Visiting Walt Disney World in April? Here’s What You Need to Know

Spring has finally sprung! And what better way to celebrate the end of all things cold, dreary, and wintery than with a magical vacation at Walt Disney World?  

If you’re planning a trip to WDW this April, you probably have your Disney Resort Hotel, advanced dining reservations, and Park Pass Reservations booked.  

You may have even looked at Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane selections, to avoid those pesky standby lines for attractions in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom theme parks.

Here are a few extra tidbits of information that will help you to maximize the fun on your Disney vacation. Crowds, weather, special events, and ride closures change from month to month, although for a Disney fan, there’s never a bad time to be a Guest at the Walt Disney World Resort!  

Here’s what to expect if you’re on your way to meet Mickey this April.

Closures and Openings

No one likes to get to a Disney theme park and discover their favorite ride is down for refurbishment. Unfortunately, though, that’s a necessity from time to time, to keep attractions in working order.  

Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park has been down since the beginning of January and will remain closed until at least the middle of April.  

Finding Nemo: The Musical, which never reopened after the Parks closed in 2020, will not be returning to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but a reimagined version (Finding Nemo: The Big Blue… and Beyond!) will open sometime this year – just not in April (sorry). Primeval Whirl in DinoLand USA has been demolished.

Over in Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park, Splash Mountain has reopened after its scheduled refurbishment, although plans for the revamped Princess and the Frog updates have yet to take place.  

Enchanted Tales with Belle in Fantasyland remains closed, as does the Walt Disney World Railroad, which will open later in 2022. But the good news is the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade returned to Magic Kingdom in March – hurrah!

EPCOT

There’s a lot of construction going on in Disney’s EPCOT Park these days, and we can’t wait for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind to open this summer!  

For April, though, not much has changed. The EPCOT Experience has permanently closed as of March 14, 2022, and Guests probably already know that the nighttime spectacle EPCOT Forever has been replaced with a new fireworks show, Harmonious.

Hollywood Studios

Finally, in Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, Star Wars Launch Bay, Star Wars: Galactic Spectacular, Jedi Training Academy: Trials of the Temple and Voyage of the Little Mermaid remain closed.  

Fantasmic! will finally be returning to the Park sometime in 2022, but we’re not sure exactly when.

Water Parks

Guests visiting WDW in April won’t be able to visit Blizzard Beach water park, which remains closed for maintenance.  

But pack your swimsuit anyway, because you can enjoy Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon (plus your own Disney Resort Hotel pool, of course)!

Crowds

The crowds at Walt Disney World in April largely depend on the specific dates you’re visiting. You can check an online Disney World crowd calendar to see the best time in the month to visit, but lately with returning travelers after the pandemic, these seem to be completely off. 

Easter, on April 17, along with the days before and the week after, will be very busy anywhere on property. You may also find some other days in April busy as the tail-end of Spring Break crowds flock to the Parks and the Park Hours get longer. This is where Disney’s Genie+ and Lightning Lane selections may come in handy!

Weather

April in Orlando follows March’s trend of warm weather, plenty of sunshine, and little rain. Guests can expect lows around 59 degrees and highs around 84 degrees.  

The UV index in Walt Disney World in April averages a whopping 10, so make sure you pack your sunscreen, sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection, and a hat (if you forget it, no worries, there are loads of excellent merchandise options throughout WDW!). Consider ducking inside for a food break or indoor attraction during the hottest hours of the day.

Typically, Orlando receives about four days of rain in April. But before you leave those umbrellas and ponchos behind, remember that the weather in Walt Disney World can change rapidly, and if you find yourself caught in a sudden shower, you’ll be looking at some unmagical prices for ponchos and umbrellas in the parks.

Special Events

Plant lovers, rejoice – the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival continues through the month of April (and no green thumb is required).  

From March 2 until July 4, Guests can wander through enchanting topiaries of Disney characters, as well as special garden displays in World Discovery, World Nature, World Celebration, and World Showcase at Disney’s EPCOT Park.

Guests who visit Walt Disney World just before, during, or just after Easter may face bigger crowds, but they can also take advantage of special Easter events. There’s a Magic Kingdom Easter Bunny meet and greet, a Festival of Fantasy pre-parade, church services at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, decorated Easter eggs, and special celebratory eats and drinks throughout the parks, Disney Springs, and Disney Resorts.  

Extended Hours

The celebration of the 50^th anniversary of Walt Disney World continues into April, and so do extended hours (yay!). Disney’s EPCOT Park, Hollywood Studios Park, and Magic Kingdom Park all have extended evening hours on different days this month.  

Guests staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort, Disney Deluxe Villa Resort, or other select hotels are eligible, and you can check out the details online to find out which Park has extended hours on which day.

Bottom Line

A trip to Walt Disney World is always magical, no matter when it happens!  

But the weather, ride closures, crowd levels, and special events change from one month to the next, and the more prepared you are, the more your whole family will enjoy their Walt Disney World Resort vacation.