2019- when will spring break crowds roll in?

[stackyallred]

With Easter 2019 falling on April 21, should we expect that ALL of March and April will be busy with spring break crowds? We are considering the first week of March 2019 before our APs will expire but of course hoping to find a week that won’t be one of the most crowded of the year.

 

[LMA712014]

disregard - had my dates wrong

 

[heidia]

This was our fourth time in a row going the first week of march (its our "spring break" in eastern Canada) and without a doubt, its perfectly pleasant for the first part of the trip and then on the weekend leading into the next week, it gets BANANAS. lol To compare, we also always going in the fall (usually the last week of October) and find that week is usually feels much more crowded now vs the first week in March. Bonus points for March being 99% less humid too.

 

[MainMom]

I’m in the Midwest. Our spring break next year is the last week of March. I expect the breaks to be every week leading up to Easter.

 

[odd man out]

We just got back and i thought the crowds were manageable. We were there for the first week of March from Sun to Fri. That is my spring break (university) but I think our break is earlier than most. The crowd tracking Web site said the crowds were in the middle of their 10 point scale (4 to 7 depending on the day and park). I go by prices. Disney had historically increased prices for spring break at the end of that first full week. Good news for us. Agree too that the weather is nice that week. It wasn't quite warm enough for pool time but that wasn' our priority and touring parks when its in the 70's is quite nice.

 

[rpb718]

For elementary and high schools - in the Northeast (at least) there is a 1 week "winter" break which usually during the last 2 weeks of February and split up between various states where some do the Presidents day week and the others do the following week. Also in the Northeast is a 1 week "spring" break which happens the weeks mid to late April and is similarly split up between the states. There may be other states in the upper midwest that follow this as well. Not sure about Canadian schools. Also, the days around Mardi Gras also has a bump in crowds at WDW.

Universities and colleges can also start having week long breaks anytime between late February through April - but the vast majority are in March.

Starting in March, elementary and high schools in other parts of the country start having their "spring" breaks. This doesn't happen for every school at once so it's spread out between March and April. However, there can be a number of schools that coordinate their "spring" break to weeks surrounding Easter.

In a nutshell, the normal "school" break period is like a bell curve starting around mid-February and ending the last full week of April with the peak period being mid-March to mid-April. However in 2019, Easter is April 21 so any schools that normally coincide their breaks around Easter may mean the the peak period between mid-March to mid-April might actually be down a bit but the last weeks of April could have higher than normal crowds.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Ours is always last week of March, regardless of when Easter falls. I’m prepared for large crowds.

 

[stackyallred]

Thanks, everyone! As I expected, it’s just hard to tell exactly with the school breaks and a late Easter!

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Was just at WDW starting March 10, many schools in FL get out for break early. I talked with several families and they got out March 5 and some were starting March 12 for 2018. My SIL got their 2018-2019 calendar and for next year it's the same break, second week of March. Our Spring Break here where I live in SC is April 9-13 2018, for next year it's it's April 15-19. For our area including Charlotte NC, we are the last of our area for Spring break. I think you should consider Spring Break to be March through Mid April. It's odd too especially with February/winter breaks that kids have in the NE. Even with the winter breaks in February, we much prefer going in February over spring break, way less crowds. I would prefer not to go in March or April again.

 

[CAS239]

March 18-22nd is when my area in SW FL will be out for spring break next year

 

[lorilori]

Two sons in two different colleges (NC), one state and one private and both will have their spring break the first week of March 2019, same as this year. We had a wonderful time this year, weather was great for non-stop park hopping and even got some swimming in on our down day. Also really enjoyed the beginning of the Flower & Garden Festival in Epcot.

 

[Stasieki]

Ours is March 25-29 next year (middle Tennessee elementary and middle school)

 

[MermaidMommy]

The first week of March usually has low crowd levels. It’s a great week to go. The second week of March, however, is when spring break hits in earnest, so expect heavy crowds starting Saturday the 9th.

 

[scrapquitler]

Ours is always the third week of April, regardless of how Easter falls. I see that next year, Easter is on April 21, so our break (which will be the week of April 15th-19th will be right in the thick of it.

I think that 'spring break' can vary widely by where in the country you are, and generally starts getting busier around the second week of March thru the third week of April. The closer to Easter you get, the bigger crowd you should likely expect since many school districts move their break to coincide with the holiday.

 

[WaterLinds]

In Ontario our break is the second week of March, and I've learned that that's also Texas' break, plus of course many places elsewhere.

We will be there that week next year because of a conference, but had decided to go a bit early to try to get a few less crowded park days in...but now that the crowd calendars are up I see that Mardi Gras is the first week of March next year, so crowds are forecast to be higher than typical for early March. We were there in February for Mardi Gras week this year, and it was largely crowd level 8-10, although a big part of that was South American tour groups and families. I would assume by March that the South American crowd falls off, although I don't know for sure?

At this point I'll be happy with any days under a 9, I think, but will also just plan for crowds.

 

[Tattylou]

Massachusetts public schools is the 3rd week in April regardless of how Easter falls (vacation always starts with Monday of Patriots Day/Boston Marathon Monday). That year it will be the week leading up to Easter. We have gone that week many times. The years it coincides with Easter it is generally busier than the years it doesn't. I love the weather that week though.

 

[michelepa]

Ours is always last week of March, regardless of when Easter falls. I’m prepared for large crowds.

That's when our break is as well and so is easter this year and we are going to the Disneyworld parks

I wish I could be you Cinderumbrella. I know there will be crowds. I've told DH and DD there will be crowds and we have all our adrs and fp for most popular rides but alas I still don't feel prepared for what's ahead of us.

We are really going to watch DS play ball at ESPN and this is last year before DD will be in highschool and play for the hs softball at ESPN and she REALLY wanted to do Disney with her dad (first time) and one park at the end of the trip all together (our first time all together).

I know DD can hang she done WDW twice with me in tge August heat open to close. Which is funny because although she isn't very flexible at home WDW brings out the best in her.

However that cant be said about most people including DH. Who I am hoping doesn't have any tantrums. But I guess the good thing is I can send him back to condo in an uber and we will continue on with our day! I digress

 

[michelepa]

For elementary and high schools - in the Northeast (at least) there is a 1 week "winter" break which usually during the last 2 weeks of February and split up between various states where some do the Presidents day week and the others do the following week. Also in the Northeast is a 1 week "spring" break which happens the weeks mid to late April and is similarly split up between the states.

We live in Northeast and this is not the case for us. No Feb week long break and spring breaks in our area both public and private are end of March every year.

So suffice it to say that with Easter being in April next year mid-March to end of April is going to be crowded with springbreak families so if you dont have to go during those times you shouldn't.

 

[bettymae1121]

The two biggest districts in IL are U46 and Chicago Public Schools. U46 is the last full week of March, CPS is the week before Easter. So you're safe from invading Chicagoans (and suburbanites)!

 

[odd man out]

The first week of March usually has low crowd levels. It’s a great week to go. The second week of March, however, is when spring break hits in earnest, so expect heavy crowds starting Saturday the 9th.

Agree. We just got back from a trip March 4-9 (Sun-Fri). From reports I've seen and from what the Resort front desk told me was that crowds were really rolling in the day we left. Prices go up that day too. If the resort prices have gone up that week, it's a good bet that Disney knows the crowds are going to be there.