Easter at Disney World • WDW Vacation Tips

It’s hard to believe that Easter at Disney World is only a bunny hop and skip away. Taking place on April 9, 2023, Easter is a very popular time of year to visit Walt Disney World. In fact, it’s often one of the busiest times of year to actually visit.

This is because there is so much for guests to do while spending Easter at Disney World. However, it also has to do with the timing of spring break. Keep reading for some helpful tips on all the special offerings available throughout the parks, as well as some helpful tips for making the most out of your long Easter weekend at the Disney parks.

Is Disney Open on Easter Sunday?

Yes, Disney World is open on Easter Sunday. As of publication, the parks’ scheduled hours haven’t been posted yet, but they will most likely follow suit with the regular schedule, which is:

Magic Kingdom: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
Animal Kingdom: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Hollywood Studios: 8:30 am – 9:00 pm
Epcot: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

Please check back closer to Easter for a list of updated theme park hours.

Special Offerings for Easter at Disney World

The spring season is a pretty magical time at Disney World, with plenty of unique offerings that make visiting this time of year incredibly special.

Here’s what to expect with the special offerings for Easter at Disney World:

Easter Brunch

Several Disney World hotels offer Easter brunch. This year, this list includes Olivia’s Cafe at Old Key West Resort and Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

For brunch at Olivia’s Cafe, you’ll be able to choose from several delightful meals and refreshing cocktails including the Loaded Key West Bloody Mary (highly recommend), Banana Bread Pudding, Sombrero Beach Omelet, and Southernmost Buttermilk Chicken.

At Steakhouse 71, the menu includes everything from fresh-baked pastries to fresh seasonal pancakes, eggs Benedict, and Walt’s Prime Rib Hash, as well as a Crème Brûlée that is *chef’s kiss* delicious.

Keep in mind that you’ll also be able to grab brunch at select Disney Springs restaurants, such as Wine Bar George and Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’.

International Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot

Though this isn’t technically around just for the Easter season, this popular Epcot festival not only coincides with the holiday but offers a perfect way to spend the day.

This festival starts on March 1, 2023, and runs through July 5, 2023, and is included in the price of your park ticket. Here, you’ll see hundreds of beautiful topiaries spread throughout the park, all themed to your favorite Disney characters, including but not limited to Anna and Elsa, Winnie the Pooh, Figment, and Belle.

Also included in this festival are several outdoor kitchens, strategically placed throughout the World Showcase. Here, you’ll be able to find new sweets and savory treats that are sure to tickle your tastebuds. Though many fan favorites do return year to year, you’ll usually come across new foods and cocktails, making visiting this festival a truly unique experience year to year.

Spring Trolley Show

Another unique offering at Walt Disney World during the Easter season is the Spring Trolley Show.

This is similar to the trolley you see during Halloween, only instead of being dark and wicked, the trolley is usually decorated in bright, springtime colors while the citizens of Main Street, U.S.A usually wear their Easter Sunday best. It’s a cute little offering that reminds you that you’re celebrating the holiday in the Most Magical Place on Earth.

Walt Disney World Easter Egg Displays

One of the most unique and popular Easter offerings at Disney World is the egg display at select Disney World resort hotels.

Every year, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort display beautiful, handmade chocolate Easter eggs in their lobby. But these aren’t any ordinary Easter eggs – they are HUGE – up to 30” huge! Some of them even weigh up to 12 pounds.

These eggs are themed to everything you could possibly imagine. From Frozen to Cinderella to the Little Mermaid and Moana, they truly are a feast for the eyes. Plus, it’s completely FREE to view these egg displays. Best of all, while you’re visiting Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, you can buy your own chocolate snacks, cookies, and other delicious treats.

The eggs are usually on display for a month during the Easter season. As of publication, Disney has yet to announce the opening date for this popular display.

Easter Procession at Magic Kingdom

On Easter Sunday, guests visiting Magic Kingdom will be able to view the Easter Procession Parade. This parade usually takes place right before the Festival of Fantasy parade, which occurs in Magic Kingdom daily at 3:00 pm.

On this parade, you’ll be able to hear special songs for the season, including Spring, Spring, Spring, and lesser-seen characters including Thumper, the White Rabbit, and Clara Cluck. Ending the parade is a view of both Mr. and Mrs. Bunny.

Since this parade runs so close together with the Festival of Fantasy parade, it’s recommended that you find your seats no later than 1:00 pm, so you can get a view of both parades. Otherwise, you’ll be standing for quite a while.

Egg-stravaganza Scavenger Hunt in Epcot

Heading back over to Epcot, guests will also have the option of participating in the Egg-stravaganza Scavenger Hunt – and trust me when I say that this experience is egg-celent.

To get started, you’ll first need to buy a scavenger hunt map at one of the participating gift shops on property for $9.99. These scavenger maps are sold at:

World Traveler at International Gateway
Creations
Disney Traders
and various gift shops throughout the World Showcase

Once you get your map, it’ll come with 12 stickers. Travel throughout the World Showcase and when you find an Easter egg in one of the pavillions, match the character on it with one of the corresponding stickers on your map until you’ve collected all of them. Once you’re done, return to one of the stores where you bought the map and hand it in to receive your prize. Last year, guests were able to choose a drink container that featured either the Orange Bird, Figment, or Spike the Bee.

No official word yet as to what the offerings this year will be, but it will likely fall in the same category.

Tips for Finding Easter Eggs at Epcot

Finding the Easter eggs during the scavenger hunt at Epcot is challenging, but definitely not impossible. Our tip is to look beyond your line of sight. More often than not, a lot of the eggs are placed either really high or really low, so keep an eye out and fully scan the area.

