Stuck going week after Easter--how best to minimize craziness?

[spcmtn mama]

So, my husband has a conf in LA starting March 31. Easter is March 27 this year. I would like to tag along with my 3yr old and baby and go to DL. (Also bringing an aunt, because its always good when adults out number kids ).

We took my then 2 yr old last November and it was great. I am anticipating 9-10 level crowds the week after Easter, but since we are stuck with these dates, I'd love to hear suggestions as to which days to go or tips once we are there.

We have a little flexibility in that we could go as early as the Friday before Easter. I am thinking 2 days DLR only, and deciding once we are there if we want to add a day or park hop. We did 3 day park hoppers last time and spent most of our time at DLR, and 90% of the rides and characters my toddler is interested in are at Disneyland. Also, 1 of the days could be the Thursday-Saturday after Easter without my husband. We have to fly home by Monday April 4, so could also do one day the Sunday after Easter.

TIA! I love this forum and its advice, hope you all have some for me!

 

[figment_jii]

Truthfully, I think it's going to be busy regardless of which days you pick. A fair number of school districts take their Spring Break the week before or after Easter (see the 2016 Calendar of Events & School Breaks Thread for more information), so folks are traveling.

 

[GrandBob]

I usually hate to add a tag-along question to someone else's post, but here goes. We can take our DGD either at her Spring break (sometime in the last 2 weeks of March), or in the summer. March works out much better with my work schedule and our other travel plans. If summer, I'd probably need to make it late June.

So, would I be crazy to take her, say March 20-25? How would that compare with, say, June 19-24 or June 26-July 1, crowd-wise?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[VandVsmama]

How to deal with crowds?

Stay at a hotel or motel within walking distance. Get to the parks when the parks open. Leave the parks after lunch and take a break at your hotel. Then later in the afternoon, go back.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

So, my husband has a conf in LA starting March 31. Easter is March 27 this year. I would like to tag along with my 3yr old and baby and go to DL. (Also bringing an aunt, because its always good when adults out number kids ).

We took my then 2 yr old last November and it was great. I am anticipating 9-10 level crowds the week after Easter, but since we are stuck with these dates, I'd love to hear suggestions as to which days to go or tips once we are there.

We have a little flexibility in that we could go as early as the Friday before Easter. I am thinking 2 days DLR only, and deciding once we are there if we want to add a day or park hop. We did 3 day park hoppers last time and spent most of our time at DLR, and 90% of the rides and characters my toddler is interested in are at Disneyland. Also, 1 of the days could be the Thursday-Saturday after Easter without my husband. We have to fly home by Monday April 4, so could also do one day the Sunday after Easter.

TIA! I love this forum and its advice, hope you all have some for me!

Crowd perception is pretty subjective, and special events like the 60th can muck with established patterns, but I'm going to take a stab at this. We have been during this time period several times over the last 10 years, sometimes the week before Easter, sometimes Easter and the week after. Our experience has been that the week after Easter feels less crowded than the week before. It's all going to be busy, but, hey, it's when you can go, so I wouldn't pass it up. Since you have some flexibility though, I wouldn't choose the Friday before Easter. We have been on Good Friday before and felt it was the most crowded day of the whole trip.

I usually hate to add a tag-along question to someone else's post, but here goes. We can take our DGD either at her Spring break (sometime in the last 2 weeks of March), or in the summer. March works out much better with my work schedule and our other travel plans. If summer, I'd probably need to make it late June.

So, would I be crazy to take her, say March 20-25? How would that compare with, say, June 19-24 or June 26-July 1, crowd-wise?

Thanks,
Bob

We have been during all of those dates you suggest. In fact we did June 27-July 4 this year. I would pick June 26-July 1 as my first choice. I think March 20-25 could be the busiest of your three choices, but June 19-24 could also get a little intense near the end because June 25 is the last last day that So Cal pass holders can get in until August. That doesn't seem to be quite as big a factor though now that they have stopped issuing new So Cal passes at that level.

 

[scrapperkimmydee]

We went DURING spring break this year. We spent a day and a half in each park. The longest line we waited in was 15 minutes. I'm not sure how we did it...even some cast members were surprised by that because they were really busy those days. If the line was long, we skipped it and went on to something else, and went back later when the line was shorter. We used fastpasses. We got there early. Rode some rides during F! So, somehow, it is possible!

 

[spcmtn mama]

Thanks everyone! I at least don't feel like I need to worry about which days after Easter and appreciate the experiences of you guys who have been there during that time!