This information to February 2024 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 31, 2024.)
Normally, February is an effective month to go to Walt Disney World apart from weekends and holidays. The climate is beginning to enhance, crowds stay low many of the month, accommodations 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 numerous parallels to January at Walt Disney World. The largest distinction between the 2 months is that February lacks that vacation hangover–that awkward time in mid-January once you’re “over” Christmas and there isn’t any seasonal leisure, however the decorations are nonetheless oddly up and Christmas music continues to be enjoying. Moreover, February has barely higher climate than January.
Earlier than we get going, let’s begin with a fast replace: we’ve adjusted crowd ranges upwards just about throughout the board for February 2024. This follows knowledge from Go to Orlando that resort bookings for 2024 are outpacing final 12 months by over 5%, and advance airline ticket gross sales into Orlando are up within the first quarter of 2024 by roughly 10%.
Most significantly–since not everybody flying into Orlando or reserving a resort room visits Walt Disney World–it comes after larger wait instances and our anecdotal perceptions of ‘appears like’ crowds up to now in 2024 at Walt Disney World recommend that this pattern is enjoying out on the parks, too. (See our newest on-the-ground crowd report: Winter (Nonetheless) Is Not Off-Season at Walt Disney World.)
That’s the dangerous information. The excellent news is that February 2024 continues to be a improbable time to go to. Regardless that we’ve raised our forecast for wait instances and attendance, it’s nonetheless below-average for many of the month. February didn’t simply go from probably the greatest months to one of many worst. It’s not all or nothing; most dates in February 2024 might be incrementally busier.
Let’s check out the opposite upsides and disadvantages to visiting Walt Disney World in February…
February WEATHER AT DISNEY WORLD
As famous above, Climate is without doubt one of the greatest 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, based mostly on our visits throughout each months, it looks as if February is rather a lot much less prone 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 you must nonetheless watch the climate forecast prematurely and pack gadgets that could be helpful on your journey, however you’re most likely much less prone to must bust out that parka.
Actually although, in case 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 submit for extra perception on what you may must be ready for colder climate in February.
February Particular Occasions at Disney World
By way of particular occasions, usually there’s not a lot throughout February. The one main factor is the continuation of the ‘pageant season’ over at EPCOT, with our favourite one of many 12 months starting in January and operating by way of late February. Learn our Information to the EPCOT Worldwide Competition of the Arts for more information and recommendations on this particular occasion.
Then there’s the Princess Half Marathon Weekend, which is able to happen February 22-25, 2024. There are additionally a number of main occasions occurring on the ESPN Broad World of Sports activities, all of which is able to have an effect on the parks–however extra importantly, the resorts (see under)–all through the month.
By way of basic public occasions, little or no occurs throughout February exterior of Competition of the Arts. It’s principally simply pin releases, artwork signings, and different minor merchandise happenings. Nothing round which you’d plan a visit…except you’re a big Valuable Moments fan. (Hey, we aren’t judging! 😉 )
This lack of occasions generally is a good or dangerous factor relying upon your perspective. You get to see the parks because the Imagineers initially designed them, with none decorations or overlays “blemishing” issues. However, “blemish” is within the eye of the beholder (therefore the air quotes) and numerous the decorations and seasonal occasions are enjoyable and a pleasant change of tempo, particularly in case you’ve visited earlier than and wish one thing new to see or do.
February REFURBISHMENTS & NEW ATTRACTIONS
By way of different sights that might be closed throughout February 2024, examine the Walt Disney World Refurbishment Schedule. Only a heads up: that could be a bit misleading by way of precise development work, particularly in Epcot.
The development challenge that can have essentially the most noticeable impression on the visitor expertise is the huge reimagining on the entrance of Epcot. That is a lot better now that the World Celebration Gardens have opened and there’s a path on to World Showcase, however there are nonetheless a sea of development partitions to navigate across the still-in-progress CommuniCore Corridor & Plaza. Based mostly on current progress, it seems unlikely that this might be completed in February 2024.
EPCOT can also be dwelling to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which is now a pair years previous however nonetheless extremely in style. Different much more current additions to EPCOT embody Moana’s Journey of Water (water exploration path) and Luminous: The Symphony of Us (nighttime spectacular). Each are value testing.
Then there’s the most important addition to Magic Kingdom: TRON Lightcycle Run. That is nonetheless the most recent main attraction at Walt Disney World, and is lower than a 12 months previous as of February 2024. See our Digital Queue Technique Information for TRON Lightcycle Run for particulars, suggestions & tips for fulfillment, and extra (Cosmic Rewind additionally makes use of a VQ–apply the identical recommendation to each rides).
One other different for Cosmic Rewind or TRON Lightcycle Run is shopping for line-skipping entry through the Particular person Lightning Lanes. These posts clarify every choice, their professionals & cons, and every part else you might want to know. Suffice to say, don’t simply present up anticipating to hitch the standby line–as there isn’t one for both journey.
