10 Best Theme Parks To Visit During Spring Break | 2024 Rankings & Reviews
With dozens of theme parks across the country, picking which is best for a Spring Break visit required many factors to including: attractions, weather, crowds, family amenities and of course food!
We've ranked our top 10 theme parks to visit during Spring Break with detailed tips about which parks experience the lowest crowds, best weather and best rides for adults, children and/or families!
You won't go wrong visiting any of these theme parks on our list, but we're here to help you make the decision on what theme park is best for you!
#1: Disneyland
If you can only visit one theme park during Spring Break then our top choice goes to Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
You might be thinking "Why Disneyland over Walt Disney World?" well our answer is simple: Weather and Crowds!
The weather in Southern California from March through May is absolutely beautiful and makes enjoying a theme park much easier than what you can might experience in Florida.
Slightly cloudy skies and temperatures often peaking in the high 70's is what you can expect at Disneyland, while Walt Disney World can sometimes hit the low 90's in March or April - not to mention the brutal humidity!
Disneyland is surely major tourist destination, but Walt Disney World sees much higher crowds from Spring breakers across the country.
While Disneyland will be a bit busier than usual - it won't see as drastic of an increase in crowds at Walt Disney World does during Spring Break.
If you've been thinking about visiting Disneyland or weighing a trip to Disneyland over Walt Disney World during Spring Break then it's definitely the right time to give Disneyland a visit.
California Adventure is also a short walk away from Disneyland!
#2: Universal Studios Hollywood
Coming in at #2 is Universal Studios Hollywood.
We'll start off by mentioning that Universal Studios Hollywood is not a major resort like Disneyland, Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando. There is only one theme park and a few hotels near the property.
If you're looking for a multiple day theme park vacation the Universal Studios Hollywood won't be for you.
If you only want to do theme parks for 1 or 2 days and then head back from or explore Southern California then Universal Studios Hollywood is worth considering.
As we mentioned earlier in the article, the weather and crowd levels in Southern California will make for a much better experience than the Orlando area theme parks.
Universal Studios Hollywood also has a ton of great rides including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, The World Famous Studio Tour and soon Super Nintendo World!
Universal Studios Hollywood should be near the top of your list for any quick Spring Break trips!
#3: Disney California Adventure
Just a few steps away from Disneyland is California Adventure which is our #3 choice for best Spring Break theme parks.
California Adventure has added some incredible attractions over the last few years including Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: Breakout and Spider-Man: WEBSLINGERS.
The park also has some of the best food options (Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Chinese) at any theme park in the country which is a great change from the usual burgers and chicken tenders you expect to find at a theme park.
In fact, Carthay Circle is one of the best restaurants at any theme park!
While California Adventure is a great theme park on its own, its proximity to Disneyland is what really bumps it high atop this list.
A Disneyland + California Adventure combo makes for an incredible Spring Break vacation.
#4: Magic Kingdom
Seeing Magic Kingdom at #4 on our list might be surprising, but as we mentioned earlier this iconic theme park can suffer from some extreme heat and major crowds during Spring Break which knocks it down our list.
That being said Magic Kingdom and the Walt Disney World Resort is still a fantastic Spring Break Destination.
We'd even say Magic Kingdom and Walt Disney World has the edge over Disneyland if you're looking to spend a minimum of 5 days at theme parks during Spring Break.
You can never go wrong with a visit to Magic Kingdom and Spring Break does have more mild temperatures and somewhat better humidity than the Florida Summers, so a Spring visit will be much more enjoyable than the summer.
If you can only visit one theme park in Central Florida during Spring Break than Magic Kingdom is a no brainer, especially for families and those traveling with younger children.
#5: Islands of Adventure
Islands of Adventure is nearly tied with Universal Studios Florida (featured just below) to visit during Spring Break.
We give the edge to Islands of Adventure if you're a major thrill seeker and roller coaster fan though, so these two spots can be looked at interchangeably if you can only visit one of the parks.
Islands of Adventure is home to what we consider the best rollercoasters in Florida: VelociCoaster and Hagrid's Magical Motorbike Adventure.
However, Islands of Adventure might not be the best park to visit if you're visiting the theme parks with small children as they'll likely find quite a few of the rides to be too intense.
If you're a major thrill-seeker and rollercoaster fan then bump Islands of Adventure even higher on your own personal list of theme parks to visit during Spring Break!
#6: Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is one of the best options to visit during Spring Break in Florida if you're looking for a few more thrills and a more grown up experience than Magic Kingdom.
Universal Studios Florida has some of the most thrilling and technologically advanced rides at any theme park in Florida including Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Transformers The Ride and the stunning new Bourne Stuntacular show.
Islands of Adventure is also just a short 10 minute walk away from Universal Studios Florida, so it's easy to traverse between both parks when visiting!
#7: Hollywood Studios
The major expansion that is Star Wars Galaxy's edge and the addition of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway makes Hollywood Studios the #2 theme park at Walt Disney World to visit during Spring Break.
Hollywood Studios has a great mix of attractions for both adults and children which make it a great Spring Break visit for any age group.
Of course being part of the Walt Disney World Resort allows you easy access to the many other theme parks, hotels and restaurants to enjoy if you'll be staying at Walt Disney World for multiple days during Spring Break.
#8: Animal Kingdom
Our #8 overall option and #3 option at Walt Disney World is Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom is a truly unique park with a African Safari, animal sightseeing walking paths and the breathtaking Pandora expansion.
The ability to see rare animals like Tigers, Lions, Elephants and Kangaroos while also jumping on a state of the art ride like Flight of Passage makes Animal Kingdom such a unique theme park you can't quite find anywhere else.
Even if you're not interested in seeing animals, Animal Kingdom has some really great rides and shows that are worth experiencing, but we'd say this park becomes less of a priority the less you want to get up close with animals.
#9: EPCOT
EPCOT comes in last of the Walt Disney World parks to visit during Spring Break and #9 overall.
While EPCOT is a fantastic park with unique dining experiences, cutting edge rides like Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, the park is still undergoing a lot of construction which bumps it down a bit on our list.
Adults will enjoy EPCOT for the fantastic food and drink options (Drinking Around The World!), so if you're more into food and drink than rides then EPCOT is going to be the place for you!
#10: Knott's Berry Farm
Rounding out our list of best theme parks to visit during Spring Break is Knott's Berry Farm.
While Knott's isn't as massive of a destination as Universal Orlando, Disneyland or Walt Disney World it's a great theme park on it's own with a hotel also on property if you're hoping to stay a night after a long day.
Knott's tickets are also cheaper than the Universal and Disney theme parks so if you're a bit more budget conscious then Knott's is worth considering.
As mentioned earlier, Knott's Berry Farm isn't a massive destination - so don't fly out from across the country or make a multiple hour drive just for Knott's Berry Farm.
The theme park is a short drive from Disneyland, so if you're looking for another theme park to visit than Knott's is a solid option.
You'll also find tons of rollercoaster as well as family friend rides at Knott's so there's something for everyone at this theme park which doesn't get nearly the spotlight it deserves.
The biggest secret about Knott's Berry Farm is its food offerings!
You'll find that while Knott's isn't cooking up gourmet meals, it's southern style, feel-good comfort food is better than similar offerings you'll find at both Universal and Disney!