Empty Parks in April

[missnanse]

When are the parks the least crowded in April? Thanks, Nanci

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

We have been the first week (like maybe the 6th-11th) and we were just there 4/29-5/4/07. I think the crowd level depends on when Easter is. This year it is March, so maybe mid April would be nice. The last week in April it was starting to get hot out.

Crowd levels both times were decent in my book. Longest wait was maybe 15 minutes for a major ride.

Sarah

 

[El Nebuloso]

I would think that the busiest time in April will probably be the week that most school vacations fall on, which is the week of the 14th to the 18th this year.

 

[brergnat]

the week of 7-11th is a BIG spring break for schools too...MIL's a teacher in North Carolina, and my son goes to school here in So. Cal, and they both have that week off for spring break...

If you can, go the last week of April. Spring break will be a distant memory by then.

 

[lissiesmum]

I'm curious about the answer to this as well. I am also from NH like the previous poster but our vacation falls in the last week of April every year. I am thinking of taking my daughter next April vacation if I find out the crowds are manageable, because the summer is just too hot for us!

 

[hoosiergirl7]

We're planning on being there the 23rd-29th of April and figure that most schools will be done with Spring Break by then. My one concern is that it starts to be really warm then and that we may not have as great of a time due to the heat. I know most of the schools around here have Spring Break in March. Our son is only in a 2 day a week preschool program and I won't have a hard time pulling him for 2 days while we go on vacation.

But I would also like to know from people who have been at WDW what it's like this time of April.

 

[pengin]

I was looking at booking early April and my AAA agent reminded me that it was spring break for many kids. I ended up booking for May 3-11 to avoid bigger crowds.

 

[Joshua_me]

It varies so greatly it's hard to say with any certainty...

We are usually there sometime in the last week of April for the flower festival in Epcot. Last year, the crowds were so low we couldn't believe it. Two years ago during the same dates, crowded as all get out.

Go figure.

 

[Disneylvr]

Almost all of the spring breaks in my area Missouri/St. Louis are in March. My daughter's is the week of Good Friday. So we are going for 5 nights when she has a Friday off for teacher workshops from April 17-22. We aren't going to stress about the remaining spring break crowds even though we know there will be some. We have been in late April before and the parks were never empty but waits were not bad. I think the only time I have ever seen the parks even near being "empty" was September after Labor Day week but that was before free dining was introduced.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I would think that the busiest time in April will probably be the week that most school vacations fall on, which is the week of the 14th to the 18th this year.

I'm surprised you have the 14th-18th off. Here in MA, our school vacation is tied to Patriot's day so our break is April 21st through 25th. I've been several times the 3rd week of April and not only are there a lot of people from the Northeast, there are a lot of people from England as well. Definitely a pretty busy week.

 

[SmallWorld71]

We're planning on being there the 23rd-29th of April and figure that most schools will be done with Spring Break by then. My one concern is that it starts to be really warm then and that we may not have as great of a time due to the heat.QUOTE]

I have been to Florida almost every year in April for the last 15 years to visit family in Southern Florida. I have NEVER had bad weather in April. (Knocking on wood now.) It can be hot (80's) but the humidity of the summer hasn't set in yet, nor have the daily thunderstorms.

 

[OatsZoo]

We went the last week of March and first 4 days of April last year. You could befinitely see a difference. I found that the end of March was okay but then when by the end of the week it got busier. We waited 40-45 mins for the popular rides and had to fast pass as much as we could. But then that was 1 1/2 weeks before Easter and Easter is done early this year.

Here is Canada, March break is the week before Easter March 7-16 and then Easter is March 21 so I figure if it is going to be busy it would be the middle of March and this year the beginning of April might not be too bad.

Hope that helps!

 

[bradisgoofy]

The week of Easter, whenever it is, is always the worst, the further you get from that week the better it gets. But, late March to early April is always busy, not necessarily crowded, but busy.

 

[micmacmissy]

According to the UG crowd predictor, all of April will be fairly crowded...but the last week definitely looks like your best bet!

 

[n2mm]

We go late April early May every year since 1994 and the crowd level is always moderate. The parks will be far from slow or empty. Weekends will be crowded. With Easter being late March this year, I'm seeing spring breaks seem to be all over April, no set pattern. I watched how folks on the DVC boards were finding it hard to get a reservation for the third week of April. I've always found the crowd levels to stay moderate in the spring and there will be waits for the rides. ADRs are a must and the weather is perfect.

 

[idlewoman1]

I found when I tried to book a room at POR they were booked from April 1-10. I was able to get the following 10 days and when I booked a room at Universal, they have a special running if you stay 4 or more nights and those days around the 3rd week had more rooms available and they were offering 2 free tickets to the park as a promo at Royal Pacific Resort!! Sweet. I would think this is because crowds are less after the first 2 weeks in April and they are trying to atract more people. Plus rooms were a bit cheaper then.Here in Illinois our spring break is at Easter time.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I cringe at the thought of the parks in any week in April. If you have a choice to avoid April...I would.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Here is Canada, March break is the week before Easter March 7-16 and then Easter is March 21 so I figure if it is going to be busy it would be the middle of March and this year the beginning of April might not be too bad.

Not so true. Canada's spring breaks run the gamut in March. Here in Manitoba, spring break always starts the last Monday in March, so this year it's March 31 through April 4. University is out the week of February 18.

 

[hoosiergirl7]

We're planning on being there the 23rd-29th of April and figure that most schools will be done with Spring Break by then. My one concern is that it starts to be really warm then and that we may not have as great of a time due to the heat.QUOTE]

I have been to Florida almost every year in April for the last 15 years to visit family in Southern Florida. I have NEVER had bad weather in April. (Knocking on wood now.) It can be hot (80's) but the humidity of the summer hasn't set in yet, nor have the daily thunderstorms.

Thanks for the info. I didn't think it would be miserable yet. DH and I were talking about it over lunch today and he said that he kind of figured the weather would be in the 80's but it wouldn't be as hot and humid as it would be if we were going in September like we have in the past.

I'm sure the crowd levels will be up a bit because it's getting to be that time of year, but I still am counting on it being slower than it would be if we were going in March or early April when most schools have spring break.

 

[jeast]

The hotels are pretty booked for the first week in April. That's a pretty good indicator that it's going to be busy.