April (Easter Week Break) Vs. mid-late August

[oceanmarina]

Hi all,

We usually go every August, but the past few years we have seen the crowd levels creep up. The low crowds always used to offset the blistering heat. With crowds of the past few visits combined with the sweltering heat, August is losing its charm for us. I think this past summer (we were there the week of Aug 20th) , as I walked by It's a Small World with a 40 minute wait, feeling exhausted from the crazy heat, I said to myself maybe there's a better time to go?

The only thing that would work for us schedule wise would be to go that April Break Week of Easter/Passover.

If you had to pick between going mid-late August and the April week (where the schools are off Easter week), which would you pick?

I've never been there that week in April (I know all schools in NY / east coast are off that week), how high are the crowd levels / crowds? How much wore are the crowds are that week as opposed to mid- to late August?

Thanks for any advice,
Marina

 

[g-dad66]

How much worse will the crowds be? A lot.

How much better will the weather be? A lot.

Makes it a tough choice, in my opinion.

 

[daisyx3]

Depends on what you are willing to do to beat those crowds. We went around Easter for a few years (until 2017, my school district insisted on having the break around Easter--now due to state tests it is 2nd week of March, which I love for lower airfare).
The upside is longer hours. The weeks around Easter MK had EMH every day, and opened at 7! That meant getting some sleepy teens to the bus stop by 615, LOL. But if we got there at open we would knock out fantasyland, use some fastpasses, and then leave about noon when the hordes were coming in. We would often go back for late nights as well. We even had a little tradition of spending Easter Sunday at Typhoon Lagoon, followed by a nice dinner somewhere.
Like every time of year Easter is doable, and depending on when it is you might even get a chilly day or two. But having tried every summer month, August is the one month we would not repeat--can't take it when the swimming pools feel like bathtubs.

 

[mamamelody2]

We are going Aug 30-September 8. I know the weather will be super hot (we have been twice in September before) but I am willing to deal with that for the chance at the smallest crowds of the year.

 

[oceanmarina]

What are crowds levels usually that Easter week?

 

[KittyKitty]

What are crowds levels usually that Easter week?

Looking at Touring Plans projections, week before Easter starting April 2, Monday, crowd level are 9's and 10's. Week after Easter, a couple of 8's, mostly 9's and 10's till April 8th, Sunday. Week of April 8, they go to 6's and lower.

Touring Plans also gives the crowd level per park.

 

[ArwenMarie]

We go every August. I would never switch that trip for an Easter week trip. I'd rather deal with the heat. But you should try it if you are feeling zapped by August. We find it's also cheaper to go in August which helps

 

[amcnj]

Haven’t been Easter week in a number of years now, but the last time we found that by noon MK was getting seriously crowded, so we would leave and return early evening. It is a difficult choice, between larger crowds with longer hours at Easter versus the summer heat and humidity. One late August trip hit me hard weatherwise, and then the next one was not so bad. Not sure what caused that very different reaction.

 

[goofygal531]

We’re an August family too.

Would NEVER go during Easter. Parks have been known to close to capacity that week. That alone tells you how many people are there!

I was told parks usually close to capacity with 250,000 guests inside. We attended a MNSSHP on Labor Day that had 10,000 guests in it. It felt EMPTY! My kids had fantasyland to themselves that night.

250,000 vs 10,000 - I’ll take the Aug heat!

 

[danceteachermom]

We have gone a few Easter weeks and done just fine but we are not in the parks dawn to dusk. It is really, really crowded. If you are EMH people, you can get a lot done with early mornings and get back to the resort just after lunch for relaxing by the pool. We have found night time in MK to be crowded to but manageable at HS and Epcot. We've never done after 10 PM though...so maybe it gets less crowded.

The weather when we have gone Easter week has always been near perfect. Hot and sunny but not too hot. Not much rain.

With fast passes, good planning, and some meal reservations we have found it to be a great time. I do not remember parks ever closing to capacity but maybe we were oblivious. We always park in the morning and then head back to the resort for several hours. Sometimes we go back at night. I have never been in August but I went one in July and the heat was just awful. I'd never do the summer months again for that reason.

 

[lovethesun12]

We always go Easter. I can tell you if you are staying onsite and can commit to getting up 6:30am (or earlier) to get to parks and leave at lunch you will have a good trip. Evenings aren't too bad either. But if you end up stuck in a park in the afternoon it is packed. It is also packed during key events like fireworks. Most days we leave AK/HS at around 1- 2pm and we could (easily) body surf our way out

BUT if you make MK for EMH at 7am you can get so much done and it goes so smoothly. We love Easter and I don't mind working around the crowds. The weather is also perfect and you really don't need to worry about rain. But if a large crowd will really bother you or anyone in your party I'd reconsider.

 

[Gentry2004]

We always go Easter. I can tell you if you are staying onsite and can commit to getting up 6:30am (or earlier) to get to parks and leave at lunch you will have a good trip. Evenings aren't too bad either. But if you end up stuck in a park in the afternoon it is packed. It is also packed during key events like fireworks. Most days we leave AK/HS at around 1- 2pm and we could (easily) body surf our way out

BUT if you make MK for EMH at 7am you can get so much done and it goes so smoothly. We love Easter and I don't mind working around the crowds. The weather is also perfect and you really don't need to worry about rain. But if a large crowd will really bother you or anyone in your party I'd reconsider.

Agree. The March/April weather in FL (when it’s gross at home) is part of the appeal to us. We love walking out of the airport and feeling that warm air. In the summer, it’s like a wall of fire. And the weather is nicer at home. It feels weird to leave nice weather for worse weather.

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

What are crowds levels usually that Easter week?

Second busiest time to go after Christmas.

And as someone else mentioned, it’s not unheard of for MK to close (in phases) due to capacity during Eater week.