So you are planning a vacation to Disney World in April 2016?
April is a wonderful time to visit Walt Disney World!

Weather

The weather in Disney World during April is the best of the year. The average high is about 83 degrees, the average low is about 59 degrees and the average rainfall is only about 2.28 inches. April is the second driest month of the year behind November. Don’t forget that even though it reaches the 80’s by afternoon, the early mornings, late evenings and heavily air-conditioned attractions are still chilly.

Crowds

April begins with high crowd levels as we wrap up Easter week and the Spring Break season. The remainder of the month will see moderate crowds throughout the resort. Crowds will feel larger in Magic Kingdom and Epcot as many travelers skip Hollywood Studios completely due to construction and only spend limited time in Animal Kingdom. Epcot will also see slightly higher crowd levels during the weekends as many locals enjoy visiting the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.

April 1 – April 2
Average Crowd Level 8.5 out of 10
April 3 – April 9
Average Crowd Level 5.9 out of 10
April 10 – April 16
Average Crowd Level 6.0 out of 10
April 17 – April 23
Average Crowd Level 5.7 out of 10
April 23 – April 30
Average Crowd Level 5.7 out of 10

Park Hours

Magic Kingdom
Open most days from 9am – 10pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Epcot
Open most days from 9am – 9pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Hollywood Studios
Open most days from 9am – 8pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)
Animal Kingdom
Open most days from 9am – 5pm (plus Extra Magic Hours)

For specific hours on each day during April, please click this link. Remember that park hours are subject to change and are often adjusted two weeks prior.

Events

A wonderful part about visiting Disney World in April is the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. In 2016, the event will run from March 2 – May 30 and features over 100 topiaries, interesting gardening demonstrations, beautiful flowers, weekend music concerts and several outdoor kitchens serving delicious foods and beverages. For more information about the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, please click here.

From April 14 – 17, 2016, the Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend will be held. This fantastic event includes kids races, a 5K, a 10K, and a half marathon. For more information, please click here.

And of course, every year on Earth Day, Animal Kingdom hosts the Party for the Planet which usually includes interesting animal and conservation presentations, crafts and games for the kids, and specialty merchandise and snacks.

Refurbishments

Periodically throughout the year, Disney closes attractions for refurbishments and enhancements. Here are the currently scheduled closures during April (subject to change without notice):

Magic Kingdom
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: April 4 – July 15, 2016
Walt Disney World Railroad: April 11 – April 22, 2016

Epcot
Frozen Ever After: October 5 – June 1, 2016
Soarin’: January 4 – June 16, 2016
The Circle of Life: February 7 – April 2, 2016

Hollywood Studios
Pizza Planet: January 11 – TBD
Star Wars Land: Opening TBD
Toy Story Land: Opening TBD

Animal Kingdom
Pandora – The World of AVATAR: Opening TBD
Rivers of Light: Opening in 2016

Water Parks
No Scheduled Refurbishments At This Time

Disney Springs
Planet Hollywood: January 1 – June 1, 2016

Resort Hotels
Boardwalk Inn: Flying Fish Café February 1, 2016 – September 30, 2016
Caribbean Beach Resort: Aruba Pool February 22 – April 15, 2016
Polynesian Village Resort: Polynesian East Pool To Be Completed In 2016
Walt Disney World Dolphin: Guest Room Refurbishments 2016 – 2017
Wilderness Lodge: Hidden Springs Quiet Pool, Resort Beach, Playground and Fire Pit To Be Completed In 2017

Planning Tips

If you are traveling to Disney World in April 2016, your planning is probably well under way at this point. Here’s a checklist to make sure you are on track:

• Make sure you have created your My Disney Experience account. If you haven’t, click here to sign up now.
• If you haven’t already made your dining reservations, be sure to make them now by clicking here.
• If you are staying on site, be sure to customize your MagicBand on your My Disney Experience account by picking the color and adding your name. And if you really want to make your MagicBand special, personalize it with your own custom designed MagicBand Skin from Magic YOUR Band. Click here to get started!
• Now is a great time to research what attractions you and your family would like to see at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Because Walt Disney World is so large, it is very difficult to see everything during one trip, so be sure to get everyone’s top priorities. This is also a great time to begin looking at menus for counter service restaurants so that you have an idea of which locations serve foods that your entire family will enjoy.
• Whether you are staying on site or off-property, be sure to purchase your admission tickets and link them to your My Disney Experience account.
• Once your tickets are linked and at exactly 60 days in advance of your check in date (midnight EST time) if you are staying on site or 30 days in advance for all other guests, login to your My Disney Experience account and book your Fastpass+ reservations.
• If you are staying on site, be sure to check in online at 60 days out from your arrival date.
• Double check your flight times and if you will be using Disney’s Magical Express for your airport transportation make your reservation at least 60 days in advance by clicking here.
• It’s never too early to start creating a packing list so that you don’t forget anything.
• Need more help planning? Please check out my new book 501 Ways to Make the Most of Your Walt Disney World Vacation, for hundreds of insider tips and secrets for having the most magical Disney World vacation possible!

Special Offers

If you haven’t already made your April 2016 reservations, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save money:

• View the latest Disney World discounts currently available!
• Guarantee the best vacation price by clicking here for more information!

Join The Fun

Disney Vacation Planner Jennifer Hardy and I have teamed up to create a new Facebook Group called Next Disney Vacation! It is the perfect place to talk about your next Disney vacation, ask your questions, get them answered, and share the magic. Everyday you’ll find posts, photos, trivia, tips, and more that we find all throughout the Disney Universe. If you’re counting the days until your next Disney vacation or just dreaming of one, we would love to have you join in the fun! Please click here to be a part of our group!