End of april trip question - confused on easter and spring break

[dogdoc]

I just got the go-ahead to plan another trip, and i need some help.

I want to avoid the big spring break and easter crowds (mid april).

Is spring break usually at the same time as easter for schools/colleges around the USA?

Would the last week of april/early may be far enough away from spring break/easter so as to avoid heavy crowds?

i'm especially curious about personal experiences with crowds/wait times/weather from fellow board members who've been at the end of april/early may.

thanks for your help. great forum

 

[XOoOoVEEoOoOX]

I am inerested in finding this out as wel b/c i have a res. booked for april 27-may 1 I planned it so that we wouldnt catch Miamidades spring break...hopefully we get low crowds!

 

[tar heel]

No it isn't. There is no one schedule for either. My children always have the week after Easter for spring break, which is the norm in the South. College spreak breaks are typically in March. My college student DS has spring break the second week in March, but some of his friends have the week before or wee after.

 

[bethbuchall]

We have been in early May several times. It is a great time of year to go! The days are warm-hot but not unbearable. The crowds aren't bad either. I wish we could do that time of year again, but I really can't pull my middle schooler or high schooler out any more.

Beth

 

[CastMemberDWA]

The local schools (county systems) here post their academic calendars online...

The second full week of March is when OCPS (Orange County Public Schools) are out. So all the LOCALS will be there with their own children.

Good thing about locals though in general: They have "been there done that" and aren't the types whom you will find getting in your way in the middle of the walkway pausing to read a map. You can always tell the locals by their lack of A.) camera B.)excessive baggage. C.) and the afore mentioned map.
Most don't require any of those items anymore...... I almost never carry my camera to Disney anymore unless I am going with family who is visiting form up north.

 

[dogdoc]

We have been in early May several times. It is a great time of year to go! The days are warm-hot but not unbearable. The crowds aren't bad either. I wish we could do that time of year again, but I really can't pull my middle schooler or high schooler out any more.

Beth

thanks for the reply. that was the kind of personal experience i was looking for.

 

[nhdisnut]

We have been to WDW several times during the last week in April and will be there again this year !! We have found the weather to be almost perfect (70's and 80's) with no humidity and reasonable crowds. If you encounter any unusually heavy crowds using fastpass can help reduce time in line. Last April the busiest park was MK - mid-day waits on Thurs were about 85 min. at Splash Mtn and BTMR, but if you are game enough to stay until close, or use the EMH after hours time you can get on all of the biggies without any problem. For example, that same Thursday where waits approched 90 min. at Splash and Big Thunder, that night at 10:30 we rode them 2 or 3 times each with NO WAIT!!

I also took note that WDW resort rates drop a bit starting April 23 - they go from Peak rates to Regular Season rates - to me this indicates that they expect the Spring Break and Easter crowds to be gone....

Enjoy your planning!!

 

[ellenmiele]

My kids have off the week after Easter (central Jersey) but my neice and nephews live in North Jersey and are always off the last week of April no matter when Easter is. We've gone the week after Easter for the past 2 years and we're doing it again this year. Yes, it's crowded but our experience has really not been bad. We do always stay onsite and we just make a point of getting into the parks early and making all our ADRs in well advance. In fact, last year we were in the MK on Easter Sunday and I was pleasantly surprised that the crowds were not bad at all. I think there is enough variation in the school vacation schedule for spring break and/or Easter to certainly make for less crowds than one would see during Christmas week or in summer when everyone really seems to be off from school at the same time.

 

[helenk]

Keep in mind that grad nights are April 28th and 29th as well as May 5th and 6th. MK closes early for these events, so plan accordingly. We decided to go in mid May just for that reason.

 

[dogdoc]

Keep in mind that grad nights are April 28th and 29th as well as May 5th and 6th. MK closes early for these events, so plan accordingly. We decided to go in mid May just for that reason.

oh i am so lucky you posted that grad night date. i was almost ready to schedule for the end of april.... not sure when to go right now, but thank you all for the input and help in planning aw: aw:

 

[JESW]

Here in our corner of the NE (which is SE MA) our kids have spring break every year the week of Presidents week. This year it starts 4/17 which is the day after Easter. USUALLY this is a great week to go weather and crowd-wise, but this year it will be busier due to the holiday and all the spring breaks. Too bad as we are still going if they will ever release the ap rates, but that is another thread.

OUR break is always the same week every year, but other folks change their breaks according to when Easter falls, which can either be in March or April.

Hope you have a great time!

Jill