Talk to me about Spring Break, please

[marcar12]

My husband and I are considering taking our kids to Disneyland either March 2020 or March 2021. (We are leaning more toward 2021 so we have more time to plan/save.)

Our summers are packed and we don't like our oldest to miss much school if we can help it (she is in 7th grade and has a learning disability, so catching up after missing a few days is pretty hard.) So we are looking at going during our Spring Break, which is the 3rd week in March.

I feel crazy even playing with that idea because massive crowds stress us out. It will be our first time EVER going to Disneyland (our kids will be 13, 10, 7, and 4 this March). We want it to be a great experience. We are saving money though, and are willing to splurge to make it a fabulous vacation and pay for conveniences, etc. We would definitely pay for MaxPass each day.

Please tell me the honest truth about what it is like at Disneyland during Spring Break (3rd week in March.) Is it even worth our money and time to go if it is going to be insanely crowded? Or will MaxPass make a big enough difference that we will still be able to enjoy it?

 

[Plip]

I think you're at the early end for spring breaks, so yes, it will be crowded, but probably not quite as much as if you were going a couple of weeks later.

"Is It Packed?" has a website with calendars that predict crowds. How reliable they are is debatable, but they're probably as good as anything we've got. And it is based on things like school vacations and other events, as well as historical trends. They have that whole week as "Yup, It's Packed," which is certainly better than their most crowded rating ("Forget About It"). You can check it out here:

https://www.isitpacked.com/disneyland-crowd-forecast-predictor-calendar/
If spring break is when you can go, then I think that's when you should go. And it can really be a fabulous time, as long as you have the right plan.

For me, the basics of that plan would include:

• Plan on five days in the parks, so you don't feel pressured to get too much done during the crowded afternoons
• Plan on arriving early every morning (for rope drop or any Magic Mornings or Early Magic Hours that you have)
• Plan on focusing on attractions in the first few hours of the mornings (when the lines are the shortest)
• Plan on using MaxPass
• Plan on slowing down during the busier times of the day: see Frozen at the Hyperion or Mickey and the Magical Lamp in Disneyland; take a break at your hotel; enjoy the ambiance of the parks, and 100 other things that aren't the "big attractions" everyone talks about

The bottom line, at least in my opinion, is not if you should go but how you should approach it.

 

[VandVsmama]

I agree with @Plip. Spring Breaks for the DL-going people tend to be spread over several weeks. For example, my kids' spring break is the 2nd week of March. We've been to DL mid-week during that particular week before and while it was busy, it was manageable. As you get closer to April and even into April, I think that the crowd levels increase a bit. But it's still manageable if you follow @Plip 's suggestions above, plus consider these as well:

• save your $$ and don't stay on site., especially since you have 4 kids. Stay across the street somewhere on Harbor Blvd. Bonus if the hotel offers some sort of free breakfast. Eat a quick breakfast in your room.
• The parks will open at 8 am every day during Spring Break. Historical park hours can be viewed online at https://www.disboards.com/threads/historical-dlr-park-hours-entertainment-and-refurbs.2291124/.
• 5 park days are awesome, but if you can't afford 5-day tickets, then do 3 or 4 days. Min of 3 days.
• With a 3 or more day ticket, you'll get 1 Magic Morning entry, which you can use at DL on Tues, Thurs, or Sat. Try to make your MM day on your 1st day in the parks. This would require you to check into your hotel the night before of course. If that isn't possible, make the MM day your 2nd park day. If you wait until day 3, you'll be pretty tired and less likely to be up early.
• With 8 am regular park entry, that means that MM/EMH at DL is 7-8 am. Be in line at the main gate by 6:45 am. So leave your hotel at 6:30 am assuming you're staying on Harbor Blvd.
• Max Pass makes a huge difference. Our family has used it a few times. The convenience is really wonderful.

Our family always ends up going to DL at busy times of year because, like you, we don't want to take our kids out of school for it. We've done the following a few times now with great success. This is just an example. Your mileage may vary, of course!

