How Bad is Easter Weekend in the Parks?

[muenginerd]

How bad is Easter Weekend in the parks crowd wise? We are planning our first family trip next year. Dates are either in Feb when Grandma will already be in Orlando for a conference, or April whenmy BFF is going with her hubby to Star Wars Celebration and wants us to tag along for a few days at Disney. If it was just hubby and I we would have no issue with crowds. I'm pushing for Feb, since I think it will be more manageable with two toddler in tow. (Plus we'll have Grandma and Grandpa down there to watch the kids at night so Mommy and Daddy can get in some alone time at the parks).

I'm kind of worried for my BFF though. She and her hubby had kind of a bad experience with crowds and weather last year at Disneyland. Turned her hubby off of Disney. Neither have been to Disneyworld. Do I tell her to still go even though it's Easter weekend, or maybe should they stick to Universal and such for now and do Disney another time. I feel like another bad experience will permanently blacklist Disney for her hubby.

 

[vicki_c]

Insane. Second only to Christmas/New Year's week. Based on what you said about their past experience, it might not be a good idea. But Universal will be exactly the same.

 

[hakepb]

I've done July 4th and Christmas Day, and I still look at Easter as a big NOPE!

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't want to be a downer and I haven't been during Christmas but we've gone during a lot of other crowded weeks, and Easter was really bad. Like I wish I hadn't wasted the money. The bright side is the weather is usually fabulous.

 

[skuttle]

We went in 2015 the Wednesday before Easter through the Friday after Easter. We've been going to WDW almost every year since 2000 and this was, by far, one of my favorite trips! It took a LOT of planning and we woke up early for 7am EMH every other day. However, we go to WDW often, and we were there for 8 full park days, so we weren't trying to do and see everything. We would go early, leave mid-day when the crowds were crazy, then return later in the day. The weather was perfect, and we really enjoyed Flower and Garden at Epcot.

I wouldn't hesitate to go during Easter again. The biggest negative for me is that we paid a lot more for our room and for certain meals.

We were at WDW for a quick trip to see Osborne Lights the week leading up to Christmas in 2015 also, and I thought our days during that trip were WAY more crowded than Easter. But that could have been because we had less time on the Christmas trip.

We've also done July 4th a few years ago. I thought that trip was worse, but the heat could have had something to do with that!

 

[DC to Disney]

We went during Easter week this year, and it was very crowded, on par with Christmas week. It was only manageable because we arrived at rope drop, left for lunch to take a break and go to the pool, and went back in the evening to ride attractions with FPs. The crowds never went away, even late at night. There was one night when MK was open until 2 am. We stayed until midnight, because we thought we could outlast the crowds, but there were still 90 minute waits at midnight!

 

[teachmedis]

Our first trip was last year during Easter week, so I don't have anything to compare it to but we had a fantastic time and our next trip will be at Easter as well. We were at the parks prior to rope drop, took a break in the afternoons. I got all the ADRs I wanted. With a little planning a fastpasses we didn't wait more than 15 minutes for anything. We also knew we couldn't see everything and that crowds were something we couldn't avoid entirely. There was only one ten minute rain shower, it was beautiful!

 

[2DisPrincesses]

NEVER again. We did it once. We've been every other time of year too and Easter was the worst. If I "had" to be at WDW, I would stay away from the Parks.

 

[GPC0321]

We were there this Easter (Good Friday through the Wednesday after Easter), and I didn't think it was that bad at all. Maybe my definition of "insane crowds" is different, and maybe because it was my first trip to WDW in 17 years, I just didn't care if it was crowded. But I'm not bothered by crowds at all, so that could be it too. I know some people really don't tolerate crowds that well.
MK pre-10am is very doable, and Epcot (Future World) after 6pm was like a ghost town (of course, it was kind of rainy that evening too). We did fireworks in every park and parades and shows and such, and never felt like it was so awful.
The buses to and from the resort were often crowded, but we got seats almost as often as we had to stand. Going back to the resort after fireworks was usually the worst.
I'd go again at Easter in a heartbeat. The weather was gorgeous.

 

[CAS239]

We were there Easter 2014 and 2015, and it wasn't bad at all. It was nothing close to July 4th or New Years. It was definitely busy, but that whole time around Easter is busy.