For an outline of what’s on the horizon, see What’s New & Subsequent at Walt Disney World in 2024 & Past.
February 2024 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 you must, both. If we simply had a visible crowd calendar graphic right here, a lot of you’ll solely have a look at that and never learn the accompanying rationalization that covers what you may 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 now not select our personal journey dates based mostly 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 college schedules, airport site 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 not too long ago, Disney has turn into adept and extra refined at manipulating each attendance and crowd stream. February attendance continues to be decrease than most different months, however wait instances typically don’t bear this out. Consider this because the distinction between the precise temperature and the “appears like” temperature, however with crowds.
We will nonetheless precise crowd and attendance patterns, however not wait instances. The latter are what most of you probably care about (the “appears like” crowds), but it surely’s harder to precisely forecast wait instances through Walt Disney World crowd calendars.
As a basic matter, we need to warn you that winter will not be 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. There have been a pair years when this wasn’t as dangerous, however these have been the exceptions fairly than the rule. Winter 2024 is proving to be a return to regular, and positively not the low season.
There are a selection of instances crowds spike in the course of the first two months of the 12 months. All the things from runDisney occasions to beneath the radar vacation weekends to highschool breaks push attendance and wait instances even larger. With all of that in thoughts, listed here are our crowd calendar predictions for the perfect and worst weeks at Walt Disney World in February 2024…
No matter overarching crowd tendencies, the busiest dates in February 2024 will find yourself being President’s Day week. For most individuals, President’s Day isn’t a weeklong vacation, however by way of 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.
Suffice to say, this would be the busiest week of the primary quarter and may very well be one of many 10 worst weeks of 2024. Not fairly up there with Thanksgiving, Christmas, New 12 months’s, or the height of spring break, however nonetheless worse than every other week in January or February 2024. See Worst Week of Winter is Coming at Walt Disney World (from final 12 months) or Keep away from Ski Week at Disney in 2024 for additional perception into how and why crowds spike to the shock of many visitors.
In case 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 13, 2024. This may lead to an inflow of holiday makers 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 22-25, 2024. 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 Broad World of Sports activities occurring in between. Consequently, there’s a roughly two-week stretch within the second half of the month that’ll be various levels of dangerous.
Suffice to say, February 10 to February 25, 2024 ought to see above-average attendance and excessive wait instances. Count on 7/10 to 10/10 crowd ranges for that whole vary, with most dates and parks on the upper finish of that spectrum.
Inside that vary of dates, we anticipate the worst crowds being February 16-23, 2024. That’s when the weekly common may very well be 8/10 or 9/10. (It most likely received’t hit 10/10–winter break is busy, however not that busy.)
Mardi Gras shouldn’t be fairly as dangerous as Presidents’ Day, and runDisney occasions have currently been impacting crowd ranges earlier than the weekend races–that means attendance sometimes peaks that Friday earlier than lowering Saturday and Sunday. We’d anticipate ranges nearer to 7/10 territory these dates, however remember that “appears like” crowds may very well be worse–these ranges measure posted wait instances.
Consequently, we’d advocate avoiding these dates if in any respect doable. In contrast to Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New 12 months’s, the recognition of those holidays catch numerous visitors without warning. (Valentine’s Day, alternatively, 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 strains!
The opposite excellent news–or dangerous information, relying upon your perspective–is that these holidays and occasions are extra staggered in 2024 than the final couple of years. When Presidents’ Day and Mardi Gras coincide, it’s one of many 5 worst weeks at Walt Disney World as a result of the crowds from each breaks are consolidated right into a single week, fairly than two totally different weeks. Consequently, each of these weeks might be elevated, however not insanely crowded.
By way of dates which can be good to go to in February, we’d advocate February 1-9, 2024 as the perfect dates to go to. Based mostly on what we’ve seen within the final two years, our expectation is that the primary half of February 2024 sees crowd ranges within the 4/10 to 7/10 vary most dates, with 5/10 being the norm and crowds steadily 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 12 months will evaluate favorably to then. Walt Disney World attendance has grown by tens of millions of visitors per 12 months since then. You must also anticipate heavier “appears like” crowds at EPCOT as a result of rising recognition of Competition of the Arts. That received’t be mirrored in wait time knowledge, but it surely’ll be obvious by way of congestion whereas strolling round.
Our favourite week on stability can be the primary week of February 2024, which additionally makes the minimize on our listing of the 10 Greatest and 10 Worst Weeks to Go to Walt Disney World in 2024 & 2025. (On the great facet, clearly.)
You can also’t go fallacious with the dates on the very 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 couple of days main into March 2024 ought to likewise be blissful, a pleasant mixture of low crowds, nice climate, and the parks coming into bloom.
With that mentioned, we’ve heard from readers who’re involved about early February being actually busy at Walt Disney World as a result of NFL Professional Bowl in Orlando from February 1-4, 2024. That very same weekend, there are additionally the 2024 U.S. Olympic Crew Trials. Each of those sporting occasions happen in Downtown Orlando, which is definitely a good distance from Walt Disney World.
