Jan 23 - Feb 1.....is this a good week?

[sherry7]

Hello all. I'm in the beginning stages of planning a trip for 2009 for me, DH, and DS (18).

I had originally planned for Jan 16 - Jan 25, but I then found out that MLK day falls during that, and the crowds are fairly heavy. Various other weeks are out, because of DS's semester exams, Presidents Day, etc.

I've narrowed it down again to Friday, Jan 23 to Sunday, Feb 1. This works with DS's school, and the flights are fairly cheap for that time.

However, this is what I need to know please. Is there anything "special" happening that week? Anything that may impact the crowds?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Freaky]

I think the Superbowl is being held in Tampa at the end of January so that may mean that the Orlando crowds will be up

 

[cinderellamom123]

We are going the 22nd to the Feb 1st. It should be pretty quiet until Jan 30-Feb 1st. Feb 1st is superbowl . Usually disney gets busy after a florida superbowl. Since you are staying an extended time, do all the important stuff first etc and maybe try to avoid the MK on your final Friday/Sat. My theory is that if people are in Florida for the Superbowl they will want to do the superbowl activities up until the game and not "travel" until after the game is over.

Where are you staying? Where are you from?

 

[sherry7]

We are going the 22nd to the Feb 1st. It should be pretty quiet until Jan 30-Feb 1st. Feb 1st is superbowl . Usually disney gets busy after a florida superbowl. Since you are staying an extended time, do all the important stuff first etc and maybe try to avoid the MK on your final Friday/Sat. My theory is that if people are in Florida for the Superbowl they will want to do the superbowl activities up until the game and not "travel" until after the game is over.

Where are you staying? Where are you from?

Thanks for the info. Have you been to Orlando around Super Bowl time before? You sound knowledgeable about the subject, so I'm assuming you have.

I have 2 different weeks narrowed down. The 1st week includes MLK day, which I understand can be busy (Jan 16-25). The 2nd week is the one I mentioned, which clashes with the Super Bowl (Jan 23 - Feb 1). I can get airfare for cheaper on the 2nd week. So, now I just need to convince myself that Jan 23- Feb 1 isn't going to be crowded because of the Super Bowl.

I'm not sure where we are staying yet...still working on that. Maybe a condo, maybe a hotel...depending on price/location. We're coming from Pennsylvania, so we'll be flying in.

 

[cinderellamom123]

I always do a lot of research. I will have 6 year old twins at the time. I did a search of Superbowl Sundays in Fl. vs. Disney attendance. I also used a website (I am not sure if I can name it) that does an intensive guestimation of parks vs. attendance based on hotel capacity, historic attendance on those dates etc. For example, you plub in your dates and they will give you on a scale of 1-10 of how busy they think the park will be on that given day.

Where are you thinking of staying. We are doing a first ever off site at Bonnet Creek which is a new Wyndham property that is actually located inside the gates of Disney (although it is not Disney owned) we are renting from an owner and I am so excited to have a full kitchen, bath, laundry etc.
You can see the firworks from this resort, it is that close.

2 years ago we stayed at POFQ and it was a little tight. We were looking for a place that had separate sleeping quarters this time

I would avoid MLK week and opt for the second week. If you do some planning, you should be ok.

 

[sherry7]

I always do a lot of research. I will have 6 year old twins at the time. I did a search of Superbowl Sundays in Fl. vs. Disney attendance. I also used a website (I am not sure if I can name it) that does an intensive guestimation of parks vs. attendance based on hotel capacity, historic attendance on those dates etc. For example, you plub in your dates and they will give you on a scale of 1-10 of how busy they think the park will be on that given day.

Where are you thinking of staying. We are doing a first ever off site at Bonnet Creek which is a new Wyndham property that is actually located inside the gates of Disney (although it is not Disney owned) we are renting from an owner and I am so excited to have a full kitchen, bath, laundry etc.
You can see the firworks from this resort, it is that close.

