Question re: timing of WDW vacation

[Jackie1611]

Our family is planning a vacation to WDW in March 2002 (wish it was sooner)! First trip with our little ones (ages 5 and 7) who will love it - my husband and I haven't been since 1987. I'm sure things have changed a lot since then. We are debating whether to schedule our trip for the week of March 2-9 (right before March break) or the week immmediately after (March 16-23). Any thoughts on which week would be better for crowds, weather, etc.? Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[DSNY FN]

We would rec the week before go from the 2nd-9th
this would be better for both weather and crowds this way you also avoid most if not all of the American march break I do believe. The weather will be fairly warm by then not that it isn't down there all the time (usually) but expect some rain we were there the 2 weeks prior to that time in 98 and it rained more than a few days but the weather was still quite warm even during the rain.
Hope this helps
Darren & Lisa ºoº

 

[CindyAnn]

A lot of American school children seem to get an Easter break rather than a March break as we do in Ontario. However, it's a different story for the college crowd, who get vacation time anywhere from February through April. I would agree that earlier is probably better, but check your calendar for Easter 2002 and also check for any American holidays, though I admit I can't think of any right now that happen in March.
Cheers,

CindyAnn
Co-moderator - Restaurants Board & Canadian Board

 

[Jackie1611]

Thanks to both CindyAnn and DSNY FN for the useful input. We have tentatively booked our trip to Orlando for the week of March 2-9, 2002 as a result of your advice. However, I just found out today from the person we're renting our condo from in Orlando that "Bike Week" in Daytona Beach (thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts) is held in the first week of March each year and that a lot of people stay in Orlando and drive over to Daytona every day. I am wondering how much that big a group of people could affect WDW attendance levels or if we're still better to opt to go down during that time period than the week after March break (March 16-23) when it sounds like it will be busy too. Has anybody run into "Bike Week" congestion in Orlando on previous March visits?

 

[kristas mom]

We have gone that week for the past couple of years and have booked for the same next year.
Bike week really doesn`t impact Disney very much at all.
Two years ago my parents rented a house about 20 minutes away from Daytona and you could hear the bikes all night . I would definitely stay away from that area.
We find that with fastpass and going right at opening, going back to the hotel in the afternoon ,and returning at about 5pm that we seldom have to wait in line for more than 10 minutes.
I think it`s a great time of year to go.
I would not go the week after our March break ,because the breaks are really spread out it will be alot busier.

 

[CindyAnn]

Hi Jackie - I just checked and Easter Friday is March 29th next year, so if you chose the later dates I would think that you might start to see crowds the last day or so of your vacation if you chose the later of the two weeks.

Cheers,

CindyAnn
Co-moderator - Restaurants Board & Canadian Board