Crowds now (end of April)? Crowded, mobbed, or impossible?

[Farro]

Looking to go last week and a half of April vs first week and half of May.

Trying to gauge crowds/weather this year (obviously things can change).

thanks!

 

[GADisneyDad14]

The biggest variable from, say, this year to next year is that Easter is 4/21 next year (vs 4/1 this year). That alone will make things a bit apples/oranges to compare year-over-year (and would be enough for me to circle early May if at all possible).

Happy planning!

 

[Farro]

The biggest variable from, say, this year to next year is that Easter is 4/21 next year (vs 4/1 this year). That alone will make things a bit apples/oranges to compare year-over-year (and would be enough for me to circle early May if at all possible).

Happy planning!

Well, I left out some info as to not sound pathetic, but I'm actually pre-planning for 2020. (I can't help it. The trip we are going on this year isn't fulfilling my planning needs) In my defense, I am going to book room only at 499 days just to secure a spot at Yacht Club - with Star Wars opening I'm nervous if I wait for new rates to come out in 2019 the rooms will be gone!

Easter is April 12 that year, so we are looking at either 4/22-5/1 or 4/29- 5/8.

When do love bugs come? It won't be huge factor, but if I can swing a week one way or other and miss them....

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

From the reports and various live streams it hasn't seemed to be very crowded these last couple of weeks at all.

 

[mala55]

We were there 4/16-4/25...so 10 nights. The first 6 or 7 were school vacation for Massachusetts and I’m sure other northeast schools. It’s usually the third week of April. I thought it was pretty crowded compared to years when we went in early May.

Also over the weekend of 4/20-4/22 was the Star Wars marathons. This brought a lot of people in over the weekend. It was especially noticeable at Epcot World Showcase as many were celebrating. Crowds were a lot less the last 3 nights of our vacation as schools were back in session and marathoners left.

My vote would be first week of May.

 

[Farro]

Thank you all!

 

[DIS_AWC]

We were just there 4/19 to 4/25 and the only day that felt really crowded to us was Saturday 4/21 at Animal Kingdom. I just checked TP crowd levels out of curiosity and Animal Kingdom was consistently the most crowded park over that time period, but the other three parks came in at or below their predicted crowd levels of 5 or 6/10. For example, Thursday 4/19 MK was predicted at a 6/10 and was actually 3/10. Sunday 4/22 we were at MK and it felt very uncrowded with the exception of the usual choke points, and the TP actual rating came in at a 4/10. The marathon affected traffic some, and we saw some runners in race shirts in the various parks, but we never encountered any huge race crowds, so it didn't seem to impact the crowd levels very much in our experience.

For 2020, MA (and I think one or two other NE states) spring break will be the week of the 20th (the third Monday is always Patriots Day/Marathon Monday and that kicks off April vacation for us), but I think most other spring breaks are finished by that point, unless they are always tied to Easter and Easter falls super late. I'm not a spring break specialist, but I know that our April vacation is always one of the latest spring breaks.

The weather was really nice when we were there. 80s with low humidity at the start of the trip and then it got more humid and we dodged some predicted heavy rain. I'm sure it will be hotter the first week of May, but if you choose that then at least you would be certain that *all* spring breaks would be done.

 

[stsomewhere]

We ere there last year 4/2-4/9- not too crowded. Easter was mid April. We went this year 3/30-4/6 (Easter was 4/1)- It was a madhouse. 95 minute wait for small world, 120 minute for Splash Mt, 3 1/2 hour wait for FOP. I will never go over Easter break again.

 

[chicagoshannon]

I'd stick with 1st week of .May because some school have spring break that 3rd week of April no matter when Easter falls.

 

[Farro]

We were just there 4/19 to 4/25 and the only day that felt really crowded to us was Saturday 4/21 at Animal Kingdom. I just checked TP crowd levels out of curiosity and Animal Kingdom was consistently the most crowded park over that time period, but the other three parks came in at or below their predicted crowd levels of 5 or 6/10. For example, Thursday 4/19 MK was predicted at a 6/10 and was actually 3/10. Sunday 4/22 we were at MK and it felt very uncrowded with the exception of the usual choke points, and the TP actual rating came in at a 4/10. The marathon affected traffic some, and we saw some runners in race shirts in the various parks, but we never encountered any huge race crowds, so it didn't seem to impact the crowd levels very much in our experience.

