Easter week... is it insane???

[plasfam04]

So we were thinking of going to Disney around Easter next year. Are the parks really packed that week? It would be the Thursday or Friday before Easter until mid to end of week the week following Easter. I think I read Easter week is one of the busiest times but I figured I'd check in and see what experiences you all have had. Thanks

 

[Dano1182]

MK is a terrrible and has closed to new addmisions several times on Easter

 

[noahdove]

We will be there the week before and I am praying now that I can make head way in MK while we are there. I am taking TGM's advice on his park suggestions...

 

[Tricia's mom]

It is a nightmare.... STAY HOME !!!!










I usually go that week

 

[plasfam04]

It is a nightmare.... STAY HOME !!!!




I usually go that week

Is it seriously extremely packed that week?

 

[Dano1182]

We gi=o that time everyyear
We have not gone near MK in years
complete waste of time
the others are a little better but plan on spending lots of time on lines

 

[MommaSnowwhite]

We went at Easter 2 years ago and we are going again this year. We use Tour Guide Mike too. It is crazy busy but if you follow the Master you will do fine. I wouldn't rrecommend Easter week for 1st timers tho.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Here are the times of the year that parks are often (lately always) closed due to capacity, meaning no one else can get into the park.

1. Easter and the days around it.
2. Fourth of July and the days around it.
3. December 24-January 1.

If you can help it, avoid it at all costs! WDW Resort guests are guaranteed to get into a park but it doesn't specify which one. If there are closures, it's often MK, sometimes Epcot or HS and rarely AK.

If you go into MK in the AM and return after entrance has been closed, you will not be let in until the closure has lifted. It doesn't matter if...
... you have a reservation.
... the rest of your party is in there.
... also, if you started in MK, leave, and it's closed, if you don't have a park hopper and you're a WDW resort guest, you're then NOT guaranteed into another park.

Many have their spring breaks around Easter and therefore makes it a holiday week for many. Holiday weeks are always busy.

 

[plasfam04]

What about the week after Easter? Say we were there from the Thurs or Fri after Easter and into the following week. Is the weekend after Easter weekend awful too?

 

[Andeevan]

We went one time in the week before Easter. The first part of the week wasn't too bad but the closer we got to Easter the busier the parks got. MK was insane by Friday and actually closed to guests that day. We decided to try June this year rather than brave the Easter crowds again.

 

[Mom2PrincessK]

We went the week after Easter (arrived Easter Sun - the following Saturday). We did RD and left the park around 1pm each day. We utiilzed our FP's wisely, and we rode everything we wanted to that week. They had am EMH every day that week for MK and it was great. We got there at 7, left at noon and rode everything there - most rides twice.

It was crowded, and by the time we would leave the lines were really long...but if you have a good touring plan and make yourself hit rope drops it is doable.

It was actually a very relaxing vacation - we usually stay longer in the parks, but leaving around 1 gave us time to enjoy the resorts. With 6 days it was plenty of time to see everything, and we never waited more than 30 minutes (because of collecting early FP's and using them when the crowds got thicker).

 

[PRenee]

Wait now I'm WORRIED ! They actually cut people off from entering if they think it's reach capacity? We are leaving tommorrow and will be there Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. So would you suggest MK on Wednesday? Can't do it the Tuesday since we have a small drive that morning to get the park and wont go in until around 9:30 or so. I'm so worried now uhhhhhhhh

 

[ancestry]

Wait now I'm WORRIED ! They actually cut people off from entering if they think it's reach capacity? We are leaving tommorrow and will be there Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. So would you suggest MK on Wednesday? Can't do it the Tuesday since we have a small drive that morning to get the park and wont go in until around 9:30 or so. I'm so worried now uhhhhhhhh

Yes they actually close the park to admission. There is a rolling closure. The park could possibly be closed by the time you arrive at 9:30 AM. Easter and New Years are the two heaviest times to be at Disney. I remember from reading the boards last year that the MK was closed during certain parts of the day the week of Easter last year.

 

[ancestry]

Posted by Cheshire Figment (a CM) on the Theme Parks Board (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2429585&highlight=closure):

The turnstile master computer at each park keeps track of both entries and exits. When a park capacity closes (which is done in stages) there has to be a certain number of people exiting, with the total "in park" below a certain number, before they start allowing people in again.

I am low enough on the totem pole that I have no idea what these numbers are.

There are four stages to park closing:

Stage 1 - The parking lot entrance is closed. You can only access the park if you are using Disney Transportation.

Stage 2 - The ticket windows are all closed (and the automated Ticket Vending Machines are turned off). Unless you already have a ticket you cannot get in.

Stage 3 - Only people with Annual Passes or current Resort IDs will be allowed in.

Stage 4 - Nobody is allowed in.

Note - having restaurant reservations in a park, even with written proof, will not override a stage closing for you.

Also, if you are staying at a Disney owned and operated Resort and have a ticket, you are guaranteed entry into A park. Not necessarily the one you want (unless you want to go into AK). And if you have entered and left a park and do not have a hopper you may not get into anything.

 

[PRenee]

Ok so does anyone think going earlier in the week rather than later closer to Easter weekend could be better? We have it set for Wednesday since we have Crystal Palace Reservations. On another note what if we have reservations at Crystal which is in MK- they wont let us go eat there? What do we do? I'll never book near another holiday again.

 

[disneyworldaddict]

Wait now I'm WORRIED ! They actually cut people off from entering if they think it's reach capacity? We are leaving tommorrow and will be there Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. So would you suggest MK on Wednesday? Can't do it the Tuesday since we have a small drive that morning to get the park and wont go in until around 9:30 or so. I'm so worried now uhhhhhhhh

We used to go over Easter break when our girls were younger, like everyone else, so we wouldn't have to pull them from school. The rates were much higher, as was airfare, so we only did 2 or 3 days in the parks. The rides run to capacity, all ques open and all vehicles running, so it wasn't bad. The lines weren't much longer that early in the day. We basically hit the stuff we wanted and got out by 11am. We went to a different park at night that had extra magic hrs. We caught up on sleep in the afternoon. We did find our resort pool to be extremely crowded, so much so that there were no lounge chairs and people were lying on their towels on the grass.

Honestly, if you work out a touring plan you should be fine. Disney really does know how to handle crowds amazingly well.

 

[sharon_wv]

Yes, Easter week is crowded. We were there 2 years ago at Easter time, but still had a GREAT time! We planned well and did not suffer. This year we planned a last minute vacation for over Easter. I only booked the reservations on March 3rd. There were availabilities in every Disney Resort and offsite resort I researched. I'm hoping that means that it won't be as crowded this year, most likely due to a crappy economy in the U.S.

I like not having the kids out of school.... Plus, this year my ODD is going with her HS band & will be in the pre-parade at the MK. Therefore, we chose this week based on her schedule...

 

[plasfam04]

Has anyone gone the weekend after Easter through the following week? It looks like according to the crowd calculator that it is one of the least busy times...

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Has anyone gone the weekend after Easter through the following week? It looks like according to the crowd calculator that it is one of the least busy times...

Are you talking about the weekend of the 10-11th? You should be fine. There may be a little bit of people left over but nothing big.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Ok so does anyone think going earlier in the week rather than later closer to Easter weekend could be better? We have it set for Wednesday since we have Crystal Palace Reservations. On another note what if we have reservations at Crystal which is in MK- they wont let us go eat there? What do we do? I'll never book near another holiday again.

You should be OK on Wednesday. Just get there early just in case. It usually doesn't really pick up until Friday, it'll still be busy but it won't be packed until the weekend.