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Orlando in March is warm and mostly dry: average highs reach the high 70s, nights stay in the mid-50s, and the month brings the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, the last weeks of Universal Mardi Gras, Daytona Bike Week, the Florida Strawberry Festival, spring training and the start of spring break.
It’s one of the best months for park weather, but crowds build as it goes on: Orlando’s two county school districts break in mid-March, and Easter falls early, on March 28, 2027. This guide uses NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for Orlando International Airport, the official 2027 dates published so far and the school calendars we opened (checked October 13–14, 2026). Events, hours and hotel policies change, so confirm on the official pages before you book.
Quick answer: Expect highs near 79°F, lows near 56°F and about 3 inches of rain over roughly seven days. March 1–11 is the calmest stretch; local schools are off March 12–21, and Easter is March 28. The Flower & Garden Festival opens March 10, Mardi Gras ends March 27 and Bike Week runs March 5–14. Typhoon Lagoon is closed and Volcano Bay isn’t due back until on or before April 1, so pick a hotel with heated pools or its own slides.
Here’s the month in detail.
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Orlando weather in March
At Orlando International Airport, NOAA’s normals put the average high at 78.9°F and the average low at 55.8°F, about four degrees warmer than February by day and three and a half at night. A typical March 1 runs from about 54°F to 77°F, and a typical March 31 from about 58°F to 81°F.
Cold snaps fade fast: on average fewer than one March night (0.8) falls to 40°F or lower, and the normals show no freezing nights. At the other end, 16.8 days reach 80°F or more and 0.8 reach 90°F, so late-March afternoons can feel hot.
| Measure | March normal | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Average high | 78.9°F | Shorts most days |
| Average low | 55.8°F | A light layer for mornings and nights |
| Rainfall | 3.03 in | Wetter than February, still dry |
| Days with rain | 6.8 | About 1 day in 4 or 5 |
| Days at 80°F or above | 16.8 | More than half the month |
| Nights at 40°F or lower | 0.8 | Rare and short |
Rain rarely wrecks a day: the daily normals give each March day about a 21–22% chance of measurable rain, and the month’s 3.03 inches is well under half of June’s 8.05. Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 14, 2027. According to the US Naval Observatory, sunset in Orlando moves from 6:25 p.m. on March 1 and 6:33 p.m. on March 13 to 7:34 p.m. on March 15, and 7:41 p.m. on Easter Sunday.
To compare March with the rest of the year, read our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Orlando and our tables of Orlando weather by month. If your dates slide earlier, our Orlando in February and Orlando in January guides cover the cooler months.
Orlando crowds in March, week by week
Disney and Universal don’t publish crowd forecasts, so this is our reading of the official calendars we opened, not a prediction. Our spring break in Orlando guide has the full table of breaks from February to April; here is the March version.
March 1–11: the calm before the break
There’s no federal holiday in March, and none of the school calendars we opened has a break in early March. The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend ends on March 1, the Strawberry Festival and Bike Week start on March 4 and 5, and the Flower & Garden Festival opens on Wednesday, March 10. If your dates are flexible, aim here.
March 12–21: local spring break
Orange County Public Schools’ 2026–27 calendar gives students Friday, March 12 off (a teacher workday), then spring break March 15–19, with classes back on Monday, March 22. The School District of Osceola County (Kissimmee) gives its students the same days off on its 2026–27 calendar. UCF has no classes March 15–21, and the Toronto District School Board’s Mid-Winter Break is March 15–19. With locals joining out-of-town visitors, both weekends could be especially busy. St. Patrick’s Day falls on Wednesday, March 17.
March 22–31: Holy Week and Easter
Easter Sunday is March 28, 2027, so Good Friday is March 26 and Easter Monday March 29. New York City public schools close on Good Friday, Toronto’s close on Good Friday and Easter Monday, and Surrey’s council schools in England end their spring term on March 25 and return April 12 (academies and some other schools set their own dates). Mardi Gras holds its last date on Saturday, March 27. Going by these calendars, the busiest stretch is likely March 12 through Easter weekend; our Orlando in April guide picks up from there.
