Presidents Day Week - How are crowds?

[ofcabbagesandkings]

We're thinking of pushing back our December trip to February because my sister in law wants to come visit us here for our first family Christmas since before the pandemic. If we arrive midweek after Presidents' Day, will the crowds have died down? Trying to avoid March and Spring Break madness, and my eldest does have that week off from school, little one is in Kindergarten so I'm not too worried about taking him out. I'll be super bummed to miss out on all the holiday fun like the lights at Hogwarts and Grinchmas, but I think we'll still have a great time since everything is new to us. It looks like Mardi Gras and the Disney Half Princess Marathon will overlap with that week. UT is showing 8/10 on the crowd calendar, but that's the same as what I was seeing for our currently booked week right before Christmas. TIA!

 

[sarabguerra]

Would love to know as well! As teachers, we have no other option to book during vacation weeks (MA is on winter break that week). We plan to do UO/IOA on Sunday & Monday, DHS Tuesday, MK Wednesday, then back to park hop between UO/IOA on Thursday. I wish we could afford EPs, and once we figured out we could/should have just booked at a different hotel, they were sold out for all suites (party of 5). Two rooms at those prices costs more than just buying EPs.

 

[cfoxga]

We did go for 3 nights over President's Day weekend this year and it was crowded. Having EPs definitely made a huge difference. We're planning to go again Fri-Mon this year, as the kids have another break from school. We will have 5 on this trip, and plan on staying in 1 room at a deluxe resort. We don't spend much time in the room, so we'd rather take advantage of all of the perks (EPs, boat/walking, etc).

I don't know what Tues-Fri will look like, but I imagine it would be less crowded...

 

[ClapYourHands]

Would love to know as well! As teachers, we have no other option to book during vacation weeks (MA is on winter break that week). We plan to do UO/IOA on Sunday & Monday, DHS Tuesday, MK Wednesday, then back to park hop between UO/IOA on Thursday. I wish we could afford EPs, and once we figured out we could/should have just booked at a different hotel, they were sold out for all suites (party of 5). Two rooms at those prices costs more than just buying EPs.

Just want to make sure you realize the three premier hotels allow 5 people in regular rooms (2 queen beds and rollaway). You don’t need a suite.

 

[sarabguerra]

Just want to make sure you realize the three premier hotels allow 5 people in regular rooms (2 queen beds and rollaway). You don’t need a suite.

Yes, but the 3 teens don't want to share beds, so we're stuck with a suite to accommodate everyone in their space.

 

[cfoxga]

I use the logic of separate beds in a value resort (without EPs) or share a bed in the deluxe resort (with EPs). We did a split stay last year at a 2Q room at HRH and a 2-BR suite at DSS. Both kids agreed that HRH was worth sacrificing the separate beds to get EPs and not have to ride the bus to CityWalk...

 

[ClapYourHands]

Yes, but the 3 teens don't want to share beds, so we're stuck with a suite to accommodate everyone in their space.

Won't most suites mean at least someone is having to share a bed? A suite is usually two queens and a fold-out or three queens, but that's still only 3 beds. My kids don't LIKE sharing beds, but they'll suck it up if that's what it means for a good park experience.

Secondly, not everyone has to SLEEP in that one room. If you buy one night in a regular room at a premier hotel, you get the 5 room keys that can be used as express passes for two days. Especially since your kids are older, you can have part of your party sleeping in a cheap room at Endless Summer or even off site.

 

[sarabguerra]

Won't most suites mean at least someone is having to share a bed? A suite is usually two queens and a fold-out or three queens, but that's still only 3 beds. My kids don't LIKE sharing beds, but they'll suck it up if that's what it means for a good park experience.

Secondly, not everyone has to SLEEP in that one room. If you buy one night in a regular room at a premier hotel, you get the 5 room keys that can be used as express passes for two days. Especially since your kids are older, you can have part of your party sleeping in a cheap room at Endless Summer or even off site.

For others who might read and gleam some info: Some of the Kid's Suites have a King, 2 twins and a pullout, or room for a rollaway. The Aventura has a great Kid's Suite with 3 separate sleeping areas.

ClapYourHands, you seem pretty invested in this so, without divulging too much personal info, please note we're not your "typical" family where a few hours of in the room time jammed together is something we can just deal with. My kids may be older but have cognitive and physical disabilities which makes a lot of what you suggest not feasible. It also makes being in a standard room with a rollaway not enough room for my people to have space when they need it. Being in the parks is already hard enough, having a home base that gives us space makes the trip doable. But for the sake of others who might think they need a suite for a party of 5, you are correct they don't. But we do.