Favorite Peak week tip or advice

[pnelson384]

We are going to WDW for Easter and the week following. I saw the thread about the horrible crowds, and while I believe that the crowds will be terrible, I'm trying to stay positive. This is our first family trip and my husband will never go back if it's a bad experience. (He doesn't understand what the big deal is with WDW.) So... What is your best tip for managing our time during that worst of weeks? We're staying at the POLY. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[Rpsemont]

I don't envy you going when it's busy. I think this Pres Week is probably gong to be our busiest trip and I'm glad I don't feel a need to do it all.

However, being your first trip, I would also make sure you utilize fast pass (so many people don't), utilize EMH, and prioritize what you really want to do and try to accomplish those things. If there's a really long line, save it for another day if you can't FP it, but then do it first on that other day.
You may also want to try to get one of the touring plans and follow it. I have heard they work great.

 

[Dana49]

I recommend that you plan each day of your trip before you leave. Research the information that's available to you. Arrive early at the parks on EMH days, utilize the Fast Pass, and leave the park around noontime to go back to your resort and rest. Return to the parks in late afternoon, you'll be refreshed while everyone else is leaving exhausted. Don't worry, you'll have a great time.

 

[720L]

We almost always go at the busiest times and have never waited in line more than 15 minutes. USE FASTPASS. If it happens to rain-don't leave!! The crowds thin out when it rains. We walked right on HM and Pirates during a downpour. Take a break in the afternoon. Research the DISboards because we got all our best tips from here!!!

 

[jclark3]

I remember back in 1993 hearing a friend talk about purchasing guidebooks to plan her Disney vacation. At the time I thought she was nuts! But she had it right. As one of the guidebooks states "Disney is not an existential experience." The more you plan upfront, the better your Disney experience w ill be, I'm convinced.
If you don't want to shell out the $$ for a new guidebook (I've used the Unofficial Guide, and Birnbaums) you could borrow them from the local library or ask some of your friends. They change slightly from year to year.
By planning your trip in advance (I plan the ENTIRE day, ride by ride, and make reservations for all dining) you cut down on frustration and get the most of the big bucks you're spending on this vacation! I give a copy of the itinerary to each family member. I've never heard "Mom what should we do next?" or "we're spending too much time in the lines!".
At the end of the trip, I see that we haven't followed the itinerary completely. Something always intervenes. But as Captain Barbosa says in PoC "they're not rules, they're more like guidelines!"

 

[edk35]

Join TourGuideMike and he will guide you through those parks during peak season. I hope I can talk about his site on here. OOOPs. He tells you what parks to avoid on what days and when the crowds ZIGS.........YOU ZAG. We used him for our Jan. trip and all his tips and all really worked. I will see how his busy times advice works for us Thanksgiving week.


Denise

 

[disneydiz]

Another vote for TourGuideMIke! We always go Easter week and it is extremely busy! Easter 2004 the waterparks were filled by 11:00 AM (this depends on what the weather is like). Plan on hitting the parks early and leaving around lunch for your room (when it gets very crowded). Then return at dinner time -- its great because the MK will be open late. Plan ahead, make all your PS, always, always go to the second show for Fantasmic, etc. (The Fantasmic packages are sold out for that week.) People line up at EPCOT for Illuminations about one-hour before, and the first show of Fantasmic about 1.5 hours. The Poly is wonderful!! DO NOT GO TO THE MK ON EASTER SUNDAY. RESEARCH!!

 

[paigevz]

but always flew out on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, so we haven't actually been there on Easter. We used the Unofficial Guide to make our plans, and yes, we planned the entire day too...........and we never had a problem. We always had a couple things we didn't get to, but in all it was easy. I just don't remember the crowds now at all (though I'm sure they must've been there!), I guess because they didn't impact us.