Approximate wait times during Spring break/Easter week

I have planned a trip to Disney April 5-10, which is the week after Easter. Typically we go between mid September - early November. I have never been at a peak time before. Unfortunately, due to other trips and engagements that is the only week we can go. I keep hearing horror stories about these peak times. We are going to brave it and make the best of it anyway, but I was just curious how long stand by wait times were. I was just trying to do a bit of planning and pre planning FP+ choices. If anybody can help with my question or just had any advice it would be much appreciated. Thanks!
 

Tuvalu

Premium Member
Two to three hour waits for headliners (Soarin', Test Track, Toy Story Mania, Space Mountain, etc) are common. Hour waits for most everything else. Quick service restaurants can have lines out the door.

This was the case that week in 2009, the last time Easter was the first Sunday in April. We were there. We said never again.

But never say never...like you, circumstances this year dictate our return April 6-11...we can face the madness together! :D

Highly recommend making ADRs if you haven't already done so. You won't be able to walk up to any table service restaurant without one. And you won't want to eat all your meals at quick serve locations.
 
Upvote 0

MissingDisney

Well-Known Member
Crowds will be high...its spring break...but with a good plan, doable ;). FP+ your must dos. Stand by will be long, as expected for a peak time. Can't really say how long as Dumbo has a different demand than Soarin....just know they're long. You can get additional FP after you use your first 3, 1 at a time, for whatever's left, that is.

We've been during Spring Break season The last few years. Not a great time to go due to crowds but good weather usually. However, nothing like Christmas/New Years/4th of July crowds. Just have a plan and be flexible. Have fun!
 
Upvote 0

Ali in Wonderland

Member
Original Poster
Two to three hour waits for headliners (Soarin', Test Track, Toy Story Mania, Space Mountain, etc) are common. Hour waits for most everything else. Quick service restaurants can have lines out the door.

This was the case that week in 2009, the last time Easter was the first Sunday in April. We were there. We said never again.

But never say never...like you, circumstances this year dictate our return April 6-11...we can face the madness together! :D

Highly recommend making ADRs if you haven't already done so. You won't be able to walk up to any table service restaurant without one. And you won't want to eat all your meals at quick serve locations.

Thanks for the info! I made dining reservations a few weeks ago and got all of the ones I wanted, including three character meals! I tried to use the quote thingy, but I don't know what I am doing, LOL. First timer here!
 
Upvote 0

Ali in Wonderland

Member
Original Poster
Crowds will be high...its spring break...but with a good plan, doable ;). FP+ your must dos. Stand by will be long, as expected for a peak time. Can't really say how long as Dumbo has a different demand than Soarin....just know they're long. You can get additional FP after you use your first 3, 1 at a time, for whatever's left, that is.

We've been during Spring Break season The last few years. Not a great time to go due to crowds but good weather usually. However, nothing like Christmas/New Years/4th of July crowds. Just have a plan and be flexible. Have fun!

We plan on being there at rope drop/EMH for all parks and also being at MK from 6:00ish to close. I am hoping that we can get a lot done in the first few hours and late night at MK. What time do you think I should make our first fast passes for our day at MK? Early in hopes of getting more for non-headliners or make them for after 11:00 or so?
 
Upvote 0

NYwdwfan

Well-Known Member
I have planned a trip to Disney April 5-10, which is the week after Easter. Typically we go between mid September - early November. I have never been at a peak time before. Unfortunately, due to other trips and engagements that is the only week we can go. I keep hearing horror stories about these peak times. We are going to brave it and make the best of it anyway, but I was just curious how long stand by wait times were. I was just trying to do a bit of planning and pre planning FP+ choices. If anybody can help with my question or just had any advice it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

This is the thread from last Easter with crowd information and wait times as they happened - may help with expectations for your visit:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/easter-2014-phase-closing-watch.882756/
 
Upvote 0

CAPTAIN HOOK

Well-Known Member
Because my wife's a teacher, we have to visit WDW at peak times. Therefore, we've visited WDW 4 times at Easter (once during the summer months, and once at Christmas). We've never known what "quiet" is at WDW.
We've enjoyed ALL 6 trips because we've planned carefully, we've booked all ADRs well in advance and we've gone, knowing it will be busy. If you plan for a busy park then you know what to expect when you arrive.
We've encountered long lines for the major attractions in the parks (2 hours isn't unusual) and equally long lines for QS restaurants.
Plan your days carefully - you WILL still have a great time
 
Upvote 0

brifraz

Marching along...
Premium Member
We plan on being there at rope drop/EMH for all parks and also being at MK from 6:00ish to close. I am hoping that we can get a lot done in the first few hours and late night at MK. What time do you think I should make our first fast passes for our day at MK? Early in hopes of getting more for non-headliners or make them for after 11:00 or so?

Your planning sounds good already. We have done Easter a few times (and Christmas and late summer), so we are huge crowd veterans. Not sure of the age of your team members, but be careful about doing late nights combined with early mornings. Our daughter couldn't really handle that well until she was 8.

Definitely do morning EMH and be there about 30-45 minutes before that opening. We usually plan those FP+ to start about two hours after regular opening.

