Picking when to go??

[uandmfan]

Hi

We are hoping to use a timeshare to transfer into dvc in Feb of 2017. We can make our request 7 months out which means we need to pick our dates by August. From what I can tell, Disney doesn't release park hours until 7 months out. So that means crowd caledars won't be 'accurate' before then. I'm hoping for the first week in Feb, arriving on Superbowl weekend. In the past that has been a 'low crowd' weekend. This year, I assume because Easter is early, that's not the case and we'd be better off going later in the month. But I'm not sure if this would be true next year or if it will be back to being included in the value season.

How do you pick your weeks so far in advance?

Thanks!

 

[drusba]

Seven months out from February is July not August.

Have been first half of Feb when Easter was early and when it was late. In both those situations, first 10 to 11 days of Feb have been very reasonable, sometimes a little heavy but nothing stifling and you can actually find some short stand-by lines for some things at times (e.g., in later part of afternoon Tower of Terror was 10 minutes). The Easter impact is actually a Louisiana and Mardi Gras impact. The week when Mardo Gras happens in Lousiana is a time when schools close there and thus you get a large contingent of residents from that state that come to WDW (I went to Hoop-Dee Doo one night and about 75% of the patrons were from Louisiana) but it does not add hugely to the overall crowd. If you meant to say Presidents' Week rather than Easter, then crowds for that time do not begin to get heavy until the Friday before President's Day.

As to park hours, they have generally been the same for that period during the last few years so if you check this year, you will likely see the same next year. They expand shortly before Presidents' Day, which will actually be quite late in 2017.

DVC members are very used to booking 11 months out at home resort and 7 at others because they know there is a real risk of being closed out from a desired resort and room category if they don't.

As far as DVC demand goes, which is different from Disney in general demand, the first 10 to 11 days of February is DVC's lowest demand time of the year, so you should easily be able to get something at 7 months out including at a near park resort.