April 2015 Visit to WDW - Advice, Tips PLS anyone

[LeeHarman]

Hi all,

We had no option but to book our holiday to WDW for the first 2 weeks in April 15!

I know this is one of the busiest times to visit the World but it was then or not at all! (So it was never going to be not at all! haha)

Is there any advise or trips or tricks to utilising our time best around the parks etc at this busy time?

Many thanks in advance for any help with this.

Cheers

A UK Disney Fan

 

[Figmentation]

Weather wise - It's pretty good, starting to get hot but isn't too bad yet.
Since you are planning in advance and indeed going during one of the more busier times, utilize FP+ for the more popular rides.
Also since you are overseas visiting Disney you'll have a chance to visit the parks more instead of someone who is just visiting 3 days and has to cram everything into that single trip. You got plenty of time, so if you can't ride something immediately, FP+ it a later trip.

Also need to take into consideration, I don't know how popular Anna and Elsa still are at the Magic Kingdom, but that makes your early morning easier than the Afternoon. If they are still pulling 2-3 hours+ then you can actually just walk on Space/Splash/Thunder mountain in the morning. If I had a option, since Splash and Thunder are in the general area... I would hit them and FP+ Space Mountain.

Now the downsides:
You are arriving the week of Easter -
You want to hit MK as early in the week as possible, as the later on in the week it is... the more busy it will be.

It has been known, sometimes, to get as hot as summer that week as well... heatwaves are not uncommon.

Avoid Extra Magic Hours - While getting 2-3 extra hours in the park is considered good. During this week it is not.. people tend to gravitate toward the parks with extra time added to em. This makes them busier and those extra hours are spent in a long line.

Also plan breaks back at the hotel, especially if it is hot. If you arrived at opening, take a break for 1-2 hours around 1 pm-2 pm. THis gets you past the hottest part of the day. This allows you to stay until close as well. A lot of parents with little kids also tend to leave after fireworks, so it thins out parts of the park. A good example was when I went last June (2013) with a large group of kids. After Wishes, Fantasyland was empty. I walked on Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooe. Though... this might vary since it is the week of Easter.

Also I believe this is the month where the Cheerleader competitions down in Orlando start to take place on Disney property. So also expect a large amount of 14-18 year old girls running around screaming their head off.

Anyways.. that's all I got off the top of my head.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

You don't say whether you're staying on or off property and it would be helpful to know to assist you further (EMH, FP+ either 60 or 30 days etc).

We've visited WDW from the UK 5 times over Easter (no choice due to wife's job and young kids) and as it was planned carefully, we had a real blast (despite the crowds). The week up to Easter Sunday is usually busier than the week after but not by much.

Get your plans laid out now. Park hours and EMH schedules are already online up to Easter Sunday and you should be looking at getting your dining booked very soon. Once that's done, its a long wait until its time to make your FP choices.

Get your MDE account set up very soon, link your tickets and your dining ressies (once booked).

Are you staying on WDW property ?

 

[LeeHarman]

You don't say whether you're staying on or off property and it would be helpful to know to assist you further (EMH, FP+ either 60 or 30 days etc).

We've visited WDW from the UK 5 times over Easter (no choice due to wife's job and young kids) and as it was planned carefully, we had a real blast (despite the crowds). The week up to Easter Sunday is usually busier than the week after but not by much.

Get your plans laid out now. Park hours and EMH schedules are already online up to Easter Sunday and you should be looking at getting your dining booked very soon. Once that's done, its a long wait until its time to make your FP choices.

Get your MDE account set up very soon, link your tickets and your dining ressies (once booked).

Are you staying on WDW property ?

We are staying off property this time and is our first time at Easter for the exact same reasons you encountered.

We arrive on the 1st so 2nd April is our first day of hitting the parks. So the days leading up to Easter Sunday are likely to be the worst?

Do you have any tips for us off site guests that you have done at Easter in the past?

Cheers really appreciate all this info.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Do you have any tips for us off site guests that you have done at Easter in the past?

Previous post is best advice.

Offsite means FP+ at 30 days, but shouldn't be too much of an issue - a lot of people on here forget there's still a stand by line. What you can't get FP for you can always stand in line for (queue).

Avoid parks with morning EMH as half of onsite guests will be there before you. Try and get to your chosen park as early as you can.

Main thing to remember is book your dining as early as possible - work the rest of your day around the parks that your eating at

Final point - ENJOY

 

[Philharmagically]

The second week of April (after Easter) will have lower crowds (Moderate as opposed to high). I know that 4 years is a long time, but when I went to WDW in that time (actually on the Easter weekend), we had no problem with rides. We even managed to ride 14 rides (some multiple times) in the first two hours of MK opening!


My main piece of advice is to get to the parks at least 30/45 minutes before rope drop. That way, you can hit the most popular attractions before lines get too long, and save your Fastpasses for later in the day.

Also, find out when the EMH hours are. Avoid those if at all possible. The best way to do it is to go to the park the day after an EMH. For example, any guests spending 2 days at MK will not want to have an early morning start on the second day if they've just been to a MK EMH that closes at midnight!

And finally, check out the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. That book and its touring plans will be your saviour. It gives you all the information you need to know about park touring (for any crowd level), hotel reviews, fastpass advice, etc.

Hope your trip goes smoothly!
I'll be going to WDW on the 20th of April next year

 

[Philharmagically]

Just to clarify, I don't mean 14 different rides, but 14 rides in total, some being re-rides (e.g. Twice on Buzz, six times on Big Thunder)

 

[Monkee Girl]

Wow, i am surprised to hear about the people avoiding EMHs. I go for Easter every year and never had a problem. We will be arriving on the 3rd this year. Sure, it's busy but I find Disney busy all the time now so Easter doesn't make a difference. I am not a crowd person, when it gets to where you can't move, i get weird. So if I can take Easter in the parks, anyone can. My experience is that the only really crazy day is Easter Sunday. Here are some things that I do:

1. Easter Day: You do 1 of 2 things. Go to the Magic Kingdom early. With all the activities going on at the resorts as well as it being a holiday, some people may choose not to rush out to the parks. I prefer to go and see Easter on Main Street. The southern belle girls (I keep forgetting their names, help!) are so pretty to see all lined up. and they may have a small Easter Pre-Parade before the 3pm parade, and the Easter Bunny is there too. However, after the parade, I would head out and do something else because then it will start to get busy (Maybe by noon).

You can also choose for not go to a park that day and just relax at the resort. I know you are staying off site, but some of the resorts in house have some various activities. The Grand Floridian had a beautiful Easter egg display in the lobby; that was great to see. and the Polynesian always has a candy grab. But I am not sure what they are doing this year with all the refurbs going on. They also have various characters dressed for Easter out. I met Thumper at the Poly about 2 years ago. Either way, use this day as a more relaxing, non park day and end the night with a nice dinner. We are doing the Yahtsman this year.

Good luck! and don't be afraid of the crowds, they aren't that bad, you just have to be mindful of them. Good luck!

 

[Halloweenhead]

Ohh this thread will help me also as I'm going from the UK in April 2015 (apart from I'm staying in Disney)..... Keep the advice coming