Ten Things I Learned Going Easter Week to WDW

[missypie]

That's funny, because my dd (11) didn't like the adult entrees at Sci Fi Diner and Plaza restaurant and was able to get an adult app, child entree, and adult dessert. We found the CM's were very accommodating to everything we asked about and we even were able to use our dessert for a milkshake to go at Liberty Tree, Sci Fi, and Whispering Canyon. It wasn't the best use of points value wise, but it made us happy and we enjoyed everything. Maybe the CM's you came across were a little more "by the book".

I don't think this is giving away any protected "secrets", so I'll share somthing that Tour Guide Mike says. He says that at super-busy times, WDW obviously really "staffs up", so you're more likely to encounter new or inexperienced cast members. I bet the restaurant employees they ran across who wouldn't let them buy childrens' entrees fit into that category.

 

[stagemomx3]

I think that the week before Easter 2008 will be the busiest spring break in WDW history. Places like Texas that have mid-March spring breaks that don't typically coincide with Easter will have break at the same time as all the Easter-break states.

You are officially freaking me out. We are going March 11th-18th, leaving the Tuesday before Easter and I'm hoping to miss most of the Spring Break crowd. Our schools spring breaks here in Washington are not until April and don't coicide with Easter next year. We are going for DH's 40th birthday and it bums me a little that Easter is so early next year. Nothing I can do about it though so we'll just do what we can!

 

[missypie]

You are officially freaking me out. We are going March 11th-18th, leaving the Tuesday before Easter and I'm hoping to miss most of the Spring Break crowd. Our schools spring breaks here in Washington are not until April and don't coicide with Easter next year. We are going for DH's 40th birthday and it bums me a little that Easter is so early next year. Nothing I can do about it though so we'll just do what we can!

I think that the huge volumes of people will just be arriving as you're leaving. It bums me out, because my 50th is during "that [Easter] week" so I don't dare spend it at WDW.

 

[cranbiz]

Last weekend, I made many trips to resorts to pickup guests that were left behind. I was not the only bus to do that.

I made runs to the All Stars, CBR, CSR and POR empty to pick up at those resorts. If a driver is full at a resort or at a park, they call in that they are full. The coordinator then dispatches the next available bus to service that route. Most times, it's going to be travel time from the park to the resort for the next bus. At peak periods, the buses are going to the resorts/parks every 5-10 minutes.

For example, POR was nuts, there were buses from the MK to the POR every 3-5 minutes, CSR was the same and of course the All Stars and POP. Many times, POR and POP had 2 buses loading at the same time.

When it's that busy, every mode of transportation is going to have delays. There is not much more that Disney can do.

 

[pickles]

a kid on the ddp is an adult meal when they are 10 and over
a 10 yr+ old on the ddp can order off the child's menu, a child under 10 can't order off the adult menu..makes sense, just think of what it costs.
You don't have to order everything they offer on the plan
we often use our cs like snacks and use our snack credits to buy stuff for the trip home
We may share our adult ts , so we can bank ts for ts that cost 2 rather than 1ts
we find using a 2ts meal like hoopdedoo will even out the cs meals as we will need one of those for a night meal.
we have been known to use a cs for breakfast and snacks for lunch
Now that we know how it works and how to work the system best for us, we do not find it to be too much food and wish others would stop saying that. I would hate for Disney to charge more and give less!

The first time we used it, we were left with like 19 snacks and gave away a bunch to folks standing in line. Now, we don't have that problem and enjoy mickey crispy treats and cookies on the way home

 

[MomofCKJ]

You are officially freaking me out. We are going March 11th-18th, leaving the Tuesday before Easter and I'm hoping to miss most of the Spring Break crowd. Our schools spring breaks here in Washington are not until April and don't coicide with Easter next year. We are going for DH's 40th birthday and it bums me a little that Easter is so early next year. Nothing I can do about it though so we'll just do what we can!

Me too! We were planning on March 12-18 but it is making me nervous too. I called my Mom about switching to March 9-15 and she said it is up to me. We are going to celebrate her birthday which is the 17th and as much as I'd love to be there on her actual birthday I think it might be more enjoyable to move the dates up a bit. Lots of figuring out to do....

Allyson

 

[SuJo]

Sci Fi Diner was one of the places we asked about ordering off the children's menu and she told us that there was no way we could do that.

My DH just told me he gained 7lbs because of the dining plan. I know you don't have to eat everything on the plan but when my DH pays for something he wants to get his money worth. For us it wasn't worth the cost or the lbs.

