Crowds Last Week of February

[tndisneyfan]

So we’ve been making some tentative plans for our next vacation. We were thinking 2/27-3/6. We were wanting to go when it’s cooler in case we are still wearing masks. I wasn’t expecting that week to be a busy week. My thoughts it would be before spring breaks started. From what I’m seeing it’s quite the opposite. What’s going on that week that I’m missing?

 

[sponica]

I don't know, but college spring breaks might start that week?
I know some college terms are bizarro next year because they don't want the kids on campus between thanksgiving and Jan/Feb.

 

[Darcy03231]

It's a big school vacation week in the northeast. Lots of folks usually head to Florida (and other warm destinations) to get a little relief from the snow/cold/ice.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

February is "ski break" week in the NE. Shocked the heck out of us to have a week off then when we moved from KY to NJ. Feb also has cheerleading competitions.

We went the last week of Jan 2020. The crowd levels were moderate, the weather was cool (almost hot in the afternoons when the sun was out), and it was an amazing trip. Can you go that early in the year?

 

[AlldayIdreamaboutDisney]

Our last trip was 3/8/20-3/13/20 I know it’s a little after your plans but this past trip was not bad at all crowd wise. I actually booked a trip just about the same time you’re thinking of for 2021 a little earlier than our last one. BTW the weather was beautiful!

 

[tndisneyfan]

Thanks for all the replies. We are trying to go at a less crowded and less expensive week. I thought I had picked a good time but timeshare points and hotels are high that week. We are trying to pick a week that’s good for everyone to be off work. The next week doesn’t work as well. We may try for mid April.

 

[Brett Wyman]

Thanks for all the replies. We are trying to go at a less crowded and less expensive week. I thought I had picked a good time but timeshare points and hotels are high that week. We are trying to pick a week that’s good for everyone to be off work. The next week doesn’t work as well. We may try for mid April.

Stay away from the first few weeks of April. Thats official spring break time for a massive number of school systems. Also one of the most expensive and most crowded times to be there. If you can make the last week of April or first week of May those tend to be great(but hot) times to go.

We find the very last week of February, the week after MLK break, tends to be great as well.

Also it will be a LONG time before crowds normalize again so who knows which times are the best in the new world.

 

[mkla2015]

The last week of February/First week of March is usually good crowd wise unless Mardi Gras falls that week. We've gone during that time multiple years and it's been great.

This past Feb we went the week of President's Day and it was extremely crowded- busier than Spring Break 2016 and Columbus Day week 2018.

Weather at that time of year is all over the place- we've experienced cold, cool, warm, hot- pack everything. Just for example our Feb trip this year, we saw highs in lower 90s on Tues/Wed to highs in the 40s on Friday after rain and a cold front.

 

[LizzyDragon]

I love Disney in February as it's way cooler than the hot summer months. Crowds are usually a little lower as well.

However, I don't expect 2021 will follow any normal patterns of the past. Between the changes Disney's had to make for social distancing and so many people cancelling/rescheduling, it's going to be hard to say what the crowd levels will be. Even things like school schedules may not be all that relevant due to virtual schooling. I would just book for whatever dates work for you and not worry about crowd levels.

 

[Darcy03231]

From years of being on these boards, some school is on break from the 3rd week of February through the last week of April. Our school system is always the last week of February and the last week of April. We've been during both times and the last week of April is always better both weather and crowd wise. Having said that, 2021 may be completely different than other years with so many people rescheduling their 2020 trips.

 

[kwdw]

I would go the week you were thinking about. (1) I think it is likely we will still be wearing masks. (2) It works for you in the first place and with the exception of the weeks around Easter, I don't think you can predict subtle differences in crowd levels. (3) I think WDW will not be at full capacity in spring 2021 and you will get light crowds regardless of when you go anytime between now and Summer 2021.

 

[PirateFish989]

Our first trip was 3/1-3/8 in 2014. Weather was great; sunny and warm most days (warm enough to swim) and it poured all day one day. It did get a little chilly at night. I have pictures when I was wearing jeans and a hoodie. Crowds didnt bother us, they definitely weren’t heavy but not super light either. Ash Wednesday occurred when we were there so maybe the Madrid Gras crowds had left by then? Anyway, we’d go again that week if we could (I’m a teacher in California so we don’t get any sort of break in the spring other than actual Spring Break).