Presidents Weekend 23 Thoughts

[njcoach24]

Cash & DVC rooms seem completely booked throughout every property except at SSR.

Last couple years park reservations were hard to come by at this point and the parks seemed full with crazy lines. Everything shows full availability at this point. Are we back to full capacity on this weekend and spring break?

If so, what’s a realistic number of attractions that could be seen on a full capacity day not using Genie?

I remember two years ago a family said it took them all day and they only were able to get on 3 things during reduced capacity presidents weekend.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I just want to point out that DVC rooms being fully booked doesn't equate to the parks being super crowded as DVC is typically booked up year round, including "low" periods like September.

As for your question, I went during President's day week last year and it was VERY crowded. I remember leaving Hollywood Studios early as every ride including Star Tours had a 60+ minute wait. I did rope drop and managed to do Tower of Terror, Rockin Roller Coaster x2 and Toy Story Mania without Genie+.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I don't think anyone knows what Disney's capacity numbers are besides Disney. President's day weekend is usually always pretty busy. I would not use the park pass reservation availability as an indicator of crowds or capacity. We've gone over some major holidays pre/post covid and have never had a day of hitting only 3 attractions. It's quite possible that they meant that they only were able to get 3 G+ attractions booked, that's very probable over a holiday. But you'd still be able to ride other attractions standby. I believe Feb 2022 of this past year was record breaking and they had a ton of G+ issues thus why disney added the disclaimer that you may only get a few G+ rides booked.

 

[soniam]

Also, this is within the 30 day window for DVC. I thought most of the rooms converted to cash at that point. It will be crowded. I would assume 2-3 G+, depending upon the park. These won't necessarily all be great G+ either. Not a good time to go if you are trying to do a lot of stuff.

 

[njcoach24]

I did look at regular booking site, non-DVC. Everything is booked up besides SSR non-DVC points. So I was referring to that when I said cash rates.

 

[skippytx]

Totally depends on how you like to tour the parks.

We like to rope drop, take a mid day break, and then close the parks down. Headliners first, then filler attractions when it's busier.

If someone didn't rope drop, dealt with the huge crowd to get in, then stood in line all day for 3 headliners, yeah I can see them only getting 3 rides done.

We know all the tips/tricks though which gives us an advantage over someone who doesn't.

 

[njcoach24]

take a mid day break

That’s my favorite part lol.

A few weeks ago we went and crushed everything but it was mid January. It was the nicest disney experience I ever had.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Just also wanted to point out that Mardi Gras is Tuesday 2/21. That week is generally known for a large portion of the Louisiana population relocating to WDW for the week. The intersection of President’s Day weekend, Mardi Gras week, and Princess Half Marathon weekend the following weekend definitely adds to resort and theme park demand.

 

[njcoach24]

Just also wanted to point out that Mardi Gras is Tuesday 2/21. That week is generally known for a rather large portion of the Louisiana population relocating to WDW for the week.

Ah, interesting. Like Jersey week.

I wonder what day sees the largest flux of people…18th or 19th? Assuming 20th is a travel day out for a lot of non-Louisiana people.

 

[njcoach24]

been reading about this…to answer my own question, sounds like it will start getting busy on the 17th as there are several sports tournaments, schools are off, Mardi Gras, and 1/2 marathon towards the end of the week. Sounds like a lot happening all at once which explains the hotels. Still don’t understand why the parks aren’t partially full yet but must but increased capacity or return to normal.

 

[5kidsmommy]

We arrive on the 16th for a short two day trip, so arrive Thursday and head home Saturday, doing Thursday and Friday in the parks. Normally I would never go during a holiday but our trip is an add on to my husband's business trip. I'm already planning on the hotel being louder than I usually experience since we are doing ASMu and it's going to be crowded which is fine, we are totally cool with doing whatever we are able to do. I am so grateful we go often because otherwise I'd be a little more stressed. As long as I get to ride Big Thunder I am happy.

 

[njcoach24]

We arrive on the 16th for a short two day trip, so arrive Thursday and head home Saturday, doing Thursday and Friday in the parks. Normally I would never go during a holiday but our trip is an add on to my husband's business trip. I'm already planning on the hotel being louder than I usually experience since we are doing ASMu and it's going to be crowded which is fine, we are totally cool with doing whatever we are able to do. I am so grateful we go often because otherwise I'd be a little more stressed. As long as I get to ride Big Thunder I am happy.

Those dates sound like the best. My girlfriend and her family arrive into ASM on the 17th. We were at GF mid January and you could walk onto rides, the pools were empty, and it was so relaxing…that was her first trip in like 15 years. Her second trip will be next weekend, I think she’ll be in for a shock.

