disneyinsider1
Member
My family are booking for Easter 2012,i was wondering are the crowds that bad as they say and what the books say.i never went in the very busy times.What should we expect.
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Are crowds really that bad at Easter?
- Thread starter disneyinsider1
- Start date
Mr.Skunkape
Well-Known Member
It's no more crowded than Christmas week, thats the only good news I can give you on Easter week crowds
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TinkerChelli
Member
It is very crowded during Easter and especially on Easter Day. I think more so than Christmas Time. Sorry :wave:
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ArtieJim
Well-Known Member
I hope it's not as bad during Christmas/New Year's. I had a friend who went for New Year's Eve a few years back and said it wasn't as bad as one would think or that most people make it out to be. I think it all boils down to one's own patience and hey, people watching is always a good time. No better time to do it than when there are thousands of people in front of you.
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swissamy
Well-Known Member
Yes they are as bad or worse than you think - it is like Christmas but warmer - I personally will never go again at that time - we have do it, more than once, hoping each time would be better and it isnt - it is crowded!! But the week later it is dramatically emptier!
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KaliSplash
Well-Known Member
Only time worse would be week between Christmas and New Year's
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mousetime
Member
Been at Christmas and New Years and we did Easter this year thought it was more crowded at Easter and hotter . We went to the parks for a few hours in the morning then back to the hotel to swim or nap , then back later that nite for extra magic hours. That's the best time to be in the parks about 2or3 in the morning.
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righttrack
Well-Known Member
I imagine a number of factors contribute to "Easter Crowds"
As Easter, and it's sister holiday, Passover, are based on the Hebrew calendar, and rotate anywhere between late March and late April, there is a certain "lottery" that takes place. There are spring breaks at the collegiate level, which often coincide with southern state's elementary and secondary spring breaks. There are the northeastern February and April breaks, as well. If these things all hit at the same time, yes, there is a recipe for a "perfect storm" of guests. If they are spread out, each one of these "events" will have an associated crowd with it, but of course, Easter weekend will be big, it's just the days around it that are affected.
In my example, I'm from the Northeast and went on the CT/NJ/NY "spring break week" a few years back. Easter had past, and the week was crowded but not insane. A good morning to be held in the parks and afternoons crowded. I'd compare it to an August week vacation in the earlier part of the month. Now I had heard that year, that Easter weekend crowds were huge, but the rest of the days around that weekend were no worse than the week I went.
It's definitely a YMMV situation. Whenever traveling at peak or near peak times, take out your "Park Toolkit" of:
1. Arrive for Park Opening
2. Consider Extra Magic Hours
3. Plan Lunch/Dinner out well in advance
4. Fastpass one, wait for the other, fastpass another.
5. Get your main attractions done by 11am, then go to the secondary ones.
The usual stuff.
As Easter, and it's sister holiday, Passover, are based on the Hebrew calendar, and rotate anywhere between late March and late April, there is a certain "lottery" that takes place. There are spring breaks at the collegiate level, which often coincide with southern state's elementary and secondary spring breaks. There are the northeastern February and April breaks, as well. If these things all hit at the same time, yes, there is a recipe for a "perfect storm" of guests. If they are spread out, each one of these "events" will have an associated crowd with it, but of course, Easter weekend will be big, it's just the days around it that are affected.
In my example, I'm from the Northeast and went on the CT/NJ/NY "spring break week" a few years back. Easter had past, and the week was crowded but not insane. A good morning to be held in the parks and afternoons crowded. I'd compare it to an August week vacation in the earlier part of the month. Now I had heard that year, that Easter weekend crowds were huge, but the rest of the days around that weekend were no worse than the week I went.
It's definitely a YMMV situation. Whenever traveling at peak or near peak times, take out your "Park Toolkit" of:
1. Arrive for Park Opening
2. Consider Extra Magic Hours
3. Plan Lunch/Dinner out well in advance
4. Fastpass one, wait for the other, fastpass another.
5. Get your main attractions done by 11am, then go to the secondary ones.
The usual stuff.
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Yodadudeman
Member
RULE: There is never a time that you shouldn't go to Disney World.
Easter is almost an exception...
Easter is almost an exception...
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BUZZCRUSH
Active Member
we went this past Easter and the crowds were lower than we expected. If they were always like that I would go again in a heart beat. Not sure if it was a fluke because of the late Easter or economy. There is a website somewhere that predicts crowd levels and this guy predicted Easter to be low based on when schools were out.
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slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
I'll amend my previous post just a touch.
One advantage about the trip I happened to take during an Easter break was that it was the 2nd of 3 planned trips we took over the course of a year. We had purchased annual passes for our August trip, and also wound up going the following August 10 days before the passes expired. So, as miserable as we were dealing with those insane crowds, one bit of silver lining was that we were going back in just a few more months. We used that time, as I previously wrote, to do the sort of things we skimmed over last time, because they had little-to-no lines. In fact, I know some people here have a nostalgic fondness for Journey Into Imagination, in any of its incarnations. We were in the Imagination pavilion, wondered what was down this one particular hallway, it turns out it was the EXIT for JII. We had no idea, because as we walked down the wrong way, NOBODY was walking down the right way. When we got to the actual attraction and realized we went down the wrong way, we started to turn around only to have the CMs yell "NO! NO! Come on in! No waiting!" Practically begged us to ride, which we did...and we got stuck on it 2 separate times about 10 minutes each
Also, since we had our own car, we visited other resorts a lot more, played Mini Golf at both Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland, and enjoyed Adventurer's Club more often since we were getting more afternoon "naps" in . Sometimes our tempers were short, but we did get to know each other even more, to the point where popping the question the next trip seemed like a good idea (it was, in case you were wondering).
