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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: FEBRUARY 21 TO MARCH 1, 2015

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic. For more on February 2015 at Walt Disney World, click here.

Note that typos happen, and schedules change! If something seems odd, or if you want to double check, use the calendar links near the bottom to get the latest official Disney World scoop.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 2/21/-3/1/2015

The Magic Kingdom will be open 8a-1a 2/21, 9a-10p 2/22, 9a-11p 2/23 and 2/24, 9a-9p 2/25 and 2/26, 9a-12MN 2/27, 8a-1a 2/28, and 9a-11p 3/1

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-8p 2/21, 9a-7p 2/22, 9a-8p 2/23, 9a-7p 2/24 through 2/27, and 9a-8p 2/28 and 3/1

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-8p 2/21, 9a-6p 2/22, 9a-5p 2/23 through 2/26, 9a-6p 2/27, 9a-8p 2/28, and 9a-7p 3/1

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 2/21/-3/1/2015

Saturday 2/21 Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: Magic Kingdom

Sunday 2/22 Morning:  Animal Kingdom Evening: none

Monday 2/23 Morning: none  Evening: Hollywood Studios

Tuesday 2/24 Morning: Epcot Evening:  none

Wednesday 2/25 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening:  none

Thursday 2/26 Morning: Magic Kingdom  Evening: none

Friday 2/27 Morning: none Evening: Epcot

Saturday 2/28 Morning:  Hollywood Studios,  Magic Kingdom Evening: none

Sunday 3/1  Morning: none  Evening: Hollywood Studios

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 2/21/-3/1/2015

The Magic Kingdom:

• Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 12N and 3p  2/21; 3p 2/22 through 3/1
• Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9 and 11p 2/21; 8 and 10p 2/22 and 2/23; 7 and 9p 2/24 through 2/26; 9 and 11p 2/27 through 3/1

FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 2/21/-3/1/2015

Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p 2/21; 9p 2/22 and 2/23; 8p 2/24 through 2/26; 10p 2/27 thorugh 3/1

Illuminations at Epcot: 9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 7 and 8.30p 2/21; 7p 2/22; 7 and 8.30p 2/23; 7p 2/24 through 2/27; 7 and 8.30p 2/28 and 3/1

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 2/21/-3/1/2015

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 2/21/-3/1/2015

See this for forecasts.

DISCLAIMER

Everything is subject to change and typos! Check the Disney Calendars for updates and official schedules. These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:

• Magic Kingdom Calendar
• Hollywood Studios Calendar
• Animal Kingdom Calendar
• Epcot Calendar

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THE DISNEY VACATION CLUB AT DISNEY’S POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT

In mid-February Disney World began offering the new Disney Vacation Club Studios and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to the general public for stays beginning—so far as I can tell—in April 2015.

I’ll have more to say about the Studios after my late April stay in one, but for the moment, some comments on both, based largely on their floor plans.

STUDIOS AT DISNEY’S POLYNESIAN VILLAS & BUNGALOWS

Studios at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows (“PVB”) sleep five in a queen bed, fold-out couch, and fold-down bed. Besides normal deluxe room accouterments, they also—like other DVC studios—include a mini-kitchen, with the same coffee-maker and mini-fridge as in other deluxe rooms, but also a small sink, toaster, microwave, and a few eating utensils.

There’s a couple of distinctive features of these studios compared to other DVC studios.

First, you can book them as connecting rooms—most other DVC Studios only connect to (more expensive) One Bedroom Villas.

(c) Disney

Second, their capacity for five is currently rare among studios—but becoming more common. Right now, only Studios at the Villas at the Grand Floridian and Villas at the Wilderness Lodge sleep five. (Refurbs in 2015 are expected to also add capacity for five to Studios at the Beach Club and BoardWalk Villas.)

Third, the baths are distinct. Like the Studios at the Grand Floridian, there’s both a sink and shower space and also a separate tub and toilet space. However, the baths at PVB add a sink to the tub and toilet space, yielding one full bath and a second bath with shower and sink. Add the third sink just outside in the mini-kitchen area, and your family will have every chance to be very clean.

Fourth, at 465 square feet (the size of the rooms they were converted from), these Studios are the largest among the DVC Studio offerings.

This is a mostly a function of extra width—about 14’ 3” compared to, for example, the Studios at Grand Floridian at 12’ 9” wide. About 50 square feet comes from that difference. However, so far as I can tell, much of this extra space is dedicated to the bath and hallway, rather than to the living space, which is wide but apparently short.

It looks like the footprint of the old bath in the rooms these were converted from remains the same as the footprint of the new full bath, the connecting door and closet take up the space that used to be two closets and the coffee service, and the shower-sink bath and mini-kitchen take up space that in the old rooms was part of the bedroom space.

I’ll know better after my visit with my tape measure, as Disney’s floor plan is clearly a bit off in various spots—the queen bed is oversized, width of the hall too narrow, and size of the entry door too large.

