MASSIVE Crowds Will Hit Disney World This Weekend

April is an interesting month in Disney World for a few different reasons. For one, while the weather can lean mostly towards warm/holy-moly-it’s-hot, there are times it cools off, and you find yourself wishing you had a sweater (which makes packing a little hard).

Additionally, spring break crowds are present for about half the month, usually at the start, since most schools have their breaks in the middle to the second half of March, and then the beginning through the middle of April. Just when you think those spring break crowds are on their way out, though, you may find yourself packed shoulder to shoulder again and go, “What the heck is this?!” Here’s your reminder that a runDisney race is about to hit Disney World, and it’s best to be VERY prepared.

This year’s runDisney Springtime Surprise Weekend is from April 16th to 20th, and there are four different races taking place. People can take part in the 5K, 10K, the 10-Miler, and the Challenge, which is where you complete all three races.

Now, since this race doesn’t have a full marathon like other runDisney races do, some people may be thinking that crowds won’t be as intense. We’re here to tell you that, in our experience, that’s not the case. In fact, it’s very likely crowds will be JUST as intense, because runDisney races sell out, which means crowds will be all over the parks after the races end.

If you’re heading into the parks around this time and want the lowest crowds, we actually recommend rope dropping! These races begin VERY early in the morning, and sometimes people are still finishing the race as the parks open, or decide to head back to their hotel and take a nap before the rest of their day. This means they don’t get into the parks until later, so if you want to beat those crowds, it means you’ll also want to get up early and be lined up for rope drop.

Be sure to check the park hours as they can change around the races. For example, EPCOT opens an hour later than usual at 10 AM on Sunday, April 19th!

Monorail line during a runDisney weekend

Additionally, if you’re driving around the resort in your own car or a rental car, you’ll want to allow a little MORE time to get where you’re going, as certain roads may be closed or rerouted due to the races. This is especially true during the mornings (so, yes, if you’re rope dropping), but if you’re taking Disney transportation, especially the buses, we also recommend allowing more time than you may think is necessary.

If you’re not rope dropping and are getting to the parks anywhere from 10 AM-12 PM and are planning to take the Monorail or Skyliner, then you’ll ALSO want to allow more time, as that’s potentially when racers will also be heading into the parks, and lines could be longer.