Is spring break really no fun???:(

[tortugaverde]

I have read a few things on here the past couple of days about how spring break crowds make the park miserable. I think someone posted that their worst day in DL was during spring break! Is it really THAT bad? I am starting to have second thoughts about going during this time... but we are teachers, so it is either spring break or summer break!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

A lot of people handle the crowds well. Some people prefer it crowded because that tends to mean longer park hours, most every attraction is running, and the shows/parades are going as well. It just depends on if you are one of these people!

I can't stand going when it's too crowded, I simply do not enjoy it. I don't like long lines and not being able to go on enough rides in one day (even with using FP), and if the walk ways are impossible to walk with so many people on them. So I always try to plan for a time when the crowds are low, thankfully since we Homeschool that is easier then what a lot of people can do.

So really it just depends on what you can deal with and like. A lot of people have a good attitude about making the best out of it no matter how bad it gets.

 

[DLR29]

A lot of people handle the crowds well. Some people prefer it crowded because that tends to mean longer park hours, most every attraction is running, and the shows/parades are going as well. It just depends on if you are one of these people!

Agree 100%. Some people (like me) don't mind crowds, while others can't stand it at all. I say, if you arrive early (30 min before opening), maximize your FP usage, and know when to ride certain rides (for example don't waste your early morning touring time on rides like Pirates or Haunted Mansion which usually have fast moving lines any time of the day), then crowds aren't as noticeable. If you arrive late to an already crowded park and don't bother with FastPass, well then of course you aren't going to get as much stuff done.

 

[mommaU4]

We're going over my kids Spring Break (March 18-21) and I have to confess I'm nervous about the crowds. I don't do well with lots of people around. Takes the fun out of it for me. Especially trying to keep track of four kids in a sea of people.

BUT we are still going. We have APs so we gotta get our money's worth. LOL I figure we'll just go expecting massive crowds. I've already told the kids we probably won't be doing as many rides, and warned them of what to expect.

And we'll probably use this time as an opportunity to take in some of the shows or other attractions we don't usually bother with.

I think it will be fine as long as you go knowing what to expect and make the best of it.

 

[Disneyluvr2]

I think you've hit the nail on the head mommaU4. If you go knowing it's going to be crowded, plan accordingly. You just need to be in the right frame of mind and expect the lines to be long and the park to be crowded. Just take things at a slower pace and go with the flow. You're at Disneyland so just have fun anyway you can!

 

[LisainCalifornia]

We have gone to DL (stayed at DLH) for 2-3 times a year for the past several years, and the only over the top-too crowded to even breathe time we ever had was spring break '06. Summer is crowded, but this was so far beyond that it was torture (and that is saying something coming from this Disneyland lover!). But that may have just been the luck of the draw for the week we picked--as sometimes the spring break weeks are different for different schools.

We go every summer as well, and that is also crowded--but nothing like that spring break week for us. I pretty much expect crowds at DL and don't even mind them, but they were so bad for us that one trip it made me say "never again for spring break"---and everyone in the family heartily agreed. It was just soooooo bad.

But even with that said--your trip may be fine--and I think you should just go and keep an open mind about it. Let us know how it is--and hopefully it won't be bad as far as crowds at all.

 

[tortugaverde]

Thanks for your thoughts... in reality, I still want to go no matter the crowd level... I am just trying to prepare my hubby (I think the kidos will be fine!) he is not a crowd kinda person

Gracias to all who responded

 

[Husker Mickey]

Ditto to being in the right frame of mind. We went last year during Spring Break, and yes it was crowded. The weekends are the worst, so plan accordingly. Also don't forget to try to eat during the off times - not right at noon or 6pm. Sat. night was the worst, but we did okay. There were 22 in our party. We just kept the cell phones humming and managed to deal with it.

Where else can you people watch like that? I promise, you will see everything!

 

[Dobie]

Crowds at DL always seem worse than they are because the walkways are so congested. Here are some tips:

1. Stay onsite if you can. This way, you get magical morning every morning you are there.

2. Get there early. Plan that you will only do rides in the morning.

3. Collect Fastpasses all morning (see Hydroguy's summer tips.) Don't use them in the morning. Use them in the evening, after dinner.

4. Make PS's for lunch and dinner. That way, you never have to wait in line for a meal.

5. Leave the park around noon or one and spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool. Nap, shower, eat dinner, and head back for the evening. Use the FP's you hoarded from the morning.

6. In the early afternoon, before you leave, you can do shows--Muppets, Aladdin, ITTBAB, HISTA. These will have a minimal wait.

 

[Hound 109]

Crowds at DL always seem worse than they are because the walkways are so congested. Here are some tips:

1. Stay onsite if you can. This way, you get magical morning every morning you are there.

2. Get there early. Plan that you will only do rides in the morning.

3. Collect Fastpasses all morning (see Hydroguy's summer tips.) Don't use them in the morning. Use them in the evening, after dinner.4. Make PS's for lunch and dinner. That way, you never have to wait in line for a meal.

5. Leave the park around noon or one and spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool. Nap, shower, eat dinner, and head back for the evening. Use the FP's you hoarded from the morning.

6. In the early afternoon, before you leave, you can do shows--Muppets, Aladdin, ITTBAB, HISTA. These will have a minimal wait.

The Six Commandments. Read them.....Follow them.

(& if you're not staying onsite, use MM when you can, but STILL GET THERE EARLY - 30 MIN. BEFORE OPENING....unless it's a sleep in day.)

 

[Vacation Dad]

Dobie has it pretty much right, get there early and gather as many fastpasses as possible. We went the week before Thanksgiving and I had 6 or 7 fastpasses in my pocket for use later in the day by the time we headed to lunch in the early afternoon. The longest time we ever spent in line over most of 3 days was 20 minutes, and it was usually less than that.

That being said, there is a certain level of crowd that can make life in Disneyland quite uncomfortable. I’m not sure if spring break is that time, but it sounds like it could be. We were at Disneyland on Thanksgiving Day 4 or 5 years ago, and by noon you could not move around the park. What would normally be a reasonable 5 minute walk turned into a 20 minute ordeal. You couldn’t really enjoy the atmosphere because you were spending all your time making sure the people in your group were all together. I wouldn’t say it was miserable, but it certainly was not as much fun as the days earlier in the week.

It was mentioned that PS’s could help with saving time for meals. We did it a different way by staying at the BW Park Place Inn directly across the street. We used their included continental breakfast, and headed back to our room to eat lunch. We only ever worried about dinner inside the park, and we usually ate outside the usual dinner hours.

 

[deletedpenguin]

It's definitely more crowded, but is it really no fun? I suppose it's what you make of it.

 

[tkitty]

I'm taking my chances 3/10 and 3/11. DD and I will leave the guys home and enjoy the parks with 1 and 6 year old. We can handle the crowds much better than the guys. DH hates the crowds at DL but will put up with WDW if he has to. Me, I just want to be there regardless!
Hoping that week is a bit lighter, I know Arizona people may be heading that way. Perhaps I can set up a road block along my way.

 

[DSNY4ever]

1. Stay onsite if you can. This way, you get magical morning every morning you are there.

I don't know if this changes for Spring break, but we stayed at the DLH during the holidays and they only offered us the Magical morning on one day of our two day stay. She said it was something like only on Mon, thurs and Sat (I don't remember the exact days)- luckily one of our days was a Thursday. And we had to go down to the front desk and ask about it because she didn't offer us any info about it when we checked in. It was strange like they were trying to keep it a secret...shouldn't that be a major perk that they promote?