This information to February 2023 at Walt Disney World features a free crowd calendar, weeks to go to & keep away from, climate, seasonal occasions, and new attraction openings & closures. This covers all suggestions & information you want for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios is roofed right here. (Up to date January 24, 2023.)
Normally, February is an efficient month to go to Walt Disney World apart from weekends and holidays. The climate is beginning to enhance, crowds stay low a lot of the month, resorts are providing reductions and low season pricing, and it’s a good time to see the parks with out seasonal decor. All of this makes February a reasonably stable time to go to Walt Disney World.
February has plenty of parallels to January at Walt Disney World. The most important distinction between the 2 months is that February lacks that vacation hangover–that awkward time in mid-January while you’re “over” Christmas and there isn’t any seasonal leisure, however the decorations are nonetheless oddly up and Christmas music continues to be taking part in. Moreover, February has barely higher climate than January.
Let’s check out the opposite upsides and drawbacks to visiting Walt Disney World in February…
February WEATHER AT DISNEY WORLD
As famous above, Climate is without doubt one of the largest upsides to February. Based mostly upon historic averages for the month of February, you’re taking a look at highs within the mid-70s and lows within the mid-50s. Now, that is solely round 5 levels higher than January, however I believe that makes a giant distinction. Moreover, primarily based on our visits throughout each months, it looks like February is rather a lot much less more likely to have a freak chilly spell with freezing climate.
That’s simply anecdotal, but it surely has been our expertise. This isn’t to say it could’t get chilly in February, and it’s best to nonetheless watch the climate forecast upfront and pack objects that may be helpful on your journey, however you’re most likely much less more likely to must bust out that parka.
Actually although, should you’re escaping the blizzards of the northern states, even these low temperatures in Florida are going to really feel like tropical paradise! Learn our Winter Packing Ideas for Disney publish for extra perception on what you would possibly have to be ready for colder climate in February.
February Particular Occasions at Disney World
By way of particular occasions, usually there may be not a lot throughout February. The one main factor is the continuation of the ‘competition season’ over at EPCOT, with our favourite one of many yr starting in January and operating via late February. Learn our Information to the EPCOT Worldwide Pageant of the Arts for more information and recommendations on this particular occasion.
Then there’s the Princess Half Marathon Weekend, which can happen February 23-26, 2023. There are additionally just a few main occasions happening on the ESPN Vast World of Sports activities, all of which can have an effect on crowds all through the month.
By way of common public occasions, little or no occurs throughout February exterior of Pageant of the Arts. It’s principally simply pin releases, artwork signings, and different minor merchandise happenings. Nothing round which you’d plan a visit…until you’re a enormous Valuable Moments fan. (Hey, we aren’t judging! 😉 )
This lack of occasions could be a good or unhealthy factor relying upon your perspective. You get to see the parks because the Imagineers initially designed them, with none decorations or overlays “blemishing” issues. Alternatively, “blemish” is within the eye of the beholder (therefore the air quotes) and plenty of the decorations and seasonal occasions are enjoyable and a pleasant change of tempo, particularly should you’ve visited earlier than and need one thing new to see or do.
February REFURBISHMENTS & NEW ATTRACTIONS
By way of different sights that might be closed throughout February 2023, examine the Walt Disney World Refurbishment Schedule. Only a heads up: that may be a bit misleading when it comes to precise building work, particularly in Epcot.
The development undertaking that may have essentially the most noticeable affect on the visitor expertise is the large reimagining on the entrance of Epcot. That is beginning to look higher, however the entrance of the park continues to be a sea of building partitions with a large dust pit within the center. On the plus facet, Remy’s Ratatouille Journey, Area 220 Restaurant, Creations Store, Membership Cool, and Connections Cafe are all open.
EPCOT can also be residence to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which is Walt Disney World’s largest addition in the previous few years. Experiencing the brand new trip is a bit sophisticated, so make sure you take a look at our The right way to Experience Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind & Digital Queue Velocity Technique to enhance your probabilities of success for becoming a member of the free digital queue.