On busy dates, arrive for early entry, book dining early and buy Lightning Lane passes as soon as your window opens. Disney says guests of its own resorts and a few select hotels, including the Swan, can buy them 7 days before their stay; everyone else, 3 days before the park visit.
Events in Orlando in March 2027
These are the dates published on official pages at the time of writing.
| Dates | Event | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 – Mar 1 | Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend | Runners at Disney-area hotels |
| Through Mar 1 | EPCOT Festival of the Arts | Last day Monday, March 1 |
| Through Mar 27 | Universal Mardi Gras | Universal Studios Florida |
| Mar 4–14 | Florida Strawberry Festival | Plant City |
| Mar 5–14 | Daytona Bike Week | 86th anniversary |
| Mar 10 – May 31 | EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival | Included with EPCOT admission |
| Wed, Mar 17 | St. Patrick’s Day at SeaWorld | Part of Seven Seas Food Festival |
| Through Mar 21 | Spring training, Lakeland and Tampa | Last home games: Tigers Mar 20, Yankees Mar 21 |
| Sun, Mar 28 | Easter Sunday | Good Friday is Mar 26 |
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival
Disney lists the 2027 festival from March 10 to May 31. It’s included with valid EPCOT admission, though a park reservation may be required depending on your ticket, and Disney says to check back this winter for 2027 details. The 2026 edition had gardens and living topiaries of Disney characters, Garden Rocks concerts at America Gardens Theatre (with dining packages that guarantee a seat), Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration scavenger hunt and festival-only Outdoor Kitchens.
March suits it: a 79°F afternoon is far kinder to a lap of World Showcase than May heat. Note that March 2–9 has no EPCOT festival at all. Our EPCOT festivals calendar puts every 2027 festival on one page.
Universal Mardi Gras: the final weeks
Universal Mardi Gras runs from February 6 to March 27, 2027 at Universal Studios Florida. Universal says it’s included with a theme park ticket or annual pass (blockout dates apply), with a parade of floats, street performers, Cajun specialties and international food for purchase, and concerts at the Music Plaza Stage on selected nights. The 2027 lineup hadn’t been named when we checked. Universal hotel guests get Early Park Admission, but at the time of writing Universal had published dates for it only through November 30, 2026, at Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe rather than at Universal Studios Florida, where Mardi Gras takes place.
Daytona Bike Week
Bike Week 2027 runs March 5–14 in Daytona Beach, its 86th anniversary according to the official site presented by the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, which lists a Welcome Center open on the same dates. By road, Daytona International Speedway is about 62 miles from the Universal area and 71 from Disney Springs, and Daytona-area hotels can book up that week.
If the event is your reason to travel, our guide to hotels near Daytona International Speedway compares walkable picks and parking.
Florida Strawberry Festival
The Florida Strawberry Festival runs March 4–14, 2027 at 303 BerryFest Place in Plant City, between Orlando and Tampa and about 51 miles by road from Disney Springs (58 from the Universal area). It calls itself an agriculture fair: headline concerts, a midway with rides, youth livestock shows and exhibits of agriculture, fine arts, horticulture and crafts.
Spring training and St. Patrick’s Day
MLB’s official 2027 schedule lists nine March home games for the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland (March 4–20) and ten for the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa (March 2–21). By road, Joker Marchant is about 38 miles from Disney Springs and 45 from the Universal area; Steinbrenner Field is about 75 and 81. Schedules are subject to change.
For St. Patrick’s Day, SeaWorld Orlando’s events page lists a celebration on Wednesday, March 17 as part of its Seven Seas Food Festival, which runs on select dates from January 29 to May 16, 2027.
Water parks and pools in Orlando in March
Two big water parks are affected this spring, which changes the hotel math.
