Spring break is without doubt one of the busier ‘seasons’ at Walt Disney World. Crowd ranges improve throughout college holidays, culminating with peak weeks in March and April 2023. Easter has a number of the yr’s highest wait instances in Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. That’s not the one week of elevated attendance…and even the worst!
Spring break season kicks off in early March as schools and universities, and Okay-12 college programs take their 1-2 week breaks, however not all dates inside that vary are equally crowded. To the opposite, as lined in our 2023 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars, some dates that fall inside conventional spring break season are comparatively good instances to go to.
Our objectives with this are highlighting weeks that can have the very best wait instances and worst crowd ranges at Walt Disney World through the 2023 spring break season. In so doing, we’ll take a look at college schedules for a number of the largest districts that affect Walt Disney World, adjustments to park hours, and normal journey traits for spring break to foretell which dates will probably be “red flags” on Walt Disney World crowd calendar for March and April 2023…
If you don’t have already got Disney Park Pass reservations, we’d advocate that you simply begin by making these ASAP. While Walt Disney World theme park reservation availability has improved by leaps and bounds within the final yr, there’ll doubtless be many yellow–and maybe even some gray–dates all through the subsequent two months.
In specific, count on Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to finish up being absolutely booked for a lot of days throughout March and April 2023. These are the parks probably to expire of reservations, which is at present the case with sure dates throughout Mardi Gras.
On a optimistic be aware, Walt Disney World has been extending park hours for March 2023, with peak season hours for just about everything of the month. These extensions sign that the interior attendance forecast is elevated for just about all of March, and this apply of extending hours occurs with consistency at any time when crowd ranges are anticipated to be above-average to heavy. So this alone doesn’t imply a lot.
Walt Disney World releases boilerplate hours for the entire parks months upfront, after which extends these closings as journey dates draw nearer. As of our newest replace, April 2023 hours haven’t but been prolonged, however virtually actually will probably be inside the subsequent few weeks. Expect April hours to finish up being practically an identical to March. The solely potential exception is the very finish of April, which might preserve shorter hours (however most likely received’t).
For most of March 2023, hours have been prolonged fairly considerably. Magic Kingdom is closing at 11 pm, and the opposite three parks have all had their opening instances moved a lot earlier. All of that is a lot simpler to visualise on the DisneyWorld.com calendar’s month view.
As for why crowds at Walt Disney World will probably be elevated in March 2023, The most easy clarification is that that is the week of spring break for each Osceola and Orange Counties, that are the districts in Central Florida that decision Walt Disney World dwelling. Both districts listing March 14-17, 2023 as their spring breaks. Normally, the Orange County School District would have March 10, 2023 as a pupil vacation/instructor workday however that’s NOT the case this yr–it’s a hurricane make-up day.
Even if no different district in the whole United States had spring break that week, it could be extremely busy at Walt Disney World on account of these two native college programs. As we’ve seen time and time once more in the previous few years, vacation breaks in Orange and Osceola Counties have important impacts on attendance at Walt Disney World. And if truth be told, many different college districts across the United States may also have breaks coinciding with this identical week.
We don’t have the time, assets, or inclination to comb by way of the schedules of each single college district within the United States. If we did, it could most likely reveal a spread of breaks within the subsequent two months, with the majority from mid-March by way of mid-April 2023.
With that mentioned, there are a a number of particular districts in Florida which are among the many largest within the nation and have an outsized affect on attendance at Walt Disney World. In a standard yr, these districts and their respective spring breaks across the following timeframes:
- Miami-Dade County Public Schools: March 20-24, 2023
- Broward County Public Schools: March 20-24, 2023
- Hillsborough County Public Schools: March 13-17, 2023
- Palm Beach County Public Schools: March 20-24, 2023
- Duval County Public Schools: March 13-17, 2023
Here are different main college districts and their regular spring break dates that might considerably affect crowd ranges at Walt Disney World:
- Houston Independent School District: March 13-17, 2023
- Dallas Independent School District: March 13-17, 2023
- Gwinnett County Public Schools: April 3-7, 2023
- Chicago Public Schools: April 3-7, 2023
- Fairfax County Public Schools: April 3-7, 2023
This is not an exhaustive listing of spring break schedules. These 12 college districts have been chosen as a result of they’re among the many nation’s largest districts which are both close to Walt Disney World or feed closely into customer demographics. That’s why Chicago is listed however Los Angeles Unified, Clark County (Nevada), and Honolulu’s college districts aren’t.