2 years ago we stayed at POFQ and it was a little tight. We were looking for a place that had separate sleeping quarters this time

I would avoid MLK week and opt for the second week. If you do some planning, you should be ok.

Wow, it sounds like you've really done your research. I haven't been to Disney for quite awhile, so I'm a bit "out of the loop". On our first trip I did so much research that I actually got teased about it.

I'd love to have the info on the website that does the "guesstimation" on how crowded it will be. I understand not being able to post it here, but could you possibly private message it to me please?

I've been looking at my DS's schedule, and I came up with a 2nd possible week, which is Feb 6 - Feb 15....but Presidents Day falls on Feb 16. I wonder if there would be lesser crowds that particular week or Jan 23 - Feb 1 (Super Bowl on Feb 1)? Decisions, decisions....

Bonnet Creek sounds nice, plus really close. I got a good offer on a 3 bedroom, 3 bath condo at The Regal Palms in Davenport ($79 including tax per night). But it sounds SO far away, and the pool closes at dusk according to T.A. reviews (bummer). Plus, there's only 3 of us and it's really too big, so I'd like to find something smaller and cheaper. We're trying to make this a "budget" trip...although I don't seem to being too good of a job so far.

Have your twins been to WDW yet? That's such a cute age, and they're going to have a blast.

I appreciate your advice.

 

[cinderellamom123]

I would avoid Feb. Vacation at all costs/vacation at all costs. But checking out the airfare and hotel rates might also push you in one direction or the other.

Bonnet creek is getting awsome reviews. Like I said, it is right next to the carribean beach.

As far as the crowd attendance goes. You need to sign up for the "plan" but if you pm me with your reg. e-mail I will try to cut and paste it for you.

Talk with you soon

Wow, it sounds like you've really done your research. I haven't been to Disney for quite awhile, so I'm a bit "out of the loop". On our first trip I did so much research that I actually got teased about it.

I'd love to have the info on the website that does the "guesstimation" on how crowded it will be. I understand not being able to post it here, but could you possibly private message it to me please?

I've been looking at my DS's schedule, and I came up with a 2nd possible week, which is Feb 6 - Feb 15....but Presidents Day falls on Feb 16. I wonder if there would be lesser crowds that particular week or Jan 23 - Feb 1 (Super Bowl on Feb 1)? Decisions, decisions....

Bonnet Creek sounds nice, plus really close. I got a good offer on a 3 bedroom, 3 bath condo at The Regal Palms in Davenport ($79 including tax per night). But it sounds SO far away, and the pool closes at dusk according to T.A. reviews (bummer). Plus, there's only 3 of us and it's really too big, so I'd like to find something smaller and cheaper. We're trying to make this a "budget" trip...although I don't seem to being too good of a job so far.

Have your twins been to WDW yet? That's such a cute age, and they're going to have a blast.

I appreciate your advice.

 

[mytwotinks]

I am thinking it would be a good week. We are taking my dd for her 7th birthday January 22 - 28. Her birthday is the 16th and we had planned to be there on the actual day like we did with her big sister, but I didn't want to be there the only busy week of the month! I talked her into having two birthdays and sold it to her like it was a good thing.

 

[Sillyminny40]

We were thinking of a week end of Jan early Feb but Super Bowl is not a good idea!
Christmas is too busy and we are desperate for a time when kids don't miss much school. I feel like a yo yo!

 

[MomofKatie]

Between MLK at the beginning of one week, and the Super Bowl at the end of the next, you should ask yourself, do you want to start your vacation with higher crowds, or end it that way? Really, as soon as MLK Day is over, the crowd levels will go DRASTICALLY down and stay that way until the 2 or 3 days before the Super Bowl. FWIW, www.touringplans.com is predicting lower crowd #s for MLK weekend than for Super Bowl weekend.

Ideally, you would miss both crowd spikes if you went from midweek to midweek (1/20 through 1/28).

