Beating a dead horse...March crowds!?!

[cruiserkaren]

Looking into going to WDW March 5-10th or 11th, 2006 to celebrate my parents 30th wedding anniversary. My biggest concern is the crowds. Our first trip was the week after Labor Day this year and we walked on pretty much everything. I know it's not going to be like that but I'm worried what long waits would do to our travel party. Our travel myself, DH, DD2, my parents, and my 6 year old cousin.

My mom has had 2 back surgeries and continues to deal with pain on a daily basis (very well I might add!). Standing for long periods of time is what really gives her problems. (She, of course, would be riding tame rides.) Also my 6 year old cousin has some developmental problems and definitely doesn't act like a typical 6 year old. Some of the top pediatricians in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area suspect but won't label bi-polar disorder with a slight form of autism. So an hour wait for Pooh, probably wouldn't go over real well for her as well as my 2 year old.

My parents keep asking me questions about if going then would be a complete headache and I'm not sure what to tell them since it's so early in the month. This would be their first trip and our second. Also they are footing the bill for the entire trip and I hate to have it not go well. 30th wedding anniversaries don't roll around every day! I checked UG's site and it's showing 7's and 8's. But I think they were showing 5's and 6's for our trip in September and we waited for nothing. Not even Space Mtn., we literally walked on. Any thoughts for someone trying to put together a great trip to celebrate a wonderul marriage and family?

 

[Danadisney]

First, early March is the beginning to Spring Break time....although it won't be as busy as late March-April (Easter), it will probably still be crowded. I personally think that the crowds are manageable if you are at the parks when they open and have a plan. I have been over Easter when the Magic Kingdom is at capacity. It is so crowded, you can barely get around. I do not think it will be nearly that crowded! This is my humble opinion....


Second, that is certainly a lot of pressure on you to make sure the trip is enjoyed by all. There are a lot of things out of your control here...If it ends up being crowded, there are alternatives like as stated before: being AT the parks when they are opening, having a specific touring plan, using FP etc....I hope it all works out for you and your family!
Pixie Dust,
Dana

 

[Soprano]

I have never been during that period, but am going in 2006 (see ya there!) From what I understand (as I have asked the same question a few times) it should be fairly quiet. Spring Break is in its earliest stages, the calm before the storm so to speak.

But I do think the Pooh ride (like Peter Pan) always seems to be busy with quite a wait to get on. Maybe you can fastpass this??

 

[dixiedizfan]

You'll be fine that week. Crowds should start picking up a week or two later.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

We have been to WDW that week before also. The crowds start picking up by the weekend but you should still be fine. We are going again at that time. We are planning on getting their Sunday the 26th. and staying until 14th. I agree with the other poster especially with MK get there when it opens. It is so much nicer to go to Fantasyland without all the crowds. We usually go to Fantasyland and part of Adventureland on our day 1 at MK and plan a day 2 at MK and go to Tommorrowland first then finish up everything else we want to do. It is much nicer to plan 2 days at MK and take advantage of getting there at opening on both days.

I really think you will be fine! Have a great time.

 

[jennyl772003]

Sorry to hijack, but we were planning to go March 21-26. Is this going to be during the height of Spring Break? We looked at going Feb 21-26 also, but that was Pres day week. We are pretty flexible with our days, are we better off going with a plan C?

 

[MOM POPPINS]

If your dates are flexible I would go with either the week before president's week. Which would be the least crowded or the first week of March. The crowds will have picked up by the 3rd. week of March. If your dates allow it then I would definitely change it!

 

[challada]

So how BAD are the spring break crowds? I know many schools across the country have different weeks so I would think it would vary. We will be there first week of APRIL...is that long lines and no fun?

 

[mhingher]

DH and I were in WDW this year from 3/5-3/12. We experienced very light crowds, until the day before we left when kids arrived for a cheerleading competition. That was the only day we used FastPass. Everyother day we never had to wait more than 20 minutes for any ride or attraction.

We lucked out with the weather. It only rained one day and it was chilly that day, upper 50s/low 60s. But the rest of the week was sunny and mid-upper 70s. The mornings and evenings were chilly and we needed jeans and a sweatshirt.

 

[oxfordcircus]

AK got pretty crowded later in the day. In the morning I rode Dino 2x with no wait at all. But later I had to wait about an hour for the safari. Also, in MK the next day, waits of over an hour for thunder mountain and splash mountain. There was a very light crowd at MGM the next day (3/3). I rode TOT twice, waiting about 15 minutes each time. However, as you can see from the UG's crowd predictions, just a few days later in March makes a big difference in crowd levels.