Top 10 Things To See & Do at Disney World in the Spring

As I sit her in cold New Jersey, contemplating how many hours I will spend shoveling 18-24 inches of snow, there are a few things I can think about to bring me some solace from this dreary weather: hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows in front of a toasty fireplace, a Konk Kooler sipped beach-side in Castaway Cay, and my favorite of all, being in Disney World in the spring.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Disney around the holidays with its festive decorations, but there’s something about the blooming flowers and larger-than-life topiaries that really gets me into a cheery mood.  If you are one of the lucky ones who has a trip planned or if you are thinking about a future trip, here are our top 10 things to see and do at Disney World in the spring:

1. Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.  Hands down, this is one of my most favorite events at Epcot.  I love marveling at the amazing topiaries and flowers that decorate the entire park, and with the addition of special events, food kiosks serving yummy dishes, and live music, it’s an event not to be missed.  What’s even better is that this year’s festival runs from March 2 through May 30 – 15 days longer than last year’s festival, which only ran for 75 days.
2. Rivers of Light.  You know those days when people only visited Animal Kingdom during the day?  It won’t be that way for much longer.  Starting this spring, Animal Kingdom will debut the Rivers of Light night show, which will showcase performers, floating lanterns, water screens, and vibrant lights.  The Tree of Life will be brought to, er, life in a whole new way and if you’ve seen Disney’s track record with fantastic nightly shows like Wishes, Illuminations, and Fantasmic, then you know Rivers of Light will be sure to give you all the feels too.
3. Kilimanjaro Safaris After Sunset.  As you can see, there’s a theme here with Animal Kingdom introducing nighttime activities at the park.  The Kilimanjaro Safaris After Sunset is just what the name implies – our favorite safari will go out after sunset and take guests on a tour of the savanna.  Disney promises us the daytime safari we all know and love will feel like an entirely new experience at night.  Personally speaking, I’m really looking forward to seeing my favorites Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed as hyenas will be highlighted as part of this sunset tour.  Mufasa, Mufasa, Mufasa…That gets me laughing every time.
4. Frozen Ever After.  I can’t even say how excited I am about the debut of Frozen Ever After.  Yes, I am a Maelstrom fan.  Yes, I am very sad that it’s gone and still go through withdrawals whenever I walk past the Norway Pavilion.  But somewhere between the first and hundredth time that my two little girls sang Let It Go, I became a fan myself.  I can’t wait to see how Disney Imagineers will put their creative genius to work and make us fall in love with Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven all over again.  And we don’t have to wait much longer, because this ride debuts this spring!
5. New restaurants and dining events.  From the newly opened Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen serving up fantastic dishes with the same fun and flair as our favorite cruise, to the fancy eateries at Disney Springs like Morimoto Asia, there are plenty of new experiences for us Disney foodies.  Even classic and popular restaurants, like Narcoossee’s, California Grill, and Fulton’s Crab House, are keeping things fresh by offering new brunch experiences on Sundays.
6. Star Wars Half Marathon – The Dark Side.  One of Disney’s most iconic villains, Darth Vader, reigns over this inaugural half marathon.  For 13.1 miles, participants can use The Force to propel them to the finish line.  There will be storm troopers cheering runners throughout the way, and there are also special events and entertainment during the half marathon weekend, from April 14-17.
7. Atlanta Braves Spring Training.  For sports aficionados out there, ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex will play host to the Atlanta Braves’ spring training games.  Games are scheduled in March and April, and will feature teams like the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Florida Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees.
8. St. Patrick’s Day Events.  There are many opportunities to have a drink (or several) during St. Paddy’s Day at Disney. For one, Raglan Road throws quite a party at Disney Springs.  Last year, Raglan Road’s Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival showcased amazing eats and entertainment, and this year promises to be even better.  The Rose & Crown Pub at the UK Pavilion at Epcot is also a very popular stop.
9. Dapper Day.  Have you ever been at the parks in the spring and noticed that many people were dressed very, well, dapper?  It must have been Dapper Day!  It’s not an official Disney event, but many guests will still get dressed to the nines in their vintage outfits, colorful hats and bows, pearls, and bow ties.  Mark your calendars and get ready to be dapper on April 16, 2016.
10. Invictus Games. From May 8-12, the ESPN Wide World of Sports will host the Invictus Games, where our wounded servicemen and women from around the world compete in various sports, including archery, cycling, volleyball, swimming, track and field, and many others.  It’s a great time to cheer our heroes and be inspired on many levels.

As you can see, Disney is alive and vibrant and wonderful to visit in the spring!  With that, I turn it over to you: what is your favorite thing to see and do at Disney in the spring?  Sound off in the comments below!

Hi there, I’m Myra and I’m a huge Disney nerd and addict!  I’m also an Independent Travel Agent at World of Magic Travel, the preferred agency of Chip and Co. and Disney Addicts.  I’m happy to help you plan your next vacation, whether its this spring or any other time this year!  And best of all – my services are completely free to you!  Please visit my page or send me an email at myra@worldofmagictravel.com to get started!

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