Spring Break Survival Thread

[hjgaus]

Hi all, wondering if anyone would want to join in on a Spring Break survival thread! We usually try to avoid crowds like the plague, but this spring it worked out where the only time we can make it happen is Easter week. Would love to share stragies/war stories for survival. I'd be happy to track trips for folks too. Looking forward to it!

Aroundtheriverbend - 3/30-4/5, VGC
Shegardens - 3/31-4/6
T0rrent - 4/6-4/11
damiel - 3/31-4/3
Mackie Mouse - 3/24-3/28

We were there last Easter Sunday but it didn't seem as crowded as we thought it would be? So we'll be taking a chance this time around @ the VGC from Sat. March 30th til Tues. April 2nd. Judging from these boards it seem like Spring Breaks will be scattered though out the 2 months! It normally is the week before or the week after Easter Sunday!

 

[Mackie Mouse]

I am also guilty of being a WDW veteran - I don't know how to *not* plan a Disney vacation months in advance. Here our plan so far:

Sunday 3/24 - evening arrival, check-in at Hojo
Head to Trader Sam's for drinks, maybe nextdoor to Tangaroa Terrance for dinner
If we get in really early, we'll make a reservation over at Jazz Kitchen that we can hopefully use

Mon 3/25 - Arrive for rope drop!
9:30 - Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour (whoohoo!)
Dinner at Chef's Counter at Napa Rose (already booked....yipee!)

Tues. 3/26
Magic Morning! Might be tough after our late dinner at Napa Rose...better lay off the wine a bit
Breakfast at 9:30 or so at the Plaza Inn after touring for a while
Dinner at Blue Bayou

Wed. 3/27
Focus in on DCA; hopefully we can get some RSR fastpasses even though it's an early entry day for on-site guests
Dinner at Carthay Circle

Thurs. 3/28 - check out of Hojo
Get to DCA for rope drop; will probably leave a bit after lunchtime (sadness!)

The fact that I will make these reservations but am not bound to them is going to be so awesome.

 

[mommy2mrb]

hey thought I stop in on your thread too ....we will be there 3/29 - 4/3...have been 4 different times during spring break, but never for Easter!
as long as you have a good plan in place, use FP when you can and take the crowds into consideration it should be manageable.

when we lived in S CA we would go most Sunday mornings and the parks would be pretty quiet until around noon...so hoping Easter will be the same since most locals will be in church!

we usually make dining reservations just to be safe! DL doesn't have has many places to eat as WDW which I plan to the nth degree...DL we wing it a bit more since PH is so much easier and can always leave to eat at DTD too!

 

[WendyWhy]

Great thread! I am so excited - just booked PPH for our trip April 4-5th - going with our family of DH, DS (6), and DD (2), and another family of 4 (two boys 5 and 3).

We are totally planning for horrific crowds - last time we were there was Thanksgiving 2011 - so we are ready...Will take advantage of EE and try to FP as much as possible.

Our only absolute must-dos are Blue Bayou, POTC and IJ - which were all closed when we were last there. Otherwise, it's just wandering with dopey grins and being happy to be there at all!

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

Welome everyone!

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

hey thought I stop in on your thread too ....we will be there 3/29 - 4/3...have been 4 different times during spring break, but never for Easter!
as long as you have a good plan in place, use FP when you can and take the crowds into consideration it should be manageable.

when we lived in S CA we would go most Sunday mornings and the parks would be pretty quiet until around noon...so hoping Easter will be the same since most locals will be in church!

we usually make dining reservations just to be safe! DL doesn't have has many places to eat as WDW which I plan to the nth degree...DL we wing it a bit more since PH is so much easier and can always leave to eat at DTD too!

Good to hear about Easter! We're going to try to cram in some early room egg hunt (we are also traveling with DSIL and DN, 9) and still rally everyone up for 7am opening! Of course, we only get there on Friday, so by Sunday we may still be on East Coast time, I'm going to see if we can stay on it If we feel like it's 10 am, we should be rarin to go....

 

[carlilekids]

We have an early spring break. We'll planning to be there from 3/18-3/22.

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

I am also guilty of being a WDW veteran - I don't know how to *not* plan a Disney vacation months in advance. Here our plan so far:

Sunday 3/24 - evening arrival, check-in at Hojo
Head to Trader Sam's for drinks, maybe nextdoor to Tangaroa Terrance for dinner
If we get in really early, we'll make a reservation over at Jazz Kitchen that we can hopefully use

Mon 3/25 - Arrive for rope drop!
9:30 - Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour (whoohoo!)
Dinner at Chef's Counter at Napa Rose (already booked....yipee!)

Tues. 3/26
Magic Morning! Might be tough after our late dinner at Napa Rose...better lay off the wine a bit
Breakfast at 9:30 or so at the Plaza Inn after touring for a while
Dinner at Blue Bayou

Wed. 3/27
Focus in on DCA; hopefully we can get some RSR fastpasses even though it's an early entry day for on-site guests
Dinner at Carthay Circle

Thurs. 3/28 - check out of Hojo
Get to DCA for rope drop; will probably leave a bit after lunchtime (sadness!)

The fact that I will make these reservations but am not bound to them is going to be so awesome.