 

[goofyernmost]

Also, this is within the 30 day window for DVC. I thought most of the rooms converted to cash at that point. It will be crowded. I would assume 2-3 G+, depending upon the park. These won't necessarily all be great G+ either. Not a good time to go if you are trying to do a lot of stuff.

And to think, Presidents week was once the slow season back when my kids were young, in the 80's. Most kids were in school at that time except the northern states and most of the northeast. That's when driving down to Florida I-95 was a sea of license plates from NY, Vermont, NH, Maine, Mass., Conn, RI, Delaware, Penn, and NJ. We practically had the place to ourselves. Now it's the busy season.

 

[soniam]

And to think, Presidents week was once the slow season back when my kids were young, in the 80's. Most kids were in school at that time except the northern states and most of the northeast. That's when driving down to Florida I-95 was a sea of license plates from NY, Vermont, NH, Maine, Mass., Conn, RI, Delaware, Penn, and NJ. We practically had the place to ourselves. Now it's the busy season.

Long weekends have been really busy for a while. Summer is actually less busy now, except maybe July 4th. My son has always gotten President's day off, not the week though. Some schools use it as an extra break, especially if they do Spring Break later. Most of the schools in Texas have Spring Break the 2nd or 3rd week of March, so it's kind of early. Depending upon when Mardi Gras is, some southern cities particularly in Louisiana, get a week of for it.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Long weekends have been really busy for a while. Summer is actually less busy now, except maybe July 4th. My son has always gotten President's day off, not the week though. Some schools use it as an extra break, especially if they do Spring Break later. Most of the schools in Texas have Spring Break the 2nd or 3rd week of March, so it's kind of early. Depending upon when Mardi Gras is, some southern cities particularly in Louisiana, get a week of for it.

On my trip last year, I was talking to some people at the pool and they all said that their kids had off President's day week. They were from New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, Missouri and Ohio. I am from New Jersey and never had the full week off as a kid, so maybe it's on a county basis?

 

[goofyernmost]

Long weekends have been really busy for a while. Summer is actually less busy now, except maybe July 4th. My son has always gotten President's day off, not the week though. Some schools use it as an extra break, especially if they do Spring Break later. Most of the schools in Texas have Spring Break the 2nd or 3rd week of March, so it's kind of early. Depending upon when Mardi Gras is, some southern cities particularly in Louisiana, get a week of for it.

Up in New England most of us had that week off for mid-winter break and believe me by the end of February we were ready to leave the area for a few days. In Vermont we also had Town Meeting day the first Tuesday of March so the schools closed the Friday before Pres. Week and didn't open again until the first Wednesday in March so counting the two weekends it was 11 days that gave us time to drive down there and back plus do other touristy things as well as WDW. It was a dream for us and like you said it was always busy on the weekends but we could plan other things and use the weekends for travel and the weekdays for the parks and other things.

 

[njcoach24]

On my trip last year, I was talking to some people at the pool and they all said that their kids had off President's day week. They were from New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, Missouri and Ohio. I am from New Jersey and never had the full week off as a kid, so maybe it's on a county basis?

I’m a teacher in New Jersey and have the week off this year. The town I live in, my son only has Monday off. I feel most schools here have Monday and Tuesday off.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I’m a teacher in New Jersey and have the week off this year. The town I live in, my son only has Monday off. I feel most schools here have Monday and Tuesday off.

Makes sense. I remember seeing A LOT of Jersey license plates in the parking lots of the hotels and the parks.

I only remember getting the infamous "Jersey week" in November off.

 

[VFL]

Here in Georgia we have the entire week off and have gone a few times during President’s week. Even pre Covid it was crazy busy. Our last trip was 2020 - just before it hit and everything shut down and we decided never again during that week due to the crowds.

 

[Mango7100]

Cash & DVC rooms seem completely booked throughout every property except at SSR.

Last couple years park reservations were hard to come by at this point and the parks seemed full with crazy lines. Everything shows full availability at this point. Are we back to full capacity on this weekend and spring break?

If so, what’s a realistic number of attractions that could be seen on a full capacity day not using Genie?

I remember two years ago a family said it took them all day and they only were able to get on 3 things during reduced capacity presidents weekend.

We are going 2/17-2/21. This will be our first Presidents Day weekend trip, but we went 12/27-1/2 just recently. I would assume that crowds can’t be worse than that week, so i am expecting crowds equal or slightly better. Over New Years trip we got 8-9 LL at MK and on our Epcot/HS combo days we used our first LL at Epcot in the morning then would stack LLs at HS for the evening—we would arrive with 4-5 LLs at HS for the evening. We also were 3/3 for Guardians VQ.