Disneyland in April 2024: Weather, Events, Hours

Disneyland in April is when we start to see the crowd levels perk up with Spring Break levels in full swing and the Food & Wine Festival returns to Disney's California Adventure.

Everyone has personal preferences to consider when planning the date of their Disneyland trip- each season will have its pros and cons and guests' choices will vary based on those. Make sure to read our Disneyland crowd calendar to get an idea of what to expect when picking a date to visit Disneyland.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about visiting Disneyland in April including current events, what weather to expect, crowd level predictions, and what to pack!

Disneyland Events in April

Here are all the current events to know about impacting Disneyland in April!

Pixar Fest at Disneyland

Pixar Fest will take place at Disneyland from April 26th, 2024 through August 4th, 2024. Pixar Fest at Disneyland celebrates popular Pixar films including iconic favorites like Toy Story, Up!, and Coco and new favorites like Turning Red and Elemental. Pixar Fest will feature exciting offerings like a new daytime parade, new food marketplaces, a new DJ dance party coming to the Hollywood Backlot, and more.

Season of the Force

Season of the Force is a Star Wars themed celebration that begins April 5th at Disneyland which is the same day the new Star Tours scenes featuring Ahsoka, Andor, and the Mandalorian begin. This Star Wars focused event will also feature the return of Hyperspace Mountain, a new perspective on the fireworks from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, themed food, beverages, merchandise and more. Season of the Force takes place April 5th, 2024 through June 2nd, 2024.

Food & Wine Festival

The Disneyland Food and Wine Festival will continue in Disney's California Adventure until April 22nd, 2024. The Food and Wine Festival features special festival food booths, cooking demonstrations, celebrity chefs, live music, and more. The celebrity chef offerings are some of the most popular events with this festival and sell out quickly!

Spring Break Season

April also means Spring Break season at the park with many families taking advantage of the time off from school to come visit the parks. The good news about larger crowds is that Disney will adjust their park hours and entertainment hours accordingly so guests have plenty of time to enjoy their days. You can expect long park hours during this month.

Easter at Disneyland

Each April Disney celebrates Easter with an Easter egg hunt throughout both theme parks. You can purchase a scavenger hunt packet from participating shops throughout the resort, find all the eggs, turn in your packet, and then receive a prize. Easter this year takes place on March 31st 2024.

Dapper Day

Dapper Day occurs at Disneyland April 7th 2024 with the Dapper Day Expo taking place at the Disneyland Hotel April 6th and 7th 2024. This is a celebration of the vintage style clothing that used to be worn to Disneyland and that was featured heavily in early concept artwork. You can also get discount hotel rates for the Disney property hotels if you participate in the event and the expo!

Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite

Disneyland After Dark takes place April 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 at Disneyland. Star Wars Nite is the ultimate Star Wars event, packed with galactic fun on four separate nights at Disneyland Park in April and May during the Season of the Force celebration at Disneyland.

Discount Disneyland Tickets

Our favorite Disney-approved re-seller, Get Away Today, has the greatest Disneyland ticket prices you can find. They also offer a fantastic department of customer service agents who are ready to help you plan your vacation. They're a great resource not just for discount tickets but for help with vacation planning.

Buying tickets from Get Away Today is easy and convenient since all their tickets are sent electronically. You can take their vouchers and head straight to the gate without needing to wait in any ticket booth lines. They also offer layaway plans so you can pay off your vacation over time.

You can read my review on my personal experiences booking through Get Away Today and how much you can save here!

Disneyland April Crowd Calendar

Visiting Disneyland in April varies in terms of crowd levels depending on which week of the month you visit. Since many schools have their spring breaks towards the beginning of the month, you can expect to see higher crowd levels in the beginning of April. To avoid the larger crowds that come with spring break season, visiting during the end of the month will be a wise move.

The Food & Wine Festival at Disney's California Adventure is a popular event with the Disneyland locals and many come out to experience the offerings. Some late night drinking may occur on festival nights although Disneyland does strive to keep guest experience positive for all families.

Dapper Day is also another contender for increased crowds although this isn't necessarily a day I would say to avoid. It is pretty enjoyable to go to the parks and see everyone in their Dapper Day finest!

