Easter Break How bad is it?

[Disneydreamer5]

My son won't miss basketball season, he;s playing varisity this year as a 10th grader
My daughter can't miss any college, professors already told her the first day, missing for anything other then a dealth in the famiy would be a huge mistake.
I don't even know if Hubby can get off the week the kids are off from school and I know its not the cheapest time of year to go either but it looks like it would have to be this time or summertime which we have done and it wasn't too bad but I was just curious what you all think.
Thanks everyone

 

[Darcy03231]

Given my choice of Easter week or summer I would go in the summer. We went Easter week once and I've never seen the parks so crowded. I swore I would never go again that week (and haven't). I've been several times in the summer and I haven't found it to be all that bad.

 

[Janet Hill]

Easter week is much worse than summer.

 

[nessz79]

We're going April 3-6th to avoid the worst of the Easter crowd. I haven't been during Easter week, but I've heard it's horrendous. However, on the crowd calendar for our days they are marked 8's and 9's...the actual Easter week it's rated 10's. FYI.

 

[carj]

I would go in the summer as soon as everyone is out of school. My parents went during Easter week once and they said never again!

We went in June and the crowds were very managable.

 

[PoohHappens]

Weather was beautiful, crowds were big. We went in 2007. We were invited by friends in DVC. We were able to do a few things quickly in the morning without big lines, and then during the extra magic hours at night we were able to ride a bunch of stuff, but that was really late and because it was cold that night. Some of the parks met peak capacity and some lines were
1-2hours. If you go early in the morning, then use fast passes it was doable, but very very crowded.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We're going April 3-6th to avoid the worst of the Easter crowd. I haven't been during Easter week, but I've heard it's horrendous. However, on the crowd calendar for our days they are marked 8's and 9's...the actual Easter week it's rated 10's. FYI.

Are they any better the last couple of weeks in April?

 

[nessz79]

Are they any better the last couple of weeks in April?

According to the calendar, significantly.

 

[miprender]

I would go in the summer as soon as everyone is out of school. My parents went during Easter week once and they said never again!

We went in June and the crowds were very managable.

We went in 2006 from June 26-July 5th and the parks were really crowded and the weather was so HOT. I swore we would never go again at that time.

This time we will be there during the Easter vacation and I am nervous about the crowds but I think I will be able to handle them better since I hear the weather nicer. Or so I hope since we have never been in April.

 

[nessz79]

We went in 2006 from June 26-July 5th and the parks were really crowded and the weather was so HOT. I swore we would never go again at that time.

This time we will be there during the Easter vacation and I am nervous about the crowds but I think I will be able to handle them better since I hear the weather nicer. Or so I hope since we have never been in April.

That's what I'm hoping, too!

 

[Lucky'sMom]

I would recommend using "Tour Guide Mike". I used his service for the first time for our late June trip and was so glad I did. I had always gone during slower seasons and avoided crowded times like the plague. Well, the kiddos are getting older, and missing a week of school is no longer an option. I felt really comfortable using his advice, and we had a great vacation. He shows even the experienced Disney traveler how to "zig when others zag" and avoid the heaviest crowds. Well I agree that any week in the summer is probably less crowded than Easter week, if that's when you can go, take along some Tour Guide Mike advice and you'll be fine.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Friends of our went to Florida and went to MK for just one day. They were not impressed but I am sure that was based on the timing. They went the day after Easter. They said it took hours just to get into the parking lot and then through the gates and that they only got in something like 3 rides all day before they said forget it and left. They have not been back and have asked us how we can enjoy it so much, but it depends so much on who you are (I don't mind some crowds) and when you go (we go when it is less busy). Anyway, if that is when you go, just be aware that it will be very busy so when you get there you are not shocked and disapointed. BTW, I did tell them it would be awful that day, they chose to go anyway---I Tried!

 

[njmeisje]

We went Easter week once....and never again. Lines for Soarin' were 240 minutes! No lie! We never road it that trip. Had to wait until we went back. This past year our Spring break was not Easter week, rather a week in April, and that was much much better. So if the choice is Easter week or Summer....I vote summer.

