worried spring break

[mill4023]

ahh I see. So most of you that responeded that it wasnt that bad durning spring break was that a week surrounding easter?

Looks like i have to learn a little more about how to use the fastpass to get the most out of it.

I didn't mean to scare you.
Just wanted you to be prepared and to understand that if someone said "spring break", they might not be talking about the Easter weeks.

Even though it will be packed, there are a ton of people on here who have gone during Easter and Christmas vacation weeks and managed to have a great vacation and do everything they wanted to do. It just requires some strategy.

No matter what time you visit, going to a park on it's "best day" and getting there early is always a good idea if you want to minimize crowds and wait times. But during crowded times, I consider it critical.

 

[housetomouse]

There's a big difference between "spring break" and the week before and after Easter.

True!

If you go Easter week, best advice is to get to the park at opening. You should be able to walk onto most rides for an hour or two. Get as many fast passes as you can, and save them for later. By 11:00/12:00, it's just packed, even walking around is unpleasantly crowded. Go back to your hotel for a swim or a nap or have a sit down lunch (make a reservation or you'll wait for that, too). Then go back to the parks later and use your fast passes. It will still be crowded. If you are claustrophobic, stay away from the MK parades they can be scary crowded.

Easter week is doable, but I think if you don't get to the parks at opening, you will think it's impossibly crowded and you won't get to do much. You really need to be strategic that week.

 

[twinkletoesmom]

K everyone keeps saying get fastpassES and save them for later. Don't u have to use them when they say (the return time) and u can't get a bunch at the same time can u? can't u only get 1 every 2 hours. Well in 2 hrs u r on the other side of the park that seems like a lot of zig zagging. Am I missing something?

 

[eeyoreland]

K everyone keeps saying get fastpassES and save them for later. Don't u have to use them when they say (the return time) and u can't get a bunch at the same time can u? can't u only get 1 every 2 hours. Well in 2 hrs u r on the other side of the park that seems like a lot of zig zagging. Am I missing something?

It's kind of an unwritten rule, secret, call it what you will, that you do NOT have to use the FP at the designated time. You can't use it EARLY, but as far as I know, no one has been turned away from using it late. It does have to be the same day though. You can have more than one FP, but you generally have to wait two hours before you can get another. It will say on the FP when you can get another.

 

[I Love Pluto]

There's a big difference between "spring break" and the week before and after Easter. Everything I've ever heard is that the only time more crowded than Easter is the week between Christmas and New Years.

Umm,,,,,Spring Break IS THE WEEK BEFORE EASTER .
I just thought you'd like to know that.

Now, HOW are Spring Break & the week before Easter different?????

 

[tchrrx]

Umm,,,,,Spring Break IS THE WEEK BEFORE EASTER .
I just thought you'd like to know that.

Now, HOW are Spring Break & the week before Easter different?????

My spring break is in mid-March. Spring Break varies for different states, unlike Easter.

 

[I Love Pluto]

I was answering sarcastically because I made a statement in post #10, then received a nasty put-down in post #13.

I ought to know when our spring break is.

 

[MelanieRI]

We ONLY go to WDW at peak seasons....Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving or Christmas....parks are a 10 pretty much everyday! And we get to ride everything we want to, multiple times if wanted, we hardly wait in lines. How? We stay AHEAD of the crowds! We get there early, start collecting our FP's and do everything we want in a certain order! We take a break almost everyday to swim and enjoy our resort..my kids enjoy that just as much as the parks! Then we head back in the evenings to use up our FP's, etc.

The only long lines we really wait in are for the bathrooms!

Me too! I actually like the parks at busier times because they have more shows, more fireworks, more buses, more hours, etc. I've never made a rope drop, but I will stay till the park closes (like 3am at MK!) and bang out all the rides no problem. I agree with the above poster - take a break during the midday when the parks are busiest and go enjoy a swim at your hotel.

 

[pigletto]

If you are claustrophobic, stay away from the MK parades they can be scary crowded.
.

This is very sound advice in my experience. We've typically done lower crowd weeks. Our February trip last year was ending just as the Presidents Day/Mardi Gras crowds were arriving.
On our last night we thought we'd go into MK one last time. It was predicted to be a six on the crowd calendars. Well.. people were gearing up for the parade. It took a good 20 minutes to half hour to get down Main Street. The cast members were shuttling people out employee exits and there was glow in the dark tape on the ground to show you which way to walk. I am claustrophobic and it was pretty unpleasant. Looked back on that date on TP and though they predicted a 6 it turned out to be a 9 at MK.

You will have a fabulous trip and be able to do it all with a good plan and early mornings. However do NOT abandon the plan and head into a not recommended park for parade/firework time. It can be crazy.

 

[4GoofyCrew]

Unfortunately it depends on where people are from because for us Spring Break and Easter DO coincide this year.

I agree with others - if you are going then get a jump start on your day, know where you are headed, FP as much as possible eat when others are playing and play while others are eating.

 

[js]

We are going the first week of April so i understand it will be busier than the first week of Dec. (when we went last time) but I was just told that someone knew someone who went last yr for spring break. They said for the whole day all they got to do was 2 rides and c a few characters. Is that right?! Is that what we can expect? :/

I've been there the week before Easter too and I did EVERYTHING I wanted and could have done more but this comes with a very big B U T....
But,
You MUST be at rope drop. This doesn't mean show up about the time the park opens, it means you MUST be there about 30-40 minutes before RD.
You want to be in the front of the crowds waiting to get in.

Utilize your FP and NEVER be without one...ever. You must know when the next time is that you can pick one up. Save them and use them at the end of your day before you leave. Remember, if you want to ride something and get a FP, get the FP FIRST do not ride and then get the FP.

IF you are planning to do any restaurants or character meals (although I am sure you have already made your ADRs so this may be too late) try to get them for when the restaurant opens for dinner. This works nicely since you do not have to wait for anyone in front of you to get up from their table.
Arrive about 15 minutes before your ADR if you have first seating.

Make it a plan to be at the parks at RD and make it a plan to go back to your hotel or condo after lunch and do not return to the parks. You will have done everything you needed to do and do not need to return for more rides, it will be VERY VERY crowded.

Remember, if you are going to MK for RD, you should leave your place about an hour beforehand. Any other park, about 45 minutes.

Good luck. Everyone has to be onboard with your plan or you will be like the family that told you they only did 2 rides. Don't let this be you