Is 1st week of April too crowded?

imlazar

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
584
We're thinking about visiting Disney World during the first week of April as it is spring break for our kids. I know this is peak season (as the resort rates have already told me), but my question for the group is will it be too crowded to enjoy the parks?

Our kids are pretty young, so we typically don't do the roller-coasters or the scary rides such as the twighlight zone hotel. We'll do the kid-friendly stuff at MK and the other parks.

What can we expect? Three hour waits for Pooh & Philharmagic and no chance of getting any character meals, or will the parks be enjoyable?
 
We have previously visited WDW during the weeks before and after Easter and have enjoyed ourselves completely. If you read the boards, research and complete your park/ADR plan well in advance, you should be fine, too. In fact, we will be there this year from 3/21 thru 4/5 (although we plan to do our "commando" park touring during the first 10 days, then spending more time at the resort toward the end).

Once you decide which days you will be there, check the schedule of park hours(available on the WDW website, or here) and EMH schedule. With young kids, you will want to use the early EMH as much as possible and try to get a rest/nap break in the afternoon. The parks are open longer around Easter, so you can really fit a lot in one day(if your family can handle it, that is!) We like to get park hopper tickets so we have the option of using the early EMH, then resting when it gets busy(usually by noon), then going to a non-EMH park later(with the hope that others have not purchased the hopper option and will stay at the EMH park...seems to work for us :goodvibes )

We also make sure to utilize the Fastpass system as much as possible. This usually involved sending one person ahead with all the tickets of our party(all you have to do is get inside the park, then the "runner" can head to your first choice ride and get passes for everyone) while the rest of the group could take their time checking out other attractions/rides. It took a while for my husband to accept that this plan worked(he does not like to split up, some hidden childhood fear of getting lost or something :blush:

You also may want to check out Disboard Sponsor Tourguide Mike to get additional ideas.

Having visited other times of the year, Easter is really not my first choice, but given the length of winter in Wisconsin, I have to get out of town for warmer weather and try to do it without my 2 kids missing a whole lot of school. LIke I said, we still have a great time, and I'm sure you will too!! :thumbsup2
 
We were there the first week of April this year. We will NEVER be back there at that time of year again. waaaaaaay too crowded for us.
 
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My DSis and I were there the first week of April this year and thought that the crowds were much lighter than we had expected. Of course Easter was later this year. I haven't paid attention when it will be for 07. We had to wait for a couple of rides but not too long.
 
I often visit Epcot and MK during the first week of April. I dont think its too busy. It is a big spring break time......but I dont recall it being that bad.
 


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