One other various for Cosmic Rewind is shopping for line-skipping entry by way of the Particular person Lightning Lanes. These posts clarify every possibility, their professionals & cons, and every little thing else you want to know. Suffice to say, don’t simply present as much as EPCOT anticipating to hitch the standby line–as there isn’t one.
Then there’s the subsequent huge addition to Walt Disney World: TRON Lightcycle Run, which could have previews beginning in February 2023. Though the brand new curler coaster received’t formally open for a pair extra months, these previews may have a minor affect on Magic Kingdom crowds. (The larger affect will come by way of the closure of Splash Mountain and the ensuing lack of capability.)
Past that, there are a number of sights that haven’t but opened and certain received’t till later in 2023. This consists of Moana’s Journey of Water at Epcot, which is more likely to open within the second half of the yr in line with Disney. Different smaller scale additions are doubtless later in 2023.
There’s an outdoor risk that Toy Story Roundup BBQ Restaurant will open in late February 2023, however even that appears unlikely at this level. For an outline of what else is on the horizon this yr, see What’s New & Subsequent at Walt Disney World in 2023 & Past.
February 2023 Disney World Crowd Calendar
We’ll start this free crowd calendar part with the identical preface that we supplied in January. Questioning why you don’t see a color-coded crowd calendar right here? It’s as a result of we don’t actually belief them anymore and don’t suppose it’s best to, both. If we simply had a visible crowd calendar graphic right here, lots of you’d solely take a look at that and never learn the accompanying rationalization that covers what you would possibly really anticipate.
Such an strategy would do readers a disservice, and we’d strongly warning you in opposition to over-reliance on any Walt Disney World crowd calendars. Whereas they are often helpful instruments, crowd calendars are however one small piece of a a lot bigger puzzle. We not select our personal journey dates primarily based upon crowd calendars and we’d encourage you to do the identical.
Disney doesn’t launch official attendance numbers, so crowd calendars use issues like faculty schedules, airport visitors statistics, resort pricing & occupancy, and different indicators as proxies for crowds. For years, this strategy labored and made crowd calendars dependable. Walt Disney World attendance adopted an identifiable sample that tracked with the aforementioned proxies.
Extra lately, Disney has turn out to be adept and extra refined at manipulating each attendance and crowd move. February attendance continues to be decrease than most different months, however wait occasions typically don’t bear this out. Consider this because the distinction between the precise temperature and the “looks like” temperature, however with crowds. We will nonetheless precise crowd and attendance patterns, however not wait occasions. The latter are what most of you doubtless care about (the “looks like” crowds), but it surely’s tougher to precisely forecast wait occasions by way of Walt Disney World crowd calendars.
As a common matter, we need to warn you that winter isn’t the “sleepy low season” at Walt Disney World. In Winter Is Not Off-Season at Walt Disney World, we clarify how January and February crowds have grown since ~2017, why final yr was the outlier, and the way now could be extra of a return to regular.
There are a number of occasions crowds spike through the first two months of the yr. All the things from runDisney occasions to below the radar vacation weekends to highschool breaks push attendance and wait occasions even greater. With all of that in thoughts, listed below are our crowd calendar predictions for the most effective and worst weeks at Walt Disney World in February 2023…
No matter overarching crowd traits, the busiest dates in February 2023 will find yourself being President’s Day week. For most individuals, President’s Day isn’t a weeklong vacation, however when it comes to crowds at Walt Disney World, it completely is. Lots of people go to for the lengthy weekend, with some staying the remainder of the week.
We lately highlighted simply how unhealthy this might be within the Worst Week of Winter is Coming at Walt Disney World. Suffice to say, this would be the busiest week of the primary quarter and may very well be one of many 5 worst weeks of 2023–proper up there with Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Yr’s, and the height of spring break.
Should you’re questioning why dates in February, of all months, can be so busy, it comes right down to the aforementioned President’s Day vacation. On high of that, Mardi Gras is February 21, 2023. This may lead to an inflow of tourists from Louisiana and different areas of the South. Not solely that, but it surely’s a break for a lot of faculties within the Northeast.