Have fun either way!
Diane

 

[Fabinva]

We went first week of April to avoid crowds and it was still busy, getting to parks early in the mornings helped us avoid long lines but we felt "rushed" and the weather was HOT and humid, according to a CM I talked to at the park it was hotter than normal and that caused a storm and rain just about every day we were there.
On a good note the parks are beautiful during the F&G festival.

 

[Camno's Mama]

Are they any better the last couple of weeks in April?

According to the way that people are talking on this thread...definitely. We went the last week of April last year and it was nothing like this. It was a little more crowded than when I've gone the first week of March, but not much more.

Yikes...I remember going during Spring Break in high school and I don't remember it being that bad! And I'm not that old! I guess kids don't care as much though!

 

[wellesleyprincess]

We went the week after Easter last year. While the crowds weren't great, they were about the same as when we went during the first week of June. Your major rides start at about 60 minute waits and end up at 120-180 minute waits. Make sure you have ADRs, if you want Table service, fast passes for the big rides, etc. Personally, I don't think Easter is near as bad as some people make it out to be. I was expecting not to be able to get on ANYTHING the way people on here talked about it. It ended up being really cool weather, which made it nicer for hard core touring. The crowds weren't low, but it didn't prevent us from doing anything and I'd do it again if necessary. As long as it isn't a once in a lifetime trip and you know what you're doing, I say go for it!

 

[BarbWB]

We wrapped around Easter 2005 -- started on Wed before and left Tues after. It was CRAZY!!! The day before Easter, at about 1pm, we were in MK and literally couldn't move bc it was so packed. I said out loud, wonder if anyone would want our stroller if we just ditched it? Some guy 10 people over said he would take it. We gave him the stroller, grabbed the kids and booked it out of there. I think they actually closed the park to off-property visitors that day. We didn't go to the parks on Easter.
Other than those days, it was fine. We did EMH, which gave us 2 extra hours in the park in the mornings. And we had ADR's booked wayyy out. I wouldn't choose to do it again, but I will say that the weather was perfect and if you have to do it that week, know what you are getting into, stay on property (but rent a car b/c the busses will be slow and crowded) and go armed with a plan.

 

[nessz79]

We wrapped around Easter 2005 -- started on Wed before and left Tues after. It was CRAZY!!! The day before Easter, at about 1pm, we were in MK and literally couldn't move bc it was so packed. I said out loud, wonder if anyone would want our stroller if we just ditched it? Some guy 10 people over said he would take it. We gave him the stroller, grabbed the kids and booked it out of there. I think they actually closed the park to off-property visitors that day. We didn't go to the parks on Easter.
Other than those days, it was fine. We did EMH, which gave us 2 extra hours in the park in the mornings. And we had ADR's booked wayyy out. I wouldn't choose to do it again, but I will say that the weather was perfect and if you have to do it that week, know what you are getting into, stay on property (but rent a car b/c the busses will be slow and crowded) and go armed with a plan.

Oh, so EMH during Easter is even more time? I know that usually morning EMH is only 1 hour. It's 2 hours during Easter time? That would be very good to know. We'll be there a little over a week before Easter.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Personally, I don't think Easter is near as bad as some people make it out to be. I was expecting not to be able to get on ANYTHING the way people on here talked about it.

We were there Easter 2004. The parks were packed. However, the only time the crowds had any impact on our trip were the days we didn't get to the parks early.

If we made the rope drop, then we were able walk on to everything with little or no wait. During the first few hours in the parks we would collect fast passes, then hop into the standby lines. Once the crowds hit and the wait times we grew, we pulled out our FPs. This allowed us to hit the major rides at least 3 times per day, no matter how awful the crowds were.

Dining wasn't an issue. I booked ADRs before leaving home. We ate counter service meals during non peak times.

We're repeating our Easter adventure next year.

 

[BarbWB]

Oh, so EMH during Easter is even more time? I know that usually morning EMH is only 1 hour. It's 2 hours during Easter time? That would be very good to know. We'll be there a little over a week before Easter.

It was 2 hrs in the morning at MK. Not sure at the other parks. That meant we had to get there at 7am, but it was definitely worth it. We had Fantasyland to ourselves during the EMH morning.
One of the reasons it was so bad for us that day at MK was because Unofficial Guide completely blew the crowd level calculator. They predicted a 6 or so and was actually a 10. We would have planned for a different park if we thought it was going to be a 10 day!!!