Tell me the truth, how bad is Easter...

crc76

Mouseketeer
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
77
We usually visit home the weekend after President's Day. Due to our school changing districts, our February vacation is changed and it looks like April vacation will be our best bet. The problem is that happens to be Easter week. We have seen 7 and 8's during our usual time, but never a 10. Our first day in parks always ends up being Princess 1/2 day, so the next couple days are generally busy. Will we still be able to enjoy ourselves with 10's? The price isn't THAT much of a difference, please help!
 
We have gone during February (Presidents' Week) break for years. Since our oldest started college we had to change to the summer because we said we would never go during Spring Break. Last year our oldest was in the DCP and we wanted to be with her for Easter so we went. Well I will say that I will never do it again. Besides it being unbelievably crowded - it also was much hotter than normal. We deal with the heat in the summer but it is never as crowded as last Easter week was. We didn't even go to the park on Easter but the other days were so crowded. We were there 10 days so we had time to get stuff done - but nothing that we thought we would. It was not enjoyable for us. But I get it if you don't have many other times to go.
 
We went over Easter (Good Friday through the Wednesday after Easter) and thought it was fine. Granted, we don't go often, that was our first visit in 17 years, but with FP+ and hitting parks at non-peak hours, it was fine. The buses were often standing room only, and it was hard to get a chair or table at the main pool (CSR), and sure, there were plenty of people everywhere, but I'd go during Easter again. I'm not bothered by crowds though, and I don't have kids, and I'm very flexible. People who don't like crowds, have young kids, and have a checklist of things they want to accomplish on the trip might have a completely different experience.
 
We were there the week leading up to Easter and left on Good Friday. As the week continued, it got pretty crazy. We're pretty laid back during our trips so we did more swimming/shopping/eating during the day and booked fast passes for the evenings once it cooled down. We had a nice time and will be back that time next year since there's no worries of missing school days.
 

We were there the week leading up to Easter and left on Good Friday. As the week continued, it got pretty crazy. We're pretty laid back during our trips so we did more swimming/shopping/eating during the day and booked fast passes for the evenings once it cooled down. We had a nice time and will be back that time next year since there's no worries of missing school days.

That's how we felt too, 17 years ago when we went the week before Easter. I noticed more of a crowd Thursday, worse on Friday and I had never left a park early but I did so on that Saturday evening in the MK. The lines were crazy long!
 
Hit rope drop. If you are onsite and an EMH- MK often opens at 7AM! We have hit this twice and it is amazing how empty it is! By 1 it will be packed- get out and take a break. Return int he evening when it thins out a little. Pack some patience and you cna still have a great trip- we have done Easter Weekend a few times due to schedules!
 
The other thing I remember from that trip is seeing CM's holding a sign saying "The Line Starts Here". The lines were so long that people couldn't find the location to actually get into the line, lol!
 
Years ago, we went over Easter and it was fun. Not too bad.

This spring break we did it, and I was amazed at how busy it was!

Plan accordingly and you will be okay. Not as bad as the week between Christmas and New Years, but it's close now. UGH>
 
If you plan accordingly I'm sure you will be fine. Set up your ADR's at 180 days out, fast passes as soon as possible and plan to be at the parks early. You could even set up a few TS breakfast meals at the parks so you can enter before they actually open. Then you'll have a head start once breakfast is over :) We have been over spring break an I personally would not go again during that time. We go early May or late September into early October. Its such an expensive trip and we save to go about every three years. I take my kids out of school, I just make sure they aren't missing any test and our school is perfectly fine with it. Either way it's Disney and you will have a great time :)
 
Our vacations are always during school breaks. Last time we went to WDW during Easter Break for 10 days was 2014. It was crowded, but we've been in worse. We did DL for 3 days in 2015 right after Easter and it was so horrible we boycotted parks for a while and went on a cruise.
 
I've never been over Easter, but I was watching the wait times for rides over Easter this past year. Man did they skyrocket!! We just returned from a summer trip and we didn't have waits anywhere near that long.
 
We went the Wednesday following Easter last April. The parks (especially MK) were more crowded than I ever remember them before. We thought they would thin out, but they never did. For the first time I understood what people meant by the term "I fought the crowds." It was exhausting to just be with so many people for so many hours of the day. We did rope drop, plus early entry. We spend most afternoons at the resort and returned to the parks after dinner. We made meals in our villa to avoid the crowded food courts and restaurants.

We were there for 10 days. And at the end of our vacation, we had a family talk about how next year we want to go somewhere less chaotic and crowded. For the first time in 10 years we will not be going to Walt Disney World. Part of me is kind of sad, but overall I am really looking forward to a different kind of vacation. Maybe our time is just over and we are looking for a new experience.
 
Does it matter that Easter is several weeks later next year, compared to this past Easter?
 












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