Disney World in April: Weather, Crowds, Events & What to Expect in 2026

Visiting Disney World in April can be absolutely beautiful — especially with EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival in full bloom. The weather starts to warm up this time of year, but it’s typically not as intense as the peak Florida summer heat just yet.

Crowds, however, can vary quite a bit.

The beginning of April is usually busier, as spring breaks across the country are still taking place and Easter often falls during this month. In 2026, Easter lands on April 5, which means the first part of the month will likely see both spring break and holiday crowds at the same time.

The good news? Things tend to calm down as the month goes on. The last couple of weeks in April typically see lighter crowds once spring break wraps up and holiday travelers head home.

In fact, late April is one of my favorite times to visit Walt Disney World. The weather is warm (but not unbearable), the parks feel a bit more manageable, and there are still so many fun things happening around the resort.

With the right timing, Disney World in April can be a fantastic choice.

*This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Planning a Disney World vacation in 2026? Be sure to check out our guide to all that the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer this year!

In This Post

News and Updates for 2026

April At-a-Glance

April Events

April Refurbishments & Closures

April Weather

April Disney World Crowd Calendar

Ready to start planning your visit to Walt Disney World in April?

News and Updates for 2026

2026 Vacation Packages are now available to book through December 2026.
Free Kids Dining Plan Offer: In 2026, guests staying at a Disney World Resort can receive a free Disney Dining Plan for kids (ages 3–9) when purchasing a dining plan for the adults in their vacation package.
Package Deal: Book a 4-night, 4-day vacation package at select Disney Resorts and receive 2 free nights and 2 free park days for arrivals most nights May 26–September 15, 2026. (Must book by February 15, 2026.)
Annual Passholders: Save up to 35% on rooms for select stays January 4–April 30, 2026, and up to 40% for most stays May 1–July 29, 2026.
Room-Only Discounts: Save up to 25% this spring (January 4–April 30, 2026) or up to 30% this summer (May 1–July 29, 2026), with higher savings on longer stays.
U.S. Military Members: Special room savings available most nights January 1–December 18, 2026 (book by December 18, 2026).

April At-a-Glance

April temperatures begin to rise, so don’t forget to pack your sunscreen! Mornings could still be a bit chilly, but for the most part, temperatures are warm.
Easter falls on April 5, 2026, so expect crowds the week before and after! Easter is easily one of the busiest times of the year for Walt Disney World, so be prepared for crowds throughout the first and second week of April.
April is typically less busy than March, but that could be different in 2026. With Easter falling so early in April this year, it’s likely that the month will be very much divided when it comes to crowds. The first half of the month will be super busy, and the second half will likely see crowds return home.
Major refurbishments are not typically common in April. Disney tends to schedule their refurbishments during less busy months (such as January or February), but that doesn’t mean closures can’t or won’t happen in April.

April Events

The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival will begin March 4 and last through June 1, 2026. This beloved festival transforms Epcot into a breathtaking springtime wonderland. Visitors can enjoy a stunning display of flowers and topiaries, indulge in delicious outdoor food, and listen to live music at the Garden Rocks Concert Series. Exclusive festival merchandise and scavenger hunts (including the popular Egg-stravaganza Easter Egg Hunt) add to the experience, making it a must-see event for flower and nature enthusiasts.

*Epcot festivals tend to bring more local crowds on evenings and weekends, so plan on visiting Epcot during the week if crowds are a concern.

The runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend will take place April 16-20. This year’s race weekend is all about friendship, featuring some iconic Disney duos along the course. Runners can choose from a 5K with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, a 10K with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, or a 10-miler hosted by Joy and Sadness. Feeling ambitious? The Challenge combines all three races for 19.3 miles total — and yes, there’s a special Challenge medal waiting at the finish line.

