End of April/1st week of May Crowds?

[Amy&Dan]

Hi there, we are thinking that maybe we could do a trip to WDW the end of April into the first week of May 2005. Easter is March 27 next year and am just wondering if anybody has opinions/estimates on what crowds will be like late April? Any help is appreciated!

 

[nativetxn]

I've never toured at this time of year. I'll bump this back to page one for you so that someone can offer advice.

Katholyn

 

[DebbieB]

I've gone the first or second week of May the past 5 years. Crowds are moderate. Higher than our early December trip but lower than October trips we have taken in the past. MK is always crowded, especially when Spectro is shown that night. Crowds seemed to be higher this year than previous years (we went May 2 to 8). There doesn't seem to be a real low crowd time anymore. Weather can be on the hot side. This year was great, mid 80's but other years have been well into the 90's. Little rain.

 

[kda]

Should be a nice time to go, if you don't get close to the dates of the big 50th anniversary of Disneyland celebration (not sure what those dates are --- we're often there 5/8 for DH's b'day, and I think it's around that date).

 

[Amy&Dan]

Disneyland's celebration is May 5. We were originally set to go there but then realized that would be a very crowded time (it was in 2004 and they were just "announcing the 50th plans). That is why we thought to switch to WDW. I agree with above poster that "low" times are getting harder and harder to come by. We took our first trip to WDW in October and it seemed very crowded due to MNSSHP, British school system being out, Food and Wine Fest. and some golf thing they were having. I kind of assumed this would be the case and igored the Birnbaums statement that it was one of the slower times to go. Probably used to be but not any more. It wasn't horrible but definitely not low crowds either. If late April would be comparable to this past October I can handle that. Just wondering if that date would coincide with any spring breakers. Thanks for the replys!

 

[hockey mom]

We have gone late April/ early May for the last 10 years. I love it. Great weather, hardly no rain, and I found the crowds a little lower than our past 2 October trips. I actually have a picture of my kids in front of Splash Mountain with no-one else around and this was the day before Easter

 

[Lollipop Mom]

we were there the last week in April and first 3 days in May this year. I would say that it was still fairly busy but it was nothing like Christmas week. We were always there at park opening and did a few hours then took a break back at VWL and went back after dinner for evening entertainment. Doing that we found lines weren't that bad at all but from around 11:00 till dinner, it was very busy if you were a late arrival. We had fast passes for Mickey's Philharmagic after lunch one day and Fantasy Land was a madhouse! PACKED busy. We were so glad we had gone early so we could get in and knock out those rides first then GET OUT. :lol: By 11:00 lines for the "big stuff" were approaching an hour long.

The weather was great! Not too too hot (it was hotter for the October trip we recently returned from!) and only one day with rain.

If you are looking for a "no crowds" time, this isn't it but if you are looking for moderate crowds with longer park hours, it's a great time to go! As long as you are there early and do the big stuff early and use fast passes, you'll not have to wait very long for anything.

 

[c&ldisneylovers]

I went last year April 20-26 and the crowds were moderate. Using FastPass and avoiding EE days helped a lot. The only problem we had was going to AK on Earth Day (which is also it's anniversary.) I am going again the same week this year (Maine's spring break) and am not worried about the crowds.