Walt Disney World in April 2012 - Theme Park Crowds, Ride Closures, Special Events

1. Spring Break - Heavy crowds all month. No school, cold temperatures through most of the country but beautiful weather in Florida all work together to make big Spring Break crowds in the Walt Disney World theme parks. Most Disney guests will just plan on standing in long lines but - armed with good touring plans, you can avoid hour long waits and spend your time having fun instead. Did you book your Disney resort reservation yourself? If you did, you can still get Build A Better Mouse Trip custom touring plans at no charge to you (see details below). We'll keep you ahead of the crowds and out of the long lines. TIP: Avoid Extra Magic Hours! We recommend that everyone avoid the Extra Magic Hours. Disney has 33,000 hotel rooms and no one goes to Disney alone - that means too many people are pointed in the same direction at the same time. You'll have a much nicer time by going to a less busy park. This is doubly important if you are not staying at a Disney resort - you don't want to get to the theme park and find a bunch of Disney guests in line in front of you. TIP: Make dining reservations right away.

2. Fantasmic! (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - Fantasmic! (Disney's Hollywood Studios) -This great show is presented every night in April 2012. There will be two nightly Fantasmic performances on April 1 - 14, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 27, & 28 and the second show will be much less crowded than the first. Warning: This show is excellent but it does feature villains for a good 8-10 minutes. The scene is fairly intense and can be frightening to small children.

3.Disney's Main Street Electric Parade (Magic Kingdom) - This classic nighttime parade is also being offered every night in April. TIP: TIP: The second parade (offered April 1 - 16, 19 - 23, 26 - 28) will be much less crowded and leave you with more time to enjoy the theme park.

4. Easter - Sunday, April 7th. You'll want to avoid the Magic Kingdom and Epcot on Easter Sunday as these will be the two most crowded parks of the day.

5. Extra Magic Hours - (Special hours only available to Disney resort hotel guest)! We recommend that everyone avoid the Extra Magic Hour park of the day. Disney has 33,000 hotel rooms and no one goes to Disney alone - that means too many people are pointed in the same direction at the same time. You'll have a much nicer time by going to a less busy park. This is doubly important to pay attention to Extra Magic Hours if you are not staying at a Disney resort - you don't want to get to the theme park and find a bunch of Disney guests in line in front of you.

6. Special Hours - The Magic Kingdom theme parks will open at 8:00AM for all guests (not just those staying at Disney hotels) from April 1 - 13, 2012. Disney's Animal Kingdom will open at 8:00AM for all guests (not just those staying at Disney hotels) from April 1 - 12, 2012. Disney's Hollywood Studios will open at 8:00AM for all guests (not just those staying at Disney hotels) from April 1 - 7, 2012. This is an hour earlier than the typical opening. You'll want to be at the gates by 7:45AM to take advantage of the shortest lines of the day.

At Build A Better Mouse Trip, we are convinced that everyone can benefit with good touring plans - this is even more important during holiday travel seasons. During busy times, a good plan will absolutely keep you ahead of the crowds and out of the lines - our clients typically wait less than 20 minutes for rides, even thrill rides and headliners. During less crowded times, a good plan factors in shorter park hours and fewer performance times. But the most important benefit of a good plan is that everyone gets to ride and see the things that they are looking forward to because everyone's priorities are included in a plan that tours the parks efficiently and effectively.

We offer three great options for touring plans at no extra cost to you when you book your Disney vacation through Build A Better Mouse Trip:

1. The Unofficial Guide To Walt Disney World is an excellent guide book with great standardized plans. A great resource.

2. Tour Guide Mike Subscription - this fantastic website is a great option for anyone who loves travel planning.

3. TouringPlans.com - best choice for people who need things quick & easy; fantastic printable plans and phone apps to give you an added edge in the Disney theme parks.

1. Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival ~ March 7 - May 20, 2012. The landscaping at Walt Disney World is always beautiful but everything is even more amazing during this festival (included in the cost of admission). Gardeners will find tips, displays, and special events just for them. Those who don't sport green thumbs will also enjoy the amazing Disney character topiaries, Bambi's Butterfly House, and the popular "Flower Power" concerts.

March 9 - 11: Jose Feliciano
March 16 - 18: Starship starring Mickey Thomas
March 23 - 25: The Guess Who
March 30 - April 1: The Spinners
April 6 - 8: Chubby Checker & The Wildcats
April 13 - 15: Paul Revere & The Raiders
April 20 - 23: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie
April 27 - 29: Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night
May 4 - 6: The Orchestra Starring Former Members of ELO
May 11 - 13: Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone
May 18 - 20: Mickey Dolenz
Dates & performers are subject to change.
The Following HGTV celebrities will make presentations during the festival:

March 9 - 11: John Gidding, from "Curb Appeal: The Block"
March 16 - 18: Sabrina Soto, from " The High/Low Project"
March 23 - 25: Jason Cameron: "Desperate Lanscapes" and "Man Caves"
Mar 30 - Apr 1: Camille Styles, HGTV.com
April 6 - 8: Dan Faires, Season 6 of "HGTV Design Star" and HGTV.com's "DanMade"
April 13 - 15: Brandon Johnson, "My Yard Goes Disney"
April 20 - 22: Meg Caswell, "Meg's Great Rooms"
April 27 - 29: Monica Pedersen, "HGTV Dream Home Tour 2012" and "Designed to Sell"
May 4 - 6: Antonio Ballatore, "The Antonio Treatment"
May 11 - 14: Carter Oosterhouse, "Million Dollar Rooms"
May 18 - 20: Genevieve Gorder, "Dear Genevieve" and "HGTV Design Star"

Disney's major expansion on Fantasyland has begun and there are some construction walls in the Fantasyland Area. Mickey's Toontown Fair (Magic Kingdom) closed February 11, 2011. A new area is being constructed in this space. The Walt Disney Railroad will continue to run but the Toontown station will be closed during construction. Pooh's Playful Spot, Scuttle's Landing, & Ariel's Grotto closed in 2010

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom) - Closed January 9 - May 27, 2012

Liberty Square Riverboat (Magic Kingdom) - Closed April 16 - May 20, 2012

Lights! Motors! Action! Extreme Stunt Show (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - closed April 29 - May 2, 2012

Test Track (Epcot) closed April 16, 2012 - Fall 2012.

Tuttu Italia Ristorante (Epcot - restaurant) - Closed January 7 - April 27, 2012.

Innoventions: House of Innoventions Exhibit (Epcot) - Closed December 4, 2011 - Late April 2012

Port Orleans Riverside Resort - Lobby and Atrium refurbishment April 9 - May 25, 2012.

Disney's Osprey Ridge Golf Course - Closed April 23 - 25, 2012

Disney's Magnolia Golf Course - Closed April 30 - May 2, 2012

Disney's Magical Express (Airport Shuttle Service) - New luggage procedure for late night arrivals. As of March 30th, luggage service will no longer be available for arrivals to Orlando International Airport after 10:00PM. Collect your luggage at baggage claim and take with you to the Disney's Magical Express check-in desk.

Spring General Public Room Rate Discounts - receive up to 30% off the room portion of your Disney vacation for stays between February - mid-June 2012. Some dates may be blacked out. This promotion must be booked by March 31, 2012.

Disney has once again offered reduced room rates for active duty United States military members & their families.

Contact us for a Free, No-Obligation Vacation Quote

Build A Better Mouse Trip
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