colleges... that explains quite a bit about the crowd levels. Now I'm debating on cancelling and doing May instead. That week is making me nervous!!

 

[Sandi]

The last week of February looks to be half and half. Crowds will be very high during the first couple of days of that week (feb 22/23) - because of the end of the Presidents Day crowds... then there are the Princess 1/2 marathon crowds that weekend too. As you get into Monday and Forward (25/26), crowds will be much lighter, based on the predictions I am seeing.

Wow --- thank you for the list of the colleges... that explains quite a bit about the crowd levels. Now I'm debating on cancelling and doing May instead. That week is making me nervous!!

You're welcome. If I could go in May, that's when I'd go. I've never been in May, but people always say how nice it is then. Save for the week between Christmas and New Year's, I say a busy day at WDW is still more fun than just about anything else, so I go when family schedules allow.

 

[fla4fun]

My problem with May is that the heat and humidity of summer start ramping up. If you can go the first week or so then sometimes it's not so bad.

That's one reason I flip flopped my beach trip I usually take in late Feb/early March and my Disney trip I usually take in May. The weather in March should be nicer for Disney and the weather in May better for the beach. Well, that and the beach hotel decided to start their peak rates earlier than usual, so it's actually more economical for me to do them in that order next year, taking both trips into consideration together. I was there in May this year, and it was so hot I spent at least half my time in the resort (WL) trying to stay cool.

Even though I live in Florida, I am not a heat tolerant person.

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

The first week of March is "March Break" for many K-12 schools in Canada (we don't call in Spring Break - at least not in NB). That is why we are going that week - the kids are out of school. I know there are DVC rooms available but that probably doesn't help you much...

 

[prairiesarah]

Anyone know what the last week of Feb is like?? I was a bit worried to book late Feb/Early March!

According to one crowd calendar the last week of February seems ok, but 15th to 23th is high crowds. That week can be a mid-winter break for some schools in Canada (and I imagine other place too) and I know a lot of people head south.

 

[prairiesarah]

The first week of March is "March Break" for many K-12 schools in Canada (we don't call in Spring Break - at least not in NB). That is why we are going that week - the kids are out of school. I know there are DVC rooms available but that probably doesn't help you much...

To add to my post above - I think Canadian winter school breaks tend to be split with some getting March Break and some getting a February break around Family Day, along with a week off for Easter Break in early April. At least that is what we have in Saskatchewan (although not all districts get the February week).

 

[graceandhayes]

Anyone know what the last week of Feb is like?? I was a bit worried to book late Feb/Early March!

My family stayed at the Polynesian Sun Feb 26 - Thurs Mar 1, 2012 and the crowd levels were very low. Traffic and crowds were a bit higher on Sun, Feb 26th due to the Princess Half Marathon, but very manageable. This was our first visit to WDW so I don't have anything to compare it to. We never waited more than 15 mins for a ride, except Soarin' and TSM. We only used FP for Peter Pan and Test Track. We are booked at the Poly for Feb 23 - Mar 1, 2013. The only downside to going in Feb is some of the ride closures. Last year BTMRR was closed, and the slide on the volcano pool a the Poly was closed. This year SM is the only ride currently scheduled for refurbishment.

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

According to one crowd calendar the last week of February seems ok, but 15th to 23th is high crowds. That week can be a mid-winter break for some schools in Canada (and I imagine other place too) and I know a lot of people head south.

Feb 18 is President's Day, so that is probably the main reason those dates are rated high

 

[kkbutterfly]

My problem with May is that the heat and humidity of summer start ramping up. If you can go the first week or so then sometimes it's not so bad.

.

I went a few years ago in May the week before Memorial Day (to avoid the crowds) and it was much busier and hotten than I was expecting. Not July hot, but hotten than late Sept/Oct or March/April. I probably woulnd't go back again during that time.

 

[jamescanuck2001]

great news for me

BWI Feb 26 to March 4... sounds like crowds will be relatively low throughout

Key word is 'relatively'