But then again, when is Disney ever in a slow period? It isn't lol

 

[Chucky!]

We were there at Easter 2015 and it was very busy and with planning and afternoon breaks it was manageble, we still had a great time and wouldn't stop us from booking Easter again

 

[scrappingbuckeye]

It's generally not that bad, we've done it many times. This year was worse than previous I think because Easter was so much earlier. Years that Easter is later in April aren't that crowded at all, nothing like 4th of July of Christmas.

 

[dsdeleon]

We have done Easter Day in MK in 2014 and 2015. It was only a couple hours of dropping in for FP+ though not a crazy long day. I would NOT want to host another family and "chase the magic" on days like that. No way. Universal will be crowded too but if you can get Express Pass it would be a better experience on you hosting them.

 

[DVCcurious]

Since everyone's definition of "crowded" is different let me give you specific examples from our trip last Easter (1.5 months ago)

IASW extended queue out front with 30 minute wait
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor(got in trouble abbreviating that one before): wait 20 minutes for one show to finish, then let in the pre show room for the next show to finish, then let into the laugh floor
HM:40 minutes with the end of the line by Liberty Belle entrance
POTC: line goes to the end of the covered section, 40 minute waits
Aladdin's Magic Carpets: full queue is in use, 30 minute waits
Tomorrowland Speedway: extended queue outside, 50 minute wait
quick service food: 10 minute wait to order, hard to find an empty table

Stitch: no wait

 

[geenerbell]

Honestly, I was scared to go Easter Weekend 2015 but my fears were unfounded. We arrived on Thursday. We toured on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday. The crowds were not that bad. We did everything we planned on and loved it. I wonder if the weeks before and after Easter are worse.

 

[wisblue]

Because of school schedules, we have had more trips at Easter than any other time. Because we know what to expect and have our approaches for doing everything we want to do, we have great trips. We do tend to avoid being in the parks in the middle of the day when they are most crowded. Also, as others have said, the weather is usually quite nice; warm, but not as hot and humid as later in the spring and through the summer and early fall.

If I had a choice, though, I would go at a different time, especially if a trip at Easter would be with someone who has already declared they don't like crowds. Given the two choices presented by the OP, I would be taking February with Grandma and Grandpa over Easter with someone who may be made miserable by the crowds. February would be more comfortable with small children too. That's when we took our first couple of trips with the kids when they were young enough to take out of school for a week.

 

[Anal Annie]

We've done a couple of spring break trips during the week leading up to Easter but we always leave to go home a couple of days prior to Easter because the crowds get crazier & crazier the closer it gets to Easter (so I've never actually been in a park ON Easter). Our experience was tho that the parks get busier with each day and by mid-week MK reached capacity by mid-morning every morning and it was WALL to WALL people. We felt like minnows swimming upstream trying to cross the park (actually the only easy way to do it was to hop onto the train & ride it around the park). We usually left and went somewhere else by say 11 - 12:00. By that time it was always closed to admission until the crowds thinned out. These trips were the only times we've seen the parks at FULL capacity and that's a crazy thing to be caught in.

 

[BethR9]

Since everyone's definition of "crowded" is different let me give you specific examples from our trip last Easter (1.5 months ago)

IASW extended queue out front with 30 minute wait
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor(got in trouble abbreviating that one before): wait 20 minutes for one show to finish, then let in the pre show room for the next show to finish, then let into the laugh floor
HM:40 minutes with the end of the line by Liberty Belle entrance
POTC: line goes to the end of the covered section, 40 minute waits
Aladdin's Magic Carpets: full queue is in use, 30 minute waits
Tomorrowland Speedway: extended queue outside, 50 minute wait
quick service food: 10 minute wait to order, hard to find an empty table

Stitch: no wait

But what time was this at? That makes a HUGE difference also...

 

[chocolateavocado]

Following along & appreciating everyone sharing their experiences. We're considering an Easter 2017 trip, as well, due to school schedule.

 

[inkedupmomma]

Joining in as well. DD15 is in high school now and requested not to be pulled more than a couple days next year, so it look like spring break it is! Our break is easter week ;/ Up side is, at least flower and garden festival will be going on and the easter egg hunt at epcot!