April 2014?

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Starting to think about this as a possibility. We've always gone end of August and love it--low crowds, free dining. But next year oldest son will be starting high school and sports/band may start before school does. So don't know if this will be a possibility. We did book bounce back just in case though!

My other idea is April vacation week, which here is 4/21-25, so probably something like 4/19-4/26. I looked and didn't see any threads for April 2014 so decided to start this one.

Any ideas, speculation on what deals might be like then? What are crowds like? I know spring break time can be crazy, but would things be starting to thin out by that week? Just trying to figure if it's totally crazy to even consider!

 

[gamecockgirl]

This is kinda off topic from what you're asking, but I have a question for you about your late August trips. We're thinking of going next August (planning to book a bb when hubby and I are there in November for f&w) and were wondering about crowds at the end of that month.

I know crowds drop off after labor day, but we were thinking of going the week before labor day and driving home on the holiday. Have the crowds been good for y'all at the end of August when you've been there in the past? We're looking at Aug 26-Sept 1. Would love your thoughts since we need to be sure on dates when we get there in order to take advantage of the BB. Thanks!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

This is kinda off topic from what you're asking, but I have a question for you about your late August trips. We're thinking of going next August (planning to book a bb when hubby and I are there in November for f&w) and were wondering about crowds at the end of that month.

I know crowds drop off after labor day, but we were thinking of going the week before labor day and driving home on the holiday. Have the crowds been good for y'all at the end of August when you've been there in the past? We're looking at Aug 26-Sept 1. Would love your thoughts since we need to be sure on dates when we get there in order to take advantage of the BB. Thanks!

We've had four trips, all the last week of August. We're not usually there for much of the actual Labor Day Weekend, though. Usually our departure day is that Saturday, so we'll go to Downtown Disney or maybe a few hours in a park. For example, our trip this year was 8/25-8/31; our tentative dates for next year are 8/24-8/30. It's always good because the local schools are back in session already.

We love that week!!! We've always gotten the free dining so that's definitely a plus. But the crowds are extremely manageable. They might be a little busy for the holiday weekend, but if you go during the week before, you'll be good. Very, very short waits, even walking right on many of the rides. We've always gotten on all the rides we wanted, sometimes using FP, sometimes doing standby. But things like riding Splash Mountain 6 times in one day or Toy Story Mania 3 times without waiting more than 20 minutes (using FP!). My kids have actually been spoiled and I don't know how they'd do at a really busy time.

One big drawback? The HEAT! It's hot, but I can deal with that if I'm not waiting in hour-long lines.

 

[Amanda999]

My other idea is April vacation week, which here is 4/21-25, so probably something like 4/19-4/26. I looked and didn't see any threads for April 2014 so decided to start this one.

Any ideas, speculation on what deals might be like then? What are crowds like? I know spring break time can be crazy, but would things be starting to thin out by that week? Just trying to figure if it's totally crazy to even consider!

Hi! I'm also from Massachusetts, and have been going to Orlando April vacation week (that is, our Massachusetts April vacation week: Patriots Day/Marathon Monday week, if you know what I mean) for many years (relatives live nearby).

Anyway, be aware that approx. every 3 years - including April 2014, unfortunately for us - Easter falls during our Massachusetts April vacation week. Which means big crowds and high cost (airfare was $600 per person last time Easter coincided with our Patriots Day week (2011?) v. $200 per person April vacation 2013!).

If you can stand the heat for one more late August vacation in 2014, then you'll be looking GREAT for low crowd, discounts, great weather April vacation week 2015, 2016 and 2017.

FYI: We always meet many people from Maine and New Zealand during our Patriots Day April vacation week. Must be similar schedules for some reason.

I'll take late August heat over Easter crowds, but ymmv.

 

[gamecockgirl]

Thanks so much! We may do that week after all! I teach dance and it starts the day after labor day, so it'd be much easier to be home before that starts up. We have been in December and March most recently and I'd say the crowds were moderate both times...not wall to wall people, but we didn't walk right on to many rides. That will be super nice!

We're from South Carolina...we're totally used to the heat, so we can handle that. Plus we've never gotten to do lots of the water rides because of going in winter/early spring, so the kids will be thrilled to do all those this time!

Thanks so much for your help...now just to nail down exact dates so we'll be all ready to jump on the bounce back when we get there in November!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Hi! I'm also from Massachusetts, and have been going to Orlando April vacation week (that is, our Massachusetts April vacation week: Patriots Day/Marathon Monday week, if you know what I mean) for many years (relatives live nearby).