Tues or Thurs EMH day (my favorite!):

• 6:45 am - CMs open the turnstiles and start letting people in. Walk to Fantasyland entrance.
• 7:00 - 8:00 am - Go on (in this approximate order) Dumbo, Mr Toad, Alice in Wonderland, Matterhorn (if you want to, my DH hates it), Pinocchio or Snow White. Use Max Pass on your phone to get FPs for something in Tomorrowland (we like Space Mtn or Star Tours).
• 8:00 - 9:00 am - Go on Storybook Land Canal Boats & anything else interesting in Fantasyland. Bathroom break. Walk to Tomorrowland and go on Autopia preferably before 8:30 am. Then Buzz Lightyear. Now use your FP for Space Mtn or Star Tours. When you previously got your MP for that ride, it'll tell you the exact time that you can get a new FP for something. Set an alarm on your phone for that time and then get the next FP (Space Mtn or Star Tours, or Indiana Jones).
• 9:00 am - meet Mickey Mouse in his house in Toon Town. 9:00 am is when Toon Town will open if reg park opening is 8:00 am. After that, walk straight on to the Roger Rabbit ride.

Now at this point, it'll probably be about 9:30-9:45 am and you've already gone on or experienced about 12 attractions.

When you're in Fantasyland, pay attention for roaming characters. They won't have a character handler with them usually. The interactions are very fluid and awesome. Peter Pan is great. He loves playing games with kids.

• 10:00 am - now's a good time to have everybody sit down for a few min and maybe eat a snack. But pay attention to the return time for that 2nd FP. And do the same thing you did before with the alarm on your phone. Let's say FP #1 was Space Mtn and FP #2 is Star Tours. Go on Star Tours when that FP window opens. Next FP should be for Indiana Jones. After Star Tours, go into Adventureland and ride Jungle Cruise (preferably first), then Tiki Room (holds more people than Jungle Cruise, Jungle Cruise wait times go up the later in the day it gets).
• Now your window for FP #3 (Indiana Jones) is probably open. FP #4 should be for Splash Mtn or BTMRR. Go on IJ.
• check with family to see when everybody's hungry for lunch.
• After IJ, go on Pirates or HM (whichever line is shorter). HM will probably have FP available. Use Max Pass to look at FP return times and even if HM wait is only 20 min, use FP to go on it instead of standing in the line. Goal for us is always to ride Pirates or HM before lunch. Probably Pirates first and then use HM FP after that.
• Then we might go on Winnie the Pooh, then stop for lunch at Hungry Bear.

Now that there's SWGE, that introduces new stuff to go do, of course! We haven't been to SWGE yet, so my advice here is just based on what I've read here on the boards. I've read that the Millennium Falcon ride wait time is often longest first thing in the morning. There's no FP for it. Expect to wait about 45 min on average for it. We're going to DL this next March and I'm planning on us exploring SWGE in the afternoon (when we'd normally do a hotel break, but we're staying w/friends in the area instead of at a hotel).

• After lunch, we usually use a FP for Splash Mtn or BTMRR and then get a FP right away for HM (usually with a return time within 30 min). DH likes going to the shooting gallery in Frontierland.
• At this point, we normally leave the park for a break at the hotel. But we're going to go to SWGE instead of the hotel break.

Good time fillers in the busy afternoon when it feels like the entire world is at DL with you:
- Great Moments with Mr Lincoln
- go on the train the entire way around the park
- go to Tom Sawyer's Island
- if it's a really busy day, they'll have Davey Crockett canoes running. Go on that. It's work, but so much fun. Totally different way to experience Rivers of America
- go on the Mark Twain river boat
- go on the Sailing Ship Columbia
- eat a snack at Coke Corner while Alice & the Mad Hatter play musical chairs (ask at Coke Corner for time when this happens in the afternoon)
- go to DCA and do Animation Academy, Turtle Talk, Little Mermaid, Monsters, Inc (usually all shorter waits)

If you have Max Pass, you should continue getting FPs when the app allows you to, again using an alarm on your phone. Ask your kids what they want to ride again. Late afternoon or evening is usually when we go on It's A Small World.

