The fort in february

[pirateprincess777]

We just got back from our first trip to the Fort and had an awesome time!
I'm already planning our next trip and we are thinking about going the week of Feb. 12th. How are the crowds the first couple of weeks of Feb. before presidents week.

 

[bama_ed]

Before President's week is a great time.

The Disney Marathon crowd has come and gone.

The MLK weekend crowd in January has come and gone.

The President's Day weekend crowd in February has yet to arrive.

The spring break crowd is just an expectation.

February has crisp cool mornings, sunny days, and clear cool nights.

If you are camping in a tent it is among the best times to be at the Fort (other than early December) crowd-wise and weather-wise. If you are in a camper it's even better.

Bama ED

 

[uksteveo]

I agree with Ed. It's a great time to be there. We went this same time this year and the park crowds were small and the weather was perfect. It got a little chilly at night and in the early morning, but warmed up to the mid 70s during the day. I would recommend this time to everyone.

 

[luckycharm19335]

Is Valentine's Day a big crowd day?

 

[pirateprincess777]

Before President's week is a great time.

The Disney Marathon crowd has come and gone.

The MLK weekend crowd in January has come and gone.

The President's Day weekend crowd in February has yet to arrive.

The spring break crowd is just an expectation.

February has crisp cool mornings, sunny days, and clear cool nights.

If you are camping in a tent it is among the best times to be at the Fort (other than early December) crowd-wise and weather-wise. If you are in a camper it's even better.

Bama ED

Thanks Ed, We are going to take an "early", Senior trip for my daughter. Spring break is in March, so we didnt want to go then, of course April is expensive and crowded the first half, second half my younger has testing and May has to much school activity. June is good, but I really don't like the heat. So I guess I'm going to make site ressies for that week. It's not too early is it?

 

[bama_ed]

Nah, in my opinion it's never too early (as long as you're inside the 500 day max window).

If you are booking a campsite/cabin only (room only) then you have lots of flexability if your plans change. I think you have up to 5 days before arrival to make changes or cancel without penalty. If you are booking a package (campsite, tickets, dining plan) you have a little less flexability and you have to prepay, what, 45 days in advance in full?

My advice would be to use the online ressie tool on the main WDW website to check for availability for the type of campsite/cabin you want. If the rates for next year have not been set yet, you won't be able to see availability then. You can call the main ressie line to check availability. If rates haven't been set they will quote you this year's rates and advise they might change (they only go up, right?) when next year's rates are set. If doing a room only ressie, you will be charged one night's deposit.

Honestly early February is not a busy time (as long as you avoid Prez day weekend) so you should have availability at all campsite/cabin types. I always advise getting the ressie made (room only) so you can move or adjust it if necessary.

If you're unsure of your dates, book longer than you need, then call back and drop unneeded days as soon as your plans firm up. You won't owe any more money (one night deposit for up to a 30 day ressie) and it's easier to drop unwanted days than to try to add needed days.

Ask for an AAA discount if it's available (even if you aren't a member when you call - AAA can be made on the phone only not online). You can join between then and when you arrive and the discount/savings may end up paying for the membership. During busy times AAA discounts are only 5% if you can get one but if you call well in advance and plan to travel during a slow time, discounts can reach 20% if you can get one. Early bird gets the worm when it comes to AAA discounts.

Have fun!

Bama ED

 

[pirateprincess777]

Nah, in my opinion it's never too early (as long as you're inside the 500 day max window).

If you are booking a campsite/cabin only (room only) then you have lots of flexability if your plans change. I think you have up to 5 days before arrival to make changes or cancel without penalty. If you are booking a package (campsite, tickets, dining plan) you have a little less flexability and you have to prepay, what, 45 days in advance in full?

My advice would be to use the online ressie tool on the main WDW website to check for availability for the type of campsite/cabin you want. If the rates for next year have not been set yet, you won't be able to see availability then. You can call the main ressie line to check availability. If rates haven't been set they will quote you this year's rates and advise they might change (they only go up, right?) when next year's rates are set. If doing a room only ressie, you will be charged one night's deposit.

Honestly early February is not a busy time (as long as you avoid Prez day weekend) so you should have availability at all campsite/cabin types. I always advise getting the ressie made (room only) so you can move or adjust it if necessary.

If you're unsure of your dates, book longer than you need, then call back and drop unneeded days as soon as your plans firm up. You won't owe any more money (one night deposit for up to a 30 day ressie) and it's easier to drop unwanted days than to try to add needed days.

Ask for an AAA discount if it's available (even if you aren't a member when you call - AAA can be made on the phone only not online). You can join between then and when you arrive and the discount/savings may end up paying for the membership. During busy times AAA discounts are only 5% if you can get one but if you call well in advance and plan to travel during a slow time, discounts can reach 20% if you can get one. Early bird gets the worm when it comes to AAA discounts.

Have fun!

Bama ED

Thanks again, I think my biggest dilema like alot of parents is deciding whether or not to take a week off from school. Neither one is in elementary or I really wouldn't care. My only other option would be the first week of April. How busy is the fort then?

 

[bama_ed]

Uh well,

Objectively speaking April is a very busy time. About mid-March the spring break crowds start arriving and Easter, dependin on when it falls, is a peak max-out crowds time. The price chart for sites goes way up from mid-March to late April.

February would be a better time crowd wise by far. But as a parent (my baby is going into 9th grade and we've been going to the Fort for nearly 10 years) I've also dealt with the "pull them out for a week" versus "go when they're out" issue. Our issue came down to pulling out in elementary school but middle and high schools we fell into the break times.

You asked so I answered. It may not be what you want to hear. April trips are still great and have great weather but you have to temper your crowd expectations.

Good luck.

Bama ED

 

[SoccerDad]

The crowds are very low in early-mid February! In the past 6 times we've been down we have tinkered with the week we go, ranging from late January to early March, and the first full week of February seems to work well. We tried one year going during President's Day week to minimize the time out of school for our boys, but the crowds were noticeably larger. Not unmanageable but still larger.