WDW in April or Early June?

[lincolnryan]

Ok, here is the deal. My wife and I are both schoolteachers and have already had our 1st vaccine shot. The 2nd one will be in 2 weeks and then I guess a couple weeks after that the vaccine is at "full power". We had to cancel our trip last year and REALLY want to go soon. We're not huge parade people and our kids are super picky eaters, so we were always planning on doing quick service anyways. The only thing we'd miss is the fireworks, but that's ok.

We are deciding between going in Mid April, which would be a 5 day trip so really 4 full days in the parks. The upside to this would be the weather would be slightly more pleasant and the lines will be much shorter. The downside is it'd be a little more stressful to leave our jobs and then also have our kids out of school for a few days.

Our other option is going in very early June. Upside is that we'll be done with school and ready for vacation and we could probably spend 6 full days there. Downside is that it will be hotter and more crowded....I'm assuming at this point there will be many more people vaccinated and ready to travel.

Any thoughts on this? We really can't decide!

 

[NelleBelle]

Are you planning to stay onsite or offsite?

I haven't been back since the outbreak (going in April myself)! But I have been before in both April and early June before (last trip was in early June). I will comment on weather, coming from the PNW, I actually liked the slightly warmer weather in June. I really like being able to go to the water parks and it being warm enough for that! April was ok and we've definitely done the water parks before (but I lost quite a bit of weight and get cold, even in the evening in June, so water parks in April would've likely not been a go for me)! Crowds back in 2018 weren't that bad but given there were parades and other shows to help "eat" the crowds, I don't know how that will be this June. I guess it comes down to how many days you want to spend there? I'm always one who wants to be there at least 1-week (April will be the shortest stay in quite a while at 1-week, we're usually there 10-12 days and do USO, too).

We were always ones that pulled our kids out of school when they were in elementary school as I worked in a trauma center and "trauma season" was Memorial Day to Labor Day and only one therapist at a time could have off at a time (there were over 100 OT/PTs) during the summer, so vacation in the summer was next to impossible. The private school were they went was extremely understanding and we took the school work with and did it waiting in lines and at meals as well as in the airport/on the plane.

 

[ilovelabs2021]

Wow, where do you teach that you can take off five days for a vaca?!? My husband and I are teachers and can only travel during vacation times and summer.

 

[lincolnryan]

Wow, where do you teach that you can take off five days for a vaca?!? My husband and I are teachers and can only travel during vacation times and summer.

We both have 3 personal days, so we're only takin off 3 days. We would leave Tuesday night, take off Wed, Thurs, Friday and then come back Sunday.

 

[Schweino]

Few questions..

1. Have you ever been to FL during the summer? We went in the end of August in 2019 and boy was that a mistake. It really took some of the joy out of it having to take a couple hour break in between, and I am from Nebraska where are at least somewhat use to heat/humidity.

2. How does your trip plans change between an April trip vs a June trip? What would you plan to do with the two extra days?

3. What is the most important thing to you as far as trip experiences go? Getting into all the rides you want or having some time to relax a bit?

I ask the above as I would lean towards an April trip. You still have kids in school meaning a lesser crowd to deal with. The weather will be much, much more pleasant. The chances of anything more being included at the parks would be small in two months, but I suppose it could happen (more opening back up, that is). The downside IMO to an April trip is that is 1 day each park. AK and Epcot were easy to do. HS can also be done in a day if you are there at park open. MK was too hard for us. If you plan to spend 5/6 days at the parks during your June trip with 5/6 day park passes, you'll be battling bigger crowds and heat, but could easily knock out everything.

 

[ilovelabs2021]

FYI we have been in June and August. Last trip August 2019. Next trip is this July. We managed fine both times. It was certainly hot. We always take breaks to swim anyway. Lots of ice cream. We aren’t open to close park people.

 

[lincolnryan]

Few questions..

1. Have you ever been to FL during the summer? We went in the end of August in 2019 and boy was that a mistake. It really took some of the joy out of it having to take a couple hour break in between, and I am from Nebraska where are at least somewhat use to heat/humidity.

2. How does your trip plans change between an April trip vs a June trip? What would you plan to do with the two extra days?

3. What is the most important thing to you as far as trip experiences go? Getting into all the rides you want or having some time to relax a bit?

I ask the above as I would lean towards an April trip. You still have kids in school meaning a lesser crowd to deal with. The weather will be much, much more pleasant. The chances of anything more being included at the parks would be small in two months, but I suppose it could happen (more opening back up, that is). The downside IMO to an April trip is that is 1 day each park. AK and Epcot were easy to do. HS can also be done in a day if you are there at park open. MK was too hard for us. If you plan to spend 5/6 days at the parks during your June trip with 5/6 day park passes, you'll be battling bigger crowds and heat, but could easily knock out everything.

Thanks for the response:

1) I have been to FL in the summer, but it's been years and it was a beach vacation. I have a feeling that we'd struggle there in the summer, but would push through. Sounds miserable though !

2) So if we were to go in the summer, we'd would've probably do 6 full days. Each 4 parks, 1 repeat at HS, 1 day at Blizzard Beach. I would prefer to have 5-6 full days at the park, but honestly that's a little much for my wife and she thinks that 4 full days is fine. When we last were there in late Jan 2016-ish, it was more crowded than I thought it would be but not bad when I compare to pre-covid ride times. I think our rationale back then is that we'd rather get more done in less days vs. stretch it out and have to compete with more crowds.

3) Most important for my kids is doing all the rides for sure. As long as we can swim a little bit between, that is fine by them.

That is most only reservation about doing WDW on 4 full days, I'm worried that it's not enough time. To your point, not concerned about AK or Epcot at all but HS and MK could be an issue. The hours look short, but I'm sure they will be updated as we get closer. Assuming they do, we'll plan on doing later nights at MK whenever we have available (we're probably staying at GF)

 

[WDW_Emily]

When exactly in April? I am also a teacher in Massachusetts and we have a week off from April 19th-23rd. That week tends to be busy. There are also two cheer competitions happening in April i believe one is the weekend before the 19th and the other is the weekend after.

June is nice I've done the second week in June before and it's lovely.

 

[NelleBelle]

I didn’t think Disney was hosting any cheer competitions during Covid

 

[Tuvalu]

I didn’t think Disney was hosting any cheer competitions during Covid

Find an Event | ESPN Wide World of Sports

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Thanks for the response:

1) I have been to FL in the summer, but it's been years and it was a beach vacation. I have a feeling that we'd struggle there in the summer, but would push through. Sounds miserable though !

2) So if we were to go in the summer, we'd would've probably do 6 full days. Each 4 parks, 1 repeat at HS, 1 day at Blizzard Beach. I would prefer to have 5-6 full days at the park, but honestly that's a little much for my wife and she thinks that 4 full days is fine. When we last were there in late Jan 2016-ish, it was more crowded than I thought it would be but not bad when I compare to pre-covid ride times. I think our rationale back then is that we'd rather get more done in less days vs. stretch it out and have to compete with more crowds.

3) Most important for my kids is doing all the rides for sure. As long as we can swim a little bit between, that is fine by them.

That is most only reservation about doing WDW on 4 full days, I'm worried that it's not enough time. To your point, not concerned about AK or Epcot at all but HS and MK could be an issue. The hours look short, but I'm sure they will be updated as we get closer. Assuming they do, we'll plan on doing later nights at MK whenever we have available (we're probably staying at GF)

Have you seen the limited park hours and really thought through what you're going to be able to do in that time? Even your "longer" option isn't long enough IMO. MK and HS need 2 days each right now, and I'd do at least 1.5 for each of Epcot and AK. Unless you skip a ton of things.

 

[Schweino]

Have you seen the limited park hours and really thought through what you're going to be able to do in that time? Even your "longer" option isn't long enough IMO. MK and HS need 2 days each right now, and I'd do at least 1.5 for each of Epcot and AK. Unless you skip a ton of things.

HS to me is a toss up. My wife and I could of done everything at HS in a day if we didn't leave early the first day (but we had two days, so we justified). Now, if you want to do some things twice different story. Open to close though, you could easily do HS in a day. MK for sure is a two dayer.

