Spring break vs. June: Which would you choose?

[shawnaiko]

We are planning our first trip with our 3yo DD and 5yo DS for 2014. I'm a teacher, so our options for when to go are limited. I had my heart set on the week before Easter (4/20 next year) before reading about the even larger than normal crowds last week, and now I'm a apprehensive about it. The second best time that I think we can go is during the 3rd week of June.

I've read a lot about it and it seems like the crowds in June will be a little better but the weather is a concern. So I guess I'm wondering which is a better choice. Is the weather that much better in April to make up for 10+ spring break crowds? Is it crowded enough in June to not even make up for the heat/humidity/t-storms?

I know it's ultimately a personal decision, but since my family has no Disney experience, I'd love to hear from some "experts"! TIA!

 

[fcole12369]

Its a toss up I think. Use the EMH in the morning if you can. I know it might be hard with little ones, but it would allow you to do more before the crowds come in.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Yes the weather is much better in April. Depending on where you are from the June heat could really be rough on you.
I'd choose April...haven't been in June in a while - did July though & its pretty tough & we are used to the humidity being from the deep south. We had to have spray fan misters to get through & we were only there a couple days.

Can you go Christmas break instead? It's gorgeous then - of course not much less on crowds. Or do y'all get a fall break maybe when it'll be a little smaller crowds or a long weekend where you could take off another day?

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

June in a heartbeat. Spring break isn't worth the price or the crowds.

 

[Dacky619]

June in a heartbeat. Spring break isn't worth the price or the crowds.

Agree 100%. Both DW and I work in education so we can't go anytime except for summer or school breaks. The weather is much nicer in April (we've done a few weekend trips), but the crowds around Easter are too crazy for us. The MK had way too many closings last week. June will be hotter, and the longer into the month you go the more crowded it will be but we'd still rather go then.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

I would choose June. My kids are too old to pull out of school, so we go in late August. We went for Thanksgiving one year, which seems to be the least crowded of the school breaks and that was too much for us.

My cousin was there last week with her little ones. She said the lines in FL were all 2+ hours. I can't begin to imagine those waits with young children!

You will find lots of tips on beating the heat, but there's not much you can do to beat the crowds when the parks are filled to capacity.

 

[mom2aandj]

The crowds the week before Easter next year in 2014 will likely not be as bad as they were this year, with Easter in March. There are some schools that have a mid to late April spring break, but there are far, far more with March spring breaks. The overlap of Easter and those spring breaks is what made Easter week so bad this year.

We went the second week in June a few years ago and have gone the last week of March many times. The parks were a bit less crowded in June, but honestly, to me it did not outweigh the heat and extreme humidity AT ALL. Seriously, people were soooooo crabby and rude in June. I will never, never go in the summer again. But I admit I hate the heat and being drenched in sweat by 8am is really unappealing to me!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

You will have better weather in April. Crowdwise, it will probably be about the same. WDW starts to get slammed mid June and stays that way through Mid-August.

This year's week before Easter was insane because Easter fell so early. I don't think next year that week will be as bad because Easter is so late and most of the folks who start their school year in August won't wait to have Spring Break that late into April.

 

[lovin'fl]

We are planning our first trip with our 3yo DD and 5yo DS for 2014. I'm a teacher, so our options for when to go are limited. I had my heart set on the week before Easter (4/20 next year) before reading about the even larger than normal crowds last week, and now I'm a apprehensive about it. The second best time that I think we can go is during the 3rd week of June.

I've read a lot about it and it seems like the crowds in June will be a little better but the weather is a concern. So I guess I'm wondering which is a better choice. Is the weather that much better in April to make up for 10+ spring break crowds? Is it crowded enough in June to not even make up for the heat/humidity/t-storms?

I know it's ultimately a personal decision, but since my family has no Disney experience, I'd love to hear from some "experts"! TIA!

June definitely. Spring break is insane at the parks (crowded). June is better except if you plan to go into July 4th, which is also insane (though still better than spring break).
We did spring break 2005 and it was super crowded and long waits. It was actually chilly that week (had to buy sweatshirts). June can be hot and I would think both times have possibility of rain.

 

[DZNEE4US]

We went early last June, and survived! It was very hot, and my 4 year old son ended up going to the hospital. It was either due to the stomach flu or the heat. He ended up getting an IV.
That being said, I think I'd still go in early June over those extreme Spring break crowds. When we went in June, we were able to see and do everything we wanted in a week. I can't say we would have gotten that much done around spring break. Rope drop was a must. You need to plan to be out of the sun more, and heat. Leaving in the afternoon and returning in the evening helped too.