So who should stay in these rooms? Well, those renting points should definitely consider them. I’ve already seen PVB point rental offers out there—though I expect it’ll take a bit before there’s much available.

Families staying 7 nights including two weekend nights will find prices in standard view Studios between 98% and 101% of what a standard view room at the Poly those nights would cost, and less on various holiday weekends when the Poly standard rooms get an additional upcharge and the Studios don’t. Those on shorter visits will spend a little more at the Studios on weeknights, and a little less on weekends.

The Studios are in what used to be my most highly recommended longhouses at the Polynesian—Pago Pago (which most recently was Rapa Nui), Moorea (recently Tahiti) and Tokelau (whose name has not changed).

I used to recommend these longhouses for three reasons: balconies or patios in every room (standard second floor rooms at the rest of the Poly are missing balconies), nice positioning between the Magic Kingdom resort monorail and the walkway to the Epcot monorail, and an extra 50 square feet compared to rooms in the rest of the Poly longhouses, which extra space used to be all dedicated to the living area.

The first two reasons still hold. Since most of the extra square footage seems to be dedicated to the bath and mini-kitchen area, the third reason morphs a bit—at the Studios, for about the same amount of money you get a divided bath and the microwave/toaster, and what seems (I’ll know more on this after my April visit) like a smaller overall living space—it looks to me a foot or two smaller than the living space in standard rooms.

Note that half of the rooms in Tokelau face the East Pool, which will be seeing major refurb after the refurb on the main Nanea Pool is completed late this spring. If these rooms with a construction view are closed, I’d still go with Tokelau as the best standard view choice among the Studios at the Polynesian.

BUNGALOWS AT DISNEY’S POLYNESIAN VILLAS & BUNGALOWS

Bungalows in the Polynesian DVC offering are unlike any other accommodations at Disney World. They hold eight people in two bedrooms—like many DVC Two Bedroom Villas. But the differences are so profound that they should be thought of as their own thing, not as an option among the two bedroom choices.

I’m tempted to start with prices, but let’s focus on the positive. Each bungalow is its own little building built on pilings in the Seven Seas Lagoon, just away from the Polynesian beaches, and reached from over-water walkways. There’s twenty in all—collectively, the “Bora Bora” area.

(c) Disney

You enter into the bedroom wing (on the right of the floor plan) and at the far end (on the left) is a deck with views of the Magic Kingdom and its fireworks, sunbathing spots, and a little “cold water” pool in which to refresh yourself on hot sunbathing days.

Note on this deck lounge chairs, table and chairs, and smaller set of chairs (bottom center) accessed from the master bedroom. There’s nothing like this outdoor space anywhere else at Disney World.

(c) Disney

Just inside, accessed from two sets of sliding glass doors, is a great room with a full kitchen and dining area on one side, and a living room on the other. The dining area seats all eight this room will sleep—something you won’t find at other two bedroom villas—but the living area, as is common, seats fewer. There’s room here to drag some dining room chairs over.

The living room sleeps three—two on a fold-out couch, and one on a fold-down bed.

Back down the entry hall on the right you’ll find the master suite, with a king bed and private bath. It’s similar to what you’ll find in other DVC master rooms.

Across the hall from the master bedroom is the bath for everyone else, which, after the washer/dryer and closet, is divided into two areas—one of which seems perhaps to be missing a door, at least in this floor plan.

Beyond it is the second bedroom, sleeping three on a queen and a fold-down bed. Other second bedrooms at DVC villas are much bigger than this, and typically sleep four on two queens.

So what have we got?

• An astonishing deck, likely pretty darn uncomfortable in the sun and humidity even with the little pool from later May through September, but charming the rest of the year, and in early mornings and evenings all year
• A kitchen/dining/living space that in sum is clearly better than the equivalents elsewhere except perhaps in Old Key West
• A fine master bedroom and bath
• A very small second bedroom

For this you will pay (including tax) between $2400 and $3400 a night.
That number is so big it makes my head hurt. This is around twice what a Two Bedroom Villa at the Villas at the Grand Floridian would cost, and just $200 to $500 a night less than a Grand Villa at the Villas at the Grand Floridian—which sleeps four more in almost twice the space. It’s just around $300 less than the flagship, two story, eight bay King Kamehameha Suite at the Polynesian.

So Disney is clearly attributing a lot of value to that deck…or seeing the Bungalows as an alternative not to Two Bedroom Villas elsewhere, but rather to suites at the Polynesian.

OK, more to come after my April stay!!

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The latest edition of WDW Magazine, which focuses on Spring at Walt Disney World, is out!

The magazine is available on iTunes, for Android, and on the web.

The edition covers many of the great aspects of the springtime season at Disney World–and other topics too!!

My column for first-timers includes all the key stuff you need to know about strollers at Disney World.

Intrigued?  Of course you are! Sample a free issue here. Also, new this month is a preview function–check it out!

