Please help with fears over Easter Week at the parks

[rbalcom]

This is our first time going at Easter ( we usually go mid March and have always used the touring plans in the Unofficial Guide with virtually no waits at all). I know the crowds will be huge so have included EMH hours when planning our days. We have park hopper tickets and plan on going really early (as soon as the parks open, leaving around noon and then returning later that day. I'm prepared for crowds larger than March but how overwhemed will we be? Will fast passes still help save wait times? How early should we arrive for shows like Fantasmic or Lights Motors Action? My father is going with us and he needs a scooter. Will he be able to manoever around? We really want to see Soarin and Test Track. Any special strategies for these? How early should we arrive for EMH mornings. The book suggests 45 to 60 minutes. Do they really let you in that early even with MEMH. What about EEMH, are there really fewer people at this time. Sorry for so many questions. Anyone with experience with this time of year, I would love to hear how you kept it magical.

 

[FWFamily4Life]

AS an unfortunate veteran of easter week trips, my biggest suggestion to you is be there early, have a plan for what you want to see, take a break in the afternoon, and everything else is a bonus. You wont get to do everything so dont try, but enjoy all the moments you do.

Go to soarin first and then send someone for fp to TT or send a person for fp to soarin and go to TT and have the FP person meet you at TT (since your father will be on a scooter and the crowd going to TT will be lighter)
As for fantasmic and LMA we show up about 40mins early for Fantasmic, and about 20 mins for LMA and we always end up sitting in the area we want.

As for 45-60 mins for EMH...............i guess if you want to be the very first person in line. we are at the entrance of the park 20mins before the park opening and never had a problem. if you are driving your car to the park, then make sure to remember that you have to park/walk/tram/walk to the park entrance so add additional time.

eat your lunch early if you dont want to wait for TS or stand in long lines at CS. We are swimming at the pool from 2-4 while most people are standing in long lines. It is not that bad of a time just be early and try to have a plan and you will have a nice time. Sometimes its those little unexpected moments that really make your trips magical.

 

[hockey mom]

We went Easter 2004 and I can honestly say that it was not as crowded as I feared it would be.

Make good use of fast pass.

 

[rbalcom]

A little reassurance was all I needed. I really believe in the go early and leave early plan. Just needed some perspective on this. Thanks again.

 

[Selket]

I haven't been over Easter/spring break but I subscribe to TourGuideMike and I know that he has a couple of guides to those weeks with specific answers to many of the questions you ask. I have used TGM on my last 3 trips and found the advice excellent. I'm hoping to go the week before Easter (our spring break) and so I've been reading his info.

As for your dad, it sounds like he needs to rent a scooter right? You might wish to ask on the disAbilities board but I've often seen folks recommend that you arrange for a scooter/wheelchair rental off-site - I think it gets delivered to your hotel. Then you are assured that you will actually GET a scooter. I would just wonder if they run out of these at busy times.

TGM has much good info about where to go and when. And also info on where the seating is for those in wheelchairs/scooters and how early you might need to arrive to secure a spot, etc. I would guess those spaces are in high demand over Easter!

I would also knock my expectations down a bit for how much you can accomplish at least compared to less busy times of the year. See the best and forget the rest, etc. Pick out the "must-sees" and everything else is gravy.

Have fun!

 

[grimley1968]

Fastpass, Fastpass, Fastpass.

Also, I wouldn't depend on EMH's to allow you to see much more of the park than you'd get to see during the day. In fact, EMH is often MORE crowded than the regular hours.

Finally, keep in mind that MK is always busiest during the weekends, and can be quite maneageable during the weekdays. You might try to go to the less popular AK or MGM on weekends and MK and EPCOT during weekdays.

As another poster said, you will most likely not get to try everything you want, so take it easy and enjoy yourself.

 

[rbalcom]

I'm really thinking of the TourGuide Mike subscription. I agree fastpass will be my best friend. I need to be smart about using it. As for avoiding MK on weekends, I would love to but my brother and his family are travelling with us and have a reservation for their daughter at CRT (or something like it) at 12:00 on Easter Sunday. He really wants us to go to the park with them. He's never been before. My plan is be early! and be back at the hotel by 11:30 am. Heading for MGM that night. Hope this works. Thanks for all the advice. Looks like I might need it.

 

[tiff211]

Another fan of TGM!!! Used it last year and signed up again this year. We will be there the day before Easter until the Friday after.

 

[vavalynn2]

we planned a last minute trip to wdw for easter last year.

i recommend as well to get to the parks early. you will be able to do more that way. i really thought it was going to be worse than it was. i also tend to pick up fast passes and use them much later than the times suggest. the cms always let us through and then we dont find ourselves guessing how much we can get done in the hour and fourty minutes until we can go on space mt.

this was our first stay at POR and it was sold out. we did not feel that the resort was overcrowded with people one bit.

we also found it difficult to get PS anywhere for Sat and Sun night for dinner.

have a great time!!

 

[LeahA]

Start early! Start early! Start early!

You have to get there when the park opens. If there is any EMH's you have to use them.

I don't think this Easter will be as bad as last Easter when we went. Easter is so much later this year. Last year it was at the end of March and coincided with everyone's spring breaks.

You'll be fine, just start early!

 

[jellydisney]

AS an unfortunate veteran of easter week trips, my biggest suggestion to you is be there early, have a plan for what you want to see, take a break in the afternoon, and everything else is a bonus. You wont get to do everything so dont try, but enjoy all the moments you do.

