Spring Break Crowds - March or April?

[ClaraOswald]

Historically, would you say Spring Break crowds are worse in March or April? Does it make a difference when Easter falls?

My son's school always does Spring break around Easter and I'm wondering if that's what the schools out west do as well? Or if it's really just all over the place?

 

[kikismom]

Here in my area we've always had Spring Break the first week in April and it doesn't matter when Easter falls. We went over the first week in April in 2018 and I have always vowed to never go again that week. Well fast forward and I'm looking at booking a trip that week for 2024. Flights are so bad historically that week, at least for us when we've traveled from SeaTac no matter where we've gone. We finally started only doing road trips that week to save money.

 

[chezcurrie]

We’re in San Diego County and our spring break is the week after Easter Sunday. The Believe Keys on down are blocked the week of March 25, so that may be a sweet spot, or it may mean even more districts are on break. The last 2 years it has been the week after Easter that has been blocked.

 

[LKing]

It is extremely variable and depends on the district calendar. Some districts have a "ski week" so push spring break back a bit.

The UCs all have spring break the week of March 25 next year. The CSUs have spring break the first week of April.

 

[tink89]

It is all over the place. We have spring break the second week in April. Other districts with 15 min have it first week of April.

 

[skellinton]

I live on the edge of 2 states with different spring breaks. One is the last week of March the other is usually the first week of April. I just checked and that is what they are 2024. A couple of years ago there was a week gap.

Way back in 2001 we went during our spring break and Disneyland was seriously a ghost town. We asked several cast members and they all said we were between Oregon spring break and California spring break. They told us the week before was insane and they were expecting the next week to be as well. Apparently at the time Washington spring break didn't impact DL attendance. I don't think that is the case at all now.. I don't think we waited more than 15 minutes for any ride, it was insane. We had prepared the kids saying it's going to have long line, be ready, it's spring break, it's going to be packed and there was nobody there.

 

[RockyMtnMouse]

This is all so encouraging. Our Spring Break is March 11th in Colorado. The BWs on Harbor are already full that week so I'm glad we booked ahead. Flights aren't bad either. I'm not gonna count my chickens yet but I'm hopeful crowds won't be awful yet.

 

[LKing]

We asked several cast members and they all said we were between Oregon spring break and California spring break.

There is no "California spring break." To put it in context, there are over 900 school districts in California. Los Angeles County has 80 school districts, San Diego has 42, and Orange County has 28. Each has their own calendar with a spring break sometime between mid March and mid April.

 

[skellinton]

There is no "California spring break." To put it in context, there are over 900 school districts in California. Los Angeles County has 80 school districts, San Diego has 42, and Orange County has 28. Each has their own calendar with a spring break sometime between mid March and mid April.

They probably meant local school districts. Oregon doesn't have a standard spring break neither does Washington, but most people when talking about Oregon and Washington spring breaks are probably talking about Seattle and Portland. I do think most of Oregon does have the same spring break, but it isn't a for sure thing. I live in Washington just outside of Portland. Our spring break doesn't line up with either Portland or Seattle, it's usually the week in between, but it does fluctuate.
I just know we asked several cast members because we were so confused why there was nobody in the Parks and they said they just finished Oregon spring break and California spring breaks would be the following weeks. I'm assuming they knew what school districts would most impact Park attendance at the time -as I said this was 20 years ago.

 

[AZMermaid]

AZ spring break tends to be mid March, usually the second week. This year it starts 3/9 in my district. It’s always that same timeframe…. Starting back 9 weeks before Memorial Day weekend. it’s But the modified year round may give weeks 1-2. The catholic schools have the week after Easter.

 

[StarlitNight05]

FWIW, we visited during Easter week this year and the crowds were not bad at all. There was the usual uptick of people in the evening, but nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[BobaFettFan]

I always go before the locals get spring break. By locals, I mean Orange County. The rest of CA is too vast and different to know, but it'll always be a planned trip for further away people versus those who are down the street.

That being said, I always go with the first week of March. It has always been a success.

The data reads as such.

Orange county spring break from years past


End April 14, 2023

Start April 7, 2022

2021-2022 March 14-18

2020-2021 march 15-19

2019-2020 march 16-20

2018-2019 march 18-22

2017-2018 march 19-23


Good luck planning your trip!

 

[foolish_mortals]

WonderCon is the last weekend in March 29-31 so keep that in mind for hotel rates.

The weekend of the con doesn’t affect crowds too much but the week before and after can see a bit of an increase.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

.