We like having dinner at Plaza Inn or French Market, but if anybody in your group at Star Wars people, then maybe consider eating a meal at Docking Bay 7.

The evening of a MM/EMH day at DL, we usually use for repeats like:
- Jungle Cruise
- Star Tours
- Buzz Lightyear
- BTMRR
- HM
- Pirates

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Peak season times are actually good times to visit DLR, contrary to popular belief. Peak season means longer hours, more staffing, more entertainment, rides running at full capacity, fewer ride refurbs, etc. When the parks are prepared for crowds, things run pretty smoothly and you don't feel the crowds so much. You're off to a great start by asking your questions here and planning early! No matter how busy or crowded the parks are, with good research and planning, good strategy and organization, flexibility and a positive attitude, you can have a great time at DLR!
This sticky thread from the top of the first page has LOTS of great information for trip planning:
* DLR Info/Links - Maps, Hotels, DISer Reviews, Hydroguy's tips, NEWBIE INFO here!

 

[VandVsmama]

Also, once fireworks are done (fireworks are usually at 9:30 pm at that time of year, I think), the park clears out a lot. For any of your kids who are nightowls who want to stay until closing (midnight), the last 2 hours that the park is open is when you can also cram in a lot of fun rides.

On our last DL trip, I think we used FP with Max Pass 12+ times that day. Just by using that "set the alarm" tip.

At DCA, our day usually starts like this on busy park days:
** Note: we always end up going to DCA on a day that on site guests have EMH. Don't sweat this. There's not that many on site guests who will actually wake up and take advantage of a 7-8 am EMH at DCA, so you don't have much to worry about here.
This list also assumes you're a rope-dropper, so with 8 am DCA regular park opening, be at the main gate, tickets in hand by 7:30-7:40 am. If you're staying on Harbor Blvd, leave your hotel 15 min before that.

• Once your tickets have been scanned and you've entered DCA, purchase Max Pass for everybody (using the app). OR if you purchased Max Pass ahead of time when you bought your tickets previously, then go on to the app and use Max Pass to get FP #1. We don't care for the Guardians ride, so we always pick RSR first.
• RSR wait time will probably be 30 min at this time of day. If it's 20 min, you could go get in line for it. But if it's 30+ min, wait to go on it with your FP and instead go on Mater's & Luigi's.
• Now go on RSR. Get FP #2...we usually pick Toy Story or Soarin'.
• Then go on time filler stuff. Monsters, Inc, Little Mermaid, some of the other Pixar Pier non-FP stuff. When the alarm goes off for picking FP #3, pick FP #3. If you're roller coaster people, you could pick Incredicoaster. Set alarm for FP #4 selection.
• go explore Animation Academy, Turtle Talk, the redwood creek challenge trail can be a lot of fun & is a good way to kill some time (and it's not ever very busy).
• Go on the ride for FP #3. When your alarm goes off, pick FP #4. We usually try to go on RSR twice in one day. Once before lunch w/a FP. And a 2nd time later in the evening, so pay attention to FP return times for RSR if this interests you.
• For any of your kids who are ready for single rider lines, you could go on RSR a 3rd time in one day using Single Rider line. My YDD is 11 and we started this when she was 10. DH or I would go 1st in SR line, followed by our 2 kids, then the other adult last. You won't all get on the same car. But this way, 1 of the adults can wait while each of the kids gets off the RSR ride. Reduces any "Mama, I'm scared!" fears. DH or I usually wait right by the stairs that you go up when you exit.

If you've never seen the Frozen musical, that's a good way to get some rest and sit for about an hour. Usually on a DCA day, we end up hopping over to DL to ride some stuff there.

