Pull kids for Thanksgiving week 2006 or do Easter 2007 ?

[pooh2001]

We are trying to plan our 2nd trip (for AP ticket use).

Should we do Thanksgiving 2006, Saturday, November 18 to Sunday, November 26, 8 nights (7 1/2 days in the Parks) - We would pull the kids out of school for 3 days - our concern is our High School student.

or

Should we do Easter 2007, Thursday, April 6 to Saturday April 14, 8 nights (7 1/2 days in the Parks)

When are the 4 main WDW Parks most crowded - Thanksgiving or Easter ?
What month has the best weather for swimming - November or April ?

 

[pooh2001]

anyone have any suggestions ?

 

[catbertdave99]

I was faced with the same question -- my concern also being my high school student. I'm pretty certain crowds will be worse in April, but your swimming will be better then too. Bottom line for me, I'm going on Spring Break, and not taking them out of school, but that's just me.

 

[klmall]

Been twice that time before Thanksgiving and twice at Easter and as catbertdave99 says the crowds are worse at Easter but the swimming is much better than at Thanksgiving.

We have found that the Thanksgiving period was easy for park touring until about the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week while Easter was horrible for two to three weeks around Easter Sunday. Also, the Christmas holiday decorations start going up during the Thanksgiving period adding a festive air that the Easter tiime period doesn't seem to have.

I think we really preferred the November timing better and would have stuck with it but as our son grew older and entered a demanding high school program we had to switch to the Easter span which offered more days total to spend in Florida without losing more than one day of classes.

Good luck choosing!

 

[MrsMud]

Just putting in my $.02 re: Thanksgiving. I have also been considering the same Nov. dates as you, with the kids missing 3 days. What I have read (both on these boards and on Touring Plans) is that the Sunday of and the week after Thanksgiving are much less crowded. So I figure if we go on TDay (actually would fly down the PM before) to the Wed. after, the kids would still miss 3 days of school. However, the crowds would be lower, and more of the Christmas things (Candlelight Processional, Osborne lights) will be going on. Therefore I am now leaning toward that plan instead. If that's an option for you, maybe you would consider it, too! Good luck!

Sorry, just reread your post and you are planning one day more than I am. So in that case, your kids would probably miss 4 days of school.

 

[aunt kelly]

I think it totally depends on what type of student your high schooler is-can he/she afford to miss 3 days of school? If I thought there was any chance that taking three days off would effect my child's high school grades -I would wait until Easter. However, if your child is a very good student, it might not make much difference. Have you asked your high schooler how he/she feels about it?

 

[LisaGoeke]

Thanksgiving has my vote. That is exactly when we plan on going down, luckily the kids will only miss 2 days of school which to me is not a big deal. Our last three times have been in October and we have been rained on every single time and it has been so HOT plus very crowded. Which is why we're trying Thanksgiving week this time.

 

[dgaston]

Just addressing the issue of Thanksgiving vs Easter...Although my DH teaches school and will have Easter week off I won't travel to WDW again over crowded weeks like Easter. I think it's possible to have a much better quality vacation when fewer people are sharing your visit. We only go to WDW in April when Easter falls on a different week