This itinerary sounds awesome! Yeah, those early mornings kind of kill the wine nights, eh? I think we're going to try to "do nothing" one of the days we're there, hopefully it's warm enought to swim.....

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

I just saw this link on how to be one of the first at Radiator Springs Racers in the morning - very educational!


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2971596&highlight=wide+right

 

[SweetAlex]

We're going Spring Break as well... the kids won't know until we hit the Seattle Airport !

We'll be there March 17-22. So glad our Spring Break seems to be earlier than most. Last time we went a few years ago (the only other time) was early Feb and it was perfect for crowds!

So flippin' excited!

 

[mommy2mrb]

Good to hear about Easter! We're going to try to cram in some early room egg hunt (we are also traveling with DSIL and DN, 9) and still rally everyone up for 7am opening! Of course, we only get there on Friday, so by Sunday we may still be on East Coast time, I'm going to see if we can stay on it If we feel like it's 10 am, we should be rarin to go....

we try to get there early too! hope you can stay on EST time...it can be done, I did it the opposite way when we went on DCL in 2005...we had dinner at 8 and was in bed by 1030pm with DD (5 then) so was 730 for her, then we were able to do am stuff with little to no issues.

 

[sophies*mom]

Hello!
I just got the green light from the hubby, thinking April 15-18. Haven't booked anything yet, trying to get a feel for what's going on.

Any idea on SoCAL's actual spring break dates? Are they early spring breakers, too?

 

[mommy2mrb]

Hello!
I just got the green light from the hubby, thinking April 15-18. Haven't booked anything yet, trying to get a feel for what's going on.

Any idea on SoCAL's actual spring break dates? Are they early spring breakers, too?

all school have different spring breaks - you should be pretty good with your dates since its later in April and away from Easter week

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

Hello!
I just got the green light from the hubby, thinking April 15-18. Haven't booked anything yet, trying to get a feel for what's going on.

Any idea on SoCAL's actual spring break dates? Are they early spring breakers, too?

Hopefully this helps, looks like you are going at a relatively low time for SB:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3007146&highlight=spring+break

 

[Julie711]

Hello!
I just got the green light from the hubby, thinking April 15-18. Haven't booked anything yet, trying to get a feel for what's going on.

Any idea on SoCAL's actual spring break dates? Are they early spring breakers, too?

We are going down same time as you April 16-19 though & it's our first trip to DL, been to WDW several times! I'm hoping this timeframe will be good as well, we originally had it scheduled for the week before, but decided to push it back incase any schools were still on break!
Guess well see you there!!

 

[Daydreamer64]

Me! Me too! I want to jump in here, I am so excited.

I can't wait for our trip time to roll around.

We are arriving April 18th after 7 hours in the air in addition to one layover for 2 hours in Atlanta and will be hopping between the parks for 5 days through April 23rd

Our trip looks like this:

4-18- arrive, go to Huntington Beach, shopping for water and snacks, then Dinner somewhere in Downtown Disney

4-19 - early admission for DLH guests at DCA- RSR here we come- wide right make way for the Jacobs Family!!!!!! Junior is finally tall enough to ride!!!!

Lunch or dinner at Flos V-8, stay as long as my East coast DS7 can manage to walk and be awake and not look like the walking dead

4-20- early entry DLH guests at Disneyland - lunch on the run as will be dinner, again stay as late as we can manage

4-21- sleep in a bit if junior isn't up at 4am pst since this is his regular waking up time at home EST when it's 7am, then parks- swim maybe if warm enough and I can get him away from the park rides for a few hours- this is also laundry day so if DS is up at 4am then I will wash our clothes then- it's all good!

4-22- early entry again, parks all day

4-23- last day to play so again early entry- we hope to play all day but might squeeze a little nap in there if needed then we will close the parks down for the night

4-25- 1pm flight home

I haven't planned a lot of table service meals as we are more of go with the flo kind of family, and I am hoping that the DL guide for WDW vets is correct and we may be able to get seating if the mood strikes at a nice rest.

 

[BryANDJessMom]

We are going down same time as you April 16-19 though & it's our first trip to DL, been to WDW several times! I'm hoping this timeframe will be good as well, we originally had it scheduled for the week before, but decided to push it back incase any schools were still on break!
Guess well see you there!!

We will be there too...it is our spring break (northern California ) ...April 15- 19.. Can't wait, six moms and 14 kids!

Have fun everyone!!

 

[sophies*mom]

We will be there too...it is our spring break (northern California ) ...April 15- 19.. Can't wait, six moms and 14 kids!

Have fun everyone!!

Yay!

We are going down same time as you April 16-19 though & it's our first trip to DL, been to WDW several times! I'm hoping this timeframe will be good as well, we originally had it scheduled for the week before, but decided to push it back incase any schools were still on break!
Guess well see you there!!

I guess we will!

Hopefully this helps, looks like you are going at a relatively low time for SB:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread....t=spring+break

lol, thanks. I actually commented there, too! After I saw this thread last night.
They predicted relatively low crowds for the days we'll be in the parks.

Getting excited!

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

Counting down the days.....

 

[sophies*mom]

Same here!

Where is everyone staying? Trying to nail down a cheap place.