 

[marcar12]

Your replies are all so amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to help me. I am feeling encouraged and excited! I really appreciate it

 

[smartlabelprint]

We went in March 2 years ago. I don’t remember how I chose my dates exactly but I know I looked at the crowd calendars plus the thread that lists major breaks for different school districts. Our first days were great. Tuesday through Saturday with Friday off for. Comic-Con. Then I let dh talk me out of Sunday so he could have another comicon. We walked in Monday and the line for security was all the way to harbor. It was hell for my kids. I mention this because if your daughter has a Learning disability maybe she has sensory processing issues like my kids. They just couldn’t tolerate the squished in feeling. Couldn’t handle the long waits, even with the DAS.

So we plan to go in the summer. I like the early hours but don’t want to deal with the condensed crowds of spring break ever again.

 

[marcar12]

We went in March 2 years ago. I don’t remember how I chose my dates exactly but I know I looked at the crowd calendars plus the thread that lists major breaks for different school districts. Our first days were great. Tuesday through Saturday with Friday off for. Comic-Con. Then I let dh talk me out of Sunday so he could have another comicon. We walked in Monday and the line for security was all the way to harbor. It was hell for my kids. I mention this because if your daughter has a Learning disability maybe she has sensory processing issues like my kids. They just couldn’t tolerate the squished in feeling. Couldn’t handle the long waits, even with the DAS.

So we plan to go in the summer. I like the early hours but don’t want to deal with the condensed crowds of spring break ever again.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I do need eye-opening stories like this so that I can be mentally prepared, if we decide to do it. Sounds like avoiding Monday (and maybe Friday?) might be a wise way to go?

My daughter's learning disability is dyslexia, which doesn't cause her sensory processing issues.... but still, having any 4-5 year old (our youngest) in those types of long lines and squished circumstances does not sound like fun to me. Plus my husband would probably have little patience for it, haha!

I appreciate all of the advice that has been given. Someone said to stay off-site, but I am wondering if staying on-site (like the Grand Californian) would help with security lines. Does anyone know if that would be the case?

 

[VandVsmama]

Staying on site would certainly help with security lines. But I'm not sure if there would be a whole lot of on site options to sleep 6. So, for example, a quick search on the Disneyland website for this next March, checking in on Sat 3/21 and checking out the following Wednesday for 6 people (4 kids), you're looking at $951/night at Paradise Pier (1 BR suite) up to over $1000/night at GCH. If you had a party of 5, you could get into a regular sized room because those often sleep 5. But once you get to 6 people, you need a suite at any of the on site hotels.

Or pay $200-$300/night at one of the hotels across the street instead.

 

[marcar12]

Staying on site would certainly help with security lines. But I'm not sure if there would be a whole lot of on site options to sleep 6. So, for example, a quick search on the Disneyland website for this next March, checking in on Sat 3/21 and checking out the following Wednesday for 6 people (4 kids), you're looking at $951/night at Paradise Pier (1 BR suite) up to over $1000/night at GCH. If you had a party of 5, you could get into a regular sized room because those often sleep 5. But once you get to 6 people, you need a suite at any of the on site hotels.

Or pay $200-$300/night at one of the hotels across the street instead.

Yikes. I didn't consider the huge price bump from 5 people to 6. Thanks for that info!

Time to research hotel options I guess! Realistically I think we are looking at 2021 though.

 

[RedVines2001]

I appreciate all of the advice that has been given. Someone said to stay off-site, but I am wondering if staying on-site (like the Grand Californian) would help with security lines. Does anyone know if that would be the case?

Since this is a going to be a big vacation I think there is added value in staying on site, also i would say if you're staying onsite go for the Grand Californian or DLH. For one you stay in the Disney bubble the entire time; South Harbor Blvd can suck the magic right out of your vacation sometimes. It also means that you can hop back to the hotel quickly and take a break, like 5 mins quickly. March may be warm enough for the pool, which would be a nice relaxing break.

However, i'm basing this opinion on paying for a family of four. I understand how with a family of six it may become cost prohibitive.