Susan

That's funny, because my dd (11) didn't like the adult entrees at Sci Fi Diner and Plaza restaurant and was able to get an adult app, child entree, and adult dessert. We found the CM's were very accommodating to everything we asked about and we even were able to use our dessert for a milkshake to go at Liberty Tree, Sci Fi, and Whispering Canyon. It wasn't the best use of points value wise, but it made us happy and we enjoyed everything. Maybe the CM's you came across were a little more "by the book".

 

[kaboule101112]

Yikes! Soooo crowded. I hope it calms down in the next two weeks. We're going Apr. 22-28 staying at BWV. I'm getting nervous because WDW's added extra parades and fireworks to a couple of calendar nights....probably in anticipation of the CROWDS!!!
Glad to hear your trip ended up being good though!

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

NEVER go to WDW the week before Easter, the crowds were unbelievable.

As I wrote in another thread a week ago (4/4/07): When we're close to capacity (and we have been for the last few days now), I look around at the crowds and ask: "How is this even remotely fun?" Seriously: How can anyone have fun when the shortest wait times are at over an hour, and it can take a half hour just to walk down Main Street USA?

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

The opinions and comments in the above post do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Walt Disney Company or any of its affiliates. This post was written while off the clock and off WDW property. Any information or advice in the above post is subject to change at any time without notice and should not, if ever, be taken seriously by anyone. All rights reserved. Your mileage may vary. Offer is valid only at participating locations. Many will enter, few will win. If this post begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head. Guarantee void in Tennessee...

Gosh, that sounds familiar...

 

[Kayleebug]

A friend of mine got back from WDW on Saturday, and she said the crowds were worse than when she went the week after Christmas. She said she won't be going back during Easter week again.

 

[micksterlee]

We just gotback we were at WDW from Easter Sunday thru 4/10. I agree crowds were huge but we had a great time and got to see and do everything we wanted by getting to the parks at opening.Even on Easter Sunday we hit 5 attractions with less than 10 minute waits.

 

[vegas_mickey]

We were there the whole week before Easter and found only one day to be too crowded. We had minimal waits and used fastpass for all the big rides. Maybe we just planned well, but I was suprised that it was as easy as it was for us to do everything we wanted. I thought the crowds would be worse than they were. The kids hate waiting in line and they only complained when the line was not moving, which was only a few times.

 

[Buzz Litebeer]

We just gotback we were at WDW from Easter Sunday thru 4/10. I agree crowds were huge but we had a great time and got to see and do everything we wanted by getting to the parks at opening.Even on Easter Sunday we hit 5 attractions with less than 10 minute waits.

Easter Sunday wasn't bad at all -- until about 1:00pm or so. Then it started to get uncomfortably full. This is also because Sunday evenings feature EMHs, and typically the park has lighter attendance in the morning.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

How bad will the crowds be next week?!

 

[cudworth]

The crowds will be less next week.

 

[LurrrvtheDuck]

Local (Orange Cty) schools that typically have had their Spring Break the 2nd week in March will now have their break later in 2008- March 28th - April 4th. This year it was March 9th - 16th.

I never knew so many places went on Spring Break in April. While I was in school our Spring Break was always mid March or End of March. I wonder if schools have changed the breaks to conicide with Easter because I don't remember it being this way at all. My birthday's in April and I was never on Spring Break for it.

How bad will the crowds be next week?!

This is what I want to know!

The crowds will be less next week.

I am praying this is true.

 

[ahiltz]

Yes! It was so crowded last week! Never again will we go during Easter! We are used to no lines in January! LOL! We had a great time, but the waiting was a killer (even for the bathrooms!) and trying to move around hoards of people with a stroller...not fun! LOL! The Disney staff everywhere were great and always were pleasant! Kudos to them!


Anita

 

[Luv4Disney]

Yes! It was so crowded last week! Never again will we go during Easter! We are used to no lines in January! LOL! We had a great time, but the waiting was a killer (even for the bathrooms!) and trying to move around hoards of people with a stroller...not fun! LOL! The Disney staff everywhere were great and always were pleasant! Kudos to them!


Anita

Wow...talk about experiencing opposite ends of the spectrum! Glad you had a great time anyway!

 

[diskids2]

How do the crowds during Easter week compare to President's week?

I have gone both weeks and President's week is much lighter in terms of crowds.