Visiting during Spring Break vs. Summer?

PiratesMansion

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I already have a 5 day parkhopper Genie ticket purchased for next year. The intention when I bought the tickets was to visit in July as I always do. However, the draw of Soarin Over California has become something of a siren song (and my co-worker who went with me last summer is now planning to visit in April) and it's very tempting to switch dates if I can. That Super Nintendo World will be open and I'll get to do the Boysenberry Festival at Knott's would be added bonuses.

This would be for the fourth week of March; Monday that week would be the 20th.
So I'm wondering, in a broad sense:

1. How would you compare Spring Break crowds to summer (July)?

2. Am I correct to assume that Indy and RSR will probably still be down, and Treehouse won't be open yet?

3. Are there going to be WAY too many teenagers at Knott's (I probably already know the answer to this one)?

4. Are the Festivals (Food & Wine & Boysenberry) worthwhile? Any tips? I've never done WDW'S F&W so it would be a completely new experience.

5. Is there anything else that would be helpful to know as I consider making this switch?

Any help or insight is much appreciated!
 
Last edited:
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
My experience with the food festivals is they are overrated. It is expensive considering the small samples of food you get. However at Knotts, you get all the live bands and show during the festival. You can also buy items al-la-cart.
 
F

FAIRIEDUST78

Member
1. The crowds during spring break are a tad bit heavier during spring break than during July.
2. Those rides should be open by spring break, not certain about the treehouse.
3. Teens will be everywhere! That being said, Knott’s does have a chaperone policy in place specifically on Saturdays.
4.I personally love the f&w festivals. The nice thing about DCA’s festival is the sip and savour pass. I usually look at the menus when they are released and choose my must try items. I use my sip and savour pass for those items. You can’t use it for alcohol, but I’m not a drinker.
5. Just pace yourself as with any Disney trip, and have fun!
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
I’d go with Spring Break for sure.

1. The reservation system has been the great equalizer. Sure, July has been slower the last few years due to the AP blackouts but with the reservation system keeping things at a perpetual 8.5 out of 10 I’d prioritize the nice weather in March over possible 100 degree days in July. Plus you’re no novice. You can manage even with crowds. Granted it’s totally possible you get some rainy days in March but it rarely rains around here at all let alone for 5 days straight.

2. Indy will be down. RSR will be running. Looks like that one is just a short refurb now.

3. Haven’t been to Knotts in nearly two decades

4. I think us locals have come to the realization that the food festivals food sucks and is just not worth it. Some items are decent they are never worse the hassle and long lines. There is much better food to be found around the park at actual restaurants. If you want to try some seasonal food I’d stick to the restaurants/ location that are well equipped and accustomed to serving food all year long like Paradise Gardens etc. I’ve written off the sip n savor pass. If there happens to be one or two good items I’ll just buy them a la carte. With all of that said, if I’m not mistaken Food n Wine is the better of the 3 DCA food festivals. The holiday one is full of gimmicky dishes and Lunar New Years food may not appeal to pickier eaters. I can see the appeal of getting one sip n savor pass and using it over the course of 5 days but I have never found one item at these booths that’s better than the best food around the park. Not to mention the lack of value for these small mediocre bites at the prices they charge.

5. Can’t think of anything but I’ll let you know if I do
 
Heppenheimer

Heppenheimer

Well-Known Member
PiratesMansion said:
I already have a 5 day parkhopper Genie ticket purchased for next year. The intention when I bought the tickets was to visit in July as I always do. However, the draw of Soarin Over California has become something of a siren song (and my co-worker who went with me last summer is now planning to visit in April) and it's very tempting to switch dates if I can. That Super Nintendo World will be open and I'll get to do the Boysenberry Festival at Knott's would be added bonuses.

This would be for the fourth week of March; Monday that week would be the 20th.
So I'm wondering, in a broad sense:

1. How would you compare Spring Break crowds to summer (July)?

2. Am I correct to assume that Indy and RSR will probably still be down, and Treehouse won't be open yet?

3. Are there going to be WAY too many teenagers at Knott's (I probably already know the answer to this one)?

4. Are the Festivals (Food & Wine & Boysenberry) worthwhile? Any tips? I've never done WDW'S F&W so it would be a completely new experience.

5. Is there anything else that would be helpful to know as I consider making this switch?

Any help or insight is much appreciated!
Click to expand...
Wait, Soarin' Over California is back again? I'm going the first week of March, so what are the dates?
 
PiratesMansion

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Heppenheimer said:
Wait, Soarin' Over California is back again? I'm going the first week of March, so what are the dates?
Click to expand...
It's back March 3rd through the end of April.

To everyone who responded, thank you for your thoughts and advice. I would like to visit in March at some point, but after looking around at my lodging options it looks like it just isn't in the cards for this upcoming year.
 
PiratesMansion

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Resurrecting this thread because I have, quite unintentionally, seemingly been gift-wrapped an opportunity to go in late March 2024.

With the heavy caveat that this would be the very last week of March, i.e. well into Spring Break *and also* the week before Easter.

I'm not going to fully pull the trigger until I get a better sense of what the refurb schedules are going to be (i.e. will Mansion be open, even though I suspect I already know the answer), but the allure of OG Soarin' remains tempting, as does Boysenberry Festival and F&W, which, even if they're mediocre, would at least be something different from summer. It would also give me an opportunity to get back to the parks in relatively short order without giving them money during their Pixar Fest incarnations. And if it turns out that they, say, decide they're going to run Wondrous Journeys (hint hint, Disney), that could also sway me towards definitively committing to Spring.

So:
1. How bad is the week before Easter?
2. I'm also planning to go Christmas Week 2024 (only so many viable options in December as a teacher, none of which appear remotely optimal from a crowd standpoint, and I figured Christmas would probably be *slightly* less bad than NYE). Would it be incredibly stupid of me to consider tackling both Easter and Christmas Weeks in the same year?
3. Does USH do anything noteworthy in late March? While I don't exactly have a pressing need to go back to USH at the moment, my AP would still be valid, so if there's something cool and seasonal there that I'm not aware of, it might not be a terrible idea to swing by.
4. Other thoughts/considerations/etc?
 

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