Another option would be to consider one of the hotels at South Harbor and W Katella. I'm thinking of the Hyatt House. They have nice large rooms that would be a lot more forgiving for a family of six. I want to say all their rooms are suites but i'm not sure. Breakfast is included which could be a nice benefit. The other benefit is if the Harbor Blvd entrance is crowded it would be easier for you to walk down Katella turn right on Disneyland Dr and go in on the Downtown Disney side, which has a lot less people. I've done that and its about a 15 min brisk walk with a double stroller.

Food for thought. You have a lot of time to plan.

 

[marcar12]

Since this is a going to be a big vacation I think there is added value in staying on site, also i would say if you're staying onsite go for the Grand Californian or DLH. For one you stay in the Disney bubble the entire time; South Harbor Blvd can suck the magic right out of your vacation sometimes. It also means that you can hop back to the hotel quickly and take a break, like 5 mins quickly. March may be warm enough for the pool, which would be a nice relaxing break.

However, i'm basing this opinion on paying for a family of four. I understand how with a family of six it may become cost prohibitive.

Another option would be to consider one of the hotels at South Harbor and W Katella. I'm thinking of the Hyatt House. They have nice large rooms that would be a lot more forgiving for a family of six. I want to say all their rooms are suites but i'm not sure. Breakfast is included which could be a nice benefit. The other benefit is if the Harbor Blvd entrance is crowded it would be easier for you to walk down Katella turn right on Disneyland Dr and go in on the Downtown Disney side, which has a lot less people. I've done that and its about a 15 min brisk walk with a double stroller.

Food for thought. You have a lot of time to plan.

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I do think that we will be looking at a March 2021 trip and we will start pinching pennies now if the hotel is going to be as expensive as I am now realizing it might be. I am just mulling over ideas, but I definitely want to make this a special trip, so I want to do it right. Once the new year hits for 2020 I think I will do some serious research and make some decisions so I can get a hotel reserved (if it is possible to do it that early.) Having all of this info now, even this early, will be so helpful. Thanks again!

 

[Marssiful]

Looks like you got some really great advice. I just wanted to add that spring is my favorite time of year in the park. All the flowers are blooming and the ducklings are out. I think it’s really kind of magical during that time of year.

 

[Chickinvic]

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I do think that we will be looking at a March 2021 trip and we will start pinching pennies now if the hotel is going to be as expensive as I am now realizing it might be. I am just mulling over ideas, but I definitely want to make this a special trip, so I want to do it right. Once the new year hits for 2020 I think I will do some serious research and make some decisions so I can get a hotel reserved (if it is possible to do it that early.) Having all of this info now, even this early, will be so helpful. Thanks again!

I honestly have been going to Disneyland for decades on an off, and have never felt the need to lay out the huge cash to stay on site. I personally would go with one of the nearby hotels (many of which are closer than the Disney hotels). That is a lot of cash to lay down and it sounds like budget is of some concern to you. Best of luck.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I do need eye-opening stories like this so that I can be mentally prepared, if we decide to do it. Sounds like avoiding Monday (and maybe Friday?) might be a wise way to go?

My daughter's learning disability is dyslexia, which doesn't cause her sensory processing issues.... but still, having any 4-5 year old (our youngest) in those types of long lines and squished circumstances does not sound like fun to me. Plus my husband would probably have little patience for it, haha!

I appreciate all of the advice that has been given. Someone said to stay off-site, but I am wondering if staying on-site (like the Grand Californian) would help with security lines. Does anyone know if that would be the case?

Security has been revamped since we were there with the kids.

 

[fivelittles]

I have two kiddos with dyslexia as well, so we too are limited to going during school breaks. We live in Phx and went during spring break 2018. When AZ is on any break, Disneyland tends to get pretty busy, but we found it to be very manageable. We are a large family (7) and some of us really dislike crowds, but it was very doable. Our trip also coincided with DCA Food and Wine festival, so that brought in a lot of local crowds as well. We had just gone in July of 2018, and the crowds were heavier during spring break, but the weather was much nicer, so that was a nice benefit! With fast passes, we rode tons of rides and never really waited in any crazy lines. We walked on many kid rides in Fantasyland and even the non-FP rides didn't have a crazy wait. We'd definitely go during spring break again.