Hi there, Kristen! Thanks for stopping by planDisney with your cheer-tastic question - so glad you found us! I'm delighted to hear that you'll be making your first trip to
Walt Disney World Resort this spring, and I've got my spirit fingers ready to help make it a memorable occasion.
We are veterans of dance and cheer competitions at the
ESPN Wide World of Sports! In fact, we were in town two weeks ago for high school Nationals, and my voice is still recovering! Disney World is a practically perfect location for these events - the ESPN complex provides a great experience for athletes and fans, AND you can enjoy the theme parks and other activities during your downtime.
Although I can't look into Madame Leota's crystal ball to predict the crowd levels for your visit, in my experience, this time of year is not as busy as other seasons. Spring break will be over, and most schools will not be out for the summer yet. Weekends at The Most Magical Place on Earth can be busy, as local residents are likely to spend a day or two at the parks, but with some advance planning, you can certainly enjoy your trip!
Over the years, we've been in the parks during big cheer and dance competitions, and you tend to see more teams out and about as the competition moves toward finals and teams who aren't moving on head out for some fun. In looking at your dates, I would likely plan on
EPCOT on one of your Mondays (the park tends to be extra-crowded on weekends with lots of group outings), and
Disney's Hollywood Studios on the other. Then you could check out
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park on Saturday, and
Magic Kingdom Park on Sunday.
Kristen, my top tip to navigate the parks, even on the busiest of days, is to start early! If you are staying in a
Disney Resort Hotel, you'll enjoy
Early Theme Park Entry and get a head start on the magic. Guests may enter the theme parks 30 minutes before the posted opening time, which lets you experience a few attractions before the lines become longer.
Lightning Lane Passes are another great way to maximize your time in the parks. These are purchased separately from your theme park tickets and give you priority access to the attractions or shows that you select. These can be booked 7 days before arrival for Guests staying on-property, starting at 7:00 AM, or 3 days before for offsite Guests. Be sure to set a reminder so you can snag passes for your must-do rides!
You are also coming up on the 60-day mark, when you can book
Dining reservations. It's always nice to have a sit-down meal during a long day in the parks to fuel up and talk strategy for your next stop! Be sure to set up your
My Disney Experience account so you're prepared.
Kristen, there is a lot to take in for a first-time visit! Hopefully, this information will get you started, but if you have more questions,
please reach out again!
Go Team!
Susan