April at Disney World

April at Walt Disney World wraps up the busy Spring Break and Easter season. But, typically once you get past Easter, the rest of the month is lovely.

Here’s what you need to know:

Is April a good time to visit Walt Disney World?

April is a great time to visit Disney World thanks to the gorgeous spring weather. Yes, there are typically Spring Break and Easter crowds, but, if you plan accordingly, you can make an April visit worth your while (and fun).

There are all kinds of reasons to love Disney World during April. Here are some of our favorites:

Why we love April at Disney World

• The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival continues, offering delightful culinary experiences. Make sure you set aside some time to check out the topiaries!
• Easter celebrations bring fun-filled activities for families.
• The weather in April at Disney World starts to heat up, especially at the end of the month. And with higher temperatures come chances of more rain showers. But, you shouldn’t feel too, too hot, like in the summer. This also means it’s usually warm enough to swim.

But while there is lots to enjoy about April at Disney World, there are a few things that you need to know:

• Both Spring Break and Easter crowds can be intense, so you definitely can’t just wing it. Make sure you have a plan so that you aren’t spending all your time in line.
• Sometimes Easter falls in April. When that happens, expect the crowds around the holiday to be extra heavy.
• While the temps in April aren’t anywhere near those July and August temps, there can be hotter days (with rain).
• The runDisney Springtime Surprise race usually falls on the third weekend of April, drawing in the crowds.
• Storms (especially midday storms) could also occur, so we highly recommend you plan midday breaks from the sun and rain during your trip.

Is Disney World busy in April?

If Easter falls during April, you can expect heavy crowds the week before and the week after. The end of April is a lovely time to visit and one of our personal favorites.

There are usually moderate to high crowds due to Spring Break vacations and Easter celebrations. Of course, families take advantage of the school holidays, resulting in increased attendance.

And we can’t forget that the mild spring weather and the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival attract visitors, plus, the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend.

During busier times of the year, Disney does try to improve guest experiences by doing a few things to help keep the lines down. Although they never officially announce anything, these are the things that we’ve noticed that do help:

• Expanded capacity at attractions. Some attractions (like Space Mountain or Toy Story Mania, for example) have multiple “sides”, and during busier times of the year, Disney will operate both sides, which can help keep those wait times down.
• Staffing. When the crowds are heavier, Disney increases their staffing levels across the entire resort. That means more staff at restaurants, at Guest Services, working security and transportation, etc.
• Fewer refurbishments. Whenever anything is closed (either for a refurbishment or even if an attraction simply goes down), all those people who may have been in line are now out in the park or waiting in line for a different attraction. Disney aims to complete as many major, scheduled refurbishment projects as possible by April. Yes, some things may still be refurbished during this time – but if at all possible, they try to get as many things done before the heavy Spring Break crowds arrive.

Although Disney can make adjustments to keep the lines manageable, they can’t control just how busy the parks look and feel. During busier times of the year like April, walkways and paths in the parks may be full, Quick Service locations remain busy for longer, and the crowds for nighttime shows will be heavier.

We don’t tell you that to scare you, but to prepare you. April is not the time of year to just wing it. Spending even just a few minutes on a plan for your Disney World trip will make all the difference.

Here are the dates we are predicting will be the busiest in April:

• April 1-7 – heavy crowds kick off April (Easter falls on March 31 in 2024)
• April 18-21 – heavier crowds due to guests traveling for the runDisney Springtime Surprise race
• April 17-30 – heavy crowds for the remainder of April as WDW hosts nearly back-to-back dance and cheer competitions

Planning for Disney World in April

PARK HOURS | PRICES & DISCOUNTS | SPECIAL EVENTS | WEATHER | WHAT TO WEAR | REFURBISHMENTS & CLOSURES | WHAT’S NEW | TIPS

April Walt Disney World Park Hours

Disney publishes its park hours about 75 days in advance, but those hours can (and very often do) change.

Note: This used to be about 180 days in advance, but since the reopening, they have transitioned to a roughly 75-day window.

As the dates get closer, it isn’t unusual for Disney to tweak either the opening or closing times. And during especially busy times of the year, they may change both.

That means to avoid having your plans sidetracked, you’ll definitely want to keep checking the park hours – including while on your trip.

When it comes to park hours – in general – the heavier the crowds, the longer the parks will be open during the day. Of course, that also means that the parks will be open fewer hours of the day during less busy times of the years.

In April, that means that you’ll typically find the parks open longer over Spring Break. And, if Easter happens to fall during April when you are traveling, expect longer hours around then, too.