Whereas pretty unprecedented from a crowd calendar perspective, our view is that the Professional Bowl and Olympics Trials could have next-to-no impression on Walt Disney World attendance. The demographics for these occasions are just too totally different, and attendees will probably be spending their time within the metropolis when not on the occasions.
What we expect is feasible is that demand for the Professional Bowl spikes resort and airfare costs sufficient that it discourages winter weekend warriors who may in any other case plan a fast getaway to Walt Disney World at a time after they’re in any other case pretty in style. Which means that no matter low share of Professional Bowl attendees who do go to Walt Disney World might be offset by the Disney followers who can’t justify the upper price of visiting that weekend, and even locals who go for these sporting occasions over the theme parks that weekend.
Lastly, you have to be conscious of the UDA Nationwide Dance Crew Championship (February 2-4, 2024), 2024 UCA Nationwide Excessive College Cheerleading Championship (February 9-12, 2024), and Disney Presidents Day Soccer Championship (February 17-19, 2024). These have been briefly talked about above, however deserve a bit extra dialogue since they’ve a singular dynamic.
Within the days previous to the occasions and through them, you possibly can anticipate elevated crowd ranges to various levels within the totally different parks. There are a number of occasions like this on the ESPN Broad World of Sports activities on lengthy weekends all through the winter and spring months, which is sensible–the climate is conducive to it this time of 12 months and prohibitive from roughly April by way of November. These can have a significant impression on resort room availability, as there are tons of attendees and so they take up big blocks on the All Stars, Coronado Springs, and some different accommodations. That, in flip, reduces stock there and pushes different individuals to totally different accommodations.
Lengthy story quick, numerous accommodations can promote out fully, inflicting planners to freak out that the parks are going to be chaotic and crowded. Which may be true…generally. However there are two issues to bear in mind. The primary is that almost all of visitors within the parks at any given second all the time come from off-site. The second is that the youth teams are primarily taking part in sporting occasions on the ESPN Broad World of Sports activities, not going to the parks. So to some extent, they’re occupying rooms and displacing visitors who would in any other case go to the parks. (See Why Are Walt Disney World Resorts Offered Out in 2024? for a extra thorough rationalization.)
To make certain, a few of these youth occasions can enhance general crowd ranges within the parks. The larger ones particularly can have a cloth impression on the parks, particularly in case you go to the identical park as their whole (or giant parts of) their group attends. For essentially the most half, although, it’s extra localized. Which means that if in case you have the misfortune of getting in line for Haunted Mansion behind an enormous group of cheerleaders, dancers, flag soccer gamers, and so forth., it could spike each the wait time for that exact attraction and really feel disagreeable for numerous causes (the identical motive you most likely wouldn’t need to be round a whole lot of under-supervised pre-pubescent youngsters wherever).
One other complicating issue is that winter is the ‘summer season’ trip season for South America, particularly Brazil. In a standard 12 months, you’d encounter giant South American tour teams in Walt Disney World. These tour teams sometimes don’t have a major impression on crowd calendars, however might impression on the “appears like” crowds in case you encounter them regularly.
Nonetheless, we’ve not seen these teams to just about the identical diploma within the final couple of years as we did in 2019 and earlier. This isn’t to say that you simply received’t encounter them in any respect–you completely will. You simply most likely received’t encounter them in the identical numbers as earlier than, after they meaningfully elevated crowd ranges. It’s an identical story as with the youth teams–generally they nonetheless can have an general impression, but it surely’s principally simply in case you get unfortunate and are round them or behind them in line rather a lot.
It’s probably that worldwide visitation numbers will rebound to some extent all through the years to return. The extent to which that happens actually will depend on whether or not the greenback weakens, and when that occurs (up to now, it has not occurred). At current, worldwide guests are going through larger prices resulting from conversion charges–and that’s on high of all Walt Disney World’s value will increase during the last three years.
February PRICING & DISCOUNTS
One other upside to a February Walt Disney World trip is costs. That is sometimes the Least expensive Time of 12 months to Go to Walt Disney World when trying completely at resort rack charges and admission prices. On high of that, there are presently some nice offers obtainable for Annual Passholders, Florida residents, and even most of the 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, except you’re getting day without work for President’s Day or Mardi Gras, you actually ought to keep away from that week. In case you’re reserving a February keep at a Disney resort-hotel, you possibly can resolve for your self which resort could be finest by studying our Walt Disney World Resort Critiques.
Total, we’ve had some actually nice experiences at Walt Disney World in February. Low to average crowds for many 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 12 months candy spot between the vacation hangover of January and the Spring Break season of March.
Consider early February as this time of 12 months’s September (one other of our favourite instances to go to for related causes), besides with out fairly as a lot humidity. In contrast to September, there’s a big second half spike in February crowds, however the first half of the month–and remaining few days–needs to be improbable. Whereas we favor the start of the month, February 2024 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? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Inns Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To economize on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every part you might 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 Competition 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!
