Planning a Disney Trip - February 2020!

[lisaross]

Hi everyone,

Wow it feels great to be back on these boards. I joined when I was planning our first family trip in 2006. We have been back in 2009 and 2016. The last two trips we spent a few days in Universal which is what we are leaning to this time. We have been pretty lucky with all of our trips - 1st one we went last week of August so not big crowds.. in 2009 same thing. 2016 we went during April but after the easter vacation crowds.

Our trip this time will be during president's week which I know will be on the crowded side. So my 1st question will be - do we start off in Disney or Universal? The real question is which park do you think will be easier to manage President's day weekend....leading into the Monday? We will stay at a Universal hotel so will get the express passes.

Have not booked airlines yet since we still have to wait about a month or so to do so. Thinking of flying out the Friday night so we wake up in Florida and have the full day on Saturday. Will either fly back home the following Saturday night or Sunday!

The trip will consist of my husband and I and our 17 year old son. When we went last time Hollywood Studios was under construction. Not sure about park hoppers...Thinking how many days we will need at each park. Do the parks close on the earlier side this time of year? Thinking magic kingdom 2 days..(not full days) and the others for 1 day? What do you think as I know many new things at the parks since we went in 16'.

Thanks for your help with our initial planning stage.

Lisa

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I’d go with US on Presidents’ Day weekend since you’ll have the express pass, you’ll get more done then at Disney. And I’d get hoppers so if one park becomes too crowded you can hop elsewhere

 

[Sara_H]

I agree with the comment above. This year is sounded like Disney was crazy Presidents Day weekend so you'd be better off at US with the express pass. I also agree with the hopper passes...we made pretty good use out of ours last time. We did not feel that HS was a full day park at all. One ride that is new at AK is Flight of Passage and I think it is a must!

 

[lisaross]

OK thanks for the feedback...depending on the flight prices I will plan to stay at US 3 nights - that will give me 2 full days of US and IOA and hopefully get some pool time...Then I'll go to Disney Monday night and have Tues-Saturday to plan the parks (go home Sunday if flights are not priced crazy)

Friday night fly to Orlando and stay at Universal Hotel and stay till Monday early evening then head to Disney check in and spend the rest of the week at Disney!

 

[ultimatefans]

Yes, definitely go with US first as other posters have said. Hollywood Studios is a huge unknown though because of Galaxy's Edge, but it's safe to guess that crowds will be crazy. So park hoppers would probably be a good idea so you're not tied to HS if the crowds are too much. However if you want to save $ then you could skip the hoppers - HS will be a full day park after everything opens this year.

 

[dawnnikol]

I've been planning our February 2020 trip for a couple of months now and decided to do US over Super Bowl weekend (staying on property) and then Monday we swap to Disney, giving us that day to do DS. We will leave the following Sunday, but have two MK days planned, as well as a full EPCOT (extra long, according to EMH hours from the same day this past Feb) since Art Fest will be there, and then hopping between AK and HS. We're not huge SW fans, so I doubt we will need a full day at HS, even with the new TS rides.

 

[KateMW]

We are going the same week and we are either doing Universal over Prez weekend and starting Disney on Tuesday {knowing there will still be crowds thanks to NE school break and SW:GE}, staying at the Four Seasons and getting in some pool/spa/hanging out time over Prez weekend or flying down on actual President's Day and starting the parks the next day.

 

[amylevan]

We're not huge SW fans, so I doubt we will need a full day at HS, even with the new TS rides.

I'd be careful with this assumption. Even if you avoid SW, all of the SW fans are going to spill into the rest of the park, making the whole place crowded. Depending on what you want to see, it could still take a full day with those crowds impacting wait times.

 

[dawnnikol]

I'd be careful with this assumption. Even if you avoid SW, all of the SW fans are going to spill into the rest of the park, making the whole place crowded. Depending on what you want to see, it could still take a full day with those crowds impacting wait times.

You definitely have a point. I guess hoping the SW fans will stay on "their" side won't work... Luckily, we are early risers, so I'm hoping we won't be too held up.

 

[lisaross]

What time are the parks open to in February during Presidents Week?

 

[dawnnikol]

What time are the parks open to in February during Spring Break?

I don't know who has spring break in February, but the week I wrote down was after Super Bowl and most parks were open at 9am-8pm, with the exception of EPCOT which was 9pm. Weekends varied between parks but MK had extended hours until 10 or 11pm.

 

[lisaross]

I don't know who has spring break in February, but the week I wrote down was after Super Bowl and most parks were open at 9am-8pm, with the exception of EPCOT which was 9pm. Weekends varied between parks but MK had extended hours until 10 or 11pm.

I meant President's Week Hours...Thanks

 

[gharter]

If you have Express Passes, then i would do US/IOA on Presidents Weekend.
Expect WDW to be busy while you are there and just plan for it.