 

[cinderellamom123]

My point exactly. However we are going the 22-feb 1st. Feb 1st is a travel day, the day before we are visiting family and will not be doing parks. Friday before superbowl is the only day that may be busy for us. Like I said, you just need to plan. It it is at the end of your trip, you are usually just doing the little stuff anyway.

Between MLK at the beginning of one week, and the Super Bowl at the end of the next, you should ask yourself, do you want to start your vacation with higher crowds, or end it that way? Really, as soon as MLK Day is over, the crowd levels will go DRASTICALLY down and stay that way until the 2 or 3 days before the Super Bowl. FWIW, www.touringplans.com is predicting lower crowd #s for MLK weekend than for Super Bowl weekend.

Ideally, you would miss both crowd spikes if you went from midweek to midweek (1/20 through 1/28).

 

[MomofKatie]

My point exactly. However we are going the 22-feb 1st. Feb 1st is a travel day, the day before we are visiting family and will not be doing parks. Friday before superbowl is the only day that may be busy for us. Like I said, you just need to plan. It it is at the end of your trip, you are usually just doing the little stuff anyway.

Sounds like y'all will have a great trip! DD and I are doing a "girls only" trip from 1/16- 1/26. We are going to brave the MLK crowds- DD has 3 days off school during our vacation, so we can do 10 nights at WDW and she will only miss 3 days in class.

Maybe we'll run into each other- I am always on the lookout for other DISers!!

 

[jmsaj]

I've been looking at my DS's schedule, and I came up with a 2nd possible week, which is Feb 6 - Feb 15....but Presidents Day falls on Feb 16. I wonder if there would be lesser crowds that particular week or Jan 23 - Feb 1 (Super Bowl on Feb 1)? Decisions, decisions....

But keep in mind that all thr race events at Daytona for 2009 start on Feb 7th and run through to the Daytona 500 on Feb 15th this year. That could put an impact on both airfare and hotel rates.

 

[sherry7]

Thanks everyone for the great advice, and especially to Cinderellamom123 for the PM.

After a lot of thinking, I think we're going to go MLK week (Jan 16 - Jan 25). I considered Jan 23 - Feb 1 as well (Super Bowl is Feb 1), and both weeks had drawbacks to them, with certain days guaranteed to be crowded. In the end, I decided to do MLK week, since DS will miss 1 less day of school.

Now, I just need to buy the airline tickets, and this will be set in stone.

 

[cinderellamom123]

Like me , you are a planner. You will do fine!. I arrive on th 22nd! Maybe I will see you!

 

[sherry7]

Like me , you are a planner. You will do fine!. I arrive on th 22nd! Maybe I will see you!

Yeah, I'm getting REALLY excited now. I bought our airline tickets last night, so now the trip is "set in stone", so to speak. Plus, we are flying in late Friday night (instead of Saturday morning), and flying back late Sunday night. So...I get 2 extra days of vacation! Yippee!

Now...I just have to figure out where to stay. I can't decide on a cheap hotel (Priceline), or renting a condo. Decisions, decisions....

 

[mayesq]

We were at Epcot 2 years ago on Superbowl Sunday. It was dead. We went to MK the next day and saw a bunch of the football players in the parade. It was pretty cool.

Not busy at all. You should be fine.

 

[cinderellamom123]

We were at Epcot 2 years ago on Superbowl Sunday. It was dead. We went to MK the next day and saw a bunch of the football players in the parade. It was pretty cool.

Not busy at all. You should be fine.

Yes, but the Superbowl was in Detroit that year (we were also in Disney). This year it is in Tampa! Big difference!!!.

 

[PEANUT1]

I agree...Tampa is such a short ride to disney it may impact things.
We will be in the World Jan 4-10....can't wait.

 

[Sillyminny40]

My dh pointed out that the Tampa football crowd will NOT be tying in WDW with the superbowl. He is a football fanatic.

We should be fine....right? Thanks all!