I agree! I have been during Easter 2-3 times now. GO EARLY!!! That's my biggest suggestion.

I have also been there during Christmas, and it's the same thing. A lot of people don't like to get to the park first thing in the morning because they are on vacation and want to sleep in. But if you go when the park opens, do the big attractions first. And definitely make use of fast pass.

At Epcot, do Soarin first and get a fast past for Test Track, and then hop onto Mission Space. And never wait more than 2 minutes for Spaceship Earth--there will be no line at the end of the day.

At Magic Kingdom, head either for Buzz Lightyear and Space MT, or Splash and Thunder... We usually end up going to MK twice in the AM so we can do all of them.

Have a plan, and then take a break in the middle of the day (if you are staying on property) to take a nap, go swimming, etc. It won't be so bad if you have a plan! And make PS!!

Ok, there's my 2 cents!

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Ditto what everyone else has posted. You're getting good advise -- get there early and have a plan! We were there last Easter/Spring Break and the MK opened every day at 7 AM (and closed at midnight, with one night it closing at 2 AM, so lots of people took advantage of later hours, which really helped for people like us with young children). We got there before 8 and left by 1 -- as we were leaving, we could see the swarms of people coming in from the boat and monorail. Yes, swarms!

We also went to Epcot, MGM and AK and also tried to get there within the opening hour and left by 1. We went to Epcot on two different mornings. On the first, we tried to ride TestTrack but all of the entire day's FPs were gone by 11, so we learned our lesson and made sure to have 1 person head there 1st thing on the 2nd visit and get FPs. For AK, we headed to the Safari 1st thing and got a FP for Kali's. For MGM, we did the Fantasmic dinner package to ensure we'd get good show seats without waiting a ton.

 

[Adora]

We went Easter 2004 and I can honestly say that it was not as crowded as I feared it would be.

I have to agree, we went in 2004 Easter week too. It was so weird. I had myself and my whole family prepared for big big crowds, and that it would be barely moveable. And then it was like so much better than what I expected. I keep saying there must have been a reason for this. And the best I could come up with was that there was a unusual storm Easter Sunday night, which caused it to be a bit "chiller" than normal and caused people to wait a day or two fro the parks?? Beats me but I was happy.
This year we're going April 19th, and I"m plannin on getting there very early and making good use of the fast pass, and trying to get everything I really have to do done early!!

 

[SueM in MN]

AK is one park that usually clears out by midafternoon. We were there last year at the height of Spring break and by midafternoon, the Safari was a walk on. For us, because we needed the wheelchair accessible tram, it was still something like a 20-30 minute wait, but we could see some of the "regular" trams were going out without being completly filled because people were not coming fast enough.
DH chose not to ride the Safari; he went on Kali River Rapids and was able to ride 3 times in a row without a wait at all.

 

[rbalcom]

What great advice! We are staying on site at ASMu and another concern is the buses. I know they will be packed, especially at night. With my dad in a scooter (he has MS) our plan is to wait out the big crowds at the end of the fireworks/shows and do some shopping. We have our days planned and have used the touring plans in the Unofficial guide to line up our rides. We'll be using MEMH for all the the morning visits, EMH for AK and our evenings are either spent at dinner at one of the other resorts or a park that had no EMH that day. Our ADRs are made so I'm ready (I think) and am hoping for the best. Only 27 days to go!

 

[dreamscometrue47]

I agree with everyone to start early.. but one previous poster said that they thought this Easter wouldn't be as bad as last year...Well, here in Massachusetts and other parts of new england, our spring break (which is always in April) this year begins Easter Sunday. And everyone heads to WDW. Just wanted to let you know.....

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Also, I disagree about using the a.m. EMH during holiday periods. I think it works much better if you go to a NON-EMH park at opening and get all the good rides in before the people from the EMH park realize it's too crowded to move, and evacuate to YOUR park. This way you can do an awful lot before 11 a.m., which is about the time the hop-over occurs.

 

[byoung]

I'll stay away at Easter myself.

 

[StinkerbellsMom]

It is my understanding that many, many folks are on "Spring Break" during Easter Week. I know NYC
has their Spring Break for Passover and Easter each year and a ton of folks head on down to WDW.
It will be our first trip that way during Easter and truth be told, I am TERRIFIED!
I have seriously been considering cancelling the trip and rescheduling for another time of year! LOL
But we have been there often enough that we can just kind of stroll and not feel the need to see it all.
The kids don't know we have it planned, as far as they know we are going to GA to see the Grandparents
and then continue along until we reach our destination ... I just hope I don't chicken out before hand!
Good Luck to all us 'Newbies At Easter'! LOL We usually sit at home and watch the Easter Parade at MK,
anyone ever attend this?

 

[Lizzybee]

It sounds like you have a great solid plan for Easter. We were there last yr when it was Easter/Spring Break for the 4 surrounding counties in Florida plus tons of other schools. There was alot of talk about it being horribly crowded. We had no trouble, except for one day when I decided to make an ADR for Donald's at AK during an EMH day the Saturday before Easter (I'd recommended avoiding AK under those circumstances) Early EMH hours at MK were absolutely essential for us, we left around noon or 1pm. We came back in the evening sometimes or hopped to another park. Fastpasses are your new best friend, with Soarin go straight there or you won't get a Fastpass and will have to wait in line for a long time, even so, I'd recommend waiting if you don't get the Fastpass, it's fabulous and worth it AND you wait indoors in the airconditioning (can you tell the last time we went was August )
Relax, plan but be flexible, and have a GREAT time it's still better than NOT being at WDW!