- Universal Volcano Bay: scheduled to close for maintenance from October 26, 2026, with a planned reopening on or before April 1, 2027 (subject to change), so don’t count on it in March.
- Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon: temporarily closed, with no reopening date on Disney’s page.
- Disney’s Blizzard Beach: Disney says its pool and water areas are heated to about 81°F, including the one-acre Melt-Away Bay wave pool.
- Aquatica Orlando: check SeaWorld’s park hours calendar for March operating days.
- Hotel pools: with lows in the mid-50s, an unheated pool is cold in the morning. Trust only the hotel’s own statement; our list of Orlando hotels with heated pools covers the ones that say so, and the Orlando water parks guide explains seasons and tickets.
Disney and Universal adjust park hours as dates approach, so re-check them a few weeks before you travel, especially for the spring break and Easter weeks.
Where to stay in Orlando in March
- Flower & Garden Festival or busy Disney days: stay within walking distance of EPCOT, with Early Entry and Extended Evening Hours.
- Universal Mardi Gras: stay on Universal property, where you can walk back after the parade or, from the hotels that have one, take a water taxi.
- Spring break with kids: a resort with its own slides and lazy river lets you skip the parks on peak days.
- Bike Week or spring training: stay near Daytona or Lakeland.
Walt Disney World Swan: walk to the Flower & Garden Festival
The Swan, at 1200 Epcot Resorts Boulevard, is a Marriott-run hotel on Disney property with Disney’s 30-minute Early Theme Park Entry every day, Extended Evening Hours on select nights (both confirmed through 2027) and the 7-day Lightning Lane window. Walkways and a water taxi (about every 20 to 25 minutes; not in bad weather) serve EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. By our walking route, EPCOT’s International Gateway is about three-quarters of a mile from the lakefront walkway, roughly 15 to 20 minutes. Buses serve Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs and Magic Kingdom (via the Transportation and Ticket Center), and standard theme park parking is complimentary for guests.
- Good to know: at the time of writing, the resort’s FAQ listed a mandatory $50-a-day resort service package, self-parking at $40 a day and valet at $51 to $61, all plus tax. Marriott Bonvoy perks apply only to direct bookings. Rates vary by season, availability and how far ahead you book.
More in our Walt Disney World Swan review.
Check your March dates for Walt Disney World Swan on Booking.com
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: walk to the last Mardi Gras weeks
Sapphire Falls, at 6601 Adventure Way on Universal property, gives guests Early Park Admission of up to an hour on the dates Universal offers it (valid admission required, select attractions), a water taxi that Universal’s hotel FAQ says arrives every 30 minutes, shuttle buses and walking paths. By our walking route, CityWalk is about 0.6 to 0.8 mile away depending on where you start, roughly 15 minutes. Universal describes a 16,000-square-foot pool with a sand beach, water slide, hot tub, kids’ play area, fire pit and rentable cabanas; the pages we checked don’t say whether it’s heated. Standard rooms are 321 square feet, Kids’ Suites give children their own room, and Wi-Fi is complimentary.
- Good to know: at the time of writing, Universal and Loews listed overnight self-parking at $36 and valet at $45, plus tax, $25 per extra adult beyond two and a minimum booking age of 21. No resort fee appears among their listed charges, and Universal’s hotel page lists no Express Unlimited perk. Rates vary by season, availability and how far ahead you book.
Read our full Loews Sapphire Falls Resort review.
See available rooms at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Orlando World Center Marriott: a water park for spring break
This resort at 8701 World Center Drive gives kids a water park day without a park ticket. Marriott’s site describes a 400,000-gallon lagoon pool, seven waterslides with a 48-inch height requirement, a 575-foot lazy river and a kids’ splash zone. It lists both the Falls Lagoon Pool and River Falls Waterpark as heated; when we checked in October 2026, River Falls had lifeguards on duty and was open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (hours can change by season). A scheduled shuttle to the four Disney parks and Disney Springs is included in the resort fee, bookable up to 3 days ahead. The resort isn’t on Disney’s Early Entry list. By road, EPCOT’s main parking lot is about 6 miles away and Magic Kingdom’s Transportation and Ticket Center about 7.
