Is MARCH 2011 a good time to go?

[dopeylover]

HI All-

Trying to plan a quick 4 day trip next year. I want to avoid as much as possible busy vacation times, and I know Easter is April and most schools now get a Feb. break- So I was just wondering if anyone knows if March is a busy time to go.

I don't have school age children, so I am not super familiar w/ vacation times!

Thanks

 

[Master Gracey 5]

I can speak from past visits that March is one of the BUSIEST times of the year. Spring break weeks tend to start the second week of March and it only ramps up from there through Easter. I've been during two separate spring break weeks and they were the busiest I've seen the park, even compared with Thanksgiving. The plus side if you do decide to go is that the parks are open late. You'll likely find MK open until 1-3am with EMH and the other parks open until 11-midnight. If you want to avoid the busy times, I'd suggest you go early February instead (assuming you don't have any conflicts).

 

[amykissangel]

I would also say to avoid both March and April. Schools no longer plan their Spring Break around Easter - for example, just in the Green Bay, WI district alone, we have 6 high schools and 4 of them had different breaks - before Easter week, after Easter week, two weeks after Easter and Two weeks before.

Went Spring Break 2007 - will never go again. Thought it was worse than Thanksgiving.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

I've lived in the midwest my entire life and spring break is always the week that contains St, Patrick's Day (March 17)

 

[dopeylover]

ay ya ya! Thanks for the advice! We usually go in October but cant' swing it this year, so and March was the earliest we could go, but maybe I will just wait til next October!!! =)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney, but I CANNOT deal w/ it when it is at full capacity and nutty! That's not how I want to spend my money or my vaca, esp. w/ a newborn in tow!

Thank you so much for the advice!

 

[Mikester71]

We have been going every 2nd March during our Spring Break up here in Canada (for most of Canada anyways), which is usually in the middle of March every year. The parks are VERY packed, but we are used to it and plan accordingly and always have a great trip regardless of the busy parks.

 

[Mightyquinn]

The first week in March is not bad at all. But after that, it's like they opened the flood gates.

 

[WDW_Emily]

I know my college in Boston and a lot of others in the north are on break the week of March 7th.

 

[MouseDreaming]

Honestly, I think it is what you are used to. If you are used to going in October, it may seem very busy to you. For us, our first trip as a family started Jan 1, 2008. We were told it was a slow time, as people leave after New Years. However, it was not uncommon to have at least an hour wait for most rides. To have this as a comparison, it makes March for our spring break a breeze. The parks are opened later, so when they get crowded around 1 or so, we head back for a swim and relax. We go back to the parks after or for dinner, and it's not bad. Also, most nights we are there, they end up extending hours at Magic Kingdom til Midnight. After the fireworks show, it always seems relatively empty.:shrug:

 

[twoweirdos]

we went In March at a non spring break time
It wasnt crowded yet...but it also wasnt ghost town time
We really had no waits for lines....not bad ones anyway
i will say this...PACK PONCHOS!!!!!!!!It does rain and that clears the crowds at
I remeber us on DUMBO and it raining and we rode over and over laughing because everyone left and we looked like huge nerds riding a an elephant in the rain

 

[amykissangel]

ay ya ya! Thanks for the advice! We usually go in October but cant' swing it this year, so and March was the earliest we could go, but maybe I will just wait til next October!!! =)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney, but I CANNOT deal w/ it when it is at full capacity and nutty! That's not how I want to spend my money or my vaca, esp. w/ a newborn in tow!

Thank you so much for the advice!

Have you thought about going in mid-May? Schools usually aren't out yet and the weather is beautiful. Also, crowds are similar to October.

 

[LSU_Tigger]

3 of the busy times to visit early in the year are: #1 Easter week, #2 Presidents Day week and #3 Mardi Gras week (this is 45 days prior to Good Friday for those that don't know). This is usually when Southern schools tend to let kids out for breaks. Though Mardi Gras is a South Louisiana and South Mississippi holiday. Hope this helps!!

 

[Disney Dawg88]

The first week in March is not bad at all. But after that, it's like they opened the flood gates.

I agree with Mightyquinn on this one. I was in Orlando the first week of March this year for work and when I went to the parks on Sunday the 7th the lines weren't bad at all. I went to all four parks that day and stayed for EMH at MK until about 1 or 2 am. There was hardly anyone at MK after 11. But I would agree with everyone else, don't go if it's going to be after that first week in March.