15 Tips for a Disney World Spring Break Trip

If you’re getting ready for a Disney World Spring Break Trip, get ready for a bunch of things to know before you go! From activities, to events, to crowds, prices and more, we’re sharing 10 tips to help you survive Spring Break at Disney World. As one of the busiest times of year, you want to make sure you’re ready to make the most of your Disney trip. From what to pack to dealing with crowds, to having a daily park plan, you can make this the best Disney Vacation ever, with the right mindset and these tips. Time to Think Spring and jump in!

Spring has spring at Walt Disney World! Topiaries arrive at Epcot for the Flower and Garden Festival in March. Chocolate Easter eggs arrive at the Grand Floridian for Easter at Disney World, and the weather is heating up. We love spring at Walt Disney World! While it is one of the most expensive times of year, and the busiest, it’s always such a treat to kickoff spring in the parks. But the Spring Break Crowds, make everything more difficult at Walt Disney World. From snagging dining reservations to getting a virtual queue to just traveling to and from the Parks, higher crowds just make things more difficult. Here are a few things we’ve learned over the last 10 years about being in this parks this time of year. 

Check the Disney World Calendar of Events

Spring Break at Disney World is one of the busiest times of the year at Walt Disney World. April specifically tends to see the highest consistent crowds of any other month. Between cheer and dance competitions, and college spring breakers, people are everywhere. Plus there are teachers, schools, families with school aged children, and international tour groups who regularly visit this time of year. As a result you can expect higher crowds during both March and April. Check the Disney Event Calendar ahead of time so that you know what events, and potential sports groups are visiting. While March tends to have a few moments of calm and less spring breakers, April can be downright brutal. Check out our best times to visit Walt Disney World for March and April Disney Crowd Calendars. 

Arrive to the Parks Early

When we say arrive at the Disney parks early, we mean be there at opening time, aka Rope Drop, if you can, If you are staying at a Disney Resort during Spring Break you have access to Early Entry. This gives you an extra 30 minutes in the parks, in the morning, before they open. While this may not seem like a big deal, during Spring Break, it can really jumpstart your day.

Remember, that larger school groups, college tours, and international groups, will most likely eat breakfast at their resort first. Add in the fact that corralling kids, teens and groups of any kind takes time,  and you’ll see why making the most of those early hours before groups arrive is a good idea. Many vacationers arrive between 10 and 11 a.m. Aim to be there at least 30 minutes before the park opens for your best chance at getting closer to rides, shows and coffee.

Pack Your Patience 

Of all the things you need to pack for your Walt Disney World vacation, patience should be the number one thing. Plan for Buses to be Crowded, Lines to be Long, Lightning Lanes to be expensive, and Dining Reservations hard to get. Being ready for things to take longer than usual is a good way to prepare for your trip, without letting ruin your day.  Just be ready for it and you’ll be fine. If you’re traveling with smaller mouseketeers, bring along things that may help them pass the time in case of long waits.  Small snacks and drinks are helpful, as are little coloring play packs or sticker books. We’ve played the headbands game in line when things get real hairy and it always makes for a good time. 

Plan Park Days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Okay, so during a Week long trip to Disney World, chances are you will want to be in the parks most days, but your most important park days should be in the middle of the week. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the LEAST BUSY days in the parks. This is true always, and while Spring Break still finds these days quite busy, they are not as bad as the weekends. Additionally consider almost every vacationing family starts their trips at Magic Kingdom on a Monday, making that the busiest day at MK. And almost every local heads to Epcot on Fridays, and Saturdays. 

Plan at least One Non-Park Day

Okay, so obviously you are visiting Disney World because you want a theme park vacation, but hear us out on this one. During Spring Break Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays are the busiest days in the parks. Instead, consider staying at your resort, heading to Disney Springs, or the Disney Boardwalk on those days.  We say, just taking some time to get to know your resort is a great way to escape some of the crowds at Walt Disney World. You paid for the resort after all, so why not use it and all it has to offer?

Check out the extra activities like Movies Under the Stars, try one of the Disney Resort Lounges, spend time at one of the great Disney pools or try a new Disney Resort Restaurant while you’re there. Disney Resorts are not cheap, you might as well make the most of them during your trip. 