Walt Disney World (as well as ESPN Wide World of Sports) typically hosts several athletic events each month. These events don’t usually have a major impact on crowds in the parks, but they will likely affect resort availability and crowds at Disney’s value resorts. Here are the events scheduled so far in April:

Disney Spring Training – March 13-April 9, 2026
runDisney Health & Fitness Expo – April 16-18, 2026
Junior World & World Cheerleading Championships – April 22-24, 2026
USASF The Cheerleading Worlds – April 24-27, 2026
The Summit-Varsity All-Stars Cheerleading and Dance Championship – April 30-May 3, 2026

In 2026, Easter falls on April 5, so plan for the parks to be significantly busier than normal the week before and after.

April Refurbishments & Closures

*We’ve included all current refurbishments here on this list… even ones that may be open in time for April 2026. (Please note that this list could change at a moment’s notice.)

Magic Kingdom

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be closed until Spring 2026.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will be closing for enhancements from August 2025 until Spring 2026.
Carousel of Progress will be closing at some point for reimagining sometime in 2026 or 2027.
Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island are permanently closed.
Walt Disney World Railroad will be operating in shuttle mode for the next few years due to ongoing construction.

EPCOT

Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along will be closed for refurbishment starting February 22, 2026.
Impressions de France will be closed for refurbishment starting February 22, 2026.
Soarin’ Around the World will become “Soarin’ Across America” this summer in honor of America’s 250th birthday celebration. It will likely debut by Memorial Day, and it is unclear if the current ride will need to be closed for a short time during the transition.

Hollywood Studios

Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! will debut in Summer 2026.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith will be permanently closing on March 2, 2026, for reimagining. A new theme starring the Muppets will debut in Summer 2026.
Star Wars Launch Bay is permanently closed and will open in late Summer 2026 as “The Magic of Disney Animation.”
The Walt Disney Studios Lot will open in Summer 2026.

Animal Kingdom

Zootopia: Better Zoogether is now open!
DINOSAUR, Primeval Whirl, TriceraTop Spin, and The Boneyard are permanently closed.
- Dinoland USA, as a whole, has officially closed to make way for a major expansion. Disney has announced that the replacement will be “Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom.” Concepts include Encanto and Indiana Jones, and DINOSAUR will be converted into an Indiana Jones attraction.
Affection Section, Conservation Station, and the Wildlife Express Train will temporarily close starting February 23 to prepare for the all-new Bluey Experience opening summer 2026
Animation Experience will permanently close starting February 23

Other

Disney Skyliner will be closed January 24 through January 30, 2027, for routine maintenance.
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will close for refurbishment from February 15 to May 11, 2026. Starting on May 12, both Disney water parks will be open for the summer.

April Weather

Overall, the weather in Orlando is quite pleasant in April. If you’re hoping to visit Disney World before the intense summer heat sets in, this can be a wonderful time to go. The average high is around 83 degrees, with lows typically near 60 degrees. It’s also generally a drier month, which makes for some really comfortable park days.

All in all, Disney World in April is an excellent choice when it comes to weather — warm, sunny, and (usually) not quite summer-level hot just yet.

April Disney World Crowd Calendar

Crowd calendars are very popular, but they can also be a bit unpredictable. It’s best not to completely rely on them when making your Disney World vacation plans.

While crowd calendars can be a big help in knowing what to expect, keep in mind that they are predictions at best. When designing our calendars, we take a look at events, school calendars, ticket prices, park hours, holidays, and typical monthly patterns. But unfortunately, our crowd calendars cannot predict other things such as weather, travel advisories, pandemics, or last-minute openings or closings of shows and attractions.

On top of that, many are choosing to travel differently. Quiet months have become popular due to runDisney events as well as other Disney events and promotions, while busier seasons have seen a downward trend in the last couple of years.

The first two weeks of April will be busy due to spring break crowds and Easter. The third weekend of April could also see an increase in crowds due to runDisney’s Springtime Surprise. Overall, however, crowds should lighten as the month goes on, making the end of the month a great time to visit if you’re trying to avoid crowds.