To compound issues, the next weekend is Princess Half Marathon Weekend, with official occasion dates of February 23-26, 2023. Most runners will present up early fairly than staying late. There are additionally two main occasions–a soccer match and gymnastics competitors–on the ESPN Vast World of Sports activities occurring February 17-20, 2023.
Suffice to say, February 17 to February 26, 2023 ought to see peak season attendance and excessive wait occasions. Count on 8/10 to 10/10 crowd ranges for that total vary, with most dates and parks on the upper finish of that spectrum.
Consequently, we’d suggest avoiding these dates if in any respect doable. In contrast to Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Yr’s, the recognition of those holidays catch plenty of visitors abruptly. (Valentine’s Day, however, shouldn’t be as busy.) The excellent news is that since most individuals don’t anticipate colossal crowds, they don’t put together for them. Rise up early, keep out late and strategize to keep away from lengthy traces!
By way of dates which are good to go to in February, we’d suggest February 1-16, 2023 as the most effective dates to go to. Inside these ranges, weekdays will certainly be higher than weekends as a result of disproportionate variety of locals visiting Walt Disney World proper now.
Based mostly on what we’ve seen so far within the second half of January 2023, our expectation is that the primary half of February sees crowd ranges within the 3/10 to six/10 vary most dates, with 4/10 being the norm and crowds step by step growing over the course of the month.
That’s not nice as in comparison with ~5 years in the past, however actually no dates this yr will evaluate favorably to then. Walt Disney World attendance has grown by hundreds of thousands of visitors per yr since then. You must also anticipate heavier “looks like” crowds at EPCOT as a result of rising reputation of Pageant of the Arts. That received’t be mirrored in wait time information, but it surely’ll be obvious when it comes to congestion whereas strolling round.
Our favourite week on steadiness can be the primary week of February 2023, however you actually can’t go improper with the dates on the finish of the month, both. Simply as rapidly as crowds spike main into the worst of winter, so too will they fall quick on the finish of the month. The previous few days main into March 2023 ought to likewise be blissful, a pleasant mixture of low crowds, nice climate, and the parks coming into bloom.
February PRICING & DISCOUNTS
One other upside to a February Walt Disney World trip is costs. That is sometimes the Most cost-effective Time of Yr to Go to Walt Disney World when trying completely at resort rack charges and admission prices. On high of that, there are at present some nice offers obtainable for Annual Passholders, Florida residents, and even most people. See All Present Walt Disney World Reductions for specifics.
Once more, President’s Day week is an exception to the seasonal charges, as resort costs spike for that week, too. In case it’s not already abundantly clear, until you’re getting day without work for President’s Day or Mardi Gras, you actually ought to keep away from that week. Should you’re reserving a February keep at a Disney resort-hotel, you’ll be able to determine for your self which resort may be finest by studying our Walt Disney World Lodge Opinions.
General, we now have had some actually nice experiences at Walt Disney World in February. Low to reasonable crowds for a lot of the month, temperate climate, the parks trying good, and cheaper costs all make it a winner in our e book. February (once more, minus the confluence of Presidents’ Day, Mardi Gras, and the runDisney race) feels just like the early yr candy spot between the vacation hangover of January and the Spring Break season of March.
Consider early February as this time of yr’s September (one other of our favourite occasions to go to for comparable causes), besides with out fairly as a lot humidity. In contrast to September, there’s a enormous second half spike in February crowds, however the first half of the month–and last few days–must be improbable. Whereas we favor the start of the month, February 2023 might be nice on the very finish of the month overlapping with the start of March, when the climate begins to enhance and crowds stay low.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study resorts on our Walt Disney World Motels Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing you want to know!
Your Ideas
Do you want Walt Disney World in February, or do you suppose it’s a boring month to go to? Do you want seeing the parks of their “regular” state, or would you fairly have a particular/seasonal occasion? Are you a fan of EPCOT’s Pageant of the Arts? Ever skilled President’s Day crowds? Listening to from you is half the enjoyable, so please share your ideas on these questions, or anything, within the feedback!