The crowds were a major bummer, and as I wrote, had this been our only trip, the lack of time spent doing things at the park may have been decisively more of a bummer. If you go down with the opinion that you'll be extremely limited with what you'll be able to do at the parks and plan alternate things to do during your trip accordingly, a good time can still be had, for sure.
One advantage about the trip I happened to take during an Easter break was that it was the 2nd of 3 planned trips we took over the course of a year. We had purchased annual passes for our August trip, and also wound up going the following August 10 days before the passes expired. So, as miserable as we were dealing with those insane crowds, one bit of silver lining was that we were going back in just a few more months. We used that time, as I previously wrote, to do the sort of things we skimmed over last time, because they had little-to-no lines. In fact, I know some people here have a nostalgic fondness for Journey Into Imagination, in any of its incarnations. We were in the Imagination pavilion, wondered what was down this one particular hallway, it turns out it was the EXIT for JII. We had no idea, because as we walked down the wrong way, NOBODY was walking down the right way. When we got to the actual attraction and realized we went down the wrong way, we started to turn around only to have the CMs yell "NO! NO! Come on in! No waiting!" Practically begged us to ride, which we did...and we got stuck on it 2 separate times about 10 minutes each
Also, since we had our own car, we visited other resorts a lot more, played Mini Golf at both Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland, and enjoyed Adventurer's Club more often since we were getting more afternoon "naps" in
. Sometimes our tempers were short, but we did get to know each other even more, to the point where popping the question the next trip seemed like a good idea (it was, in case you were wondering). The crowds were a major bummer, and as I wrote, had this been our only trip, the lack of time spent doing things at the park may have been decisively more of a bummer. If you go down with the opinion that you'll be extremely limited with what you'll be able to do at the parks and plan alternate things to do during your trip accordingly, a good time can still be had, for sure.
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patricia27
Member
Spring break
I guess this is when the Fast pass can be useful!!
Also planning to go to a park for opening to do special rides with a minimum queue!! Then go back to your resort for some time out when the crowds build up. I would avoid parks with EMH.
I guess this is when the Fast pass can be useful!!
Also planning to go to a park for opening to do special rides with a minimum queue!! Then go back to your resort for some time out when the crowds build up. I would avoid parks with EMH.
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DisneyDadof5
Member
I've done lots of peak season trips due to having Kids. I've done Easter, Spring Break, July 4th, and Grad Nights. All of them were beyond busy. However like others have mentioned, a good plan is in order. I'd like to mention something though that I haven't saw yet.
Have a good BACKUP plan. We left Crystal Palace at MK after an early lunch, and saw people on the walkways by the thousands. I think you could have crowd surfed all the way down Main Street. We headed straight to the monorail and over to Epcot's World Showcase for a little more breathing room. Much more enjoyable. :wave:
Have a good BACKUP plan. We left Crystal Palace at MK after an early lunch, and saw people on the walkways by the thousands. I think you could have crowd surfed all the way down Main Street. We headed straight to the monorail and over to Epcot's World Showcase for a little more breathing room. Much more enjoyable. :wave:
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flynnibus
Premium Member
Why go and pay MORE for this period and get, overwhelming crowds, long waits for everything from food, to transportation, to attractions..
it's like paying for abuse. Why pay higher prices and be able to enjoy the parks LESS (people talking about having to leave mid-day, etc)
It amazes me when people complain about 30-40min waits 'because of Fastpass' and if you are that type to walk away from a 45min wait because it's too long... don't even consider a top peak period like this.
There are times when its NOT good to goto Disney. If you are making a vacation out of this.. ensure it's a vacation you will ENJOY. Easter is all pain, little gain.
Christmas has periods where you can go without the crowds AND get the special decorations and show elements.
Earlier in the year may be cooler - but it will be less crowded.
Later will be hotter, but you can enjoy the water parks and control your own heat intake.
Crowds you can't control and can only try to work around them or grin and bear it.
Say NO to paying top dollar for subpar experience.
it's like paying for abuse. Why pay higher prices and be able to enjoy the parks LESS (people talking about having to leave mid-day, etc)
It amazes me when people complain about 30-40min waits 'because of Fastpass' and if you are that type to walk away from a 45min wait because it's too long... don't even consider a top peak period like this.
There are times when its NOT good to goto Disney. If you are making a vacation out of this.. ensure it's a vacation you will ENJOY. Easter is all pain, little gain.
Christmas has periods where you can go without the crowds AND get the special decorations and show elements.
Earlier in the year may be cooler - but it will be less crowded.
Later will be hotter, but you can enjoy the water parks and control your own heat intake.
Crowds you can't control and can only try to work around them or grin and bear it.
Say NO to paying top dollar for subpar experience.
Upvote
0