How bad is non-Easter spring break?

[Masonmj84]

We're planning a trip next year during the last half of March.

In the past, we've always gone during relatively less crowded times (e.g., early February, early December, early May).

But with our oldest now in middle school, I'm less inclined to take him out of school. And given that the other options are summer and Christmas, spring break seems like our best bet (especially with Easter not being until mid-April in 2017).

In our specific case, we do long stays (have 8 day tickets), which allows us to have 3 days at each of MK and EP (with 1 day at each of HS and AK). We also RD, make touring plans, know how to use FP+, don't need to ride anything more than once, and tyically leave the parks between about noon and 1 pm to go back to our resort for afternoon pool/R&R time.

Under those circumstances, I'm expecting things to be manageable (even though crowds will be a lot bigger than we're used to). But I'm interested in others perspectives as many of my friends have indicated that we're crazy for even considering Disney World over spring break.

 

[Alesia]

Crowds are very manageable. It's a good time to go. I would pick it over February or early December.

 

[ArwenMarie]

The crowds are high but the weather is fantastic.

 

[AshleeH]

Everyone I know who went this past year (when Spring Break and Easter were more spaced out) said it was comparable to summer crowds. Which is better than the madhouse it usually tends toward.

 

[loves to dive]

I guess it would depend upon when your spring break is, where I live we are smack dab in the middle of 3 public school districts and the University of Georgia. None of them have the same spring break although the publich schools in Athens tend to try to be closed the same time UGA. My son is attending UGA and we went during their spring break this past March. It wasn't bad at all, it was also during F&G. Didn't seem crowded at all to us but we tend to go late August/early Sept. so maybe it's all relative. Bonus, it was warm enough to go to the pool but not so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk and it didn't rain the entire time.

 

[2009CAN]

This year we went first week in April, a week after Easter Spring break. It wasn't horrible at all and it was very doable!

 

[g-dad66]

We go during mid-March spring break nearly every year. Agree that crowds are high but weather is fantastic.

Easter Week can be so crowded that MK sometimes fills to capacity, but this has never happened during our non-Easter weeks. I think you will be fine.

 

[mkarizona]

Our March trip was the best ever. The weather was perfect and the parks were open really late.

 

[soniam]

We've been the past two years during mid-March, non-Easter week. It's great. Weather's good. There are crowds. Sometimes more than some summer weeks. We would do it again though. I did notice that hotels and flights were much more expensive than summer though

 

[LSUfan4444]

We're planning a trip next year during the last half of March.

In the past, we've always gone during relatively less crowded times (e.g., early February, early December, early May).

But with our oldest now in middle school, I'm less inclined to take him out of school. And given that the other options are summer and Christmas, spring break seems like our best bet (especially with Easter not being until mid-April in 2017).

In our specific case, we do long stays (have 8 day tickets), which allows us to have 3 days at each of MK and EP (with 1 day at each of HS and AK). We also RD, make touring plans, know how to use FP+, don't need to ride anything more than once, and tyically leave the parks between about noon and 1 pm to go back to our resort for afternoon pool/R&R time.

Under those circumstances, I'm expecting things to be manageable (even though crowds will be a lot bigger than we're used to). But I'm interested in others perspectives as many of my friends have indicated that we're crazy for even considering Disney World over spring break.

I always suggest to go back and not only look at old crowd calendars, but look at posts from the previous years on places like EasyWDW.

 

[writerguyfl]

As other folks mentioned, Spring Break varies based on the school district. Typically, the huge school districts in Florida have a big affect on crowds. When hundreds of thousands of kids within driving distance are out of school, the parks will be busy.

It will take a little internet searching, but I'd recommend checking out the Spring Break dates for the following public school districts. It might give you an idea of how busy a certain week might be during the multi-week Spring Break season. The Top 10 largest public school districts (with approximate student counts):

• Miami-Dade Public Schools (350,000 students)
• Broward County Public Schools (260,000 students)
• Hillsborough County Public Schools (203,000 students)
• Orange County Public Schools (187,000 students)
• Palm Beach County Public Schools (182,000 students)
• Duval County Public Schools (127,000 students)
• Pinellas County Public Schools (103,000 students)
• Polk County Public Schools (97,000 students)
• Lee County Public Schools (87,000 students)
• Brevard Public Schools (71,000 students)

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

As other folks mentioned, Spring Break varies based on the school district. Typically, the huge school districts in Florida have a big affect on crowds. When hundreds of thousands of kids within driving distance are out of school, the parks will be busy.

It will take a little internet searching, but I'd recommend checking out the Spring Break dates for the following public school districts. It might give you an idea of how busy a certain week might be during the multi-week Spring Break season. The Top 10 largest public school districts (with approximate student counts):

• Miami-Dade Public Schools (350,000 students)
• Broward County Public Schools (260,000 students)
• Hillsborough County Public Schools (203,000 students)
• Orange County Public Schools (187,000 students)
• Palm Beach County Public Schools (182,000 students)
• Duval County Public Schools (127,000 students)
• Pinellas County Public Schools (103,000 students)
• Polk County Public Schools (97,000 students)
• Lee County Public Schools (87,000 students)
• Brevard Public Schools (71,000 students)

This is crazy helpful, thanks!

 

[Tissa]

Our March spring break is my favorite time to go. Not as crowded to me as summer and the weather is usually better. One year we had to buy lightweight jackets while we were there, year before last it hit the 90's.

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

We've gone the first week of March twice. Moderate crowds in my opinion. With proper planning I think you'd have a wonderful time.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We went the first week of April this year with predicted crowd levels of 3-4. Crowds had to be 10+. It was the most crowded we have ever seen the parks- especially MK. We could not move through the park. Waited over an hour for Dumbo (posted wait was something like 30 minutes).

We went in July and September of 2015 and February, April and July of 2016. April had by far the worst crowds of all of our trips.

The weather, however, was absolutely perfect. Just be prepared for big crowds. If they are not there, then you will be pleasantly surprised. If you prepare for moderate crowds and get heavy crowds, you may be disappointed.

 

[Day-Day]

There is at least one 2017 spring break poll posted on the forum. http://disboards.com/threads/when-is-your-spring-break-2017.3513971/page-2 It can be helpful as long as it gets enough responses. I just bumped it up after searching for it.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

We're planning a trip next year during the last half of March.

Crowds will be higher than the other date ranges that you listed, but the later in March that you go, the better.

 

[madzy]

We are going the weekend of March 17th to attend my daughter's cheer competition. When I seen the dates I almost fell over. This past year we went the last weekend in February and it was great crowd wise. I'm definitely worried as this is right in the middle of spring break season.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I've gone twice in March but spaced it weeks away from Easter. Crowds were always good but the park hours were shorter.