You can also do some resort hopping and visit other Disney Resorts to peruse coffee shops, grounds, gift shops, and outdoor activities. Plan a shopping day at Disney Springs or rent a Surrey Bike on the Disney Boardwalk. 

Bus, Skyliner, Monorail or Walking Path

Take a minute to figure out your best options for Disney Transportation. Disney Transportation between parks and resorts, Disney Springs, and the waterparks are complimentary. And that means, EVERYONE is using them. As such, you’ll want to have a plan! But make it flexible. Are you taking the Disney buses between parks, or just to and from your resort? Plan on about 1 hour transportation time between locations, as bus lines are extra long this time of year. 

The Disney Skyliner connects the Disney Skyliner Resorts, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and can give you a good alternative to the buses. The Skyliner route takes about 20 minutes from resorts to parks, so build in that time. 

If you’re staying at the Wilderness Resorts, or Monorail Resorts, you get easy access to the Monorail Station at Magic Kingdom, connecting to EPCOT. And then of course there are walking paths all over Disney World that can help you avoid shared transportation if you have the time and inclination to walk. 

Don’t follow the Crowds

Spring Break at Disney World sees thousands of First Time vacationers every year. This means that you have thousands of people in the parks, who have never been there, and don’t necessarily know how to do things. As a result, don’t follow the crowds. We’ve been as guilty as any standing in “lines” that weren’t really lines. As such, pay attention and ask questions of cast members when you need to. We almost always turn left, instead of right, when entering the parks, because fewer people turn left. Additionally, if you see a short line, there may not be anything wrong with it, even when there’s a long line right next to it. Use common sense, ask questions, and pay attention. 

Book Disney Dining Reservations Early

As crowds increase, Disney Dining Reservations become harder to get. You can book dining reservations up to 60 days in advance of your trip, and we highly recommend doing so if you’re traveling during Spring Break. You will be amazed at how fast these reservations sell out. Whatever dining experiences you choose, remember you can also Mobile Order from the My Disney Experience app on your phone. Knowing these Disney World Spring Break Tips is the best way to skip the lines at select restaurants and get on with your day.

If rides aren’t your main goal, Book an Early Breakfast. You can book some restaurants inside the parks as early as 8 a.m., guaranteeing that you’ll be in the park when the rope drops. Character Dining at Akershus gets you close to Frozen Ever After. While Tusker House can get you closer to Flight of Passage. 

Use My Disney Experience App for Everything

One of the best Disney World Spring Break Tips we can offer is to really utilize the My Disney Experience App. Within this app you can Mobile Order your Food and use Mobile Check Out at the Gift Shops. You can Check Bus Arrival Times at Your Resort so you can time leaving your room. Checking Ride Wait Times throughout the day can help you plan which rides to ride next. While we don’t recommend staying on your phone all day, having the app at your fingertips can really help you manage the Spring Break Crowds.

Also within the app you can Manage Lightning Lane Passes and Dining Reservations, Showtimes and more. Mobile Checkout can save you tons of time at select retail locations. And being able to check wait times before getting to a ride can save you a trip to the Haunted Mansion only to find out it’s a 75 minute wait. It will also let you know if a ride is down, again saving you the trip to find out on your own. Being able to see when the next bus will be arriving at your resort can be a huge help in the mornings when you’re trying to get to the Parks. And knowing whether or not there are early morning hours or extra evening hours can help you plan your day. 

Have a Daily Park Plan

Make up a Park Plan for each day of your trip. This will include at least 3 rides, some sort of parade or show, places to eat and maybe a character visit. There’s nothing wrong with having some spontaneity at Walt Disney World, but Spring Break isn’t the best time to play with that. Look at maps of the Park you’re visiting, learn how to get from one place to another and know what times parades and shows are that you want to see. Make a Disney Day Itinerary for each day of your trip, so you can just show up and have fun. Grab the Free Daily Disney Itinerary Printable in our park planning post so you can get a good idea of what each day looks like before you go.  

