Disney week before/after easter

[GERBSPA]

We will be in Florida for 2 weeks around easter. I was wondering if anyone knows what week would be better to go to disney. the week before easter or after. I know crowds are extremely high then and I wondered if there was any difference.

 

[LuvBuzz]

I did not notice a difference last year when we were there over Easter. We were there for part of the week before and part of the week after. All days were very crowded to the extent that they had to turn people away at MK. We still had a wonderful time and the lines moved pretty well! We went with 3 kids..2 were 2.5 and one was 4. They were fine waiting in lines and we were even able to snag a PS at Cindy's Round Table. Hope you have a great time!

 

[kilee]

We were there last year the week after Easter. We arrived 6 days after Easter to be exact. We stayed off site and took the shuttle to WDW. The shuttle driver said they were turning people away from the gates before noon the week before! It was slightly crowded at MK. We never used fast pass because most attractions had less then a 20 minute wait. At the other parks most rides were walk on or 5 minute waits. We were really expecting crowds so this was a pleasant suprise.

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by kilee
We were there last year the week after Easter. We arrived 6 days after Easter to be exact. We stayed off site and took the shuttle to WDW. The shuttle driver said they were turning people away from the gates before noon the week before! It was slightly crowded at MK. We never used fast pass because most attractions had less then a 20 minute wait. At the other parks most rides were walk on or 5 minute waits. We were really expecting crowds so this was a pleasant suprise.

Wow, you must have hit things at the right time because we were there both the week before & after Easter last year & they were both extremely crowded.

In fact, we have been there for 2 weeks during Easter the past 3 years & have never seen walk-on rides or short waits unless you are there at park opening or close to closing.

Last year I thought both weeks were the most crowded I had ever seen it. However, it doesn't deter us, we will be back again this year. We have gone with AP's the last few years & enjoy the flexibility of them, especially during peak times.

 

[kilee]

The day before we arrived all the rates went back down. I think because we didn't get there until almost a week after Easter most of the kids were going back to school.
We drove from NY and the one difficult thing we encountered was finding a hotel room the first night on the road. We never make a reservation when driving because we don't know how far we will get . We got turned away at 4 hotels in W. Virginia due to them being full. I guess everyone was coming home.

 

[MELSMICE]

kilee - looks like we are neighbors!

 

[Mufasa]

Do they turn everyone away???What if you're staying onsite???

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by Mufasa
Do they turn everyone away???What if you're staying onsite???

Actually, if I remember correctly, it was the MK parking lot - or the TTC parking lot. I heard they were rerouting traffic to other theme park lots & busing peole to the MK. I think the buses were able to take people to the MK - I don't know about off-site buses. Considering that fact - we didn't even think about going to MK that day - or any other park for that matter.

I do know that the water parks were at capacity many of the days during these 2 weeks. One day as people were getting on the bus the drivers were telling them "if you are waiting for Typhoon Lagoon, it has been closed due to capacity".

We did go to Typhoon Lagoon one morning (via our rental car) & as we were entering the lot (we were there about 1/2 hour before opening) the 2 parking lot CM's told each other "about 100 more cars & we need to close because we will be at capacity".

It was a crazy 2 weeks last year from my experience.