For 2020, MA (and I think one or two other NE states) spring break will be the week of the 20th (the third Monday is always Patriots Day/Marathon Monday and that kicks off April vacation for us), but I think most other spring breaks are finished by that point, unless they are always tied to Easter and Easter falls super late. I'm not a spring break specialist, but I know that our April vacation is always one of the latest spring breaks.

The weather was really nice when we were there. 80s with low humidity at the start of the trip and then it got more humid and we dodged some predicted heavy rain. I'm sure it will be hotter the first week of May, but if you choose that then at least you would be certain that *all* spring breaks would be done.

That's super helpful about your spring break in 2020, thanks! I'm sure if we chose that week into the next it wouldn't be too much of an impact. Easter is April 12 that year.

 

[Farro]

I'd stick with 1st week of .May because some school have spring break that 3rd week of April no matter when Easter falls.

Thanks - I'm being a baby about love bug season starting in May, but I'm sure I can handle them if they are there when we go. At least they aren't cicadas!

 

[CeruleanMoon]

We just got back from a trip that lasted from April 21 - 28th. Crowds were very good all week, much less than the crowd predictions had estimated. Weather was perfect - very little humidity, almost no rain, warm days, cooler nights. I'd say the last week of April is a very good time to go, as long as there are no other factors (like Easter) complicating things.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Thanks - I'm being a baby about love bug season starting in May, but I'm sure I can handle them if they are there when we go. At least they aren't cicadas!

We've been several times in May and hardly noticed the love bugs. I feel like September is much worse for them than May.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Well, I left out some info as to not sound pathetic, but I'm actually pre-planning for 2020. (I can't help it. The trip we are going on this year isn't fulfilling my planning needs) In my defense, I am going to book room only at 499 days just to secure a spot at Yacht Club - with Star Wars opening I'm nervous if I wait for new rates to come out in 2019 the rooms will be gone!

Easter is April 12 that year, so we are looking at either 4/22-5/1 or 4/29- 5/8.

When do love bugs come? It won't be huge factor, but if I can swing a week one way or other and miss them....

Haha...with Star Wars land open by then, I’m not making ANY recommendations on crowds!

But I still vote for May.

 

[mala55]

Wow...funny how I was there last week and thought it was pretty crowded and very humid in the afternoons, yet others felt totally different. Maybe because when compared to my May trips, it was more crowded and humid. Just goes to show we all have different perspectives.


I never saw a love bug in April or May.

 

[Crispity]

We’ve been here since 4/21 (heading home today ). The crowds have been light with the exception of yesterday at MK - it was Dapper Day which drew a huge number of very nicely dressed people (lots of fun to see all of the outfits, but we were done with the crowds by mid-afternoon). The weather has been great as well - pool weather but not too hot.

We’ve been a couple times in early May, and found it to be similar to this week for crowds and weather. As for love bugs, I couldn’t even tell you what one looks like. Definitely not something I ever noticed during our May visits.

 

[DIS_AWC]

Wow...funny how I was there last week and thought it was pretty crowded and very humid in the afternoons, yet others felt totally different.

Our last trip was the first week of September 2015, which had true crowd levels of 1s and 2s (maybe one of the last times that actually happened?) but was hotter than the surface of the sun with like 100% humidity each day, so that could be why the weather this trip felt pleasant and less humid to us. Also it was 30 and snowing the day we drove to the airport to fly down, so ANY sun and warmth was such a welcome feeling!

But this is a great reminder that even people who are at the same park (or event) on the same day can feel it very differently (weather, crowds, wait times, service, etc) since everything is so subjective.

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

Haha...with Star Wars land open by then, I’m not making ANY recommendations on crowds!

But I still vote for May.

That’s exactly what I was thinking.

I think crowd levels will be heavily determined by Star Wars.

Definitely get that room booked at 499!

 

[Farro]

Thanks all!

Star Wars will bring the crowds for sure, but I'm hoping that some will wait for 2021 when GOTG and Tron will be open. Also that if I go first week of May, a lot of families won't want to take their kids out of school so close to summer vacation. Regardless, we expect massive amounts of humanity.

Definitely booking at 499 - then I can play around with it when packages comes out. Planning Yacht, but if for some reason there is a better deal at Beach, we can stay there. We think walking to DHS will be invaluable.

Our first time for Flower/Garden too, can't wait!

 

[michbaron]

We are actually leave for back home today and the crowds were reasonable the whole trip until yesterday when Epcot and magic kingdom were both super busy, I know it will be different when you go but we went to Hollywood Studios two nights and it was completely empty, could walk down whole areas without seeing anyone else at all