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OVERVIEW: SEPTEMBER 2015 AT DISNEY WORLD

This page reviews September 2015 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.

September combines low crowds with low prices, and typically also has a great room rate and free dining deals as well.

This makes it a great month for returning visitors.

But it has lousy weather, combining continuing summer heat and humidity with the peak of the hurricane season, making me not so keen on the month for first time visitors who may never return.

SEPTEMBER 2015 CROWDS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

September is one of the least crowded months of the year.

However, effects of the Halloween Party and Food and Wine can make certain days quite crowded  at certain parks.  See this for how to avoid them.

On a crowd scale of 1-11, the week beginning 8/29 has a crowd rating of 3/low, the week beginning 9/5 2/lower, the weeks beginning 9/12 and 9/19 1/lowest, and the week beginning 9/26 4/low-plus.

See this for more on 2015 crowds at Disney World.

SEPTEMBER 2015 PRICES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

September 2015 prices begin among the lowest of the year. On September 11 they go up to 10% higher than the lowest of the year at the values and 8% higher at the moderates. On September 25, deluxe prices go to 12% higher than the lowest of the year.

See this for more on 2015 resort hotel prices at Walt Disney World.

SEPTEMBER 2015 DEALS AND DISCOUNTS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Deals are available for September 2015. Details are here.

SEPTEMBER 2015 WEATHER AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

September weather is hot and humid, with afternoon storms common.

The hurricane season officially begins June 1, but hurricanes a rarely a threat until mid-August. The peak of the hurricane season begins then.  Hurricanes rarely have an impact on a Disney World vacation, but mid-August begins the period when such an impact is most likely. All of September is in this period.

Click the image, or go to Weather and When to Go to Disney World, for more on temperatures.

SEPTEMBER 2015 SPECIAL EVENTS

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party kicks off September 15.

The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival begins September 25.

SEPTEMBER 2015 OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Park operating hours vary by the day, and sometimes change without notice. It is rare for hours to be shorter than Disney has publicized, but Disney may lengthen them in response to unanticipated crowds.

The best way to keep up with operating hours is to check Disney’s official calendars, usually available six months in advance.

These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:

• Magic Kingdom Calendar
• Hollywood Studios Calendar
• Animal Kingdom Calendar
• Epcot Calendar

WEEK BY WEEK COMMENTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2015 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD BY ARRIVAL DATE

The week rankings that follow below are from 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order, and are designed for first-time visitors who do not know whether or not they will return.

Click the image for a calendar view of 2015 weeks (when open, keep clicking to enlarge.)

• 8/29/2015  Low prices.   Low crowds. Crowd ranking=3. Week ranking=23.  Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary
• 9/5/2015  Low prices.  Lower crowds. Crowd ranking=2. Week ranking=22. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary, but do what is written for the evening of Second Saturday on Wednesday the 9th
• 9/12/2015  Low prices in values and deluxes, moderate pries in moderates.  Lowest  crowds. Crowd ranking=1. Week ranking=21. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary
• 9/19/2015  Low prices in values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates.  Lowest  crowds. Crowd ranking=1. Week ranking=20. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary
• 9/26/2015 Low prices at values, moderate prices at deluxes and moderates. Low-plus crowds. Crowd ranking=4. Week ranking=25. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary for planning, but double-check in mid-March

MORE ON WHEN TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

• For when to go to Walt Disney World, see this
• For the best and worst times to visit, see this
  • For 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
  • For the 2015 Week Picker, see this
  • For 2016 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
• For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
  • For the 2015 Crowd Calendar, click here
  • For the 2016 Crowd Calendar, click here
• For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
  • For 2015 price seasons, see this
  • For projected 2016 price seasons, see this
• For weather at Walt Disney World, see this

Want a second opinion?  Then check out my book lol.

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DISNEY WORLD’S 2015 INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL AT EPCOT

Every year from late September through mid-November, Walt Disney World presents the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.

For 2015, the dates will be September 25th through November 16th–ending a few days later than past years.

There are two components to the festival, one available to all Epcot visitors, and another made up of a bunch of events which have limited capacity and require reservations.

Neither has an extra ticket admission cost–you get to participate by virtue of your theme park ticket–but there are cash costs for the food, wine, and for entry to some special shows and events. [Read more →]

DISNEY WORLD’S SPECIAL HALLOWEEN PARTY

While Halloween itself is October 31st of course, Walt Disney World provides a special Halloween celebration at the Magic Kingdom many evenings in September, October, and likely even November in 2015.

This celebration is called “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party,” or “MNSSHP” for short.

At the party, many of the Magic Kingdom’s rides are open, and trick or treating, special events, and different parades and fireworks are offered.

The official Disney World page and prcies for this event can be found here.

Click the image below for the 2015 offerings.

And you can find a review of the 2015 MNSSHP party here.

MORE ON MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY IN 2015

[Read more →]