Read More:

• Guide to Magic Kingdom Park Hours
• Guide to Epcot Park Hours
• Guide to Hollywood Studios Park Hours
• Guide to Animal Kingdom Park Hours

Prices and Discounts for April at Disney World

If you are looking for a good deal, late April is a pretty good time to find one.

It isn’t unheard of to see discounts earlier in the month, however, the inventory may be more limited than during less busy times of the year.

Special Events at Disney World in April

Epcot International Flower And Garden Festival

Epcot never looks more lovely than during the Flower and Garden Festival, which means April is the perfect time for a visit to this iconic park. 

Taking place in the spring (and sometimes early summer) this festival brings dozens of larger-than-life topiaries as well as plenty of food and drink options inspired by all things garden fresh.

Easter

Depending on the year, Easter sometimes falls in April and while there isn’t a lot of stuff that takes place, there are a few worth mentioning (like the Easter Egg displays!).

Even though it’s not as big of as a celebration in the parks, there are special ways Disney World celebrates Easter.

Earth Day

Since Animal Kingdom opened on Earth Day in 1998, the date holds a special place for that park.

The events change from year to year, but during the week of Earth Day you can typically find things like unique character experiences, merchandise, and even themed foods and beverages.

Weather​ at Disney World in April

By the time April rolls around, most of the chances for super chilly nights have passed.

You can expect for the temperatures to range from lows in the 60s to highs in the low 80s.

Of course, those are just averages so there is always the chance to see those highs soar into the 90s (especially the later in the month you travel). 

April typically sees more rain so come prepared with ponchos, multiple pairs of shoes, and umbrellas just in case.

Can you swim in April?

The crowds at the pools definitely pick up by the time April rolls around.

In addition to the pools at the resorts, Disney’s 2 water parks also become more popular.

If swimming is a must-do, and you are worried about the crowds, consider starting your day at the pool and head to the parks later in the day. Most people reverse that plan which means the pools can get quite busy by the end of the day.

What to wear in April at Disney World

When packing for Disney World in April, most people will be comfortable wearing whatever they typically wear in the summer (shorts, capris, etc.).

The mornings and evenings may be chilly, but the chill doesn’t typically last too long.

One place where you may get cold, however, is inside the restaurants.

And in fact, even during the hottest months we keep a light jacket in our park bag because coming out of the sun into an air-conditioned space is sometimes too cold for our liking.

If you’re the kind of person that finds sitting under the AC to be too much, you might want to consider tossing in a light jacket, too.

Refurbishments and Closures

While routine refurbishments aren’t typically scheduled in April, you’ll likely still run into a few attractions that are closed.

What’s new at Disney World in April?​

At this time, no major new attraction, restaurant, or show is scheduled to open in April.

Tips for Disney World in April

• The sun can be quite intense, even if the temps aren’t, so don’t forget to wear your sunscreen.
• Keep checking for discounts. Even if you’ve already booked discounts can still be applied.
• If Easter falls during April, expect heavy crowds the week before and the week after.
• The end of April is a lovely time to visit (and one of our personal favorites!). 

What order should you visit the parks?

Depending on the length of your trip, here’s how many days we recommend for each park:

When it comes time to decide which days are best for each park, here are some general things to keep in mind:

• Hollywood Studios was once easy to do in a half day, but now a full day is typically recommended, especially if you want to ride all the headliners and catch some of the shows.
• Magic Kingdom is the most popular park overall. It is also the park most first-time visitors think of when they think “Disney World”. Saturdays and Mondays are the busiest, with mid-week typically the least busy.
• Epcot hosts nearly year-round festivals, and those festivals are popular with both out-of-state visitors and with locals. And, since a lot of what the festivals are famous for are alcohol and food, the areas around the Festival Booths can be a lot busier (and a bit rowdier) than what you’d find during the daytime hours on the weekdays. If that isn’t the vibe you are looking for, you may want to skip Epcot during the nighttime on Friday and Saturdays.
• Animal Kingdom remains one of the “easiest” parks to fit into a trip. You should be able to plug it in wherever it makes the most sense for you.

How our April Crowd Calendar Works

1. For each day of the month, we tell you on a scale of 1-10 how busy the entire Walt Disney World Resort is when compared to other days of the year.

2. Then, for each park you’ll see the park hours and any special events that are planned.

3. We also track refurbishments and closings (which you can toggle on and off).

4. We have a handy feature that allows you to automatically add your Advanced Dining Reservation date to your calendar.

5. And, one of the most useful features is the ability to be able to print the calendar so that you can have a paper copy for planning (or to just use as a backup).

April Crowd Calendar