Lowest Crowds Spring 2019

[dakotix]

We're looking to go next Spring 2019. We've been in March before and loved it. We're huge fans of the Spring Flower and Garden Show so we've always opted to go mid to late March. Of course we always end up hitting the spring break crowds. They aren't awful but it would be nice to pin down a week when crowds are light. From what I have seen on the crowd calendars is that last week of Feb through the first week of March tend to be lighter crowds. Those calendars are not infallible though. We based a November trip on those calendars one year and it was a crowd disaster!

 

[Tenacious K]

I'm in the same boat. My trip has to be sometime within the 4 week period after President's day, but before the last week of March. After weeks of debate with myself over the dates, I decided that I'm just going to go during the week that's cheapest for me to fly down and where I can get the best rooms through DVC. I'm not going to pay any mind to the crowd calendar since it might be wrong anyway.

 

[dakotix]

We were going to rent points but our son is still a foster child. Long story short, we don't know where he will be in terms of if he will still be with us (we're hoping to adopt him) or back with his biological mother. Since renting points is non-refundable we have to book a room the old fashioned way just in case we have to cancel.

Good point about not putting too much weight in those calendars. We may just go when we want to go and let the chips fall where they may. The last couple of years we have been getting pin codes so that may come in handy for a late March visit.

 

[g-dad66]

Based on this poll, looks like first week in March is definitely the week to go --
https://www.disboards.com/threads/spring-break-poll-for-2019.3680025/

 

[Lease257]

Based on this poll, looks like first week in March is definitely the week to go --
https://www.disboards.com/threads/spring-break-poll-for-2019.3680025/

Isn’t that the week of Mardi Gras in 2019? I passed over that week bc of that.

 

[winnieofpooh]

Typically I'd suggest the first week of March. My school's spring break was that first week, and I don't know of any other schools that had their break then. The parks were not crowded, the weather was nice, so I'd definitely go again during that week. But, as PP said, Mardi Gras is the first week of March in 2019 so that changes things a lot.

 

[dakotix]

Hmm well my original thought was Feb 26 - mar 7. We're doing the 10 day trip this time so there will definitly be time for us to hit the parks early then take a break in the middle of the day when it is busier then swing back to the parks at night.

 

[OhMari]

When is Easter, 2weeks before Easter is very crowded, by Thursday or Friday after Easter the crowds really lighten up. We tend to go the few days after Easter, the parks are open very early in the morning for EMH and we are morning people so that works for us. End of April, the first week in May are low crowd weeks too.

 

[samsonjs]

When is Easter, 2weeks before Easter is very crowded, by Thursday or Friday after Easter the crowds really lighten up. We tend to go the few days after Easter, the parks are open very early in the morning for EMH and we are morning people so that works for us. End of April, the first week in May are low crowd weeks too.

Easter is late this year, April 21. I wanted to go around the third week of April but then I saw it was Easter so I want to avoid that.

 

[OhMari]

Easter is late this year, April 21. I wanted to go around the third week of April but then I saw it was Easter so I want to avoid that.

People really tend to come down before Easter and leave by Tuesday after. With the longer hours at the parks, the crowds are pretty disbursed.

 

[dakotix]

Easter is very late next year. i think it isn't until the end of April.

 

[tinkpower]

When is Easter, 2weeks before Easter is very crowded, by Thursday or Friday after Easter the crowds really lighten up. We tend to go the few days after Easter, the parks are open very early in the morning for EMH and we are morning people so that works for us. End of April, the first week in May are low crowd weeks too.

HMMM.....I I was planning to go a couple of weeks before Easter. I figured the week before Easter and the week after would be the busy ones. Maybe I should rethink.

 

[Haley R]

We have been going that first week in March the last three years and loved it, but we never dealt with Mardi Gras crowds. I could see that changing things a bit. The only crowds we noticed were the first weekend of March because there is a big dance competition.

 

[shell8558]

We are headed to Disney the first week of March for the Mardi Gras break. There will be more people than usual, but its not unbearable. I will say that MANY schools here in Louisiana are out for the whole week for Mardi Gras.

 

[kniquy]

Good point about not putting too much weight in those calendars. We may just go when we want to go and let the chips fall where they may.

Crowd calendars are just a good estimate, but what can really affect your time would be your planning skills. I think just going when you want is your best tactic seeing that there are other variables that could affect your dates. Do you have to work around a school schedule? If the answer is no, then I would highly consider the last week of April -- it would still be flower and garden, weather still very nice, and it would be after the spring break and the Easter holiday. I think this time frame would have more manageable crowds.

 

[dakotix]

Crowd calendars are just a good estimate, but what can really affect your time would be your planning skills. I think just going when you want is your best tactic seeing that there are other variables that could affect your dates. Do you have to work around a school schedule? If the answer is no, then I would highly consider the last week of April -- it would still be flower and garden, weather still very nice, and it would be after the spring break and the Easter holiday. I think this time frame would have more manageable crowds.

That's a great point. We are hoping to use some kind of discount. Play, Stay, Dine will be gone by the last week of April. I can't remember whether they have any nice discounts at the end of April. Lately ( the past 18 mo)we have been getting UOC's in the mail so that could be an option as far as discounts go.

 

[firefly_ris]

Crowd calendars are just a good estimate, but what can really affect your time would be your planning skills. I think just going when you want is your best tactic seeing that there are other variables that could affect your dates.

I agree with this. I was there last October and it was the busiest I have ever seen it, but we still did everything we wanted to (including FoP twice) in 3 days because of a good game plan. It's good to try to plan for lighter crowds but I wouldn't drive myself crazy over it.

 

[Cajun23]

To add to the first week in March/Mardi Gras comments. I know a lot of people heading that way this year.

Typically, in our parish we only got 3 days off of school. This year the kids now get off the entire week so I would expect a large Mardi Gras crowd this year.

 

[kniquy]

Play, Stay, Dine will be gone by the last week of April.

Sometimes you can do just as good without the package. Buying tickets from undercover tourist when you might catch a deal and then shopping for room deals. All in all the dining plan does not save you much if any money, it is designed as a convenience so that you can pay for your meals ahead of time and not have to worry about that expense when you are there. What can save you money would be if you took the same amount of money that would have spent on the dining plan and purchased discount Disney gift cards at target - if you have a target red credit or debit card you can save 5%. Then it actually gives you more freedom to eat where and what you want - the dining plan assumes you are going to want an entree and dessert and soda every meal, but you might be just as happy at a TS restaurant ordering an app to share and salad. Plus with it being flower and garden you might want to forgo a TS meal and just sample your way around the food carts.

UOC's in the mail

What is UCO?

 

[KittyKitty]

I was pricing out resorts for last week of Apr vs 1st week of May. May won out.