MLK weekend

[AKV707]

DW and I are considering a trip tied in with Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. How busy is that weekend? Is is a big DVC demand time? How is the weather, typically?

Thanks for any input.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We've been once, and stayed at BWV. The crowds weren't bad, but the weather was very very windy, chilly. I "have" to go swimming, and did, but only once and just about only in/out!

We have also been to other parts of Florida during MLK weekend, for instance, Marco Island. We went there at least 3 times, and each time the locals would tell us, "This chilly, windy weather is unusual." Well, I don't think so!

Bobbi

 

[Anal Annie]

We just went for the first time this past January. We enjoyed it a lot but it was not as warm as we'd hoped it would be. It was actually pretty cold & windy one day (50's). BUT it was like 15 or 20 degrees at home that weekend, so in comparison it was balmy! It hit LOW 70's one afternoon...we were staying at VWL and we went to the pool one afternoon for an hour but really, we stayed in the hot tub. It poured down rain that evening and got cold - it cut loose while DH was trying to get fast passes for something while DS and I ordered dinner...he got soaked thru even with a rain coat and was miserable - AND they were out of fast passes. There was a lot of lightening so we just decided to call it a night early and go dry off & look for Hidden Mickey's around the lodge. The crowds were not HORRIBLE...but there were definitely a lot of people there. Not as bad as summer tho. We wore lots of layered clothes and took winter coats with zip out linings so we could adjust for the conditions of the day.

I think the worst thing crowd wise was that there were all of these Brazillian tour groups everywhere...they were large groups of like either high school or college age kids and they were singing and chanting and cheering in their language - VERY LOUD and they were all over. They were very rude and obnoxious. We would hear them coming and we'd run to either get ahead of them or we'd try to figure out where they were going and we'd go the other way. Nothing like being stuck in a line like Test Track with them yelling & screaming right next to you! They just didn't seem to know how to be quiet. At all. Ever. And each group seemed louder than the last one.

 

[AKV707]

Thanks for the replies. We are really considering going. It would likely be a more resort centered trip with a little park hopping.

 

[n2mm]

We booked that week this year. We generally avoid all holidays, but since innaugration day is the day after MLK Monday holiday, folks here in the Wash DC/MD/VA area get 2 days off in a row. So that makes for a 4 day weekend. Since I work a 4 day week, I only have to use 2 vacation days to get a 9 day break......off to WDW for us! I'm sure some of my fellow workers in my area are doing the same thing. With Wash.DC shut down on that day, most of us would prefer getting the heck outta dodge, than watch a parade. We generally go the end of January and/or early February.

 

[El&Asmom]

We just went for the first time this past January. We enjoyed it a lot but it was not as warm as we'd hoped it would be. It was actually pretty cold & windy one day (50's). BUT it was like 15 or 20 degrees at home that weekend, so in comparison it was balmy! It hit LOW 70's one afternoon...we were staying at VWL and we went to the pool one afternoon for an hour but really, we stayed in the hot tub. It poured down rain that evening and got cold - it cut loose while DH was trying to get fast passes for something while DS and I ordered dinner...he got soaked thru even with a rain coat and was miserable - AND they were out of fast passes. There was a lot of lightening so we just decided to call it a night early and go dry off & look for Hidden Mickey's around the lodge. The crowds were not HORRIBLE...but there were definitely a lot of people there. Not as bad as summer tho. We wore lots of layered clothes and took winter coats with zip out linings so we could adjust for the conditions of the day.
I think the worst thing crowd wise was that there were all of these Brazillian tour groups everywhere...they were large groups of like either high school or college age kids and they were singing and chanting and cheering in their language - VERY LOUD and they were all over. They were very rude and obnoxious. We would hear them coming and we'd run to either get ahead of them or we'd try to figure out where they were going and we'd go the other way. Nothing like being stuck in a line like Test Track with them yelling & screaming right next to you! They just didn't seem to know how to be quiet. At all. Ever. And each group seemed louder than the last one.

Those group of kids were horrible. We were on a bus that night that you described, (man it was cold and rainy that night). They refused to move so that we could get our wet cold kids off of the bus. I actually had to go underneath a kids arm as he was hanging form the top handles since he refused to move.

We didn't mind the weather that week, but we did not like the crowds over the weekend. The rest of the week was quiet. We were able to get into the pool about 5 of the 7 days we were there.

 

[AKV707]

Those group of kids were horrible. We were on a bus that night that you described, (man it was cold and rainy that night). They refused to move so that we could get our wet cold kids off of the bus. I actually had to go underneath a kids arm as he was hanging form the top handles since he refused to move.

We didn't mind the weather that week, but we did not like the crowds over the weekend. The rest of the week was quiet. We were able to get into the pool about 5 of the 7 days we were there.

I have encountered those groups in the summer as well. They can truly be horrible.

But, we are going to give MLK a try. We booked AKV today!

 

[n2mm]

Those group of kids were horrible. We were on a bus that night that you described, (man it was cold and rainy that night). They refused to move so that we could get our wet cold kids off of the bus. I actually had to go underneath a kids arm as he was hanging form the top handles since he refused to move.

We didn't mind the weather that week, but we did not like the crowds over the weekend. The rest of the week was quiet. We were able to get into the pool about 5 of the 7 days we were there.

We too have encountered these groups of kids, but generally during July. It pretty much turned us away from traveling in July. My then 6 yo grandson was in line to see a character (back when the characters visited the resorts in the morning). A group of the girls ran over and pushed my grandson out of the way so that they could be next in line. (I got pretty ugly and said a few words that they seem to understand and they did back down, but it's a memory that I shouldn'thave to have.) Sorry to go off topic.

 

[mikayla73]

Is it better to go the week before or the week of MLK day. We are thinking of going in Jan or Feb around MLK or Pres Day so we don't have to use as much vacation time. Although it'll probably be MLK since it's less points

 

[n2mm]

Is it better to go the week before or the week of MLK day. We are thinking of going in Jan or Feb around MLK or Pres Day so we don't have to use as much vacation time. Although it'll probably be MLK since it's less points

It I was to choose MLK weekend or Prez weekend, it would be MLK weekend hands down. Prez weekend always seems to be busier than MLK weekend.

 

[AKV707]

It I was to choose MLK weekend or Prez weekend, it would be MLK weekend hands down. Prez weekend always seems to be busier than MLK weekend.

Good to hear!

 

[Pakey]

We were there this year for MLK weekend. We were supposed to go home on the Saturday of MLK weekend. Our flights home were cancelled due to weather; I can tell you for sure that it's a very busy weekend for DVC and Disney hotels in general. Because we were stuck there, we found that there was not one DVC room of any size available and the only hotel room at any Disney hotel was Beach Club concierge room.