The lesser of two evils (Spring Break or Christmas)?

[momimouse27]

No way I'd go Christmas week. JMHO. Yes, Spring Break can be busy, but I've never heard of parks being shut down over capacity during Spring Break, and that routinely happens at Christmas. The videos I've seen of Christmas week are nightmarish. We have been twice during Spring Break...busy, but doable. If the heat is a factor, go for Christmas.

 

[happymommy]

I've gone almost every spring break since my kids were little, before Christmas a couple times, and Christmas week (day after) twice.

Christmas to New Years is the most crowded time. Easter was a close second last time I went that week (a couple years ago). It was then I swore I'd never go over Easter again.

If your spring break is not over Easter, you'll find less crowds. I do love Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival!

 

[g-dad66]

We have gone Spring Break (mid-March) most every year, and we have never found the weather to be too hot. The warmest we ever had was about 85, but never with high humidity, and an 85 in March feels way better than an 85 in summer or early fall.

One trip, the warmest it ever got was 72.

Crowds are high but not unmanageable. As long as it is not Easter week, parks never closed due to hitting capacity like they always do at least once between Christmas and New Years.

 

[SarahC97]

Sorry, Was just stating what I’ve seen... several times.

You may have seen people with ECVs getting return times with a DAS pass, but I think what the other poster was saying is that needing an ECV doesn't qualify you by itself for DAS. It's likely they have another issue that can be accommodated with DAS. And DAS doesn't allow you to cut to the front of the line, it just allows you to come back in the time equivalent to the standby time and go through the fastpass line. Maybe it was before the recent changes you noticed something else because it was different.

As for the OP, I vote Spring Break if crowds are your main concern. While both times of the year are nuts, I think Xmas week is kind of in a category by itself. Totally doable with a good plan and realistic expectations, but very, very crowded.

 

[Ds4angels]

Spring break would be my choice, there is no closing early for the party and not everyone has the same spring break.
Plus there is always the water parks to enjoy in warmer weather

 

[Mousefan mom]

To me Spring break is the best. I love the Flower and Garden show, particularly after a bleak winter. The temps to me are absolutely perfect in March both times we've been...with highs around the 70s during the day and chillier at night (like need a sweat shirt--so to me, December might be too chilly). I like that you can still sometimes swim in March--usually during the heat of the day as the evenings are much too chilly. While I thought the Christmas decorations were nice, I don't think Florida does as good of a job as CA. in terms of decorations....the rides were the same, not decorated, etc. I'd love to see Disneyland when they do Nightmare before Christmas, etc.

 

[Gehrig1B]

No way I'd go Christmas week. JMHO. Yes, Spring Break can be busy, but I've never heard of parks being shut down over capacity during Spring Break, and that routinely happens at Christmas. The videos I've seen of Christmas week are nightmarish. We have been twice during Spring Break...busy, but doable. If the heat is a factor, go for Christmas.

As long as it is not Easter week, parks never closed due to hitting capacity like they always do at least once between Christmas and New Years.

This is a bit misleading. We visit during the week between Christmas and NYE and the only park to close for capacity is MK and that is usually for a few hours and only for visitors staying off property and without ADRs. The other three parks have not closed. Now, with Star Wars that may change but we just don't know. AK did not close last year even with Pandora.

We visit both Spring Break and Christmas and much prefer Christmas for all the reasons already stated. If you have reasonable expectations, know how to plan and use FP+ and MDE, you will have a great time in my opinion. I know we always do...even last year with the iced in docks at Wilderness Lodge! brrr.....

 

[GPC0321]

My parents and I have done both, and we enjoyed Christmastime more, but there were many factors besides time of year that made it better. Honestly, the weather was almost identical on both trips. In fact, I think it was slightly hotter in December than in late March/first of April. But that's just luck of the draw. Our Spring Break/Easter trip was our first visit to WDW in 17 years, so we were kind of rusty at how to tour (despite my diligent homework here on the disboards). We were also staying at a moderate resort and we drove. The Christmastime trip we flew, stayed at a deluxe resort, and had solid plans that focused on holiday events instead of just general touring of the parks.

There is nothing like Disney at Christmastime. The Magic is on steroids during that season. But the weather can be iffy as you never know if you're going to get summertime temps with swimming and t-shirts/shorts or a cold snap with sweatshirts and jeans. And it can change from day to day. Spring is more consistent weather wise, but you're more likely to encounter some thunderstorms.

I'd say crowds are about the same. I honestly can't tell much difference between the crowds on our spring trip, our December trip, and the summer trip I just got home from. It's crowded. Period. If you plan accordingly and zig when everyone else zags, utilize FP+ like a boss and hit rope drop for headliners that you cannot get a FP+ for (due to tiers or just bad luck on the day you book), you should be fine at either time.

I'd give the edge to Christmas just because you have the holiday events and decorations. But spring is lovely too with the Flower and Garden. Tough call!