Example - let's say Epcot has 8am EMH. At 7:30am we are in line. At opening, we head to the 'left' side of Spaceship Earth and hit Test Track and Mission:Space. Odds are it will be close to 9am by the time those are both completed (with pre-shows and rides for both). Then we get to the doors to Innoventions East so we can hit Sum of All Thrills right at 9am (first in line usually - and worth it). After that we cross the park and do Nemo, maybe Turtle Talk, and Imagination. This will get things to a little after 10am. Then into the Land for Living with the Land and that will get us to Soarin' at 11am, which is when we would make our FP+ for (actually we try to score 10:30-11:30am so if things go well we can do it early). We grab some early lunch at Sunshine Seasons (great food and before the crowds of noon). For us, the second FP+ is at 11:30am and is for the character meet and greet in Future World. Third FP+ is for Spaceship:Earth at 12:30pm, which we will hit before we leave the park to go back to our room and chill at the pool (or go to DTD to shop). BUT, before we leave, we get on My Disney Experience and book 3 FP+ for Epcot for the evening so we can come back late afternoon for a drink at Rose and Crown and then enjoy a couple big rides again.

OK, I might have gotten a little too specific there, but it gives you an idea how we approach it. We do the same type of thing at the other parks. The only night EMH that we usually do are Magic Kingdom because they are crazy late and the park will be empty. Epcot and Studios night EMH are only until 11pm or 12am and the crowds won't thin that much. When we do MK night EMH, we do almost the exact same plan as above with opening and using FP+, then booking three more for the late evening to hit before the glory of MK night EMH. We have numerous 1am-3am pictures of the empty park. Love it!

Private message me if you want more of our insane planning ideas! :)
 
Upvote 0

brifraz

Marching along...
Premium Member
BTW - if you have a car, drive to all the parks except Magic Kingdom for morning EMH. Much more convenient and since you are staying onsite, parking is free. If you are there 30 minutes before the morning EMH start, you will likely be parking in the first or second row which is almost as close as the bus stop and requires no waiting!
 
Upvote 0

Ali in Wonderland

Member
Original Poster
Because my wife's a teacher, we have to visit WDW at peak times. Therefore, we've visited WDW 4 times at Easter (once during the summer months, and once at Christmas). We've never known what "quiet" is at WDW.
We've enjoyed ALL 6 trips because we've planned carefully, we've booked all ADRs well in advance and we've gone, knowing it will be busy. If you plan for a busy park then you know what to expect when you arrive.
We've encountered long lines for the major attractions in the parks (2 hours isn't unusual) and equally long lines for QS restaurants.
Plan your days carefully - you WILL still have a great time


We are a pretty happy-go-lucky, go with the flow kind of family. We will make the best of the adventure and then decompress and rest on beautiful Crescent Beach for a few days afterwards. Thanks for the confidence boost!
 
Upvote 0

Ali in Wonderland

Member
Original Poster
Your planning sounds good already. We have done Easter a few times (and Christmas and late summer), so we are huge crowd veterans. Not sure of the age of your team members, but be careful about doing late nights combined with early mornings. Our daughter couldn't really handle that well until she was 8.

Definitely do morning EMH and be there about 30-45 minutes before that opening. We usually plan those FP+ to start about two hours after regular opening.

Example - let's say Epcot has 8am EMH. At 7:30am we are in line. At opening, we head to the 'left' side of Spaceship Earth and hit Test Track and Mission:Space. Odds are it will be close to 9am by the time those are both completed (with pre-shows and rides for both). Then we get to the doors to Innoventions East so we can hit Sum of All Thrills right at 9am (first in line usually - and worth it). After that we cross the park and do Nemo, maybe Turtle Talk, and Imagination. This will get things to a little after 10am. Then into the Land for Living with the Land and that will get us to Soarin' at 11am, which is when we would make our FP+ for (actually we try to score 10:30-11:30am so if things go well we can do it early). We grab some early lunch at Sunshine Seasons (great food and before the crowds of noon). For us, the second FP+ is at 11:30am and is for the character meet and greet in Future World. Third FP+ is for Spaceship:Earth at 12:30pm, which we will hit before we leave the park to go back to our room and chill at the pool (or go to DTD to shop). BUT, before we leave, we get on My Disney Experience and book 3 FP+ for Epcot for the evening so we can come back late afternoon for a drink at Rose and Crown and then enjoy a couple big rides again.

OK, I might have gotten a little too specific there, but it gives you an idea how we approach it. We do the same
type of thing at the other parks. The only night EMH that we usually do are Magic Kingdom because they are crazy late and the park will be empty. Epcot and Studios night EMH are only until 11pm or 12am and the crowds won't thin that much. When we do MK night EMH, we do almost the exact same plan as above with opening and using FP+, then booking three more for the late evening to hit before the glory of MK night EMH. We have numerous 1am-3am pictures of the empty park. Love it!

Private message me if you want more of our insane planning ideas! :)


This was not too specific at all. It was exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. Thank you so much!
 
Upvote 0

Ali in Wonderland

Member
Original Poster
BTW - if you have a car, drive to all the parks except Magic Kingdom for morning EMH. Much more convenient and since you are staying onsite, parking is free. If you are there 30 minutes before the morning EMH start, you will likely be parking in the first or second row which is almost as close as the bus stop and requires no waiting!

Good tip. I didn't even think about how crazy transportation might be that week. Thanks!
 
Upvote 0

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom