Concerned about the week before Easter

[leighe]

Hi all. I'm a teacher so DH and I are completely used to high crowd levels and have been on many Disney trips during spring break and summer vacations. This trip will be our first with our girls (3 years and 20 months). From reading here and other boards it seems that the crowds are insane! Someone even posted that MK is opening at 8am every morning that week. I can't find any confirmation for that - does anyone know?

We've always been at the parks at rope drop but I'm still concerned that the crowds will be shoulder to shoulder and we'll spend most of our time at the resort. Which wouldn't be that bad, I guess - but there is so much I want the girls to see! It also doesn't help that I have the only two toddlers in the world that don't get up at the crack of dawn. They'll usually both sleep until 9am or so when they can - which is nice most Saturday mornings - but not at Disney!!

Hoping for the best!!

[Kenny1113]

Yes, MK will open at 8:00 that week, and if you are on site 7:00 for EMH.The parks are going to be open late as well. Which changed recently- another hint(i think) that it will be crowded. Found on WDW website calendar. I am with you on your concern for the crowds, we planned a last minute trip to WDW that same week. We have family coming in town and they are going for the first time so we are joining them. We never go to WDW when it is crowded :crowd:( I hate crowds). So, this should be interesting. As we were just there in Jan we plan on taking our time, do what we can. Take mid day breaks. We already have it that the crowds are going to be bad.

[leighe]

Wow. So we'd need to be at MK at 6:30am for rope drop?

I am seriously considering cancelling our trip.

[Kenny1113]

I have never been to rope drop, so I'm not sure how rope drop works with EMH. I'm sure someone will be along to clearify.

[Toad_Passenger]

To be honest, from the reports I've been seeing, even slow weeks have been seeing large crowds.

My parents just got back and verified that they too saw more people during a "down" week than they have ever seen.

I wouldn't cancel your trip just because of the crowds. Just make the best of it!

[leighe]

Well I'm just wondering how much fun we'll have if 1. I have to drag my sleepyheads out of bed at 5:15 most mornings or 2. we don't spend much time in the parks at all.

Is it all the special promotions driving the crowds?

[Strmchsr]

Yeah, the 4/3 promotion seemed to have sent attendance WAY up. Everywhere I look it seems reports have WDW as being very crowded this spring. We'll see if that continues.

[Kenny1113]

To be honest, from the reports I've been seeing, even slow weeks have been seeing large crowds.

My parents just got back and verified that they too saw more people during a "down" week than they have ever seen.



I agree. I have been durning "down" times and it has been busier than expected. However, when we went in Jan it was much slower than I expected. (Crowd calendars predicting 7-8) It has been a Looong time since I have seen it that slow. We really enjoyed it! :D

[MarkC]

I saw on another thread here that attendance is down 7%. Here is a good barometer for you-- I swore I would never go at Christmas because of the crowds, but we ended up going for 4 days because we went to the Gator Bowl and we already had annual passes, so it was a no brainer. We were shocked how much we were able to do by going to the parks right at rope drop and going straight to the major rides and attractions. The parks really didn't begin filling up until noon, so if that holds true you will still have a great time. Do not cancel-- go, get up early, and enjoy all there is to see and do. As the parks fill up you can do the less crowded shows, movies, etc. If I'm wrong I apologize, but I'm going by a recent and probably similar experience. Mark

[Aurora]

We've gone during crowded times when my older ones were babies. I echo the above advice. Get your kids up early. They'll be fine once you get going.

Are you staying onsite? Then at about noon or earlier, head back to the hotel for naps. Bring a reclining stroller your little one can nap in if she goes down earlier.

The second day, let them sleep in. The third day, get them up early, etc.

I know this sounds crazy because the kids won't be on a regular schedule, but it really worked for us. The days we were sorry were when we didn't take the midday break. It really made all the difference in our trips.

You can do it. You just have to pick up on your kids' signals and make sure you have a plan.

[TinaAndGlenn]

We have been to WDW for a few Easters and last year for New Years Eve. It is very crowded, but manageable. They closed the parks at 11:30 am for 2 days over Easter (& New Years). If I were you, I would let the kids sleep and be at the parks by 10 or 10:30. They have a procedure for closing the doors, & although onsite guests are last it does happen. We were more afraid to park hop or take an afternoon break on these busy days. But so was everyone else, so there were a lot of families taking an afternoon snooze on a park bench! Don't stress out too much. I work at a school, and our break is the week after Easter. Hoping the crowds are not too bad, but going anyway! Have a great time!

[nicjohn3]

I dont know how many people will be there that week because I think EVERYONE was there LAST week. It was just nuts last week with the amount of people everywhere. We also went last Thanksgiving and last week was worse than that. The crowds are just amazing. I cant believe attendance is down. We went 2 years ago at this time and it was perfect.

[leighe]

We're staying at the Poly. We're going to go ahead and go and just try to have the best time we can!

[Luv Eeyore]

I'm glad you are still going. We will be at WDW the week before Easter as well. This will be our 4th time celebrating Easter at the World, and while the crowds are heavy, we've always been pleasantly surprised by how much we've been able to see and do.

[Diz-Knee]

We're staying at the Poly. We're going to go ahead and go and just try to have the best time we can!

Since you've been several times before I think you will be fine. Like MarkC, we too have annual passes and I swore I would never go during Christmas, however because of the passes we thought "what the heck, let's just go for the atmosphere". I went with the idea that we wouldn't do much of anything and was pleasantly surprised. Disney is prepared and has more CM's, more cars, buses, trams, etc to keep the traffic flowing. In fact I noticed POTC went pretty quick so I think they may even speed up the rides like that one to keep things moving. The worst part of the trip for us was finding a table to sit at when we purchased counter service meals. I too would just get an early start and do what you can in the mornings. I think you'll be able to do a lot of what you want, and what you don't do, you'll always have next time!

[Kenny1113]

They have a procedure for closing the doors, & although onsite guests are last it does happen.

Does onsite include swan and dolphin in this case?

[cheeky monkey]

I have many of the same concerns as you. We are going down next week as well.

The recent crowd levels are encouraging-I am thinking school systems across the country have spread their spring breaks out. Maybe this means the crowds won't be as large as expected for easter. I have also noticed more schools seem to be out the week after easter.

Another thing is the 7/4 deal originally excluded the weeks before and after easter.

[magicland]

I, too, am a teacher and tried this during Christmas last year. (and it really helped!!!!) Go to the park in the AM that had an EMH the night before. For example, if the MK had EMH on Monday night--go to the MK Tuesday morning. This was suggested to me on this site, and it's amazing how many attractions we did before 11:00. And we got there at 9:00. Don't cancel--I'd do anything, take on crowds, etc. to visit Disney.

[leighe]

I'm mentally prepared for the absolute worst crowds ever so maybe when we get there I'll be pleasantly surprised! :thumbsup:

[1stitch]

Went last year the week before Easter, lots of people but we got to the parks as early as we could and would spend the afternoon swimming then would go back in the evenings. It worked well for us.

[TinaAndGlenn]

Swan & Dolphin are included as onsite resorts

[trudisneygal]

I'm so scared that it will be too crowded next week now! My sis and I booked a last minute trip and we're coming in on Sunday. Staying at BW, which I'm told is within walking distance to Epcot, but we're planning on trying to go to MK our first day for evening EMH (it's till 3 am). Will we get to ride anything? We've kinda decided to try to do evening EMH as much as possible, and just get to MK and Epcot at park opening. I just hope this will work. Oh, btw does anyone know if they are still going to do the Opening Ceremony at MK even though it's 8am opening? I always have to see this.

[dumbo ears]

I am going during that week to and Im exspecting big crowds but im excited to just be in disney. Im not plannin on goin that commando I just want to ride what I want and just see what I want to see. i plan on getting there early, leaving at the middle of the day, then comin back till closing. Just remember that you are in disney, relax, have fun, show your family a great time. The weathers gonna be pretty fair and it doesn't look like rain. Im excited to go and I leave on monday. cant wait:number1::thumbsup:

[Kenny1113]

Quick question regarding the antisipated crowds next week...

When we were at AKL in Jan the bus came every 20-30 min. During anticipated busier times do they have more buses in service coming more often?