Saturday, April 21, 2012

This idiot has already booked for Easter next year - advice...

Hi All

Please don%26#39;t tell me what a fool I am because it%26#39;s too late now and I %26#39;ve already booked, I guessed it would be busy but really don%26#39;t have an alternative as I can%26#39;t take my daughter out of school (local education policy, don%26#39;t start me on it....). Anyway I have a few concerns and would like some helpful advice please.

1. If I book a character meal but then find the park is too busy and they%26#39;ve closed the gates... would they still let us in for the meal or let us reschedule or is it tough luck????

2. Are the really massive queues only just for the big rides and do the rides for smaller kids tend not to be as busy??? We%26#39;re not really interested in the big roller coasters.

3. Should we avoid the parks on the bank holidays (Easter Sunday, Good Friday etc) and if so will the beaches be just as busy??? Any suggestions as to what we could do instead??? will the shops be open for instance???

Thanks in advance for good replies, please don%26#39;t answer if you are going to crucify me for booking over Easter.

This idiot has already booked for Easter next year - advice...

Sometimes the kids rides can be busier than the biggies! I would avoid bank hols definitely. We went to Clearwater beach last Easter Sunday and it the roads were choker block!

This idiot has already booked for Easter next year - advice...

Oh you will have a great time! It%26#39;s just going to be a bit crowded and with longer lines for the big attractions. If you have a reservation for a character meal, they will let you in. If you get to the parks about 30 minutes before opening time you will be able to do/see a lot more. It%26#39;s my experience that the parks start getting crowded and the lines longer by 11:30 or so. So we go early and do the rides with the longest lines first. Try to stay on Disney property, you%26#39;ll be able to see and do a lot more and get in early, or stay late at the different parks. Disney goes all out during busy times like Easter. There will be more live entertainment, and seasonal things, like resteraurants etc will be open, plus the weather will be beautiful. There is always lots of shopping opportunities in Orlando. Buy a good planning book like the unnofficial guide to Disney and use their tips for planning your days. Budget a bit more time to see each of the parks because of longer lines and crowds. But just remember, noone can see all there is to see at Disney in one trip, and it is a good reason to keep going back! It%26#39;s a vacation, so don%26#39;t get stressed out!


Cheers Disney Girl, like your optimism, I am still looking forward to going (minor under statement), LOL, and nothing is going to dampen my enthusiasm, I just didn%26#39;t think the whole thing through properly about what to do on the bank holidays, will have to go and research some more web sites for ideas.


Yes Disney is very busy at Easter but having said that it is a huge place (think size of Manchester) consisting many theme parks, shopping areas etc. Also Seaworld and Universal Parks

and other attractions so you will always find somwhere less crowded if you plan ahead.

My advice would be to avoid MK on Easter Sunday and following day but you could try AK or Seaworld which never seem to be so busy on holiday dates. Dont know about Universal.

Although Easter is a busy time its never going to be as bad as say Alton Towers on a bank holiday.

You will have a fantastic time and if you manage to see/do about half of what you plan then you have done well........


First of all you are no idiot for booking in advance and I think you are responsible for going during the school holidays. In my experience you don%26#39;t get late bargains so you have to book early to get what you want, rather than left overs.

You have booked now so get on and enjoy it.

I always went when the parks were full and we queued for hours and enjoyed the whole experience. From what I can gather the queues will be big but you will have to take your chances with the rest.

People who have attended the parks more recently than me will help with you with those detailed questions.

Don%26#39;t be put off by those who can go at off peak times.

You will have a great time.


I dont think you are a fool for booking to go at easter.

The parks will be busy over the easter week end, so head for the beach. There will be more there than usual but they dont get crowded where you only have the space to put a towel.

The gulf coast beaches are the best and the water is warmer but its about 2 hrs drive 1 to cocoa beach

Do the parks towards the latter end of your stay.

Shops will be open every day 10 till 10, but being a bank holiday the shopping malls are likly to be cowded , but if you can get a car park go for it. Just make sure you know where you have parked the car. Can be a bit of a problem finding it among millions. You will cope ok, you will enjoy your experiance.

First job go to walmart buy yourself a pair of walki talkies%26#39; about $10 a pair have one each in case you get split up, they come in handy even in walmart its so big, hubby /wife can look for each other for hours . Wife recons she can always find me either in the Fishing tackle or tools. I can always find her in shoes or looking for clothes/ presants for the G kids


Thanks for your good advice and support guys, must admit I am so looking forward to this (already LOL) and then on Monday (feeling miserable at work anyway), I read some other posts about how busy Easter break gets and people saying they would never do it again and my heart sank, can%26#39;t bear to think of the poor kids standing around for hours and not getting to do what they want but you%26#39;re all right, we will just have to be flexible and accept the fact that we might just have to come back again some other time to do whatever we missed, ha ha!!!! I get the message by the way, October is good time to go.....


My advise would be to plan for each park to take 1 1/2 or 2 days. You will struggle to get round all of the must see themeparks in 14 days if they are really busy. If your kids are younger, I would stick to the 4 main disney parks, 1 or both of the water parks at disney, and seaworld. Busch gardens in tampa is also worth seeing, and you could possible stay overnight in the clearwater area after a day at the beach and do busch on the way home. leave universal to your next visit.


Good info on the previous posts, but just for the record...Easter and Good friday are not official holidays in the states, they are religious and/or family holidays. Due to same, very few if any businesses are closed. The heavy crowds are actually due to school being out ';spring break'; coinsides with (or is near) the same dates as Easter week. Parents take time off to travel with their kids and college kids travel alone to party, etc.


Listen

Just get up early and hit the parks...a bit of effort but worth the reduced wait times ( EARLY BEING OPENING TIME )

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