Week before Easter crowds?

[mdoc]

We're planning to go to Discovery Cove, Sea World, Aquatica and Busch Gardens the week before Easter. I know DC limits the number of people it lets in on any given day, so I'm not worried about that one. But how are the crowds at the others at that time of year? We usually go to WDW, and I know the crowds there are brutal. Are the Sea World parks comparable? Anyone know when the locals have spring break? Any touring or planning tips would also be appreciated.

 

[SandrA9810]

sea world can get pretty busy too.

It might be "fewer people" than say disney, but the park is a lot smaller. So it holds fewer people. I went right around christmas time, on like the 29th. Of course they were doing the polar express for the wild artic, but all day the line was 60min or more. And after a shamu show dump, it went up to like 90mins. Manta was just crazy long, the line was out the entry. I even had to wait like 20mins to get on the sky tower, and they were using both levels. Even to get into the sharks, there was like a 15 min line out the door. Because they can only let so many people in the building... so every few mins they'd let another 10-20 people in.
Of course being cold outside, it was a great chance to sit up close at the shows... but the rest of the stadiums filled fast.


Summer time Aquatica would close by 11-12 to capacity, but usually by 3pm they'd re-open. Depending on the hours. It's just as easy to go in the afternoon, the sun is less brutal, the crowds are a bit less, and you can still accomplish everything.

Last summer I would go once or twice a week to aquatica, but always in the afternoon, and I could do anything I wanted over and over again. Of course the hardest part of there being no line is climbing the 10 flights of stairs to the top of the slides. At least when there's a line, you get to "slowly" walk up those steps. It took a couple weeks before I stopped getting winded at the top of the racers.

If you're doing busch gardens and you love the thrill rides, it might be worth the added cost for the quick queu. I don't think it's worth the price for Sea World.

 

[PAL_1]

If you're doing busch gardens and you love the thrill rides, it might be worth the added cost for the quick queu. I don't think it's worth the price for Sea World.

I've been over to the Busch Tampa website a bunch of times looking for Quik Queue info. Can't find anything, nothing for advance sale or even a mention. Are you sure they offer it? We'll be there that same pre-Easter week. As we're coaster-crazy and unlikely to get back for a long time, we'd spring for them if available. If this is an at the park only option, are the costs the same as Sea World? Thanks!

 

[Rosie]

Here is the link to quick queue information on the Busch site;
http://commerce.4adventure.com/EStore/Scripts/Skins/bgt/QuickQueue.aspx
HTH

 

[PAL_1]

Thanks a bunch for showing the way. I still can't find the link from the home page.

 

[GrumpyFamilyof5]

Unfortunately that week is spring break week for alot of schools in FL, so I would expect crowds, the best advice I can give you is be there when the rope drops and hit the major rides asap....

 

[pandora174]

Unfortunately that week is spring break week for alot of schools in FL, so I would expect crowds, the best advice I can give you is be there when the rope drops and hit the major rides asap....

Yup I agree on the Spring Break schedules are all over the place. We're going 3/29 through 4/1 to Busch Gardens (my DS spring break is that week) that's also when the Sesame Street Safari land opens So I am expecting crowds but we'll take it as it comes. But my best friend son's spring break is the week "after" Easter. Another friend who lives up in northern FL's daughter's spring break is the week before Easter

 

[kathy884]

Sea World will be busy, but not as busy as summer (Stay away from summer Saturdays -- OMG). We went Christmas Day in 2008 and I think the crowds for spring break are usually similar to that (not too bad, but heavy enough to warrant a little planning / get there early / get to shows early enough). You have to get to shows early in the off seaon too, as they don't do as many per day and really fill up. We'll be at Sea World March 16th and 17th. Our stategy will to be there at rope drop both days and do the Manta followed by the Kracken coasters. Next we'll pick three shows to see each day (There are five shows and we'll take in a Orca show twice -- just can't get enough of Shamu). We skip the midway rides you can do anywhere, although I will let my son play a few arcade games one of the days. Mostly, though, we'll visit the animal exhibits around each show and head toward the show venue 25/30 minutes before each show starts. In the evenings if lines are short, we may take in another ride or so on the Manta, but we'll avoid coster lines mid day that get really long. For the Wild Artic, we go over there while a show is going on in Shamu Stadium, plan our vist then (very uncrowed, as everyone just went in for the Orca show). Just don't go to the Wild Artic right after a Shamu show. If the line is a little long and we don't want to wait, we do the handicapped line that just shows the film before going in to the animal venues vs. seeing the film on the simulation ride that moves (not a big deal for us to skip the other, as we've done it many times.) We think Sea World is a wonderful park to savor and enjoy -- We take our time at the animal exhibits and enjoy the beautiful landscaping.

20 Trips with # 21 coming up
March 1971 – KOA closest to Disney (camping)
March 1972 – Jellystone Park (camping)
March 1974 – Outdoor Resorts of America (camping)
Dec. 1974 – Outdoor Resorts of American (camping)
March 1975 – Outdoor Resorts of America (camping)
Dec. 1975 – Fort Wilderness (camping)
Dec. 1976 – Fort Wilderness (camping)
Dec. 1977 -- Outdoor Resorts of America (camping)
Dec. 1986 – Marriott Royal Palms (condo by Marriott World Center)
May 1993 – Disney Contemporary (Garden Wing) (hotel)
Dec. 1994 – Polynesian Isles (condo)
May 1999 – Disney Contemporary (Main Building with high floor and Magic Kingdom view) (hotel)
Dec. 2001 – Cypress Pointe (condo)
March 2003 – Sheraton Vistana – Cascades section (condo)
March 2004 – Sheraton Vistana – Cascades section (condo)
Dec. 2004 -- Cypress Pointe (condo)
June 2006 –Tampa relative’s condo
June 2007 – Cypress Point Grandvillas (condo). Disney -- Port Orleans Riverside (hotel), and Sheraton Vistana – Fountains section (condo) – stayed three different places on this trip.
Dec. 2008 – Sheraton Vistana Resort (remodeled Fountains section) (condo)
Oct. 2009 – Hilton Garden Inn Seaworld (hotel)
(Will be going again March 2010 – staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Seaworld again)