Race weekend vs. Mardi Gras

[Gelir]

First attempt at planning a trip to WDW for my family of 3 (daughter is 5). We currently have dates booked from Feb 24-Mar 3. We are using a disney travel agent, but I think these dates were partially selected from a price perspective and to dodge race weekend. But then I noticed Mardi Gras is March 4. Now I'm debating should we instead go Saturday Feb 22 - Sunday Mar 1? We would basically trade the monday before mardi gras to the monday after the half princess and swap the sunday before Mardi Gras to the sunday of the princess half. Maybe the choice is marginal at best. We can make either set of dates work fine from our schedule. Doesn't look like price is substantially different. Thoughts? Thanks so much!

 

[sponica]

Feb 22 you'll have the changing of the school vacation guard from MA February break to NH February break. The NH people will start to clear out the 28 Feb-March 2 but that's when Louisiana (and maybe Texas?) will come in.

Personally I'd rather make a plan that takes the half marathon on sunday into account than deal with the higher crowds on the changeover weekend at the beginning of March.

 

[Gelir]

Feb 22 you'll have the changing of the school vacation guard from MA February break to NH February break. The NH people will start to clear out the 28 Feb-March 2 but that's when Louisiana (and maybe Texas?) will come in.

Personally I'd rather make a plan that takes the half marathon on sunday into account than deal with the higher crowds on the changeover weekend at the beginning of March.

So you think probably just deal with the marathon on Sunday and go Feb 22-March 1. Cause that first March weekend is going to have more than one reason for crowds basically? Just making sure I am understanding correctly. Thanks so much for the input.

 

[sponica]

So you think probably just deal with the marathon on Sunday and go Feb 22-March 1. Cause that first March weekend is going to have more than one reason for crowds basically? Just making sure I am understanding correctly. Thanks so much for the input.

I've done the NH February break before, I remember the crowds started getting heavier once we got to Thursday and that was a year where our vacation was AFTER mardi gras week. Crowds were fairly manageable princess marathon weekend but we started at DHS on 1/2 marathon day and hopped to epcot in the afternoon.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

So you think probably just deal with the marathon on Sunday and go Feb 22-March 1. Cause that first March weekend is going to have more than one reason for crowds basically? Just making sure I am understanding correctly. Thanks so much for the input.

the only thing that you are really dealing with is getting to MK really early on Sunday (if that is your plan that day) or going to Epcot Sunday. The half course typically goes from Epcot to MK and back to finish at Epcot, so traffic before 8 is disrupted going to MK on the main road, and Epcot will be dealing with the race finish Sunday till about 10:30. Parking lots and parking toll booths extra busy Sunday morning. That is really all you have to worry about.

 

[Gelir]

the only thing that you are really dealing with is getting to MK really early on Sunday (if that is your plan that day) or going to Epcot Sunday. The half course typically goes from Epcot to MK and back to finish at Epcot, so traffic before 8 is disrupted going to MK on the main road, and Epcot will be dealing with the race finish Sunday till about 10:30. Parking lots and parking toll booths extra busy Sunday morning. That is really all you have to worry about.

That’s great. Thanks! Will probably plan to move dates back then to minimize exposure to the Mardi Gras crowds coming in the first weekend of March. Any urgency to this? Planning to meet with our TA end of this week. Still so far out I would think it’s not a huge rush.

Will just need to think about organizing the trip. Had thought to start in MK with our 5 year old, but maybe will just start in DHS or ease into theme park land with an AK day then Epcot on Monday and then MK on Tuesday. We’re going to do BBB with her and Royal Castle on the first MK day too so may be easier to grab reservations for Tuesday.

 

[kwdw]

Gonna be tired by the third park day to hit MK…. I think Disney is magical when first timers walk down Main Street, so I would keep MK first. Plan to take the bus to MK that morning because of the race and you will get there when you get there. I don’t think BBB is necessary, but you could even do that on a second day to MK.

 

[Gelir]

Gonna be tired by the third park day to hit MK…. I think Disney is magical when first timers walk down Main Street, so I would keep MK first. Plan to take the bus to MK that morning because of the race and you will get there when you get there. I don’t think BBB is necessary, but you could even do that on a second day to MK.

Good point about trying to hit MK when nearing need for a slower day. Have heard that if you are doing BBB do it early is why we were thinking first day at MK. But I suppose we could always do it another morning and park hop to wherever else. We have hoppers the whole week. I suppose there’s no wrong answer here really. Also planning for regular mid day breaks. We have 7 full days and aren’t going to anything else in Orlando so no rush.

Trying to reframe some from theme parks about hammering out the attractions. My wife and I have been to Disney but not for many years and neither of us has ever done it with a little.