 

[Schweino]

Thanks for the response:

1) I have been to FL in the summer, but it's been years and it was a beach vacation. I have a feeling that we'd struggle there in the summer, but would push through. Sounds miserable though !

2) So if we were to go in the summer, we'd would've probably do 6 full days. Each 4 parks, 1 repeat at HS, 1 day at Blizzard Beach. I would prefer to have 5-6 full days at the park, but honestly that's a little much for my wife and she thinks that 4 full days is fine. When we last were there in late Jan 2016-ish, it was more crowded than I thought it would be but not bad when I compare to pre-covid ride times. I think our rationale back then is that we'd rather get more done in less days vs. stretch it out and have to compete with more crowds.

3) Most important for my kids is doing all the rides for sure. As long as we can swim a little bit between, that is fine by them.

That is most only reservation about doing WDW on 4 full days, I'm worried that it's not enough time. To your point, not concerned about AK or Epcot at all but HS and MK could be an issue. The hours look short, but I'm sure they will be updated as we get closer. Assuming they do, we'll plan on doing later nights at MK whenever we have available (we're probably staying at GF)

Number 3 seems to be the big one. IMO HS is a 1 day park if you are open to close people. MK is going to need two days.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Ive found April to be a more comfortable month to be in FL for us to take. F&G festival colors also tend to be more brilliant earlier in the event if you want to take that into consideration. When weve gone later it hasnt impressed us as much.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

HS to me is a toss up. My wife and I could of done everything at HS in a day if we didn't leave early the first day (but we had two days, so we justified). Now, if you want to do some things twice different story. Open to close though, you could easily do HS in a day.

Really? 10a to 7p and you could get on everything, including Rise, Falcon, and Slinky?

 

[Dave B]

Really? 10a to 7p and you could get on everything, including Rise, Falcon, and Slinky?

There really isn't much more except Mickey and Minnie's Railroad, ToT and RnRC, Star Tours, I guess you could include the A.S.S ride, just saying, lines really have not been more than an hour for anything from I have read?

 

[Schweino]

Really? 10a to 7p and you could get on everything, including Rise, Falcon, and Slinky?

Oh yeah easy. Lines were never more than an hour for any given ride - except for Rise naturally and Railroad, which was actually posted as 80 minutes, but really was like 50. First two hours we had Slinky, Tower and Rock'n done.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

There really isn't much more except Mickey and Minnie's Railroad, ToT and RnRC, Star Tours, I guess you could include the A.S.S ride, just saying, lines really have not been more than an hour for anything from I have read?

Oh yeah easy. Lines were never more than an hour for any given ride - except for Rise naturally and Railroad, which was actually posted as 80 minutes, but really was like 50. First two hours we had Slinky, Tower and Rock'n done.

That's fair, I need to remember that my family is slow moving, especially because we need to wait for rider swap on a lot of things. If we start with 9 hours of park operating time, I need to take 3 hours off for meals, 1 hour to shop in Galaxy's Edge, 1 hour in Oga's Cantina, 1 hour in Savi's Workshop (not every time, of course), 1 hours for walking around, which leaves me 2 hours for waiting in line and riding rides.

 

[Schweino]

That's fair, I need to remember that my family is slow moving, especially because we need to wait for rider swap on a lot of things. If we start with 9 hours of park operating time, I need to take 3 hours off for meals, 1 hour to shop in Galaxy's Edge, 1 hour in Oga's Cantina, 1 hour in Savi's Workshop (not every time, of course), 1 hours for walking around, which leaves me 2 hours for waiting in line and riding rides.

Yeah it was just my wife and myself - so we are pretty much going at all times. Due to spacing it was hard to find a 'proper' space to sit down (bench, table etc), therefore making us move more . It was shockingly more crowded than we expected in December.

 

[lincolnryan]

When exactly in April? I am also a teacher in Massachusetts and we have a week off from April 19th-23rd. That week tends to be busy. There are also two cheer competitions happening in April i believe one is the weekend before the 19th and the other is the weekend after.

June is nice I've done the second week in June before and it's lovely.

We are thinking the week before that. I'm not too concerned about the cheer competitions though.