It's always helpful to take a look at the blockout date calendar on Disney's website. But April is the time of year that Disney typically allows all their passholders in the park with limited block out dates for lower tier passes such as weekends.

You can still have a great vacation even if Disneyland is crowded as long as you plan ahead. Make dining reservations, learn how to use Genie+, and arrive early to the parks every day. Even on an extremely crowded day, being there 30 minutes before the park officially opens allows you to experience the park with smaller crowds.  Those two or three hours before 11AM are the best- don't miss out. Read our full guide on handling crowds to prepare yourself for visiting Disneyland in April.

Disneyland Weather in April

Visiting Disneyland in April comes with pretty pleasant weather as the rainy days become less frequent. There is the potential for a scattered rainy day but overall Anaheim sees sunny and dry weather during April which makes it a great time to visit weather wise.

The average temperature for Anaheim in April is a high of 74 degrees and a low of 54 degrees. As you can see, the weather is pretty ideal for many guests that don't like heat.

Disneyland's operating hours will start getting longer this time of year with the parks averaging an opening schedule of 11 hours a day on weekdays with limited entertainment and weekends with longer hours ranging up to 16 hours a day and more entertainment options. The entertainment options will also increase to accommodate the Spring Break crowds at the beginning of the month.

Tips for Visiting Disneyland in April

When it comes to visiting Disneyland in April, we have some tried and true hacks for having a magical time on your vacation.

What to Wear 

One of the most frequently asked guest questions is: what should I wear to Disneyland? Always check the weather leading up to your trip especially when visiting in the Spring. You just never know what the weather might do- it could feel so sunny one day you'd want to be in shorts or rain another day! The good news is that you can rent lockers at Disneyland to store any light jackets or extra layers in. If rain is projected during your trip then dress for rain with warm layers and a rain jacket. A sunny day in April can still be pretty warm so be prepared for warm days too!

What to Pack 

Pack clothes for warm and chilly weather so you're prepared for any weather change. Considering there's still a slight chance for rain in April, still bring a rain poncho! You can read our giant packing list here to make sure you show up prepared for literally anything you need while you're visiting Disneyland.

What to Expect

There are a few things you should expect when choosing February as your month to visit Disneyland:

• Plan for Unexpected Rain- spring at Disneyland can still bring the potential for a rainy day so checking the weather before your trip will be a wise idea! Set your expectations to not be disappointed if it does rain- this just means that you'll get to ride more rides with lower wait times. Be prepared with the clothes you wear, bring a rain poncho, and know that the outdoor track rides may close for inclement weather.
• Food & Wine Festival- the International Food & Wine Festival at California Adventure is a must see event. Take the time to explore the marketplace booths and take in some of the live entertainment. If you have your heart set on a session with a celebrity chef then make sure you book your reservation the day they open- these sell out each year.
• Easter at Disneyland- take the time to enjoy the unique offerings for Easter at Disneyland including the scavenger hunt, meet and greets, and great dining options. If you're visiting Easter weekend plan on making an advance dining reservation because this is a busy day to visit for many locals.
• Dapper Day- if the Dapper Day Expo matches up with your dates then take the time to dress up and join in the fun! If you plan on attending the Dapper Day Expo at the Disneyland Hotel you can get discount hotel rates for the Disney property hotels which can be a nice perk to your trip.
• Genie+ Replaced FastPass- the new Genie+ system is what permanently replaced FastPass at Disneyland. This paid access allows you to virtually reserve your spot in line for many popular attractions and skip the longer standby line.

But most of all, remember to enjoy your time at the happiest place on earth!

Plan Your Disneyland Vacation!

Keep reading our blog to keep you updated on everything you need to know to prepare for a Disney Parks vacation! We have a team of writers working hard to keep you updated weekly on events in the parks and tips for navigating the magic. Subscribe to our free deals newsletter to receive helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest priced Disney tickets anywhere. You can find more information on planning your vacation here:

• Discount Disneyland Ticket Guide
• Guide to Using MaxPass at Disneyland
• Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Guide
• Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
• Guide to Parades at Disneyland