A spring travel peak, primarily driven by family trips, has commenced following the implementation of spring break schedules for primary and secondary schools in nearly ten provinces, including Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Anhui, Hunan, and Hubei, starting April 1st. This period, overlapping with the subsequent Tomb-Sweeping Day holiday, has successfully created a family-centered "Golden Week."
Theme parks saw a significant influx of visitors on the first day of the spring break. At Shanghai Disneyland, a spectacular scene unfolded early in the morning with queues stretching approximately three kilometers around the lake. Some visitors reported that long lines had already formed outside the park by 7:40 AM. Similarly, the Shanghai Legoland Resort experienced a noticeable increase in visitors from multiple provinces and cities, including Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui. Data indicates that since March, search volumes for Shanghai Disneyland and Shanghai Legoland surged by 8 times and 5 times, respectively, with both parks ranking among the top ten most-booked scenic spots for the spring break.
This "theme park fever" is not unique to Shanghai. Other renowned national theme parks, such as Zhuhai Chimelong Ocean Kingdom and Changzhou China Dinosaur Park, also reported high visitor numbers on the first day of the break, demonstrating the strong appeal of theme parks as classic destinations for family outings. Market data clearly confirms the surge in family travel during this period. On the Tongcheng Travel platform, family bookings accounted for nearly 40% of vacation product reservations for departures between April 1st and 6th, a 17 percentage point increase year-on-year, with the volume of family orders rising by nearly 200% compared to the same period last year.
The longer holiday period has effectively extended the travel radius for families, driving a roughly 20% year-on-year increase in flight bookings. The number of passengers under 18 years old showed particularly significant growth, with increases of 47% and 22% on domestic and international routes, respectively.
In terms of consumption, families demonstrated stronger spending willingness. The average price for domestic hotel stays from April 1st to 6th increased year-on-year, with notable rises in popular cities. Unlike younger travelers seeking value, families were more willing to pay a premium for quality accommodations, leading to a year-on-year increase of approximately 10 percentage points in the proportion of high-quality hotel bookings.
Platform data shows that families from Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang provinces were the absolute main force, accounting for 38% to 46% of family orders. A parent from Jiangsu born in the 1980s shared that he had long planned to fulfill his children's dream of visiting Shanghai Legoland during the break. On April 1st, his family took a high-speed train from Suzhou at 8:00 AM and arrived at the park around 10:00 AM. Upon entering, he observed that besides students from other provinces, there were also many local Shanghai students on spring outings. In his view, the all-in-one model of theme parks lowers the barrier for family travel, allowing parents to provide high-quality companionship while children enjoy immersive fun, resulting in a relaxing experience for the whole family.
The connection between the spring break and the Tomb-Sweeping Day holiday has also reshaped travel patterns. Many families chose to depart on April 1st, the first day of the break, making travel activity on that day potentially comparable to April 4th, the first day of the Tomb-Sweeping holiday. Concurrently, some families opted to return early to avoid peak times, making April 5th, typically a quieter mid-holiday day, more active, with flight bookings for that day increasing by 40% year-on-year.
The emergence of theme parks as the "dark horse" of this year's spring break market results from a confluence of supply and demand factors. On the demand side, families seek high-quality, short-distance, and highly experiential vacations, which aligns perfectly with the educational and entertaining immersive experiences offered by theme parks. Many families are choosing to build their itineraries around a park, extending their trips to surrounding areas for an all-in-one, in-depth vacation.
On the supply side, parks are actively seizing the opportunity by introducing new projects, upgrading services, and engaging in collaborative marketing. For instance, Shanghai Disneyland is celebrating its 10th anniversary, coupled with events like Chip 'n' Dale's birthday month. Shanghai Legoland is collaborating with cultural and tourism resources in the surrounding Jinshan District to offer exclusive benefits for dining and accommodation, aiming to encourage visitors to extend their stays from day trips to overnight visits. Meituan data shows that bookings for "2 adults + 1 child" tickets at Legoland increased by 65% week-on-week in the recent week.
Industry analysis suggests that as more regions enter their spring break periods, this wave of theme park popularity driven by family travel is expected to continue until mid-to-late April. The adoption of the spring break system is profoundly altering the landscape and consumption habits of the spring travel market.