Obviously, there are greater than 12 main college districts within the United States with breaks that contribute to crowds at Walt Disney World. Notably, there’s little or no illustration from the Northeast and Midwest. This is to not say that New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Indiana, and so forth. don’t have a big impact on crowds.
To the opposite, they do–there’s a purpose Jersey Week is a “thing” that crowd calendars observe. Listing each single main college district’s 2023 spring break dates is just past the scope of this publish. (Feel free to share yours within the feedback, although!)
Additionally, our focus right here is on Okay-12 college districts, however universities have spring breaks that may trigger slight spikes to attendance. Colleges normally have much less of an affect on Walt Disney World crowds on account of age demographics, however they don’t have zero affect. Notable examples embrace Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Central Florida–you get the thought.
As you’ll be able to see from the above lists, one-third of the foremost college districts outdoors of Central Florida have their spring breaks March 13-17, 2023. In addition to that, Osceola and Orange Counties have their spring breaks that week. Consequently, our expectation is that this finally ends up being the #1 busiest week of March or April 2023 at Walt Disney World.
We anticipate that week being even busier than the week of Easter. Because March 13-17 is so “early” as in comparison with Easter, many Walt Disney World guests find yourself being shocked that mid-March finally ends up being so busy. Over the years, we’ve discovered that it’s a standard assumption amongst WDW friends that ‘Easter equals spring break.’ As you’ll be able to see, that’s not true.
As such, our prediction is just about a repeat of Worst Week of Winter 2023 at Walt Disney World. Just exchange the entire references to Presidents’ Day and Mardi Gras with “Spring Break 2023” and that roughly is our forward-looking prediction.
In specific, we forecast that March 11 by way of March 19, 2023 would be the busiest week of the quarter, and one of many worst 5 weeks of the whole yr at Walt Disney World. Expect day by day crowd ranges of 9/10 or 10/10 at each park throughout this date vary. Some of these 10/10 days can have notably excessive wait instances (not all 10/10 days are equally busy–that’s simply the utmost crowd degree).
We extremely beneficial anybody with flexibility keep away from these journey dates. Again, that is as a result of outsized affect Central Florida college districts have on Walt Disney World attendance, plus the early spring breaks occurring elsewhere across the nation.
As for the second worst week of spring break season, that must be the tried and true: Easter 2023. Unlike that week in mid-March, the week main as much as Easter usually doesn’t catch guests to Walt Disney World abruptly. Anyone who does any type of planning will see crimson flags across the week main as much as Easter 2023.
More particularly acknowledged, April 1-9, 2023 would be the second busiest dates of spring break season. March 31, 2023 is a wild card–districts could have a pupil recess that day, contributing to higher crowds. These dates are additionally 9/10 and 10/10 crowd ranges, with the potential of some days/parks “only” hitting 8/10. (The numerical ranges aren’t notably useful at this level–how busy sure weeks are relative to others is the extra helpful data.)
Two particular days to have in your radar are April 3-4, 2023. Those two days are the return of Happily Ever After and opening date of TRON Lightcycle Run, respectively. We’d extremely advocate avoiding Magic Kingdom on each of today, and as an alternative visiting April 5 or 6. (April 7-8, 2023 will probably be worse since that’s the weekend, and can thus will draw Floridians to Magic Kingdom.)
TRON Lightcycle Run at present has ongoing previews, and can by way of mid-March. Thus far, these have had a negligible affect on crowd ranges, and we’d count on that development to proceed at the same time as AP and DVC previews start. No want to vary your park plans on account of those.
As for the third worst week, our expectation is March 20-24, 2023. As with the opposite dates, the elevated crowds may also embody the Saturday and Sunday each earlier than and after that week. This relies on a mixture of our sampled spring dates above and previous precedent–that week is normally worse than the one after it or the week following Easter.
Speaking of which, it’s potential that March 27-31, 2023 will probably be a ‘sweet spot’ within the spring break season. We actually wouldn’t advocate reserving that individual week if in case you have a spread of choices, however there’s at present nothing to counsel it’ll see peak season attendance. Crowd ranges must be round 7/10 given previous precedent.
