After Christmas and Easter, Spring Break is one of the busiest times at Walt Disney World. Besides the obvious that schools are out for a week, many people from the Midwest and Northern parts of the United States are tired of being cold, under snow, and ready for some sun! So they make the trek to Florida to get some sun, revitalized to make it through the school year until summer break, and to enjoy some Disney magic! Are you planning on visiting Disney World over Spring Break? If so, then these Ten Tips for Surviving Disney World Over Spring Break are for YOU!
1. Arrive at the parks before they open. This in “Disney” language is known as Rope Drop. Arriving at the parks about 45 minutes before they open is key. In the first hour you are in the parks, you can enjoy a lot of great attractions! Concentrate on one area of the park at a time as well. This will save you a lot of time running from one attraction at one end of the park to another!
2. Schedule your FastPass Plus times for later in the afternoon or evening. If you can follow the first step, and arrive at Rope Drop, your day will be off to a great start! And you can relax, knowing you have some FastPass Plus return times to look forward to while others are waiting in lines in the afternoon!
3. Make your ADRs for “off” meal times. Plan on enjoying many attractions during the prime dinner and lunch times. Then, you can take a break from the heat of the day while you enjoy a nice meal and character interaction after getting in several attractions in the morning and while everyone else is eating!
4. Plan on taking a break from the parks. If you made it to Rope Drop in the morning, chances are shortly after lunch, you and your kids will be ready for a rest. This is the perfect time to return to your resort and recharge during the afternoon. Then, you can return to the park in the evening for some more fun.
5. Visit the popular attractions during parades and fireworks shows. I’m not saying to miss out on the parades. But, I can also tell you from experience, that being in Fantasyland or Tomorrowland during the 3PM parade is fabulous! The wait times are low since the majority of the crowds are hanging out along the parade route!
6. Watch Wishes from outside the Magic Kingdom. Everyone knows the little known secrets of watching Wishes from the beach at the Polynesian or the boat dock at the Grand Floridian. Perfect! Why? Well, they pipe the soundtrack to these areas, so you aren’t missing out on the magic of the narration and the crowds are low.
7. Choose a counter service location with ample seating. This will cut down on your waits, and you’ll easily find a place to sit. Also, if possible, have one adult get the meals while the other sits with the kids. Perfect! Cosmic Ray’s at Magic Kingdom, Sunshine Seasons at EPCOT, and ABC Commissary at Disney’s Hollywood Studios come to mind as great examples.
8. Consider buying base tickets instead of park hoppers. There are some wonderful benefits to Park Hopper tickets, yes. But, during a peak time like Spring Break, base tickets work very well. With it being a more crowded time in general, it’s a good idea to just pick a park and stay there. You will spend more time than you intend traveling from park to park, longer wait times at the buses, and in turn longer attraction wait times.
9. Be patient with your family and with others. If there is one crucial thing to pack for a Spring Break trip to Disney, it is your patience. Be patient and be prepared for others to “be in your way”. Also, your children will need a little extra patience from you. Waiting in line is difficult. Be sure to have bubbles, gum, snacks, and maybe even some portable gaming systems.
10. Visit the park that does NOT have Extra Magic Hours. Why? Because EMH are a privilege that come with staying in a Disney resort. That means that the majority of on site guests will be at THAT park on that day. So head to a different one, at least in the morning. Evening EMH are a bit different of a story. Our family has found, personally, the crowds are fairly manageable in the late evening. This is of course after our family has returned to our resort for a mid day break and relaxed.
Do you want more Disney planning tips? Or are you ready to book your Spring Break getaway to Walt Disney World? Perfect! There is still time under the current resort and ticket discount that Disney is offering! Contact me at carrie@destinationsinflorida.com today for a free quote and to get your Spring Break plans started!
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Basically… assume the entire month of March is going to be insane.
MK had EMHs from 12Midnight to 3AM last year during the Spring Break season – which runs from mid-March through the end of April. We took naps around dinner time & went back around 11:30PM. It was so much fun to see the park at that late hour, but even better we walked right onto almost every ride… except Peter Pan – I can never understand the lines for that one. Bonus, my daughter has pics with Belle and Ariel in her Rapunzel nightgown.
When would you say is the typical Spring Break week you’re talking about? My kids Spring Break is the week of March 10th but I have family up North that has their Spring Break the week of March 24th.
Don’t forget about FlameTree Barbecue at Animal Kingdom! There is plenty of seating, behind the restaurant. It’s one of my favorite places to eat and it’s also one of the Best Meal Deals at WDW, too!