Spring Break Crowds

[KSBelle]

Thinking about DL March 15-21 -which is our spring break. Any info on usual crowd levels during that time would be appreciated.

 

[CarrieQuiteContrary]

I am going during that same time (March 14-17) for my birthday, and I would like to know as well!

 

[avalon451]

Hate to break it to you, but spring break is considered one of the busiest seasons, right up there with Christmas and New Years' week. If there are a lot of schools out your week (and usually there are, the last two weeks in March) you can expect very high crowd levels.

We were there last year March 24th-28th (which also happened to be the week after Easter) and the parks reported record-breaking crowd levels. 90 minute waits on the big rides by afternoon and evening... and you couldn't move more than a slow shuffle through Adventureland and New Orleans Square areas.

I would just plan on following Hydroguy's tips-- be there at least 30 minutes before opening, tour with a plan in the morning, collect FPs, hop to DCA when it starts getting crowded... leave and take a midafternoon break at the hotel... come back in the evening and use your FPs you collected earlier.

Good luck!

 

[allgrownup]

Hate to break it to you, but spring break is considered one of the busiest seasons, right up there with Christmas and New Years' week. If there are a lot of schools out your week (and usually there are, the last two weeks in March) you can expect very high crowd levels.

We were there last year March 24th-28th (which also happened to be the week after Easter) and the parks reported record-breaking crowd levels. 90 minute waits on the big rides by afternoon and evening... and you couldn't move more than a slow shuffle through Adventureland and New Orleans Square areas.

I would just plan on following Hydroguy's tips-- be there at least 30 minutes before opening, tour with a plan in the morning, collect FPs, hop to DCA when it starts getting crowded... leave and take a midafternoon break at the hotel... come back in the evening and use your FPs you collected earlier.

Good luck!

I have heard that the week after Easter is very bad. Easter last year was indeed in March, but this year it is in April this year and our spring break is in March. I hope it's not too bad!

 

[CarrieQuiteContrary]

Oh no! I know that a good amount of the US K-12 will be on SB after me, but there are a ton of colleges with that same week long period. We will be there right smack mid-March. Hopefully it will be on the lighter side... :-(

 

[CarrieQuiteContrary]

Since I have never gone this time of year (March), what is the weather usually like? I have checked forecasts, but I am wondering from people's experience.

 

[tortugaverde]

I asked the same question before I went last spring break. I hate to tell you, but it will be busy. VERY busy. Spring break fell the week after Easter last year, so perhaps it was worse than normal... but it was BUSY! They reached capacity one night... according to a CM I spoke with.

Don't go thinking it will not be busy. However, if you follow all the FP tips and such... it is not so bad. Dispite the crowds... we never had much of a wait for anything and our longest wait was for Nemo, which was to be expected.

Good luck

 

[allgrownup]

Now that I think about it, when we first went in '06, we went on Easter weekend. Perhaps we were just too overcome with the Magic, but none of my party had any complaints about the crowds. There were 4 of us, ages 17 to 47.

I can NOT wait to go back again in '09!!!

 

[Gisele]

I do not plan on every going again, during the week of Easter! I had forgotten ( Go figure ) that the time frame to which I chose, was during that time line. It was insane! It was hot! A cranky old man, was in the process of hitting me in the head with his cane ( Ah......what a good example that he was setting for the little girl that was with said cranky pants! )
My friend never did make it on Space Mountain. Frankly, I did not care if I went on that ride, after reading the warning signs!
No, I prefer a nice, smooth ( love the drops too ) boat ride along the ol'e bayou.

Just remember to go to the parks before or as near as possible to the time to which they open ( Big mistake on my part going there 3 days in a row, in the early afternoon ) And collect, collect, and collect some more fast passes. There was never a time that I did not have a fast pass for Indy, during my last trip.