Please tell me honestly about crowds over spring break

[*BTMRR*]

We haven't been to WDW in a few years, and we'd like to go next year.
Can you help me decide whether we should go over spring break (begins Easter weekend) or in late August?

With school and work schedules these will be our only options. We went in October once and that was heavenly, but we can't do that this time.

I know late August would be much less crowded and less expensive, but our family really just does not do well in high heat (heat index over 95 or so means horribly cranky DH and kids!). Seriously, everyone just wilts and I can't get anyone outside without a fight. I think we would take crowds and expense over extreme heat, but I just don't know if spring break is more of a "have a good touring plan, and don't try to do everything, and you can still have a great time" type of thing, or more of a "shoulder-to-shoulder claustrophobic nightmare, pull-your-hair-out-waiting-for-a-Dole-Whip, 90-minute-line-for-It's-A-Small-World" experience.

Anyone?

 

[Pakey]

We went on spring break a few years ago and it was not as bad as we had feared. Get to the parks at rope drop and have a plan, you should be fine.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

My friend went this year w/ her family around April 5-12 for Springs Break. They arrived at rope drop and did really well from what she old me...I would think August would be WAY TOO HOT!

 

[clarabelle]

Does your spring Break line up with Easter?
We went in 2009 Spring Break -it was also Easter week.

It was super busy. Wait in line to walk kind of busy.
The first two hours or so after park opening were ok -but after that it was miserable.
I heard later that MK was at capacity for two days during that week and had to refuse entry for a couple of hours.

 

[abdmom]

You can get an estimate of how busy each park for a specific day is by visiting touringplans dot com.

 

[sunnyday123]

I've been during Spring break. It's crowded and it was pretty hot. You couldn't pay me to go in August, I'd go again Spring break if I had to.

Google any combination of your question, or search it on the boards. The number of times this question has been asked will ASTOUND you!!

 

[EeyoreEma]

We were there the week after Easter, and it was crowded. Not TOO horrible, but pretty darn crowded. Lots of waiting. Still, I'd rather wait than be too hot. Of course, it was also pretty hot .... I think you'd be fine though, with the crowds. We've been in July before as well, and I think that it was more crowded then.

 

[LisaInNc]

If your spring break coincides with Easter I would advist against it. We were in Florida for a family Easter celebration and I couldn't resist going for 2 days. I felt sad for anyone that was having a once in a lifetime trip because I felt like you didn't get the essence of Disney. It was too crowded to really see all the details, hear all the subtle background music and all those other little details. Plus is was just crowded. My DD asked if we could leave. We go to Disney often and she just wasn't enjoying how crowded it was.

I paid more for a room than I ever have before.

It was hot...to me hot is hot 89 99 it's all the same if I sweat, I sweat.

I was so crowded that I felt you couldn't see the pavement.

I would never ever do that again!

August will be hot and it will be crowded but nothing like Easter week. It will be cheaper too!

Have a great time no matter when you go!

Lisa

 

[kbeverina]

We went spring break 2009, the Friday before through the week after Easter, and would do that again in a heartbeat over August. It was very crowded, record crowds, from what we heard, and they closed parks several days.

We used the tried-and-true formula of getting there at rope drop and leaving before the crowds got huge. Several times we were the only ones on the bus heading back to the resort between 10 and 11am. The parks were empty in the mornings and we did everything we wanted to do. We did the early entry at Magic Kingdom, rode Buzz, did all of Fantasyland, ate at Main Street Bakery (no lines, plenty of tables) and were in front of the rope to Frontierland when it opened. We rode BTMR over and over without waiting. The only things we waited for all week were Soarin' and Toy Story Mania, but not more than 20 minutes each.

If you can make rope drop or stay out late (we stayed at Magic Kingdom until 2am one night), you should have no problem. We had never gone during a peak time and I expected the worse, but would never be afraid to do that again. Also, we did end up getting some discounts last minute at the resorts, which I know is unusual, but we also rented DVC points and that made the Sunday through Thursday portion very affordable.

 

[dislaney]

Having a good plan is the key to going when there are going to be big crowds. Spring Break is doable with a good touring plan. We have been at both Spring break and late August and I personally would rather go late August but I don't mind the heat as much as I mind the crowds. If the heat really bothers your family go for Spring Break and make sure you follow a plan.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Spring break for our school district does not line up with Easter. When we went, it was mid March. It was not too crowded and the weather was great. This was in 2009.

 

[Buckalew11]

When Spring Break aligns with the week before or after easter weekend, I just would not go. I KNOW I would not enjoy those types of crowds. However, when it does not and say a spring break in March 6-10, that works great because so many spring breaks are held different weeks these days.

You know your family better than anyone to make a decision about how they'd enjoy WDW. If they'd be ok with big crowds, go for it. If not, and they're like me, choose a more relaxing place. JMHO.

 

[Freyja]

I´ve been to Disney 3 times over Easter and have never thought it to be too bad. First two times we didn´t plan ahead (this was many years ago) and manages just fine. Last time we went, I had discovered this Dis and did massive planning. We rode everything we wanted to ride, as many times as we wanted to and ate everywhere we wanted too. I´d rather go over Easter than in August.

 

[maxiesmom]

I did my first Spring Break trip just this year!

It IS do-able, as long as you are early morning people. The week I went )the week right after Easter) the Magic Kingdom opened at 8am every day. So that meant being at the bus stop at 7:15 am.

The one day I did morning EMH (park opened at 7am) I was at the bus stop at 6:30. It was cool, because it was still more dark than light. That morning I was able to do a ton of rides during the first 3 hours. When I left the park to hop over to Epcot at 10am it was a solid mob of people trying to get into the Magic Kingdom. The ramp up for the monorail going to MK was packed, went down and out into stantions at the bottom.

There is no way you want to sleep in and go during Spring Break. Unless you don't plan on going to the parks until the evening. Going later in the morning (after 9 or 10) you will be hitting prime time and waiting with the mobs for everything.

 

[HeatherC]

Any chance you can look at your school and work calendars and plan another time? I know here in Massachusetts, we get a few days off around veterans day in November and one or two "teacher conference" days off in October. So we could actually go for at least a week and the kids only miss a couple days of school.

If you can plan it around something like that, you may be able to go when it is less crowded and hot.

 

[FergieTCat]

I went a few years ago on March 11 (my birthday) and was surprised at how crowded it was. I didn't realize that many schools have "March Break". If I had a choice of dates, I wouldn't do it again.

With that, I'm going the week of December 13th this year. My research tells me it should be a quiet week.

 

[Christine]

I did this once and it wasn't horrible. I got there on Good Friday and stayed through Easter and the following week. Apparently the week prior to Easter is the worst week. They had park shut-downs due to capacity. This didn't happen on our week.

The weather can either be really hot or very cool. I found the temps easy to deal with, the lines long. In order for this to work for you, you definitely should be MORNING people. You will get a lot accomplished.

Last year, I went in late July. I swear it was worse but maybe the heat just wore me down.

 

[*BTMRR*]

Thank you for all the great food for thought.
I had done a search, but didn't find much of anything recent that really hit the "heat vs. crowds" angle I was looking for.
Thanks for your responses. It's so much fun for me to research and really think things through. I'm sure we'll have a great time either way. We went in mid-August when the kids were much younger and it was okay except for the hurricane. Tropical weather is something else to consider I suppose.
Thank you again.