Which is better for WDW...April or May??

[busymommy2pink]

I am currently planning my daughter and I's second trip to WDW (we went this past August). Daddy and little sister will be joining us this time for our first full family vacation! We are so excited. We want to go in the spring of 2012. I know I'm planning early..but I took a year to plan the last one and it went sooo smoothly because of it! I'm wondering if April or May is the better time to go. We are taking a 10 day trip with dining plan. With thought about going April 6-15 where my daughters actually birthday falls in. It is also Easter (the 6th is good Friday) that timeframe. Is Easter busy?? What are the crowd levels/ride times like. Is that also near spring breaks??? We are Canadian, so I'm not sure of when the American schools have their breaks! Thanks so much!!!

 

[dawgfan]

Your April dates hit during the Srping Break crowds. I would hold off until May.

 

[featherface]

We love April, its a beautiful time of year in Florida. Its warm during the day and the evenings may be warm enough to swim or cool enough for a light jacket. It is busy around Easter but in May it tends to get to hot for us. Last year on May 1st the afternoon temp hit 90 degree's. Spring breaks seem to run from about the middle of March until about the middle of April so we try to go the last two weeks of April. When Easter is early in April as it is in 2012 the last two weeks of the month are great.
With saying all that, if you wanted to go during your daughters actual B-Day I wouldnt let the crowds scare me away. One year we took are Granddaughter for her 5th B-Day which fell five days after Easter. During the busy weeks Disney usually add's extra show's and extra hours. The 7am Extra Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom were great with very light crowds, it did get busy as the day went on tho. Just get to the parks early.

 

[BBG-BLT]

Weather = April
Crowds = May

Personally we like it hot so we would pick May... but the kids can't get out of school so we're doing August (talk heat!!!)

 

[Metro West]

 

[mickey&minniealways]

We usually go in April becaulse that is when my daughter is off for spring break. A pp stated that it is over by mid April. Not so. The northeast has spring break the last 2 weeks. The 3rd being the busiest. We have the last. May is lower crowds. Also the week right after xmas and Easter are the busiest times of the year. If this is a consideration then May might be better. If you want to be there for your DD's Bday then your choice is really made though.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I am currently planning my daughter and I's second trip to WDW (we went this past August). Daddy and little sister will be joining us this time for our first full family vacation! We are so excited. We want to go in the spring of 2012. I know I'm planning early..but I took a year to plan the last one and it went sooo smoothly because of it! I'm wondering if April or May is the better time to go. We are taking a 10 day trip with dining plan. With thought about going April 6-15 where my daughters actually birthday falls in. It is also Easter (the 6th is good Friday) that timeframe. Is Easter busy?? What are the crowd levels/ride times like. Is that also near spring breaks??? We are Canadian, so I'm not sure of when the American schools have their breaks! Thanks so much!!!

It's never to early to plan a trip to Disney! If you can avoid Easter and the 2 weeks around it you will be better off that is one of the busiest times of the year and crowds are huge. The Theme Park Attractions and Stategies board here has alot of polls and threads on when is spring break, easter break, etc each year, take a look at those and if at all possible avoid those weeks at WDW as they will be packed.

 

[MomiTo2SwtGuys]

Welcome. We prefer to go in May because the weather is wonderful and crowd levels are good. Have fun no matter when you are going!

 

[bfanelli4]

April is very busy with school vacations and spring training. May might be better.

 

[busymommy2pink]

It's never to early to plan a trip to Disney! If you can avoid Easter and the 2 weeks around it you will be better off that is one of the busiest times of the year and crowds are huge. The Theme Park Attractions and Stategies board here has alot of polls and threads on when is spring break, easter break, etc each year, take a look at those and if at all possible avoid those weeks at WDW as they will be packed.

Thank you so much for this! We will go in May then. We will still celebrate her birthday while we are there at CRT and order a cake...the dates don't matter if they are exact for us I'd rather have less crowds! Heat isn't an issue..we love it! AHHHH I'm so excited!! Thank you EVERYONE for the input! May it is!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I am currently planning my daughter and I's second trip to WDW (we went this past August). Daddy and little sister will be joining us this time for our first full family vacation! We are so excited. We want to go in the spring of 2012. I know I'm planning early..but I took a year to plan the last one and it went sooo smoothly because of it! I'm wondering if April or May is the better time to go. We are taking a 10 day trip with dining plan. With thought about going April 6-15 where my daughters actually birthday falls in. It is also Easter (the 6th is good Friday) that timeframe. Is Easter busy?? What are the crowd levels/ride times like. Is that also near spring breaks??? We are Canadian, so I'm not sure of when the American schools have their breaks! Thanks so much!!!

Early May is definitely the way to go. The weather is warm, but not sweltering like the summer and the crowds will be MUCH lower than April around Easter week. Easter Week is the second busiest and expensive week of the entire year, only second to Christmas week. The parks are known to close on Easter Sunday and the immediate days surrounding, because the parks will be at capacity. Definitely go with Early May - the crowds and prices will be much lower!