When to go?

[Firepath]

I'm planning a trip in 2015 with DD for her 16th BD which is in March. We can either go during spring break or the first week of June. Easter will be April 5th, and DD has the 2 weeks prior to that off school. If we did spring break, we would go the week before Easter week. I think with Easter being early it will overlap an already busy spring break time. If we go in June, we'll leave as soon as she gets off school, June 3. We'd like to go when it's less crowded but would like to avoid super hot summer weather too. I've never gone in summer or during spring break. For those who have, which would you choose and why? If we decide on spring break I'll need to book our flights soon (using miles). Thank you!

 

[butsy113]

We often go over Memorial Day and into the 1st week of June. I don't think it starts to get really crowded until the end of the second week. Of course everyone views crowds differently, so you have to take that into consideration.

 

[drusba]

Have been many times during the Easter weeks and many times during June. The crowds during the Easter weeks are comparable to Christmas week and make early June feel like off season, even though crowds are quite heavy at that time. Moreover, you are correct that when Easter falls end of March or early April, you get a double whammy in that there are many schools that have that period off every year regardless of when Easter falls and thus crowds are enormous when that is coupled with the usual groups that get the week before or of Easter off. Thus, from a crowd perspective, early June would be the choice. From a weather perspective, it is hard to beat most spring break weather and June will likely be quite hot (with the chance that you can sweat standing still outside at midnight), but I would still choose that period over either of the two Easter weeks.

 

[nalajms]

Same as PP, I'd pick the hotter weather in June over the crowds. June is not blistering hot like July and Aug, but it'll be in the 90s. But late afternoon & early evenings will be pleasant.

 

[Firepath]

Thanks everyone. We have decided on June. In addition to the lesser crowds which you pointed out, I'm pretty sure flights will be cheaper and we'd likely have better luck trying for a 7 mos. switch. DD would like to try AKV and perhaps we'll get lucky.

 

[drusba]

As to chances at 7 months: spring break weeks including the Easter weeks are actually low to moderate DVC demand times and it is easy to get rooms at any resorts except for certain usual suspects that are hard to get at 7 months out almost any time of year (those are AKV value or club level, BWV standard or boardwalk view, BLT standard view, VGF studios, and, for around holiday times, BCV studios and possibly 2BRs, and BLT theme park studios and possibly 2BRs). Early June is also a moderate DVC demand time. As for AKV, you should be able to get anything other than value or club level. DVC's high demand time, when it can be difficult to get any near park resort at 7 months out, is end of Sep through marathon weekend in Jan.