MLK vs Pres. weekend crowds (& room codes)???

[Anal Annie]

OK, I don't usually venture over here to the resort boards - I spend most of my time on the DVC boards or on the DCL boards so I'm sorry if I'm repeating FAQ!! ANYWAY, there are a couple of threads that I started reading for my answers but they're just too long and I can't read every single post.

We want to plan a long weekend in either Jan. or Feb. to use our AP's again but we are out of DVC points and will need to make a cash ressie - so I'm looking for room codes! I read where the ones thru the end of this year just came out but wondered if anybody knows when the ones for early '08 may be published? I would love to subscribe to a thread that has this answer if someone could just point me to it!!

We've never been to FL in the winter - only July or Aug. We're trying to figure out which of these long weekends will 1) be the best / warmest weather and offer the best odds for some pool time and 2) have the lowest crowds. (DS also has an extra day off from school at MLK.) I know that one should typically avoid holiday weekends all together and I know that the rates over Pres. Day week are higher and that a lot of schools in New England are off the whole week of Pres. Day - does this mean the crowds are bigger too?! I'm guessing yes - but how do they compare to July & August??? I also read on Mousesavers a list of various groups that will be there in both Jan. & Feb. which take a lot of rooms in the value resorts (I'm picturing young baton twirlers & cheerleaders making for a noisy stay). Have any of you been there over both time periods before who could give me an idea how to plan & which date to pick?

This decision is being complicated by another possible trip with a group of neighbors who usually plan a ski weekend in January around that time. But it's not planned yet - it's only in the "talk" stage and I don't know if it will happen or not (affects time off and cash flow). Not only are the room rates cheaper in Jan. but the airfares are less too. Should this be the way I decide and then IF the ski trip happens we're just SOL?

WHAT TO DO?!

 

[bolgers love wdw]

I know when we went over MLK weekend a couple of years ago, that weekend was "blacked out" for AP codes and general public codes.

 

[susieqcpa]

I was in disney for MLK weekend this past January. I arrived on wednesday before holiday and the first few days were very manageable. By Saturday, the crowds were a bit crazy - most rides were 45 min to 1 hr wait. We have gone to disney for several years now in january and just love it during that time - especially since we are from NY. And yes alot of New Englanders head down in February Presidents week since we have the week off from school. Our friends went this past february and said it was crazy packed and would never do it again.
We have always had awesome weather in January. Warm days with no humidity like the summer days. Wearing shorts during the day and pants at night. Always have gone swimming - pools very nice.
Highly recommend going in January.

 

[n2mm]

I agree with others, that there may be blackouts. Of course your rates are going to be lower in January than February with January being value season and February being peak season. With the new guidelines of room rates, no longer will you be able to checkin during value season (Feb) and maintain that room rate that you start with like in the past. Your best bet for lower prices and lower crowds would be MLK week and not Prez week. There is a huge home builders conference scheduled for the same weekend of Prez weekend, so that will increase the crowd level even further. Last week we were there during the first week of February and the conference was going on then. This group was booked at many of the resorts including the Poly and WL (where we were staying). It didn't have any impact on the parks, but did at the resorts and restraurants. This year we opted for the last week of January (staying at the AKV), but hoping for an AP rate to start our trip a day or 2 earlier. The following year we are shooting for MLK week, but will be booking our home of BWV at the 11 month window.

BTW, if the MLK is blacked out, you will still get a discount on some nights, just not the blacked out nights, especially the new way of listing each night with it's own price. So you will save some money.

 

[lindsey]

We were at EPCOT on President's Day this year, then returned to Disney in June - President's day was the crowdest I have ever seen EPCOT in all of my trips! TT fastpass was out before 2pm. The trash cans were overflowing everywhere (I have never seen that before) -

 

[Jenniww]

I was in Disney Jan13- 20 2007 which included the MLK holiday. The only day we felt it was busy was on MLK I the local people were out with AP enjoying the beautiful day. Other then that it was wonderful.
My son used the pool once in the evening!
We are going back this year on MLK week again. I say go for it

 

[mandypandy818]

I was in Disney Jan13- 20 2007 which included the MLK holiday. The only day we felt it was busy was on MLK I the local people were out with AP enjoying the beautiful day. Other then that it was wonderful.
My son used the pool once in the evening!
We are going back this year on MLK week again. I say go for it

Thanks for this info! We are going to be there next year on Jan 13-19 and I'm really worried about it getting super crowded around the end of our trip. Hopefully, the crowds will be manageable leading up to the holiday.

 

[Anal Annie]

OK - we did it! Booked flights to go down for 4 n over MLK weekend! Couldn't decide where to stay yet tho so made 2 ressies for now (hoping for some AP codes for one of them)! Anyway, figured we could try January once & see how we get along... Thanks for the advice between Pres & MLK...