10 Major Disneyland Changes Happening in April 2026

April is a very popular month to visit Disneyland, with kids out of school on Spring Break, warm weather, and lots of seasonal events that make a trip extra worthwhile. Across both parks, you’ll find special limited-time offerings, as well as a major change to an iconic land that has been highly anticipated since its original announcement.

If you’re visiting Disneyland in April, here are some of the changes happening this month that you’ll want to be aware of. There are several key happenings this month that could affect your trip. Keep reading for all details! Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Disney cracking down on some Disney Vacation Club Point rentals in a new policy, and a popular Disney World sit-down restaurant debuting new menu items.

Also, see news on the 16 Disney Ride Closures in April 2026, new Disney World perks coming this summer to annual passholders, and Disneyland Pride Nite ticket sale date announced.

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Easter Egg Hunt and Meals at Disneyland

Each year, Disneyland has “Eggstravaganza,” a special “egg” search throughout the Disneyland Resort. This year’s egg hunt takes place from March 3 to April 6, 2026. If you’re visiting during the first few days of April, you can take part in this fun, family-friendly activity searching for character-themed eggs.

To participate, you’ll pick up a map at a sales location (maps differ between Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney), search for eggs, then place your stickers and return your map to a redemption location for a fun keepsake.

There are also some special themed dining experiences offered on Easter Day, April 5. At Storytellers Cafe, there is a brunch buffet served from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and an Easter dinner buffet will be served from 1:30 PM to 9:00 PM, with both offering an assortment of Easter-inspired desserts and dishes. Goofy’s Kitchen also has a brunch buffet and dinner buffet, served at the same times.

Starting April 2, Goofy’s Kitchen switches over to its springtime theming. Even if you are not visiting exactly on Easter Day, you can still enjoy the floral decor, music, and characters dressed in springtime-inspired outfits at this location. Breakfast is served from 7:00 AM to 10:30 AM, brunch is served from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and dinner is served from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

The Easter Bunny has also returned for a limited-time meet-and-greet! He is typically seen until Easter Sunday. You’ll find him at the character spot on Main Street between the Mad Hatter and Disney Showcase shops.

Disneyland Park Closes Early on Select Dates

On a few dates in April, Disneyland closes early for special after-hours events. This month, the Disneyland After Dark events Disney Channel Nite and Star Wars Nite take place at Disneyland Park on select dates. If you’re not prepared for these early closures, they could potentially disrupt your plans, as the parks will close before the fireworks and nighttime entertainment.

These will close the park early at 8 pm on the following dates:

• April 12, 14, and 16 – Disney Channel Nite
• April 28 and 30 – Star Wars Nite

If you’re visiting on any of these dates and not attending the parties, we recommend switching your reservation to Disney California Adventure or getting a park hopper ticket so you have the most flexibility when the park closes early.

Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Ends

The Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival ends after April 27, 2026. This popular festival features marketplace booths and limited-time foods across the park, special classes and demonstrations, entertainment, and more. You can see all of the 2026 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival foods here, and our review of all of this year’s foods here.

There is one notable change this year, which is that Soarin’ Over California will continue to run after the festival ends. This year, Soarin’ Over California runs all the way through July 1, 2026, before the new Soarin’ Across America debuts. This means that you don’t have to rush to squeeze in one last ride at the end of April, as the original version of the ride will be available for a couple more months after this point.

New Star Wars Additions Debut at Disneyland Park

Arguably, the biggest change happening this month is the launch of new changes to the timeline of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Disney previously announced that Disneyland’s version of Galaxy’s Edge would be making some sweeping changes, loosening the previously rigid timeline of the land.

There are a lot of major changes happening that you can see in detail in our full report above, but the biggest impact is that Black Spire Outpost’s timeline will revert back several decades to align with the original Star Wars films, while still incorporating stories from The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.

With the timeline shift, Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker will now appear as regular characters in the land. Rey will stay in the Rise of the Resistance area of the land in order to prevent character crossover from different timelines. Kylo Ren will be relocated to Star Wars Launch Bay, replacing Darth Vader at the Disney Visa Cardmember and DVC exclusive meet and greet.

More general changes are coming to the land as well. Galaxy’s Edge will now feature new arrangements of John Williams’ iconic Star Wars music, pulling from themes across the first six Star Wars films.

Additionally, there will be some store and dining refreshes due to the timeline shift. First Order Cargo will be renamed Black Spire Surplus, which will be a “military salvage operation offering artifacts from across the history of the galaxy, including Imperial and Rebel items from the Galactic Civil War,” and Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities will undergo a refresh featuring older relics in line with the timeline shift. Oga’s Cantina’s story is also changing, as in this version, the establishment has only just begun operating.

