Presidents Week, Easter Week, or a random week in the spring?

[Pembo]

Our kids are always off the last week of March. Thought that next year we'd go to WDW but that coincides with Easter.

We've never been to WDW during peak time. So I need a little advice.


1. Go during Easter week but stay thru part of the week after?
2. Go Presidents Week? Actually leave Wed before Pres. day.
3. Just pick a random week in April or May and have the kids miss school?

My biggest concern is of course school, they will be in 3rd and 1st grades.
Also, weather. Is it warm in Feb????
And could I handle the crowds at Easter? answering self, NO!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Not sure about the crowd levels during Pres. week, but we just came back from a trip during Easter week, and my advice is avoid it if possible!! That is the most crowded I have ever seen MK, and the other parks were pretty crowded, too. If you have the option of going another week, that's what I'd do!! The cm's told us Easter week is the second busiest week of the year, after Christmas vacation!

 

[WVDisFan]

I've never been there during President's week, but I have been there Easter week and it was horrible! Huge crowds and extremely long, long lines. I have gone the middle of May the last three years and it was great! The longest we waited for a ride was about 45 minutes for the Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom. Also, I have taken my nephew with me every year and taken him out of school (his 7th, 8th and his 9th grade year) and as long as he gave a month's notice, there wasn't a problem.

 

[Disney Princess 6]

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[catnik]

Perasonally, I try to avoid all holiday periods, as I find the crowds take some of the "joy" out of WDW for me. So, given your parameters of wanting to go in the late winter/spring, I would take the kids out of school and go during a non-holiday week. Your children are young enough that you should be able to get their assignments in advance and set aside specific time during the trip to do the work. Most of the trips we have taken in the past involved taking our kids out of class for 3-5 days. Some of their teachers were not thrilled, while others used the opportunity to have the children write a journal, give a verbal report on "science facts" from the Living Seas or "history" from the world showcase, etc. Our kids are good students, which makes a difference (would not want to have my child miss a week of school if they were struggling with reading, etc). We set aside a period of time each afternoon when we came back to the room to rest that was devoted to schoolwork; doing that made the process managable and avoided trying to cram 5 days of lessons at the end of the trip. 2 of my SIL are teachers; one gave us tips on how to make it work while the other fussed at us for taking the kids out! Only you can decide what is best for your family/children...............

 

[antmaril]

We were there Wednesday and Thursday of Presidents' Week this year. It was very crowded (especially MK). If you can avoid the holidays, I would. I think your children are still young enough to miss a few days of school. The last time we took our son out of school for a Disney trip he was 11 years old. Once they get into middle school and high school, it's really difficult to take them out. It can be really fun to visit the parks when they are not crowded. I would go with a random week. It was cool this year during our Feb. trip. However, I will take that any day over the heat and humidity of thes summer.

Have fun!

 

[cudworth]

I have only gone at Easter and if you are a morning person you will find the crowds managable until 11AM then we do something else and come back at nite.

 

[Scoootch]

Holiday weeks the parks tend to be awful with the crowds so if you can pull the kids from school than I'd go for it. The best weeks crowd wise that I've found are first week of Feb. (before presidents day week) - this is one of the quietest times of the year and wait times for rides are often next to Zero But if you want to enjoy the pools than I'd go for a May trip. There seems to be about a 3week window between when Easter and Spring break end and when the kids down here in FL get out of School(they get out around May 20th or so). And that is also a great time to be at WDW - esp. if you will want to enjoy the pools. It's only April 22 today and the temps in Orlando are suppossed to be in the mid 80's today.

HTH's some. Enjoy!