Crowds over Easter?

[motogp]

Any thoughts on the crowds during late March and Early April? Is EP worth it? We are staying at Cabana Bay, so have EE, but no EP. Worth buying separately? TIA

 

[macraven]

I've only gone to the parks once in that time period

I stayed at RPR and had the EP

but, too crowded for me....


You are hitting a time period where it's spring break time for some schools.

Your time period is doable, but go in with a plan and be prepared to have waits in the park
Eat at off times so you can avoid the big rush for the eateries
Take advantage of the early entry for hotel guests.

During high volume times in the parks, they might have both parks open with EE on some dates



I hope others that have gone in your time period will be able to share their personal experiences to help guide you.

 

[christophfam]

The week before Easter and the week after are crazy busy. Expect very long waits unless you have express.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

We are thinking of going the Thursday, Friday and Saturday after Easter. I realize it will be crowded. We have APs so we are thinking of hanging out in Diagon Ally and Hogsmead and doing all the interactive wand spots and eating at Three broomsticks and leaky Cauldron, shopping, catching some shows and a few rides. I hope I dont regret this. It will just me me and my 14 year old daughter and we are pretty happy just to hang out in the HP sections. She may ride some of the other roller coaster int eh single rider line.

 

[gunderda]

We are going the week before easter. EP's are SO expensive for that time(close to $200 - but cheaper on friday/sat/sun which isn't an option for us) and right now my friend and I are considering them since our tickets were generously paid for by someone else otherwise there is no way we could even consider paying for EP. I've also read reports that say EP could go even higher closer to the date which makes me really nervous because we aren't quite ready to pin down a date we want to go (and we're only doing one day).

 

[macraven]

We are going the week before easter. EP's are SO expensive for that time(close to $200 - but cheaper on friday/sat/sun which isn't an option for us) and right now my friend and I are considering them since our tickets were generously paid for by someone else otherwise there is no way we could even consider paying for EP. I've also read reports that say EP could go even higher closer to the date which makes me really nervous because we aren't quite ready to pin down a date we want to go (and we're only doing one day).

I hear you on that expense !
It is really high and many people will buy them

If it is at all possible to book rpr or hrh or PBH for one night, it might be beneficial for you both

Book the cheapest room for one night only and you and friend will receive free unlimited usage of all the express lines for shows and rides

You get check in day and check out day with that perk

You also receive the early entry time before the park is open to the general public

You don’t have to stay and use the booked room so that is why many of us call it booking a throw away room

Compare a one night stay against the cost of two park express for both of you
It the price difference is minor, book the room
Check in early that day so you can do the early entry for hotel guests
Designated rides (3) will be open for it

When you buy the ep for the day, it is a one time usage for the express line
Believe that is the ep you are considering

The free hotel unlimited ep lets you do repeats the entire Park day

I know you did not ask about staying onsite a night as an option but thought it might be something to know

Yes the cost of the ep can increase
Supply and demand happens
More last minute decisions to buy the ep at the park could be higher on the day of

If what I wrote is not in your budget or plans, you still have the option to use the single rider lines
It would be a shorter wait than the regular lines
It’s free but not all rides have it
None of the shows offer it

Depending on the crowds in the park the day you are there, can have long waits

If you spend an hour + in line for one ride, you will not be hitting all the rides in the park

Ask yourself if just doing some rides is fine or use the ep so you can do most of the things on your “to do” list that day

You said a friend bought the park tickets for you

You can upgrade them at the park to a two day pass and pay the difference
If you do that, stay onsite and enjoy the EE the next day

 

[ashleyr409]

.

 

[gunderda]

I hear you on that expense !
It is really high and many people will buy them

If it is at all possible to book rpr or hrh or PBH for one night, it might be beneficial for you both

Book the cheapest room for one night only and you and friend will receive free unlimited usage of all the express lines for shows and rides

You get check in day and check out day with that perk

You also receive the early entry time before the park is open to the general public

You don’t have to stay and use the booked room so that is why many of us call it booking a throw away room

Compare a one night stay against the cost of two park express for both of you
It the price difference is minor, book the room
Check in early that day so you can do the early entry for hotel guests
Designated rides (3) will be open for it

When you buy the ep for the day, it is a one time usage for the express line
Believe that is the ep you are considering

The free hotel unlimited ep lets you do repeats the entire Park day

I know you did not ask about staying onsite a night as an option but thought it might be something to know

Yes the cost of the ep can increase
Supply and demand happens
More last minute decisions to buy the ep at the park could be higher on the day of

If what I wrote is not in your budget or plans, you still have the option to use the single rider lines
It would be a shorter wait than the regular lines
It’s free but not all rides have it
None of the shows offer it

Depending on the crowds in the park the day you are there, can have long waits

If you spend an hour + in line for one ride, you will not be hitting all the rides in the park

Ask yourself if just doing some rides is fine or use the ep so you can do most of the things on your “to do” list that day

You said a friend bought the park tickets for you

You can upgrade them at the park to a two day pass and pay the difference
If you do that, stay onsite and enjoy the EE the next day

