Is something significant happening in WDW 1st week of March?

[ally1966]

We will be there for the last week of Feb and first week of March. I’d expected this to be a relatively quiet time of year but I’ve just had an email from Touring Plans updating their crowd predictions. A lot of days have been increased to level 8 & 9 and on the 4th March MK is now forecast as a 10 (increased from a 6). Any ideas why?

[Guest]

Spring break for many area starts on the second. Epcot flower festival is that week sometime and there is an MK after hours event too I think.
I am not aware of any specific event.

[missdopey]

It’s the start of spring break for a number of institutions, particularly for Florida schools.

[Eccle]

It is also Mardi Gras week, we were there over Mardi Gras last year (which was earlier that year, in the middle of February), and I hadn't been aware of it, but it is a holiday in Louisiana and there were loads of people who had come over from there.

[Nimbus]

As above, Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) is on 5th March. That, together with the start of Spring Break for some places, might make the parks busier in the first week of March, maybe?

However, you'd think that TP would've already known that. It doesn't explain why they've changed their prediction just 2 months beforehand. Perhaps Disney has recently changed it's park hours or EMH days?

[Donz23]

Oh no we are there first 2 weeks of March! Was hoping it would be quieter as usually we are restricted to school holiday time.

[Donz23]

Just found a website that lists spring break for colleges and universities and it looks like most (I would say at least two thirds) go on spring break either 9/3 or 16/3 or later. The rest seem to be 2/3 or earlier. I’m not signed up to touring plans. If that what they are predicting for your second week I’d hate to think what they are predicting for our second week (9/3)

[SeasideMM]

Have had the same notification from TP. We are there from 14th March for 2 weeks- they have predicted significant increases in crowds from the 14th to the 17th then reductions on their previous predictions from then... just going to go with the flow as not much I can do about it and not about to move dates or cancel holiday!

[Tinkerbell]

I’ve had the same notification for first two weeks in May. I suspect they’ve adjusted whatever algorithm they use

[Eccle]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

As above, Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) is on 5th March. That, together with the start of Spring Break for some places, might make the parks busier in the first week of March, maybe?

However, you'd think that TP would've already known that. It doesn't explain why they've changed their prediction just 2 months beforehand. Perhaps Disney has recently changed it's park hours or EMH days?

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Yes that is a good point, that all that was known already. It may just been they’ve made some general adjustments as I had notifications this morning for August too (mainly decreases rather than increases)