The timeline shift officially takes effect at Disneyland on April 29, 2026.

Space Mountain Gets Star Wars Overlay

Right before these new timeline changes take effect at the end of the month, Hyperspace Mountain will return starting April 28. In this fun Star Wars overlay of the ride, you are ambushed by a Star Destroyer waiting with a swarm of TIE fighters, and you navigate through the crossfire of the space battle that ensues.

Those who are visiting in late April can catch the opening of this limited-time overlay. If you are visiting during the first few days of this, make sure you prioritize it at morning rope drop and/or as a Lightning Lane booking, as the ride is extremely popular when it is running in this version with long wait times throughout the day.

Spring Break Crowds Start to Subside

Spring Break is one of the most crowded times of the year to visit Disneyland, with peak crowds from mid-March through mid-April. Towards the end of April, Spring Break crowds start to die down significantly as many schools are back in session.

From approximately the 15th onwards, you can expect to see fewer days of huge crowds. This time of the month is not quite as slow as some of the best times of the year to visit Disneyland, but it should be notably calmer than the first part of the month. See our Mickey Visit Disneyland crowd calendar for crowd projections each day of the year.

If you’re visiting during the first part of the month, make sure to utilize our hacks for beating the crowds on the most popular days. If you utilize a solid Disneyland rope drop strategy, make the most of your Lightning Lane bookings, take advantage of mobile ordering, and consider staying in the park late to get on popular rides with an evening strategy, you should be able to get a lot accomplished. However, my go-to hack when the parks are crowded is this tip for getting the Lightning Lane you want almost every time.

Special Magic Key Freebie Offered for a Limited Window in April

There are a few seasonal perks available to Magic Key holders during the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival. The most highly anticipated offering of the season is a free collectible opening day Soarin’ Over California attraction poster specially printed for Magic Key holders. 

Magic Key holders can pick up a Disney California Adventure Map and set out on a scavenger hunt for attractions, hidden gems, and more, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the park, then pick up their poster upon completing the quest.

Magic Key holders can pick up the poster from April 7 through April 17, 2026, outside Soarin’ Over California, underneath the watch tower, while supplies last. You can see more details and the pickup times in our separate article here.

Limited-Time Perks and Character Meet and Greets

There are several limited-time offerings available during the month of April, including a meet-and-greet with some rare, beloved characters. All of these revolve around Earth Day, which takes place this month on April 22.

WALL•E & EVE will appear on Wednesdays this April at Pixar Place Hotel to celebrate Earth Month! There are also a few other special offerings in celebration of the holiday this month. For the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, there will be a special culinary demonstration with National Geographic Explorer and pollinator expert Dr. Sammy Ramsey on April 4 and 5 at the Hollywood Backlot Stage. Guests can enjoy a special bee-themed photo op near the stage inspired by the National Geographic series Secrets of the Bees and check out a limited-time art installation featuring Winnie the Pooh sculptures created by cast members from recycled materials, on display near Silly Symphony Swings.

Additionally, there are special activities available during April for Disneyland Resort hotel guests, including a behind-the-scenes horticulture presentation and craft-making. See all of the details about those offerings in our separate article here.

Disneyland Ride Closures in April

Refurbishments are common throughout the year, but there is a good chunk of them either starting soon or continuing throughout April, including some classic rides.

There are a handful of rides that are currently closed or about to close in April, including Jungle Cruise, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Disneyland Monorail, Toy Story Midway Mania, Silly Symphony Swings, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and more. You can keep up-to-date with all of the Disneyland ride closures and their start and end dates in our Disneyland refurbishments guide.

If you’re a frequent visitor, you may want to squeeze in a few extra rides on Pirates of the Caribbean before it closes for an extended refurbishment in early May. Blue Bayou Restaurant will also be temporarily closing along with the ride. You can see everything we know so far about that closure here.

Free Disney Channel Throwback Events This Month

During select dates in April, you can enjoy the Disney+ Throwback Dance Party, taking place at the Downtown Disney LIVE! Stage and Lawn on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 12, 1, 2, and 3 PM. This offering features daytime entertainment and a special photo op inspired by iconic Disney Channel hits!

Here are the throwback shows and films featured in this offering:

• The Proud Family
• The Cheetah Girls
• High School Musical
• Hannah Montana
• Camp Rock
• Descendants
• Zombies

This is a great offering to check out either on your arrival/departure day or as a break from the parks in the afternoon, if it aligns with your travel plans.

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