Spring Break crazier than early/mid June?

[Lees3rwe]

We are regular summer travelers and haven't found it to be unmanageable.

School break for my son will be in April this year, and it happens to coincide with my 16th wedding anniversary... so we are considering a weeklong trip in April.

Is Spring Break week (the week before Easter) much more busy than say the second/third week of summer?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[RunningWithScissors]

We have been to Disney in February, March, June, July, August, October and the week between Christmas and New Years.

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that if your spring break is the week before Easter, it *could* be a mad house. Ours was this past year--March 25-29--and we went from the 23-30. It was almost as bad as the week after Christmas. The best weeks have been the first week of March, before spring breaks start, the October break--Columbus Day week, first week in August and mid June. I don't know what other states have the same spring break as you and do not know if it was our particular week or the fact that it was the week before Easter that made it so crowded. I'm thinking it may have been a combo of both.

 

[Lees3rwe]

phooey.

I just don't feel we can pull him out of school any other time, so it looks like another summer trip for us.

 

[g-dad66]

Easter was very late (April 24) in 2011, similar to what 2014 will be.

You might hunt for an Easter 2011 thread to see if there are reports on how crowded it was. I know that MK often reaches capacity during the week before Easter when Easter is in late March or early April -- but I think the late April date might not be quite so bad.

Here are some Dis polls which might provide helpful data:
Spring Break 2014 - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3097610
Spring Break 2013 - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2886346
Spring Break 2012 - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2703059
Spring Break 2011 - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2423185

 

[RunningWithScissors]

Easter was very late (April 24) in 2011, similar to what 2014 will be.

You might hunt for an Easter 2011 thread to see if there are reports on how crowded it was. I know that MK often reaches capacity during the week before Easter when Easter is in late March or early April -- but I think the late April date might not be quite so bad.

Here are some Dis polls which might provide helpful data:
Spring Break 2014 - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3097610
Spring Break 2013 - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2886346
Spring Break 2012 - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2703059
Spring Break 2011 - http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2423185

Before you completely give up on your spring break trip, do a little more research. With the Magic Band and FP+ system likely well into a full roll out by then, you can benefit greatly and probably avoid some of the crowds. I hope you guys can work it out!!

 

[robinb]

Yes. The week before Easter is only slightly less busy than Christmas/New Year's.

 

[tndisneyfan]

I think spring break is nearly as busy as Christmas. Much more so than mid June.

But if you really want to go, do it. Get up early and be at the parks before rope drop, take advantage of EMH, and manage your fastpasses you could still have a great trip even if it's crowded.

 

[robinb]

Before you completely give up on your spring break trip, do a little more research. With the Magic Band and FP+ system likely well into a full roll out by then, you can benefit greatly and probably avoid some of the crowds. I hope you guys can work it out!!

Meh. I am able to pull more than 3 FPs a day even over Spring Break & Christmas because I am there at rope drop. I think that if they limit people to only 3 FPs once FP+ is fully rolled out (and regular FP double-dipping is gone) my touring experience during those super busy times will be worse, not better.

 

[willowsnn3]

First let me say, I will never go to WDW in June again. We handled the crowds ok but the heat was unbearable & was a real effort to make sure the kids stayed hydrated.
We did spring break maybe 3 years ago & it was also Easter week. The most perfect weather ever! Huge, huge crowds but MK opened every day at 7am. We would get there then and ride everything we wanted, and head back to the resort around 11am. Cars would be lined up forever waiting to park at TTC. We would either have a late character bkfst & then hit the pool for awhile/nap & head back to whichever park had late EMH and get there just as the non resort people were leaving.
Spring break worked well for us.
Only problem was the usual 6 hour drive home turned into 13 hours because of the traffic heading back north, lol.

 

[Kay1]

If you are willing to get up very early every day, it might work out for you. As Willowsnn3 said, they do have very extended hours. One year there was a letter in our room advising us the earlier than reported opening times.

 

[Lees3rwe]

Maybe it could work... we are all early birds and hit rope drop, break around lunch and then go back in the late afternoon/evening and stay late (this is our summer plan anyway)...

I admit, I have not read up on the magic band stuff AT ALL. I guess I will have some homework to do!

Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[robinb]

Maybe it could work... we are all early birds and hit rope drop, break around lunch and then go back in the late afternoon/evening and stay late (this is our summer plan anyway)...

That plan will run you ragged over Spring Break. Normal park openings are 8:00 am with EMH at 7:00 and parks stay open until 10-midnight with a 3am MK EMH thrown in for good measure. With those kind of park hours you need to choose "rope drop" *or* late nights unless your family functions on a lot less sleep than mine . FWIW, we also take an afternoon break and then we return for fireworks and evening parades.

 

[ktlm]

I have a friend who went in the prime Spring Break week this year. She says never again. MK was closed to capacity at least 2 or 3 times during that week.

We used to go in June. I didn't think it was that bad, especially if it was the 1st week in June.

 

[cheesemouse]

Yes! The week before Easter is much crazier than the summer! But the other weeks in the "spring break" season are not as bad and much more comparable to summer weeks.