WDW the week of Easter, how bad is it?

[robin19871]

For those that have been there in the past for the week leading up to Easter, How bad is it really? Normally my sons Spring Break falls 2 weeks before/after Easter so we have been lucky with lower crowds. This year we will be there the 6 days leading up to Easter..We are huge rope drop believers and also follow a strict touring plan. Will this still help during Easter week? Thanks for any info.

 

[stargazertechie]

Here's how the hirearchy of holidays tends to work at Disney

#1: The week between Christmas and New Years
#2: Thanksgiving weekend (Tuesday-Tuesday before/after)
#3: The week leading up to Christmas
#4: Traditional Spring Break (the one where it leads up to Easter Sunday)
#5: Columbus Day Weekend/Fall break
#6: Jersey Week
#7: All other holidays (especially if they traditionally give time off of school and work)


So it'll be less crowded than the winter holidays, but more crowded than a long weekend.

As long as you're there for Rope Drop and you know your stuff (which it sounds like you do) you'll be fine!

 

[Alesia]

It will definitely help, but it will still be very, very crowded. Not quite as bad as Christmas week. but pretty close.

 

[ccgirl]

Sorry to hijack....is the week after Easter any better?

 

[angierae]

We're going that week, too. So far the crowd predictions are all over the map, but we're pretty set to just hit rope drop, do the headliners, have some nice meals, and consider anything else gravy.

A crowded week at Disney is better than a week at work.

 

[Alesia]

Sorry to hijack....is the week after Easter any better?

Maybe slightly, but not by much.

 

[kjs1976]

If you follow the best park days on a site like touringplans.com or tourguidemike.com, then you should't have anything to worry about. I never do WDW without touring plans now. They have made Easter and 4th of July a piece of cake in the past

 

[Disneyfreak616]

I'm glad somebody posted this! In the future my family would like to go during spring break, because that and the summer seem to be the only time we really can for the next couple of years. Thanks!

 

[robin19871]

If you follow the best park days on a site like touringplans.com or tourguidemike.com, then you should't have anything to worry about. I never do WDW without touring plans now. They have made Easter and 4th of July a piece of cake in the past

I am glad that your touring plans have made a difference on Easter..I am the biggest planner and plan best park days, rope drop and a touring plan ...Sounds like I should have little to worry about..

 

[LaurenT]

Being at RD will get you a couple of hassle free hours. If you want an idea of what it will be like after that, find 4 friends and all go into your powder bath together - then try to move to the other side of the room....

 

[TwistGrl101]

Should it be assumed there will be no deals the week after Easter? (i.e., percent off, free dining,e tc.)

 

[need2travel]

Just get to the parks when they open & hit the big stuff then do the "lesser" attactions later on. In the afternoon when it gets crowded go back to your resort & swin or nap. Have some great meals for dinner & just revel in being at Disney instead of at work We've done 2 Easter weeks already & this year will be our 3rd-so excited!!!

 

[kaligal]

I don't know how crowded it is. I've never been brave enough to go on actual holidays.

If you go, please report back and post pics of the crowds!!!

 

[richmo]

Here's how the hirearchy of holidays tends to work at Disney

#1: The week between Christmas and New Years
#2: Thanksgiving weekend (Tuesday-Tuesday before/after)
#3: The week leading up to Christmas
#4: Traditional Spring Break (the one where it leads up to Easter Sunday)
#5: Columbus Day Weekend/Fall break
#6: Jersey Week
#7: All other holidays (especially if they traditionally give time off of school and work)

I don't know if this list is correct, but if it is, there's a huge gap between #4 and #5. The week leading to Easter can be quite to very crowded; the week after Easter is still busy, especially the early part of the week.

The one break you do get with Easter 2012 is that Easter is in April, so most of the college spring breaks should be over with.

But I've found pre/post Easter week to be much more intense than Columbus Day, and quite a bit busier than Presidents weekend in February. It probably rivals and perhaps beats mid-summer crowds...but, as others have posted, if you're smart about using your FPs and try to hit the least crowded park, you should do fine.

 

[Mrs K]

I love WDW so much that I would go anytime, but Easter week was aweful! Things got better by the Tuesday after Easter, but the long weekend was so crowded. It wasn't our first visit and we stayed at the Poly. Transportation was packed and I think MK closed one day due to capacity crowds. If it's your first trip, or your kids are little, I would try for another week. Sorry to sound like Debbie Downer, but it's such an expensive vacation, you should be able to enjoy the magic.

 

[phnguyk]

If I hadn't been to Disney several times before our Easter trip I would of been disappointed. It was crazy mid day! You can only expect to get anything accomplished either really early or really late. All in between we gave up trying. we decided to hang by the pool mid day and then go back to parks late. It worked but we ended up having some late nights and cranky kids at times. I understand this is the only time some people can go, but I don't think I'll be going back during any holiday week.

 

[ChattaAlley]

We went last year the week after Easter and it was GREAT!! But getting there early really is the ticket.

 

[Mrs K]

We went last year the week after Easter and it was GREAT!! But getting there early really is the ticket.

The week after Easter was great, it was the week before that was horrible. By the Tuesday after, it was like the place cleared out.

 

[mom22boys]

We will be arriving the Saturday before Easter, April 7 and leaving the Saturday after Easter, April 14. I hope we will be okay. I am thinking about not going to the parks on Easter Sunday. OP, what are your plans for Easter Sunday?

 

[need2travel]

We'll be there Fri 4/6-Thurs 4/12, also thinking of skipping the parks on Easter Sunday-maybe golf for my husband & the pool for me then dinner @ Yachtsman (staying at BWI) since Easter will probably be the craziest day of the week. Hopefully it'll be less crowded at the week goes on but hey, It's Disney so it's all good!!!