Am I crazy for trying to tackel DW during Spring Break?

[chishannon]

My husband and I will be in the area this weekend and would love to go to Disney, but I am hesitant because it is spring break time and likely to be more crowded than usual. Any tips for doing so? How early do they start letting guests in? It's just the two of us, so we won't have children who we would have to worry about being bored standing in line. What rides should we hit first before it gets terribly crowded? What's the best way to utilize the speed passes?

Thanks!

Shannon

 

[WDSearcher]

THIS weekend? As in "spring break AND Easter?" Yes ... you're crazy.

Stay away from MK. It will likely be closed at capacity by 10:30am on both Saturday and Sunday. All the parks will be jam-packed, although Epcot will feel less crowded. Easter is one of the busiest days of the year, so keep that in mind if you go on Sunday.

MK opens at 8am every day this week, so if you do decide to go there, be at the gates by 7:30am. Bring your patience and a sense of humor -- you'll need them both. There will be lines for everything. Rides, shows, food, souvenirs, bathrooms, characters, trams, trains, monorails ... everything. This weekend isn't really a good one for a casual, "Oh ... we'll see what we can see ..." visit, IMO.

 

[HeatherPage]

I can't really help you but we'll be there Saturday at the Magic Kingdom with our 3 year old. We plan on getting there about 8:00 a.m. (it's Early Magic Hour so onsite guests can get in at 7:00 a.m.). We're driving in from Flagler Beach and have dinner reservations at 'Ohana at 5:00 - hoping to make an entire day and evening of it if we can.

At any rate go for it and have a great time!

 

[athenna]

Well, if you're crazy, then so am I!
I am making my first trip as a DVC member during April school vacation. But being that I'm a member, I know I'll be back. I just wanted to go to the Epcot F & G festival!

 

[WDSearcher]

MK opens at 8am on Saturday, so you might want to try and get there a bit earlier than 8am, just to be sure you get in. Since you're not staying on-site, you will be in the first group of people denied entry if they start "at capacity" closures. I know it doesn't seem like they could be doing that at 8am, but you could find yourself in line at the toll booths for quite a while, not to mention the time it will take to get parked and then to the gate via monorail or riverboat. All forms of transport will be packed solid Saturday and Sunday morning. If you're set on being there, you might want to push your timeline up a bit, just to be safe. It'd be a shame to make that drive from Flagler, only to get turned away at the gate.

 

[tinkerbee]

I would be at the gate as soon as the parks open so you make sure you get in. We went the Saturday before Easter in 2003 and to tell you the truth I didn't think it was unbearable. Yes it was really busy but we still had a great time. I would hit space mountain and buzz lightyear first they always seem to have long lines then go over to splash mountain and pirates then go from there but those are my favorites so I always make sure I get on them early. Have a great time.

 

[lovethattink]

Be at the parks at opening, they reach capacity...especially the waterparks...early.

 

[drusba]

Put it this way: people we know who actually live in Orlando tell us that they and every other Orlando resident they know are never crazy enough to go during the two Easter weeks. Nevertheless, if usual patterns hold up, both Epcot and AK will have their lightest days of the two week holiday season on Saturday and Sunday. Also, Epcot has a new attraction "Soarin" -- it will be overwhelmed but its existence will help take away some of the crowd from lesser attractions (those other than Test Track and Mission Space). MGM will also be somewhat lighter on Sunday -- what happens is that most everybody, particularly vast majority of any newbies, tries to go to MK on Sunday, giving some (and I emphasize that is only some) relief at the other parks. If you choose MK, the only decent time will be about the first hour in the morning.

 

[MinnieM3]

We'll be there too!

Friday we're doing Mk because we always go there first!

Saturday it's MGM

Sunday Epcot

Monday day off.... mini golf, DTD

Tues. AK I think,

Wed. - Sat. --- more of MK and Epcot and another off day!

Not a once in a lifetime trip, so we'll take it pretty easy