Allow more time for everything 

As a rule, during the busiest times, you should only plan to be able to fit in 3 rides, 1 table service meal, 1 meet and greet and 1 parade or show. Now, you’ll likely be able to do much more than that! But prioritizing your top attractions will help keep everyone happy, even during the busiest of times. Check out our tips on how to save time at Disney, so you can vacation like a pro. 

Use Lightning Lane Passes

Paying for Lightning Lane Passes sucks. And luckily, it’s not always necessary. Unfortunately, during Spring Break, it’s almost ALWAYS necessary. If your main goal is to ride rides during your Disney Trip, then figure out which rides you need to ride and go from there. We always recommend getting a Lightning Lane Pass for each person in your party when you visit Magic Kingdom. This is because Magic Kingdom is the most crowded, and has the most rides. Plus at around $32 extra per person on the busiest days we can guarantee that tour groups and school groups will not be filling those lightning lane lines. So while the cost can really add up quickly, your competition is less, making those lines move faster.

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort you can reserve up to 3 Lightning Lane Passes per park for each day of your trip, which means that you’ll have a place in line before even stepping foot in to the park! Learn how to use Lightning Lane by stacking your ride selections and knowing which rides tend to sell out the fastest can help you get more for your money.  Here are the most popular rides in each park. 

Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Haunted Mansion
Hollywood Studios: Rise of the Resistance, Slinky Dog Dash, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Epcot: Soarin’, Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Animal Kingdom: Flight of Passage

Know When to Join Virtual Queues

Virtual Queues for Disney Rides open at 7am and 1pm. If you are staying at a deluxe resort and have Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, there is one more drop for you at 6pm. This system is confusing for a lot of people, so it’s important that you understand how it works! Check out our guide on How Disney Virtual Queue Works for the most popular rides. Right now Virtual Queue is required for Guardians of the Galaxy in EPCOT Park, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom. TRON also has a virtual queue, but that is in addition to a standby line, and a Lightning Lane Pass option as well. 

Choose the Right Disney Resort for Spring Break

During Spring Break, if you’re hoping to avoid the school groups, college groups, and international tour groups, we recommend Disney Resorts geared towards adults. As pricier hotels, you are paying a premium for not being surrounded by chaos, but its usually worth it for us, and may be for you too. The added benefit of being with walking distance of certain parks, and additional transportation options also helps.

Know that Value Resorts and even sometimes Moderate resorts at Disney are filled with school groups and families in the spring. We’d recommend any of the Disney Boardwalk Area Resorts. Hotels like the Swan and Dolphin, or the Monorail Resorts if you’re looking to be close to Magic Kingdom. If you’re not staying on property, you can look at Hotels Near Disney Springs.  These also offer a great option for staying away from the crowds, but close to the action during busy times. 

Be Ready and Organized at the Airport

If you’re flying into MCO, or Orlando International Airport, then there’s a lot to know. One, MCO is always busy. And the line for Spirit can kill you for sure. As a result Spring Break Trips should include several things for you to really stick the landing.

1. Bring a Carry On Bag Only. Standing in lines, checking bags, and waiting for bags, can be murder on your schedule. Make things easy and grab a small piece of carry-on friendly luggage. 
2. Get TSA Pre-Check attached to your Known Traveler Number ( KTN). If you travel often, this is a Must-Have. And during Spring Break you’ll be glad you don’t have to wait an hour in the TSA security line. If you have the Capital One Venture Card, you actually get reimbursed for TSA precheck. 
3. Mobile Order your Airport Food. Some places at the Airport actually allow you to order your food online ahead of time. Even Starbucks offers this. Alternatively you can eat outside regular meal times to find lines at their lowest.
4. Have your Transportation from the Airport to Disney World paid for and scheduled before you arrive. 

How to Survive Spring Break Crowds at Walt Disney World

There you have it! Spring Break at Walt Disney World can definitely be a fun time! But you need to have a plan, be patient and take time to plan it. The nicer weather and festival celebrations make it a fun and unique time to visit the parks. March brings Easter and  Flower and Garden events. And April shows off Animal Kingdom during Earth Month. It’s a truly great time to visit if you can handle the crowds and costs. And plan for time away from the parks too. The crowds, higher costs, and longer lines are easier to handle when you’re ready for them. And remember to enjoy the fact that you’re at the happiest place on Earth!