April 2020 - how bad will it be?

[DoraBA]

So here I was, happily planning a pre Star Wars, Oct 2019 WDW/USO Bar Mitzvah trip. We're coming all the way from Israel so its a big, expensive deal.

Then DH realized he may receiving a huge promotion on July 19 and there's no way he can be away for 2 weeks so soon afterwards.

Our next holidays are the Passover holidays, April 11 to April 28. Now, this clearly is after SW opens AND Easter Sunday is April 12.

Please help me out - when are the school spring breaks? And how bad do you think it will be in WDW around April 20th?
Mind you, the boys are huge Harry Potter fans and not into SW, so USO is more important to us than WDW.

Can and should we risk it?
Its literally a once in decade thing for us

Thanks!!!!

 

[Klayfish]

If it's a once in a decade thing, then do it!! Spring breaks here vary depending on geographical region. They are typically March into April.. I think if you go for later April, you should be in good shape from that perspective.

Nobody can predict how crowded the park will be on a "normal" (non-major holiday) day 15 months from now. Simply can't be done. So that's why I say if you have the chance and it's a once in a decade thing, go for it!!

 

[Sara_H]

My husband and I went a few years ago in late April (around April 22nd) and the crowds didn't seem that bad at all. Like was mentioned above, by mid-late April most if not all Spring Breaks should be over with. I'm from Wisconsin and most of the Spring Breaks are the end of March into the first week of April.

 

[FastPasser.]

Crowd levels during previous years should not be the basis for estimating crowd levels after GE opens.
April is only 6 months after GE opens and I expect the big three Central Florida attractions to be quite busy.
I'm next door to WDW and get in for free at WDW and US, and I'm staying away.

ETA, Yes, I'm a woose when it comes to park crowds.

 

[Dayzy]

School calendars aren't released yet, but if Passover falls before Easter, many East Coast schools will give off the week before Easter Sunday off.

 

[saraheliz]

I think quite busy busy. Many areas of the country do have spring break earlier, but many areas have it around Easter. Then add in New England's April vacation the following week (the week of 4/20 is when my kids will have off) and the post SWGE increase and likely busy. I am currently debating a trip for that time us over April vacation, I think that weekend will be crazy (the 18-19) as it will overlap those with post-Easter weeks off and New England's week off, but I'm hoping it's slightly less than terrible starting on the 20th. I don't have high hopes though.

 

[scard192]

We are planning a trip during April School vacation here in MA for April 21-28,2020. Hoping that as our Spring vacation is later than most schools, the crowds won't be as bad.
We usually go in the Fall but my older DGD starts High School in the Fall of 2020 so that not an option.
I am retiring in March 2020, this is my Retirement Celebration and my 2 DGD's are SO excited; we will make it work.

 

[sullyfam]

In Massachusetts and Maine Patriot's Day is a holiday celebrated here which is always the 3rd Monday in April and the kids always have that week off for what we call April vacation. In 2020 that week will be the week of April 20th (20-24). We don't have traditional spring break or any time off for Easter necessarily unless it happens to fall during that April vacation week.

If I were you and it was a once in a decade trip and the only time that works for you to go, I would do it. There aren't really many down times at WDW anymore.

 

[ammag]

NYC schools are almost always lff thelast week of april, Accomodating passover.

 

[DisLiss]

Spring Break is set for some schools while in others it changes due to Easter. Most schools that have a block of time off for Easter tend to have the Friday before off and then a series of days (sometimes up to the entire week) after Easter. So I would bear Easter in mind when looking at some of the dates in your window of time. So I think I would personally choose days at the very end of your window if it were me, but best of luck with whatever dates you choose!

 

[pooh2001]

What about the 1st week on May ?

 

[Timothy02359]

It`s busy year round at Disney nowadays. I would just go and enjoy your trip.

 

[evlaina]

I think Easter is like the third busiest time of year behind Christmas and Thanksgiving weeks, right? That being said, if it's a once in a decade trip just go! It's always busy and if you plan your Fastpasses right and have a touring plan you'll be fine. In regards to spring break, we live in the northeast US and our kids go to Catholic school. They don't have a separate spring break week, they just have off the Wednesday before Easter to the Wednesday after.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We are planning an April 2020 trip so that we can see the new Star Wars attractions and participate in the runDisney Star Wars runs. I expect it to be very busy, but Disney has been really busy for all of our recent trips in January, October and November. The only one that wasn't busy was an early May trip a few years ago--trip was after spring break and the schools were all in session for a few more weeks and the crowds weren't bad at all. That said, we had another late April-early May trip where it poured rain like 5 of the 7 days, and that was miserable.

 

[DoraBA]

Thank you so much, everyone. You gave me exactly what I was looking for - a little more info about US spring breaks Naturally if its the only time we can travel, we will - but I wanted a guesstimation of crowds. Oh well...

We're currently waiting to hear about this promotion scheduel and will then begin serious planning (and then Ill have dozens of other questions...)

Thank you again

 

[Bullseye]

In Massachusetts and Maine Patriot's Day is a holiday celebrated here which is always the 3rd Monday in April and the kids always have that week off for what we call April vacation. In 2020 that week will be the week of April 20th (20-24). We don't have traditional spring break or any time off for Easter necessarily unless it happens to fall during that April vacation week.

If I were you and it was a once in a decade trip and the only time that works for you to go, I would do it. There aren't really many down times at WDW anymore.

We'll sure, seeing how you're in the Super Bowl just about every other year it makes sense you'd have a "Patriots" holiday!

 

[sullyfam]

Ha! You bet! Interestingly enough, Patriot's Day has to do with the first battles of the Revolutionary War. But GO PATS!!!!!!!!!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriots'_Day

We'll sure, seeing how you're in the Super Bowl just about every other year it makes sense you'd have a "Patriots" holiday!

 

[Barnabas T Bullion]

In Massachusetts and Maine Patriot's Day is a holiday celebrated here which is always the 3rd Monday in April and the kids always have that week off for what we call April vacation. In 2020 that week will be the week of April 20th (20-24). We don't have traditional spring break or any time off for Easter necessarily unless it happens to fall during that April vacation week.

If I were you and it was a once in a decade trip and the only time that works for you to go, I would do it. There aren't really many down times at WDW anymore.

Fellow Masshole here... I don't know about you but I'm ready for April vacation 2020 in Orlando. Love love love that mid-April weather down there too.

 

[1lilspark]

FWIW April 16-19 is also Star Wars Half weekend (trying to see when I should go ahead and book our room only reservation for it)

 

[DoraBA]

FWIW April 16-19 is also Star Wars Half weekend (trying to see when I should go ahead and book our room only reservation for it)

Thanks for the added info! Im assuming even more crowds in WDW resorts... but any chance this may also mean LESS crowds in USO?