Which is the lessor of 3 evils..Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter week?

[01Sweetpea]

We haven't been to Disney since Feb 2004...I know, I know...bad me. I would like to go sometime with in the next 12 months or so, and stay for a week HOWEVER...here is the problem:

My kids are now at an age where pulling them out of school for more than 3 days would be counter-productive to their education. So because of this we are limited to when we can visit Disney.

Our options are:
1. Thanksgiving break
2. The week between Christmas and New Years
3. Easter break
4. July or August - which is my LAST option... NY summer's are bad enough, that I REALLY don't want to head to Disney during this time.

So, if you HAD to choose one of the first 3 options, which would you choose? I know no matter when we go we are going to have lines, but I can manage those.

Thanks!

 

[MareQ]

We haven't been to Disney since Feb 2004...I know, I know...bad me. I would like to go sometime with in the next 12 months or so, and stay for a week HOWEVER...here is the problem:

My kids are now at an age where pulling them out of school for more than 3 days would be counter-productive to their education. So because of this we are limited to when we can visit Disney.

Our options are:
1. Thanksgiving break
2. The week between Christmas and New Years
3. Easter break
4. July or August - which is my LAST option... NY summer's are bad enough, that I REALLY don't want to head to Disney during this time.

So, if you HAD to choose one of the first 3 options, which would you choose? I know no matter when we go we are going to have lines, but I can manage those.

Thanks!

My order preference would be

1. Thanksgiving
2. July or August
3. Easter Break
4. Christmas Week


I have been Thanksgiving week before - the weather was very nice - crowds were busy but certainly not the worst I have ever experienced. The last two weeks of August are supposed to be very low crowd wise although HOT. As for Easter/Christmas - I'd have to be very desperate and heavily medicated before you'd catch me there on either of those weeks.

 

[mickeymom629]

We have been each of those times, except Thanksgiving. I would pick Christmas or Easter. Easter will probably have the better weather, but you never know. We are headed down there next month for our 3rd spring break trip. With good planning, you can avoid most crowds and the park hours are extended. We went for two weeks this past summer and it was so hot that it was a waste of time to have showered--we were dripping just walking out of the resort room. I would pick the time for the weather, since the crowds will be there at the times you chose. Heat and crowds is the worst combination!

The secret is a good game plan!

 

[JenniferW]

I've been at all of those except Christmas time and I'd do Tday hands down especially if you can fly back a day or 2 late. Easter was a zoo and summers in Florida, I sweat even thinking about it.

Jenn

 

[yogibigdog]

When I lived in Orlando and worked at the Dolphin I would have to say Easter is the worst. Especially when every 3 years Easter falls on school vacation week for those in Massachusetts and I think parts of NY. I remember one year when friends tryed to come down to visit at Easter we couldn't even find them a room at the Days Inn. Everything was booked. My friend want a couple of years ago and was so upset my the crowds she vowed she would never go back at Easter.
If you can go just before school starts at the end of August the would probably be a better choice but it will be hot.
Christmas is also very nice decorations are great!

 

[LeahA]

I have only done Easter week, and all I can say is "EEEEEKKKKK!"

 

[01Sweetpea]

Yogi - We are in NY and always have a week off at Easter, provided we didn't run out of snow days.

With T-Day the kids have off 3 days, so I can pull them out for 2 and they won't be missing much school.

We don't get a mid-winter (February) break or else I'd be looking into those times as well.

 

[DVCLiz]

Definitely Thanskgiving - it's very crowded, but not as bad as Christmas or (shudder) Easter. Summer is hot but better crowdwise, but if you want to avoid it I'd go for Thanksgiving in a flash.

 

[Izeesmom]

I can't even imagine August in Flordia!!!! We went last year in June and I too thought showering was a waste until you came back in from the parks. There were times we would come in mid-day and take another shower!!!!! I wouldn't go back in the summer again....But that is just my opinion, Good Luck with whatever you choose. But I would think Christmas would be a great present and something to see.

 

[clydenora]

The first time we took our boys was in 1999. We left the Saturday before Thanksgiving and came home Thanksgiving Day. Our boys missed 3 days of school, but they were very young, kindergarten and 3rd grade. Sat. thru Tues. were great...never waited more than 20-25 minutes for anything. Wednesday was a bit more crowded, and on Thanksgiving, it was a zoo. We had a later flight home, so we went to MK for a while.

Friends went at Christmas two years ago. They said the crowds were not too bad before Christmas, but Christmas and after were horrendous.

Hope this helps.

 

[KittieKat]

i like christmas! i really dont think its that bad. i mean sure their are like wayy less busy times you could go, but we go every year and i like it. Thanksgiving would probably be slightly less busy though.

 

[MinnieGi]

We've also been Thanksgiving week and although it was crowded I'm sure it was nothing like Christmas or Easter. The weather was nice and it was fun to have T-day dinner at Disney.

 

[meloneyb21]

I keep reading about how Easter and Easter week are extremely crowded but we aren't going on Easter or THAT week. I'm not really worried about the Spring Break crowds, it's Easter.

Now, Easter is Sunday, April 16, so we figured that Easter week April 16-23 would be packed and the week before Easter April 9-15 would also be packed. We're going April 2-9, so we figured we'd be able to dodge the really BAD Easter crowds. Does this sound like we would be able to? We pretty much expect the Spring Break crowd, we're just worried about that infamous Easter crowd.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

1ST, 2ND, 3RD AND 4TH CHOICE: Easter!

We went last year when the three biggies all hit at the same time: Easter, Spring Breaks for many schools and colleges across the country, and Florida school break.

Yes, it was crowded (!) but MK was open for nearly 20 hours/day -- one day it was open from 7 AM until 2 (or was it 3?) AM the next morning.

The weather was great! Just a little morning sprinkle, which cleared out the parks, and then lovely. Not humid and hot like summer and not cool for pool swimming like Thanksgiving and Christmas (I know some people will say you can swim at WDW then because the pools are heated, but the air sure isn't).

The key was to hit the parks early and clear out when the masses flow in at 1ish or so. We also used FastPass and wound up NEVER waiting longer than 10 min. or so for anything.

We hit all 4 parks and had 2 young children with us and it was such a great trip that we're going back this year. But, we're going back in early May, which, if you'd asked about Easter or early May, I'd have voted for May.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

I would have to vote for Easter Week as well. All the other times just seem way to busy for us. Although the decorations are nice for Christmas, I would avoid any 7 day period that included Christmas Day.

 

[G's mommy]

Another vote for Thanksgiving here. The weather is normally very nice, still warm enough for shorts and swimming. The holiday decorations are going up all week and are pretty much complete by Thanksgiving Day. The crowds are great until about Wed and then it does get busy from Thanksgiving Day through the weekend, but with good planning and Fastpass, you will be fine.
We have been several times this week and always have had a good experience.

 

[Mamu]

I would think the week of Thankgiving would be the least crowded. Not to say it isn't crowded. Weekends are always crowded and when a holiday fall on a Thursday you can bet it will be more crowded then usual.

I done Easter. The week before and the week after are mobbed. Warm weather and long lines.

I been the week before Christmas, never staying for Christmas, leaving 5 days before. Low, Low crowds, cold weather.

 

[Sxydan]

I will be down at the 'World April 14th through the 23rd. I have no fear!!!

 

[01Sweetpea]

Thanks everyone...I think I'll lean towards Thanksgiving.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

I would say Thanksgiving would be the best of the three in terms of crowds.