YIKES!! going during peak season..need some tips!!!

[minijeanie]

Have been to WDW many times but mostly value and regular season.

We are now going march 28-April2...which is the week before Easter.

Are crowds as bad as Easter week?

Other than getting to parks early, what would you suggest.

DD is marching in parade with her high school band so this is the reason we are going this time.

Interested in weather as well?

do I bring shorts?

 

[ProfJohn]

Crazy to go at the time...
Not overly hot, but warm enough for shorts many days.
Use fast pass to its full advantage and plan on only seeing the things you really want to see.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Arriving early really is the key.

Be at the gates about an hour to a half hour prior to the official opening time. Grab the Unofficial Guide and use their touring plans to make the most and get in the most rides you possibly can.

Be SURE you have some ADR's set up - or you might only be able to get counter service. And end up waiting a REALLY long time for it.

I wouldn't plan on RIDING anything any time after the noonish hour, unless you get Fastpasses in the morning. Just plan on seeing shows (Beauty and the Beast, Voyage of the Little Mermaid - the ones with HUGE seating capacities), or evening shows (Wishes, Spectro, Fantasmic, Illuminations...) If you plan on Fantasmic, I would reccomend getting the Fantasmic dinner package so you don't have to waste ridiculous amounts of time waiting in line.

If you just plan on a completely different kind experience, you should be just fine. I'd always rather be in a sea of humanity at Walt Disney World than in a sea of humanity at the mall on Black Friday.

 

[KimR]

We've gone during Spring Break for the past 3 years, once Easter week, the others the week before. It is crowded, yes, but it is not that bad and we were able to everything we wanted. The key is to have a plan and take full advantage of fast pass. The biggest problem at this time of year is that the fast passes for the more popular rides are usually gone by early afternoon (or the return time is 6:00 or so). We would enter the park and immediately grab fastpasses and ensure that we got our next set as soon as we were able. Ride the big attractions early in the day. This especially works well at EPCOT since so many of the attractions there have a very short wait, even during peak season.

Once in a while, we did the single rider lines with my older children. That can help cut down on the waits although sometimes we found the single rider line to be no shorter than the regular one.

Everyone will tell you to avoid EMH at this time of year. In fact, I've not heard one good thing about the evening EMH's during peak season; however, we've always had a good experience, maybe we've just been very lucky. My DD and I went to MGM's EMH last year and TOT was a walk-on - we rode it at least 5 times in a row. RNRC had a line, but it was maybe 20 minutes. Don't rule out EMH - give it a try and if it's crowded leave. Also, sometimes the crowds are heavy at the beginning but thin out considerably later on.

The biggest drawback to me is the weather. Yes, it is beautiful and rarely rains but it is unpredictable and often gets chilly in the mornings and evenings. Therefore, it is necessary to pack clothes for warm weather as well as jackets, jeans and sweatshirts. This can be very inconvenient if you stay in the parks all day like we often do.

I was very nervous the first time we went during Easter, too but we had a wonderful trip and it wasn't as bad as I thought. I guess I was prepared for the worst. Also, I do not handle crowds well at all so if I can do it, anyone can.

 

[minijeanie]

thanks to all of you for your generous tips.

DH & I are alone the first evening. Hoping to do a dinner all alone.

 

[goodfaerie]

I'd always rather be in a sea of humanity at Walt Disney World than in a sea of humanity at the mall on Black Friday.

Thank you so much for that fresh perspective! I am leaving in 10 days, and I've been a little worried about the crowds. Now I know that if the crowds start to get to me, I'll remind myself what it would be like at the Providence Mall (shudder)!

I love the positive spin...

 

[tndisneyfan]

We went the week before Easter in 2003. It really wasn't that bad. We got there on the Sunday before Easter and left Saturday, the day before Easter. The crowds didn't start to pick up until about Wed. or Thurs. By Friday it was real busy. Now of course that was three and half years ago, only about a year and a half after 9/11. So there may not have been as many people traveling.

My best advice is get up early and hit the parks and take advantage of EMH.

 

[Kona*Queen]

We'll be going then too. I wouldn't worry too much about the crowds. We go at Easter and Christmas and if you're in the parks early and make the most of your resort/DTD etc. in the afternoons you'll be just fine. As others have said, any big rides like Soarin' will have huge queues from mid morning onwards and FP returns (if there are any left) will be for several hours later. Plan the rides you HAVE to hit early and everything else just go with the flow. Enjoy!

 

[lovethattink]

My tips:

utilize fast passes

go early and do the popular attractions first

save the fast loading/high capacity attractions for later when the crowds get thick.

If a park has a very late EMH (like til 1, 2 or 3am), usually the last hour of that EMH is relatively empty.

 

[minijeanie]

I am going to try my best to get to parks early...but have teenage girls with us that we will be chaperoning.........
and well you know how that goes....
everyone has their own idea.
I have figured out I am just going to have to go with the flow.
Thank goodness it isn't our first time their.

MY DD band will be performing by tomorrowland so that will take up a little bit of time. And they are in the parade.... How cool is that!!!
I can't wait!!!

and as much as I like Black Friday,, I love DISNEY better