Although it’s not listed above, April 10-14 (plus surrounding weekends) is more likely to be busier. We’ve discovered that this can be a extra widespread spring break for varsity districts within the Northeast and areas of the Midwest. Those dates are usually the ‘last hurrah’ for spring break crowds.
It additionally doesn’t assist that the runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend is April 13-16, 2023. Race weekend contributors are inclined to arrive a few days early and go away proper on the finish of the occasion–so that they’ll contribute to crowds on the entrance half of that. For essentially the most half, spring break season is over at Walt Disney World by April 17, 2023. Expect falling crowds simply in time for Tax Day!
The one silver lining is that this yr, Walt Disney World has blocked out the 2023 Florida Resident Ticket Deal for March 13-17, April 3-7, and April 10-14, 2023. This extra blockouts than the final two years, which have been chaotic at instances on account of the deal coinciding with spring break for sure college districts in Florida.
Still, these blockout dates aren’t good. It most likely would’ve been higher to focus on March 20-24, as extra college districts have spring break that week this yr than do April 10-14, 2023.
Before you are concerned an excessive amount of or debate cancelling, let’s speak beating the crowds. First, bear in mind how we mentioned prolonged park hours on the prime of the publish? Well, these added hours are extremely advantageous–particularly the sooner opening instances since most vacationers don’t wish to do the early wake-up name on trip.
By merely arriving early or staying late, you’ll be able to beat the worst of the noon crowds. (Of course, that’s “simple” in concept however harder in apply, particularly if in case you have young children. That’s an enormous purpose why wait instances are decrease very first thing within the morning and later within the evenings.) Beyond that, remember to additionally try our Walt Disney World Itineraries for plans of assault, together with choices with and with out Genie+ and Lightning Lanes.
Suffice to say, it’s fully potential to beat unhealthy crowds by using Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, Early Entry, Extended Evening Hours, rope drop, and so forth. We cowl one of the best & worst method for every park in Best Time-Saving Strategies for Walt Disney World. If you’re solely going to learn one planning publish, make it that. There are nice methods to beat the crowds–even on busy days–with out shopping for Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes.
Speaking of which, we’ve got a ~4,500 phrase Guide to Genie+ at Walt Disney World & Lightning Lane FAQ for individuals who wish to completely grasp paid QuickPass. Weeks like this, it’s positively a great choice for Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT.
Overall, that’s about what you’ll be able to count on to expertise throughout Spring Break 2023 at Walt Disney World. To summarize, our prediction is elevated ‘feels like’ crowds from round March 11, 2023 to April 16, 2023. The worst of these crowds will virtually actually be March 11-19, 2023.
The week after that will probably be unhealthy however not as unhealthy, earlier than a brief reprieve with “only” above-average crowds. Then there’s the week of Easter 2023, which would be the second worst week of this yr’s spring break season. We’d actively keep away from these mid-March 2023 and early April 2023 dates if in any respect potential, particularly if in case you have scheduling freedom.
For what it’s value, early March tends to be improbable. We’re large followers of that week overlapping with the tip of February, and we additionally wouldn’t hesitate to do the primary full week of the month (March 6-10, 2023). That might need some spring break early arrivers, but it surely shouldn’t be unhealthy. Then there’s April 17 by way of just about everything of May 2023. Those are additionally good dates to go to, though you begin working the chance of hotter and extra humid climate.
In the tip, we wouldn’t essentially keep away from spring break season if in case you have a school-aged baby and haven’t any higher choices outdoors of summer time trip. Just bear in mind that attendance ranges will probably be larger than they’ve been throughout January and February (minus Presidents’ Day and Mardi Gras). As all the time, crowd ranges at Walt Disney World have been growing throughout the board and nonetheless shock us now and again. Nevertheless, we’re moderately assured on this spring break forecast.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Learn about resorts on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To get monetary savings on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips publish takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for all the things it’s worthwhile to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you visited Walt Disney World throughout spring break season prior to now? What did you consider the crowds? Are you visiting this yr for Easter or spring break? Any different main college districts having spring breaks throughout these home windows? Anything else we missed that might affect crowds throughout March and April 2023? Do you agree or disagree with something in our Spring Break 2023 Crowd Forecast for Walt Disney World? Any questions we may also help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!