Anyway, be aware that approx. every 3 years - including April 2014, unfortunately for us - Easter falls during our Massachusetts April vacation week. Which means big crowds and high cost (airfare was $600 per person last time Easter coincided with our Patriots Day week (2011?) v. $200 per person April vacation 2013!).

If you can stand the heat for one more late August vacation in 2014, then you'll be looking GREAT for low crowd, discounts, great weather April vacation week 2015, 2016 and 2017.

FYI: We always meet many people from Maine and New Zealand during our Patriots Day April vacation week. Must be similar schedules for some reason.

I'll take late August heat over Easter crowds, but ymmv.

Thanks for explaining all that! We're actually down on the Rhode Island border and it's kind of the same--sometimes we have the same week in April, sometimes not. Based on what you've got here, we may pass on April 2014, but definitely something to keep in mind for the next few years. I really don't mind the late August dates at all and would keep on just doing that. Unfortunately, I have a soccer player who will be a freshman next year and I think they start the big-time practices that week before we go back to school. Not sure how that will work out. That's why I've started looking at alternatives. I hate to pull them out of school, too, so that limits our availability and we've gotten really spoiled with the low crowds the end of August.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Thanks so much! We may do that week after all! I teach dance and it starts the day after labor day, so it'd be much easier to be home before that starts up. We have been in December and March most recently and I'd say the crowds were moderate both times...not wall to wall people, but we didn't walk right on to many rides. That will be super nice!

We're from South Carolina...we're totally used to the heat, so we can handle that. Plus we've never gotten to do lots of the water rides because of going in winter/early spring, so the kids will be thrilled to do all those this time!

Thanks so much for your help...now just to nail down exact dates so we'll be all ready to jump on the bounce back when we get there in November!

I believe the bounce back starts on 8/20 for next year. And don't worry too much about exact dates. My understanding is if you book "something" you can make adjustments to dates/resorts, as long as there's still availability. That's why we went with POFQ, figuring if we did decide to change it would be easier to get into the other moderate resorts. POFQ seems to sell out of their discounted rooms pretty frequently, so grabbed it while we could!

And it's definitely not that the parks are empty like in September but I've heard horror stories of the waits and not being able to get to certain rides and we've never run into that. There's definitely still a fair number of people around, but really manageable.

Now, on a total side note, we took one day out this year and went to Legoland. There was absolutely no one there!!!! If they kids had to wait for one car to fill on the roller coaster before them, that was a lot! Literally walked up and walked right on to every single ride all day. My husband and I kept looking at one another, like "Where is everybody?" We were afraid we wouldn't be able to do everything in one day, but had absolutely no trouble at all--including some time in the water park!

 

[Amanda999]

I booked the FD BB at POFQ starting August 20th too!

I'm pretty sure the BB FD dates are Aug. 20 to Sep. 29 (just so PP knows: if you book a BB, you can call from home weeks or months later and change the BB dates and/or resort - if there is availability - but you can't change it to be outside those dates).

Yeah, OP, that's a better way to put it: there are plenty of people around late August, but not bad at all (oh - and you have to be ok with not only heat and humidity, but 50% chance of rain daily (it rained a bit most days, but only in the afternoon, when we were already gone from the parks)). I plan based on Touring Plans's recommendations, and go right at 9am, and its not bad.

 

[momtwoboys]

we are going april 19-26th !!! from MASS! Got our airfare out of Worcester for 1,300 for all 4 of us nonstop roundtrip! weather is great and as long as we hit the parks at opening and leave for a break around 1pm we are golden! Southwest opens on oct 14th so check it out that day for the best prices good luck!

 

[MomToPirate&Princess]

We're going to try to go the same week April 20-26 for our spring break. We've never been spring break before. DS11 doesn't want to go during the school year and have work to make up so we thought we'd try Spring Break. Fingers crossed for a good deal.

 

[Corjack]

We are either going 4-24/5-2 or 5-1/5-9. We have been in this time frame 4 times in recent years and LOVE the weather! Crowds will be a bit high the 20-25 of April because they are coming off Easter but it should be doable! We have never had rain in that time frame. Nice warm days and cool lovely evenings!!! It is my favorite time to go!

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Hi all!

Curious as to how you found the crowds during your April 2014 trip? I'm from Maine so Easter kicked off our April vacation. May plan to go next April vacation with 3 kids.

Thanks for any info.

Joanne