For those of you who have gone to WDW the weeks around Easter...

[momoflizandains]

and have also been there the week between Christmas and New Years, how do the weeks compare? I have been there a couple of times now for Spring Break and found it completely doable, but I have heard nightmares about the week between Xmas and New Years. Does anyone have any opinions, insights, etc?

 

[pnyltwk]

We used to do WDW at Spring Break but got tired of the crowds. It is so much more enjoyable during the off peak times. We were at WDW this past Christmas from the 27th of Dec. until the 2nd of Jan. I found the parks way over crowded. DTD was almost just as packed. We actually decided to upgrade our park tickets to non-expiring and are returning the last week of October for a few days before our DCL cruise during Halloween. My wife and I have no major problem taking our kid's out of school for a few days for a field trip to Orlando.

 

[jel0511]

I must have lost my mind last year, we were there both the week before Easter and the week between Christmas and NYE. The Christmas week definately had longer lines, but to me it seemed Easter was more crowded. There just seemed to be more people walking around, at least with Easter your guaranteed of decent weather, where Christmas is more of a crapshoot. Will I go at either of those times again? Probably, with two school aged children, it's either then or summer...

 

[momof2minnies]

Never again around Easter.You also have to watch the date that Easter falls on.In March we had Easter, spring breakers- yes they go there too, and the dreaded cheerleaders!

 

[ilovecoasters]

This past week was by far worse than any Christmas, Thanksgiving or New Year's that I've seen in years.

 

[drusba]

Have done both (and in fact was there during both times last year). The overall crowd sizes are comparable. However, for Easter time (week before or week of) you do not have as high a risk of a park closing. It can happen during Easter time but it is rare. A key reason: part of that crowd that would be in the theme parks is at the waterparks during Easter time during the day and during Christmas it is often too cool to get many to the waterparks. One measurement is Soarin: Easter time the stand-by line can go to 3 to 3 1/2 hours and at Christmas it can approach 4.

NY Eve in MK or Epcot is the most crowded day of the year in those two parks and thus that day is worse than Easter time. Also, when Easter is in mid-April rather than in March or first few days of April, it is bit less crowded (but not much) because that March time coincides with the highest spring break weeks for schools that have set spring break weeks rather than one of the two Easter weeks.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

...One measurement is Soarin: Easter time the stand-by line can go to 3 to 3 1/2 hours and at Christmas it can approach 4.

FWIW, we were at Epcot yesterday. Soarin's wait was 90 minutes, and Mission Space was 40. Test Track said 70 minutes, but we didn't wait that long (about 50 minutes at most). I think the difference this year is that spring breaks for schools were all over the board. Some in March, some around Easter. I think it scattered the crowds a little more. Christmas, on the other hand, never changes.

The year we did go over Christmas was the week before (school break happened to work out that way), and it was incredible. We left on the 12/22, and the amount of people coming in was unbelievable. Even the bus driver taking us back to MCO commented on the number of people coming to Dis over the next few days, and joked how we were missing it!

 

[AnnaS]

FWIW, we were at Epcot yesterday. Soarin's wait was 90 minutes, and Mission Space was 40. Test Track said 70 minutes, but we didn't wait that long (about 50 minutes at most). I think the difference this year is that spring breaks for schools were all over the board. Some in March, some around Easter. I think it scattered the crowds a little more. Christmas, on the other hand, never changes.

That does not seems so bad. Or should I see it seems like the wait times are the same as when we are there usually end of August.

We were there for three days during Easter a few years ago and it was wall to wall people. I would expect not to go on any rides and just enjoy the atmosphere during this time.

 

[Anal Annie]

We are considering going next year for a few days over spring break but have never been at that time. Now, my DH takes some college classes here & there and his spring break NEVER hits at the same time as our DS's school so that's one reason why we probably wouldn't go for a whole week. The college break was 2 weeks ago and he had mid-terms this past week. Our DS's break was this past week this year. NEXT year DS's school break starts Sat. 3/27 and goes thru Easter Monday 4/6 but then they're also adding that Tues. 4/6 as a "professional day". So I was thinking about either going over that Easter weekend and coming back on Tuesday so hopefully DH wouldn't miss any classes (as long as he doesn't take a Mon. eve. class) OR going the previous weekend for about 4-5 nights and be home well before Easter weekend. Anybody have any thoughts about which one of those scenarios would play out the best as far as the crowds?? Is it best to go & come back before Easter or to be there over Easter or does it not matter so much??

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We are considering going next year for a few days over spring break but have never been at that time. Now, my DH takes some college classes here & there and his spring break NEVER hits at the same time as our DS's school so that's one reason why we probably wouldn't go for a whole week. The college break was 2 weeks ago and he had mid-terms this past week. Our DS's break was this past week this year. NEXT year DS's school break starts Sat. 3/27 and goes thru Easter Monday 4/6 but then they're also adding that Tues. 4/6 as a "professional day". So I was thinking about either going over that Easter weekend and coming back on Tuesday so hopefully DH wouldn't miss any classes (as long as he doesn't take a Mon. eve. class) OR going the previous weekend for about 4-5 nights and be home well before Easter weekend. Anybody have any thoughts about which one of those scenarios would play out the best as far as the crowds?? Is it best to go & come back before Easter or to be there over Easter or does it not matter so much??

There really are no good weeks from the middle of March thru the entire month of April. Every state has a different "Spring Break" week, as well as colleges. We went the 3rd week of April last year (Easter was the last week of March last year) and the parks were absolutely horrible! Never again in April, unless I am at Vero Beach! We only had one ADR, Biergarten, and we still waited 1 hour after our scheduled ADR time..

 

[starbox]

We've gone spring break the past two years (just got back Thursday). The crowds can be intolerable - but with DVC we find it easy to relax and not stress about riding everything. We spend LOTS of time enjoying the resorts/pools. Last year, our spring break was NOT over Easter, so we were able to pool-hop and that was great fun. We mostly just like being there for the weather!

We went NYD one year and it ended up being my least favorite trip of all time. Weather ranged from warm (70ish) to cold (40ish) but it was dark and it rained. I decided that I can do Disney with crowds, and I can do rain, and I can do cold - but all three at once = miserable me. I do not like being cold and wet.

The week BEFORE Christmas was awesome

So - I vote for April just because you can count on nicer weather.

 

[drusba]

FWIW, we were at Epcot yesterday. Soarin's wait was 90 minutes, and Mission Space was 40. Test Track said 70 minutes, but we didn't wait that long (about 50 minutes at most). I think the difference this year is that spring breaks for schools were all over the board. Some in March, some around Easter. I think it scattered the crowds a little more. Christmas, on the other hand, never changes.

That does not seems so bad. Or should I see it seems like the wait times are the same as when we are there usually end of August.

We were there for three days during Easter a few years ago and it was wall to wall people. I would expect not to go on any rides and just enjoy the atmosphere during this time.

You experienced one the planning tricks concerning Easter. Sat and Easter Sunday are usually the lightest days for Epcot during the Easter weeks. Usually the same for Animal Kingdom. Studios is usually lighter on Easter Sunday also. Also, when Easter is mid-April, it is better than when it is earlier.