- Good to know: Marriott’s What to Expect page listed self-parking at $40 and valet at $61 a day, plus tax, in October 2026, and the resort fee was $47 per room per night plus tax at last check (Marriott’s overview page, June 2026), so confirm before you book. Bonvoy perks apply only to direct bookings. Rates vary by season, availability and how far ahead you book.
Details in our Orlando World Center Marriott review.
Compare rates for Orlando World Center Marriott for your March dates
What to pack for Orlando in March
- Shorts and T-shirts: for afternoons near 80°F.
- One warm layer: for mornings in the mid-50s, fireworks and concerts after dark.
- A rain layer: a poncho or light jacket for the roughly seven rainy days.
- Swimsuit and cover-up: for heated pools and the walk back.
- Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses: March sun burns on a full park day.
- Comfortable shoes: a festival day adds a lap of World Showcase.
Planning later in the spring or summer? see Orlando in May, Orlando in June and Orlando in July.
Frequently asked questions
Is March a good time to visit Orlando?
Yes, for weather: NOAA’s normals give March an average high of 78.9°F, a low of 55.8°F and about seven rainy days. The trade-off is crowds, which are likely to build from mid-March, when Orange and Osceola County students are off (March 12–21), through Easter weekend (March 26–28). Early March is the sweet spot if your dates are flexible.
How hot is Orlando in March?
Warm but not yet summer. The normal high climbs from about 77°F on March 1 to 81°F on March 31, and 16.8 March days reach 80°F or more at the airport. Mornings start around 54 to 58°F, and only 0.8 days reach 90°F, so pack for both shorts and a light layer.
Is Disney World crowded in March?
It gets busier as the month goes on. Early March has no holidays or school breaks on the calendars we opened. Orange and Osceola County schools, UCF and Toronto’s schools all break the week of March 15, and Easter (Good Friday, March 26, to Easter Monday, March 29) brings closures in New York City, Toronto and Surrey, England. Use early entry and Lightning Lane on those dates.
What events are in Orlando in March 2027?
The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival opens March 10 and runs to May 31, Universal Mardi Gras continues through March 27, and SeaWorld holds a St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 17. Nearby, the Florida Strawberry Festival (March 4–14), Daytona Bike Week (March 5–14) and spring training in Lakeland and Tampa (home games through March 20 and 21) round out the month.
Can you swim in Orlando in March?
Yes, in heated water. Afternoons near 79°F are pleasant on a pool deck, but an unheated pool stays cold. Disney says Blizzard Beach is heated to about 81°F, Typhoon Lagoon is temporarily closed, and Universal plans to reopen Volcano Bay on or before April 1, 2027. Ask your hotel whether its pools are heated, or choose a resort with its own slides.
What should I pack for Orlando in March?
Shorts and T-shirts for afternoons of 77 to 81°F, one warm layer for mornings in the mid-50s and evening shows, a poncho for the occasional shower, a swimsuit for heated pools, sunscreen and a hat for long park days, and comfortable shoes for a lap of World Showcase during the Flower & Garden Festival.
Bottom line
Orlando in March offers some of the year’s best park weather and a full calendar, from the Flower & Garden Festival to Mardi Gras, Bike Week and baseball. For calmer parks, aim for March 1–11 and avoid the local break week and Easter weekend if you can, then book a hotel with heated pools or an easy walk to the park you’ll use most.
See prices and availability at Walt Disney World Swan for your March dates
Sources checked in October 2026: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 climate normals, Orlando International Airport, Disney: EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, Universal Orlando: Universal Mardi Gras, Official Bike Week, Florida Strawberry Festival