With the details coming out now about the MVT Labor Day deal, it’s getting clearer to me that we won’t be staying at the Polynesian for our whole trip this August. We usually stay for 8 nights or so, and with that deal and discounted tickets, we could afford it. We went three years in a row doing this, and took this last August off with the intention of returning again this year. But, there was a big jump in price for the Poly on the deal, and honestly I think I could feel it coming, because I’d already started investigating alternatives. So here’s the options:
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Still go in early/mid August. Stay off property for a week at a time share through RCI, which would be free (family offered). Stay on property after that for two or three nights, hopefully near the Magic Kingdom.
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Go at Easter this year (arriving on property Good Friday and staying seven nights). Stay at a moderate, probably POFQ. Hope to get some good rides in before lunch and relax the rest of the day. Return at night for a couple more rides/shows.
Points to ponder:
More time in August
Less people (I’d imagine…) in August
Less heat at Easter
DS7’s birthday Easter week (we’ve never been on a birthday before, our three August trips have been our only Disney trips)
Getting dining reservations this close to Easter (yeah, I know it’s not CLOSE, but I’m a 180-days-out kind of person) (reservation finder would be a help)
We started with a deluxe and now I’m realizing why that was a bad idea…we consider the Poly our home and this trip will be a bit of an adjustment, whenever we take it.
Anything I’m not thinking of? Is it really THAT bad at Easter?
Just curious how much the MVT rate went up for Poly? We paid 292/night last year and I decided this year to rent DVC instead since we would now have to pay for my 18 year old as an adult and parking fees are coming soon.
Did you see MVT specials include Coronado tower and standard too this year? Or what about free dining at one of the moderates or values during August?
I haven’t confirmed on my own quote yet, but I saw it reported elsewhere online that the Poly rate this year is 418.50.
I did see about Coronado, and I’d totally try it out, except I also saw that the Coronado specials are limited to one particular week and I can’t go that late in August - work issues for my husband.
I’m going to do some number crunching on the free dining. I’ve never done the dining plan so I don’t know if it would make more sense to do that or stick with the Fun in the Sun discount.
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I know that you have your heart set on staying at the Poly again, but have you looked at the discounts at any of the other MK deluxe resorts (in particular WL)? As @profmatt will tell you, the Poly is the worst resort at WDW, so I think that you would be very pleasantly surprised with a stay at another resort.
Just keep in mind that Easter is second only to Christmas week in regards to crowds. This article has some good pics of crowds on a day in Easter week last year.
https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/disneys-magic-kingdom-easter-week-afternoon-crowds-32918/
I love April but one Easter I thought the crowd was going to trample my son. It scared us both so much that we will never, ever return at that time. Lucky for us our school vacation is always around the 3rd week and Easter can be earlier.
Yeah, we went last New England April vacation when Easter was early in the month and it was the best time to go. Warm but not oppressive, low crowds, Flower and Garden festival making for some gorgeous views in Epcot, and pretty low crowds (by WDW standards, of course). But I’d never go during Easter week, which is why we decided to go during Feb break this year instead of April break.
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I visited MK the week AFTER Easter Sunday in 2017. The crowds were LOW (IMO). It was mid-April. I would avoid all Disney parks the weekend of Easter, and maybe even “Easter Monday”. Tuesday forward you might be delighted.
Me too! I will take President’s week over Easter!
This is exactly what we’re doing as well! The Easter during vacation week really messed things up.
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It depends on the year and the placement of Easter… If you look at the historical crowd calendars for 2017, the week after Easter was light because Easter was late. But if you look at 2018, both weeks were heavy because Easter was in early April and schools were split on whether their break was before or after Easter.
Easter is even later this year.
Funny enough, I actually read that post in @profmatt’s trip report. I just shook my head at the time. We’ve stayed at the Grand for one night, and my daughter loved it, while the rest of us thought it was okay. We’re not into the Contemporary’s modern styling, and we live in a real log cabin…which makes Wilderness Lodge sort of look fake. Of the three? I’d probably pick Wilderness. But I did some poking around at a split stay between BC/WL or BC/Poly today, so we’ll see. We haven’t done the Epcot resorts at all - I think we would probably really like the pool over there!
Thank you so much for posting that article. It’s exactly what I needed to come to my senses. I am sure I’d love the temps, and when the kids are older, I bet we’d have a great time. But @PrincipalTinker’s story about her son almost being trampled is exactly what scared me about the idea of going at Christmas. Well, that, and the thought of spending a lot of money only to not enjoy it. So Easter is probably out.
I totally wish my husband and I weren’t in education, sometimes. It would be great to be able to go whenever we want, and even though I’m a teacher, I wouldn’t feel guilty at all about pulling my kids out at their current ages for a week or so. Just can’t do it with our jobs.
Did a ton of research today. Easter is probably out, at this point. I am considering going in late June, once we are done with school. Also still considering August. Really wish our summer schedules were in stone so I’d know where it would be best to fit in the trip!!
Thanks so much for your opinions, everybody. I think I knew Easter was probably not the best idea but needed a little Liner backup. 
We do late June and have for the past 3 years. I try to schedule after school gets out but the last 3 years, I’ve been off by at least a day with snow days (our school includes 6 snow days in the calendar and we’ve consistently gone over - crossing my fingers but so far we’ve had none!). But by that time, the teachers could care less if he misses the last day and a half!. Anyhow, this year we leave 6/20. We’ve always had a good time. Lines aren’t terrible, the heat is. We usually hit rope drop, do a sit down lunch, one more ride and then back at the resort for swimming by 2pm. We head back out for a few more rides after dark. It’s a really fun way to start off summer vacation.