🏃‍♂️ The Rope Drop: A Super-Strech-Sized Gap

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster was the first coaster that I LOVED. I rode it shortly after it opened in 1999, and it was a gateway for bigger thrill rides. My first launch. My first inversion. Possibly my first time hearing Aerosmith?
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Despite the terrified look on my face in what may be my favorite on-ride photo ever, I was hooked. That first ride on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster became a core theme park memory. Because I was so nervous, so scared, and I came away saying "That was SO AWESOME."
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So, let's ask Chris to grab the black Les Paul for the last time and pour one out for the Aerosmith version of the ride.
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Let's drive our super-stretch limo out of memory lane, and look to today and the near future.
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​Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith closed on March 2nd, you're going to feel it across Hollywood Studios this month. With one of the park's high-capacity thrill rides offline until its Muppet retheme opens this summer, expect wait times to climb on Tower of Terror, Slinky Dog Dash, and Rise of the Resistance and other rides as they absorb the displaced demand.

That closure alone would be enough to shake up your March strategy. But layer on Spring Break (the second busiest season of the year) plus EPCOT's Flower and Garden Festival launch and a Daylight Savings shift that moves fireworks and parades later, and you've got a month that rewards planning more than almost any other.

Here's everything you need to navigate it.

📲 The Tool You Need: Booking Magician (Partner)

Spring Break crowds mean harder to get tables at Disney's most in demand restaurants. If you struck out 60 days in advance, the good news is that tables open up all the time.
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The bad news? They won't stay open for long.
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So, use a reservation alert system.

I recommend Booking Magician, because of the speed of the alerts (especially text messages). When crowds are highest, every second counts when trying to get score that table at Space 220 or Topolino's Terrace.

​Use code GUIDE2 for 10% off Booking Magician (affiliate link).​

📊 The Analysis: Your Week-by-Week March Game Plan

March crowd levels aren't uniform. There's a massive difference between the first week and the last. Here's every week ranked from lightest to heaviest, so you can plan accordingly.

🟢 The Best Week: March 2–8 (This Week) The lightest crowds you'll see all month, and it's not close. In 2023, this was the 7th lightest week of the entire year. EPCOT Flower and Garden just kicked off with fresh food booths and Garden Rocks concerts, and the Spring Break wave hasn't arrived yet. If you can get to Disney World this weekend, it'll be the best crowds until the end of Spring Break.

🟡 Moderate but Trending Busier: March 9–15 Spring Break crowds start to arrive, but not at full strength. Early in the week should be moderate, with crowds building toward the weekend.
​🔴 The Busiest Week: March 16–22 Peak Florida Spring Break. Local Orlando schools are off, and this week has ranked in the top 10 busiest weeks every single year going back to 2021, based on wait time averages from Thrill-Data.com. If you're locked into this week, you need a strategy, and honestly, that's what the cheat sheet below is for.

🟠 Heavy Crowds: March 23–29 (+ March 30–31) Northeast and Midwest schools are off this week, and out-of-state visitors are arriving in full force. Florida Spring Break just ended so locals ease up, but the tourist wave more than compensates. And don't overlook the final days of March. Easter falls on April 5th this year, and that lead-up week is always packed. In 2024, when Easter fell on March 31st, that week was the 2nd busiest of the entire year.

🎢 Park Intel

• EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival launched March 4th with over 75 new menu items, outdoor kitchens, topiaries, and the Garden Rocks concert series. Flower and Garden EPCOT is my favorite version of that park to walk around. Pure beauty.
• Daylight Savings Time hits March 8th, and it doesn't just move your clocks. Magic Kingdom's nighttime entertainment shifts later by about 30 minutes, pushing both the parade and fireworks back. Plan your evening accordingly, especially if you have young kids or an early morning the next day.
• Hollywood Studios recalibration. With Rock 'n' Roller Coaster offline, the park's ride capacity took a real hit. If you're visiting this month, consider prioritizing Hollywood Studios on a lighter crowd day (check out the cheat sheet this month for recommendations on the best days of the week) and rope dropping your must-dos. Tower of Terror and Slinky Dog are going to feel it the most.

⭐️ The Recommendation: The March Cheat Sheet

If you're visiting Disney World any time this month, download my free March Cheat Sheet. It has the crowd forecast for every week, plus the best and worst days to visit each park. You can save hours in line across your vacation by picking the right day for each park.
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​Download your March free cheat sheet here.​

Dive Deeper: The Future of Villains Land

​Last week's newsletter covered the Villains Land shakeup, but if you want the full analysis, my Future of Villains Land video on YouTube goes much deeper. I break down every reported change (the Emperor's New Groove coaster, the Maleficent boat ride, the Hades dinner show), whether the Isle of Berk comparison is encouraging or concerning, and what it means that Disney told Imagineers to start over with "budget secondary." It's one of my most in-depth breakdowns: worth the watch if you're tracking Disney's next big bet.

​Watch: The Future of Villains Land →​

See Ya Real Soon!

Planning a March trip and not sure which park to hit which day? Reply to this email with your dates, and I'll give you my take.

James

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