 

[goofyernmost]

I would take spring break any time. I don't have any backup for this, but, with prices being what they are today, I would think that WDW would have become less and less attractive to spring breakers. I have gone during spring break many times and never really noticed anything different then normal for that time of the year. Still better then summer or Christmas.

 

[Day-Day]

The 2019 Spring Break Poll has some interesting numbers at the moment but could use more responses to maybe improve the accuracy. The last week of March will likely have a good number of spring breakers at WDW if this poll means anything. I've seen years when they appear to be 2 or 3 of peak weeks with really big percentages. (Easter is April 21.)

I don't know all of the specific dates for cheer and dance competitions in March-2019. They can impact crowds as well as some participants and family and friends will add days before or after to the competition in order to visit the parks. I see that UCA has a championship event March 9-10 and AmeriCheer has one March 16-17; these are outside of the last week of March. Disney's site is not showing March-2019 events that I can see https://www.espnwwos.com/events/#view=list

 

[kwdw]

I love late March in Disney!!! For us - it's our favorite weather. Warm enough to go to the pool but not so hot/humid we are dying of heat. Spring break crowds are not the same as Christmas crowds as spring break falls over MULTIPLE weeks around the country. Now - if Spring Break for you also lines up with Easter - then the crowds levels are Easter crowds, not "just Spring Break" crowds. Unless it's "Easter" week - spring break, to me, is just an average busy time of year at WDW.

I do think the Dec decorations are awesome - and we like visiting that time of year - but the experience is very different for us. The weather is VERY unpredictable - could be 40 degree; could be 80 degrees. The Christmas feel does add extra magic to the experience. Christmas will be crowded - but as folks say - if you go with a plan and the correct expectations - that can be fine. But for us - we like Christmas at home - that's the tradition we cherish.

Now - if you are talking Dec. 2019 - unless you are Star Wars fans - don't go.

We are HUGE Star Wars fans - and we are thinking of going Christmas 2019 because of the chaos of the opening of Galaxy's Edge. But - unless you want that experience - I would not recommend it. If you thinking Dec. 2018 or Dec. 2020 - those should be normal Christmas seasons.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We are stuck with going on vacations during typical school breaks. What is the lesser of two evils - Spring Break (last week of March) or Christmas? Summer is out because it is just too hot for me. I know Christmas will probably be more busy, but then you get all the wonderful Christmas decorations/feel. Spring break looks like 9/10 all week anyway. Just wondering what time would be better. My dad will be in a electric chair (had heart surgery back in Feb, but his recovery has been really slow and I don’t think he will be able to walk). Having never had to deal with those before, would using one of those be harder during Christmas since it is so busy? One last question: We are planning on staying off site in a condo - will that mean we will get zero cool fast passes since people staying on-site get to select fast pass before those off property? Would it be better to stay on-site for the fast passes? Thanks!

We also only travel during school breaks. I feel your pain. We've done Christmas once and most (if not all) the rest of our trips have been Spring Break. We just did Spring Break this year. The last two times we've done Spring Break has warmer. Some days down right hot and I also hate the heat. For Christmas trip, I found myself packing clothes for warm and cool days. So I'm packing a lot more. But with Spring Break, it's all light weight summer clothing. As far as crowds, since we travel mostly Spring Break, I've noticed it getting more and more crowded over the years. Of course, Christmas was crowded too but maybe because it's the holiday season and everything is so festive, I didn't notice it as much. My daughter is able to swim during Spring Break, but not over Christmas time. I guess you have to figure out your plus and minus for each. If you haven't been to DW during Christmas, I would check that off the bucket list but with Star Wars opening, that would concern me. Maybe go Spring Break first and next time plan to go Christmas time after some time has passed after Star Wars opening? When you stay on property, FP+ opens at 60 day window. For non resort staying guests, it's 30 days. It will be much harder to get the popular FP like FOP, 7DMT and others because they go so fast. With Disney now charging for parking, it gets expensive parking everyday. I think the perks for staying on property is worth the extra money.

 

[JennyDrake]

You are getting good info here--bottom line is that it is going to be crowded either time. Period. IF you are even considering an ECV, I would definitely stay ON SITE and rent from an OFF SITE vendor. Less expensive, smaller units and you can keep it will you all the time. I've had success with Walker Mobility on several occasions.

Rope Drop IS your best friend! Due to the crowds whenever you go, I would plan for a midday break from the crowds and chaos, then return in late afternoon/early evening; this of course is much more feasible when staying on site.

 

[bryanb]

Once you've accepted that it's going to be terribly crowded, and perhaps even come to embrace that fact as a fun, lively time to be at WDW, it changes the perspective enormously.

If you're lucky enough to have a school with a two week Christmas break, I would choose the week before Christmas rather than the week between Christmas and New Year.

If you choose Spring Break, the crowd levels should be slightly lower than Christmas week. But also keep in mind that Spring Break is a difficult time for WDW to staff up. While every local college kid has Christmas week off, colleges have varying spring breaks, so the seasonal workers aren't around the whole time. This probably won't affect your vacation that much, but Christmas week and summer is when WDW is most well oiled a machine.