 

[zeferjen]

We just got back. The crowds were high last week, but I still think it is do-able with a good plan and a commitment to get there early and to use EMH. We went on every ride that was on our list and had plenty of downtime at the resort for lounging around the pool.

 

[housetomouse]

I think I would choose June over the week before Easter. We have gone the spring week and twice now it has been too cold to swim. The air temp was in the low 40s. If you like to swim, your chances are better in June. I'm assuming both times are going to be 10s for the crowds (or is June better?).

Maybe it depends where you're coming from. I am a heat-seeking type, so warm weather matters to me, even if I don't swim.

 

[jamelynn24]

We were there the first week in June 2012 and were also there last week for spring break. I think spring break was way better....we got up early and were at MK before the sun was even up!! But we got everything done by lunch and went home to nap. June was awful because we had crowds AND heat AND humidity. It was miserable.
I also noticed that in June, the crowds were way worse in the morning. The lines for bag check were 15-20 min long on some days.

 

[housetomouse]

We went early last June, and survived! It was very hot, and my 4 year old son ended up going to the hospital. It was either due to the stomach flu or the heat. He ended up getting an IV.
That being said, I think I'd still go in early June over those extreme Spring break crowds. When we went in June, we were able to see and do everything we wanted in a week. I can't say we would have gotten that much done around spring break. Rope drop was a must. You need to plan to be out of the sun more, and heat. Leaving in the afternoon and returning in the evening helped too.

This is a good point... we have gone Easter week, but I always leave with a list of things we didn't do (and not just repeats, some of the things we have never done). I've concluded this is a result of the crowds. We get to the parks at rope drop and do our top priorities, but we never do some things because we are too tired from being at rope drop every day. Case in point, couldn't make it until 10pm in MK for fireworks. Too tired to go back into the park to ride Pirates of the Caribbean (saved that for "later" because the lines aren't that bad). Miss the mid-day parades because we've left the park by that time of day because of crowds. So if you're rope drop types, at some point you may not be able to burn the candle at both ends and something's got to give. I am not sure if June is crowded like Easter week, but if it is I think you could have similar issues.

 

[MissTeacher]

The hot June weather might be off-putting, but I personally would NEVER go back during the Spring Break weeks. I went last year from March 11-18. My friends and I have been to WDW many times, so we had a strategy that worked. There really wasn't anything we didn't get to do that we wanted because of our utilization of fast passes and smart parks strategy, but the trip was anything but relaxed. We were running back and forth across the parks trying to hit shorter lines. It was just way too busy. Lines were horrendous, and a lot of time was wasted in ride lines, show lines, bus lines, monorail lines, etc. If you're wanting to experience the parks at a more leisurely pace, I would definitely recommend NOT going during Spring Break.

I know summertime is busy too, but there are a lot more weeks for vacationers to choose from, so it's not quite as packed as the few Spring Break weeks.

 

[RunningWithScissors]

June in a heartbeat. Spring break isn't worth the price or the crowds.

Agree 100%!! The crowds on our Spring Break (week before Easter) were worse then the week after Christmas, which is off the charts.

Because of summer sports schedules, we can't go until August which will be our go to time from here on out. We went the first week of August in 2011 and it was perfect. Sure, it is hot, but you can duck into a store to cool off, sip on a nice cold drink or enjoy a slush to cool off. Plus, riding the water rides is way more fun when it is blazing hot!

We have also traveled to WDW in June and found the crowds way more tolerable than spring break. Plus, depending on when Easter is--could affect the weather. It was freezing when we were there adding to the misery. You definitely won't get cold in the summer!!

 

[Music City Mama]

This year's week before Easter was insane because Easter fell so early. I don't think next year that week will be as bad because Easter is so late and most of the folks who start their school year in August won't wait to have Spring Break that late into April.

I agree with this. Spring break for most people is usually mid-March through mid-April. Since Easter falls so late next year, I don't think it will be anywhere near the crowd-level as the week before Easter was this year. For June, when you said you could go (the 3rd week), it will be pretty busy. I think it's a toss-up crowd-wise at that point, and you should just go when you really want to in April.

 

[paintnolish]

DH and I are both teachers, so we're stuck with summers, too. With summers, at least you've got the crowds spread out over 3 months and not over a few weeks, as with spring breaks. Summer is manageable.

 

[powellrj]

We have gone in June for years and never really have had any issues with it. It may rain, but its always been easy to work around it.

 

[KimK2006]

June! I don't know when in June you get out of school, but it gets more crowded the later in June you go. When we go in the summer, we go the day the kids get out of school (which is actually at the end of May). So, do June, but go ASAP!