Easter Foodie Guide From Disney (TBD)

One of my favorite things about the Easter season is all the sweet snacks I get to eat, so you best believe it’s also one of my favorite parts of visiting the parks during this time.

Disney World usually goes all out during Easter, especially when it comes to snacks. While the outdoor kitchens at Epcot have yet to be announced, here are some of the likely meals and snacks you’ll find at Disney World during the Easter season:

Easter Bunny Dome Cake from Capt. Cook’s at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Carrot Cake at Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Easter Trifle from Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs
Three-course tasting menu with an Easter-themed dessert from California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Coconut Sugar Bunny Cupcake from Sassagoula Floatworks and Riverside Mill at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter Resorts
Easter Fancy Sprinkle cupcake from Sprinkles Cupcakes at Disney Springs

Keep in mind that this is far from being an exhaustive list. At this time, Disney hasn’t announced all their special offerings yet, but these announcements will likely be made sometime in February and March.

Easter Bunny Meet and Greet

Now that more and more character meet-and-greets are coming back (thanks, Bob Iger), it’s likely that guests will once again be able to meet Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny on Main Street, U.S.A. this Easter season.

A Magic Kingdom staple this time of year, this meet-and-greet is usually located in the Town Square Courtyard on Main Street, U.S.A. Photo ops are usually available during the Easter season, including Easter day, from 9:00 am – 5:30 pm.

Resorts Selling Easter Baskets

Depending on which resort you’re staying at during this time of year, you may be able to make your own Easter basket. Some of the gift shops at Disney World offer a Build Your Own Easter Basket Station where you can compile some of your favorite goodies.

Once you’re done, your Easter basket will be nicely wrapped up and in some cases, be delivered to your room on Easter day. The baskets last year cost $7, but we’ll see if they experience an increase in 2023. If you want to know if your resort is participating in this, ask a Cast Member upon check in.

How Busy is Easter at Disney World?

The answer is pretty busy. In fact, Disney World experiences the highest volume of guests during the Easter season.

Unlike the holiday season, Easter not only sees an uptick in attendance because of the holiday itself or the long holiday weekend but also because of warmer weather and spring break.

Unfortunately, Disney doesn’t really experience any downtime during April. However, if you are going, try to visit at the tail end of March through the fourth day in April. Visiting during this time will not only allow you to experience some of the Easter festivities, but the crowds will be lighter than throughout the rest of the year.

Generally speaking, the week of Easter is the busiest, with it also being the time when spring breakers arrive, while the last two weeks see moderate crowds.

Read more: Best Disney World Crowd Calendars

Which Disney Park is Best on Easter Sunday?

This answer depends on what you’re looking for out of your Easter vacation. In terms of Easter-related activities, Magic Kingdom ranks number one because it has the parade, spring trolley, and meet and greets with the Easter bunny.

That being said, Magic Kingdom is going to be the busiest park to visit, meaning longer lines for pretty much everything. The same goes for Hollywood Studios, which, just like Magic Kingdom, rarely sees any downtime anymore.

So if you’re looking for Easter-based activities, Magic Kingdom is your best option. But if you’re looking for a place to just kind of unwind and relax, Animal Kingdom and Epcot may be your better options if you’re not interested in dealing with as many people. Though, keep in mind that crowds may be higher due to the International Flower and Garden Festival.

Easter Services Near Disney World

If you’re visiting Florida, you may not want to limit yourself to just Disney World. After all, the Orlando area is home to nine theme parks, Disney Springs, countless shopping areas, and unique restaurants.

That being said, Easter is a big religious holiday so if you’re looking for Easter services near Disney World, here’s what you need to know.

First and foremost, in years past, Disney World has actually offered church service on property. This service is usually held at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. As of publication, there is no updated schedule information regarding on-property or live stream church service. We will update this post once more information becomes available.

That being said, you’re not obligated to just staying on Disney property for Easter church services. According to Google, here are some of the more highly-rated Easter services near Disney World:

Corpus Christi Catholic Church
Mosaic Church at Walt Disney World or in Winter Garden
Celebration Community Church

Tips for Spending Easter at Disney World

Because of how busy Disney World is going to be at Easter time, it’s best to get prepared before you go. If you plan on having breakfast or brunch on Easter Sunday, make sure to book your dining reservation as soon as your window opens up. Remember, guests who are staying on Disney property can book their dining reservations 60 days from their scheduled arrival. Do not overlook this, as brunch reservations on Easter go very fast.

The other option to consider is investing in Lighting Lane. While you may not be too fond of paying for everyone in your party to ride a Disney World attraction, it may be worth it, especially if you’re just visiting for the long weekend and as such, don’t have a lot of time to wait in line. In most cases, the most expensive Lightning Lane pass is $25 per person, but the majority of them are rather affordable.

Also, if you can, try to get to the parks as early as possible, either by attending rope drop or taking advantage of Early Entry. Even if it only allows you to get through the line of one or two rides quickly, it’s worth it considering how crowded the parks are eventually going to become.

Have You Ever Spent Easter at Disney World?

If so, what was your favorite thing about visiting Disney World at Easter? Would you go again or avoid it all costs due to how busy it is? Drop a comment below to share your experience. We’d love to hear it!

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for all the latest Disney tips, tricks, and trivia. Our content is always magical.

Courtney Derqu

As a self-proclaimed Mouseketeer, Courtney Dercqu is a fan of all things Disney. Between decorating her desk with souvenirs from the park, to making unique mouse ears and having a dedicated Disney Instagram, Courtney is a true believer in the magic of a Walt Disney World vacation. Having had more than 200 articles published on various content, Courtney’s excited to share her knowledge and experience with everyone! Be sure to follow her on Instagram for all the Disney magic.

www.etsy.com/shop/magicallyeverears/