When Is The Florida Migration At Its Peak?

Deb and Ed M wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:
When I lived just south of Melbourne / Palm bay the peak started right about now until May.......right after Christmas. If I could of, I would of came back to PA for those months. It basically sucked.

Last week I picked a friend up at the Orlando Airport - she had been unable to get a rental. As we drove east on the 528 tollway, I pointed out the backup of cars waiting to pay their toll, and I said "there's your rental cars!" (Granted, Christmas Break is always busy for Orlando)

I have an interesting story to piggy back onto yours.

I managed a job transfer from cold country to Orlando in 1998. I worked in an office where several folks worked weekend second jobs. One guy was a driver for one of the major car rental places - don't remember if it was Avis, Thrifty, etc. He drove one of the big buses between the airport and the car rental office. One day I asked him how many cars they have in their fleet at Orlando. He made me guess, I said 5000 ? He said 25,000 - and they run out at Christmas time. Remember that was just ONE of the car rental places in Orlando. That's the main reason I try to avoid 528 when I'm in Orlando - They're all newbies trying to figure out the toll plazas and find the exit to head for Disney.

clayway wrote:
I have posted before, I am in the Florida tourism business, I can’t speak for arrivals because they are really pretty spread out, but without a doubt the biggest exodus starts the weeks following Easter & the interesting part of this is does not seem to matter whether Easter is late or early

As a worker on the Illinois highways,we always noted the huge number of RV's headed north on or about April 3. The thrifty snowbirds wanted to get their whole month's worth of rent in March and it takes two or three days to get to Central Illinois.

I have posted before, I am in the Florida tourism business, I can’t speak for arrivals because they are really pretty spread out, but without a doubt the biggest exodus starts the weeks following Easter & the interesting part of this is does not seem to matter whether Easter is late or early

Since the third week of January is usually the coldest time up north, guess when the most people are looking for warmer weather? Doesn't take a rocket scientist.

As an aside,the peak "tourist" season in Florida is June, again for obvious reasons.

Our parks peak season is the first couple of weeks in February.

Ralph Cramden wrote:
When I lived just south of Melbourne / Palm bay the peak started right about now until May.......right after Christmas. If I could of, I would of came back to PA for those months. It basically sucked.

Last week I picked a friend up at the Orlando Airport - she had been unable to get a rental. As we drove east on the 528 tollway, I pointed out the backup of cars waiting to pay their toll, and I said "there's your rental cars!" (Granted, Christmas Break is always busy for Orlando)

I just bought a winter home in Florida. There are about 6 other Snowbird home owners near me.

LOL. All 6 of them just pulled in this weekend! Which is WAY earlier than they normally come down.

That frigid weather up North must have sent them flying South a whole lot sooner!

Not in Florida but our biggest wave is the week after Thanksgiving and second biggest the week after Christmas. We arrive mid October.

My dad is in his 4th year doing the snowbird thing and has settled into a mid-October to early May pattern. This 6 month minimum has allowed him to change his residency to FL along with it’s associated benefits vs NY. His condo complex remains at about 50% occupancy until after the holidays. NOW is the peak snowbird period as owners will continue to pile in over the next 10 days. Nearly all will be gone by May 1. The limits on our Canadien friends are a nuisance for most.

When I lived just south of Melbourne / Palm bay the peak started right about now until May.......right after Christmas. If I could of, I would of came back to PA for those months. It basically sucked.