I did check out one of the hotels that offers the EP and they were about $450+ so not really a cost savings for just 2 of us. But I may check it out again.
I went a couple years ago mid-June which the crowd calendar says is busy but I didn't think it was that bad. The waits were maybe 45-60 min but we did only do a ride once which at the time was fine because I wasn't familiar with any of the rides at universal and didn't realize how many of them I would really enjoy (and it was June and freaking hot which I think makes you not care much about anything lol). This will be my friend's first time and we're going to do park to park so since we don't have to pay for the tickets I thought this would be a good use of that money we would have spent on tickets (even though the EP is way higher). Just stinks that you have to pick a day. The days we can go (Mon-Thurs) the EP is currently the same price so I wish you could just pick a week or something you planned to use it.

 

[gunderda]

How do you find out how many express passes you get if you book one of those hotel rooms?

 

[schumigirl]

How do you find out how many express passes you get if you book one of those hotel rooms?

Each person registered in the room will get an EP.

Most normal rooms take up to 5 people.

 

[bchbetha]

I did check out one of the hotels that offers the EP and they were about $450+ so not really a cost savings for just 2 of us. But I may check it out again.
I went a couple years ago mid-June which the crowd calendar says is busy but I didn't think it was that bad. The waits were maybe 45-60 min but we did only do a ride once which at the time was fine because I wasn't familiar with any of the rides at universal and didn't realize how many of them I would really enjoy (and it was June and freaking hot which I think makes you not care much about anything lol). This will be my friend's first time and we're going to do park to park so since we don't have to pay for the tickets I thought this would be a good use of that money we would have spent on tickets (even though the EP is way higher). Just stinks that you have to pick a day. The days we can go (Mon-Thurs) the EP is currently the same price so I wish you could just pick a week or something you planned to use it.

If the room costs $450 and you get 2 days worth of passes, you should come out ahead if you were planning to get 2 days of EPs. EPs will probably be $150/ person/ per day. 1 day of EPs= $300. You would still need to pay for a hotel room...it’s not like that’s a free expense. If you only want EPs for 1 day then you’re right about hotel vs non-hotel. But if you want 2 days of EPs, you’ll totally save $ staying in one of those hotels.

 

[gunderda]

Each person registered in the room will get an EP.

Most normal rooms take up to 5 people.

so i'm pricing out some rooms. My group will actually have 8 people (6 adults and 2 kids). So I did a room for 2 adults and 2 kids which was $479 and then a room for 4 adults which was $549. Can we lie and say the 2nd room is also 2 adults and 2 kids? Do the passes dictate if they're adults or children??
I don't know if everyone is up for paying for express passes which is why I only mentioned my friend and I first but if everyone is willing to pitch in it might be the way to go.

 

[gunderda]

If the room costs $450 and you get 2 days worth of passes, you should come out ahead if you were planning to get 2 days of EPs. EPs will probably be $150/ person/ per day. 1 day of EPs= $300. You would still need to pay for a hotel room...it’s not like that’s a free expense. If you only want EPs for 1 day then you’re right about hotel vs non-hotel. But if you want 2 days of EPs, you’ll totally save $ staying in one of those hotels.

yea, my friend and I are only doing 1 day park to park. However part of our group is doing 2 day park to park so I think it might be worth it for them but using the hotel room that's still an additional $500 cost to them that I'm not sure they were planning on spending.

 

[macraven]

Why would an adult lie??
If they are 18, that’s an adult in the room

Passing an adult as a child or to lie about number of adults in a room to circumvent the system is wrong

Threads are closed when posters try
to get into discussions like that which are against Disboards guidelines and rules


All peeps in the room receive the hotel room key with their name on it

That is what is shown to use the express lines

Maximum number in a room is 5
Additional adults over two in the room has a surcharge per night

As long as the number of occupants are held at 5 total, no problem

But age 18 and above is an adult for the hotels

 

[macraven]

so i'm pricing out some rooms. My group will actually have 8 people (6 adults and 2 kids). So I did a room for 2 adults and 2 kids which was $479 and then a room for 4 adults which was $549. Can we lie and say the 2nd room is also 2 adults and 2 kids? Do the passes dictate if they're adults or children??
I don't know if everyone is up for paying for express passes which is why I only mentioned my friend and I first but if everyone is willing to pitch in it might be the way to go.

Even if you broke up the group, there would still be additional adults in the rooms since there are 6 altogether

 

[WhitneyMB]

To add to the discussion--My son is over 18. We declare him as a 3rd "adult" in our hotel room and have to pay $25 more a night. We're still saving on what we'd pay for the four of us (3A/1C) for express passes).

 

[gunderda]

Even if you broke up the group, there would still be additional adults in the rooms since there are 6 altogether

That's why i priced 2 rooms because you can't have that many people in one room, although I think i did find one hotel that did and the price was waaaaay more than buying the express passes separate.
and sorry for asking about the thing that shall not be named.

In the end my group decided to not go that route and said they won't mind standing in really long lines so my friend and I will just be buying the express passes separately.