February 2022 at Walt Disney World | The Complete Guide

If you are thinking about visiting Walt Disney World in February, you’ve come to the right place! This guide will show you if visiting the Disney Parks in February is a good idea or not and everything you need to know.

If you come from the northeast like we do, by the time February roll around you are sick of the snow and the cold. Time for a trip to Disney World!

In this post, we will explain all the info you need to manage the crowds, weather, events, attraction closings, as well as prices and tips on how to get discounts. We’ll even tell you why February ranks among the best months to visit Disney World.

This guide includes info for visiting the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, as well as the resort hotels in February.

Before we get started, read our post on the Best Times to Go to Disney World for month-by-month rankings and why February is near the top. No matter if you are visiting in February 2022 or February 2023, we think you will find what you need to make an informed decision.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter. There we bring you the latest updates on all the newest additions to the park as well as vacation planning tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

Overview of February 2022 in Disney World

In general, February is one of our favorite times of the year to visit Disney World. In fact, we love visiting during this time especially the first half of the month when the crowds are less and wait times are low.

It’s a lot like going to Walt Disney World in January as the two months have many things in common.

There is no doubt, however, that visiting this year is much different than going in years past. Even over the past few months, things have changed quite a bit and you need to be able to be prepared. Slowly we are seeing the parks returning to normal, even though there is still a long way to go.

We’re going to give you a brief summary but for a more detailed overview of what is different, read our Disney World Reopening Guide where we go into more detail.

Park Hopping is back at Disney World once again, which means you are no longer limited to just one park per day. We’ve been able to get reservations for a second park pretty easily so it shouldn’t be difficult during your trip either.

50th Anniversary – February is right in the middle of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary celebration which started last October and will carry on through the rest of the year and into 2023. If you haven’t been in a while, there have been some additions to the parks including new attractions, new entertainment, and new restaurants.

The festivities have been reduced from what they originally would have been, but you will still see 50th-related things at every corner.

Returning Attractions and Experiences – At this time, not everything is back up and running, but Disney has made a lot of progress over the past year in bringing back some of the experiences we love most.

Fireworks are back in the parks, character meets have returned, although in a more reduced format than before, and most attractions are up and running once again. Tours are coming back in 2022 as well.

The biggest thing missing from the parks are the shows and other entertainment, though the selection has improved in recent months. We are also waiting to hear when the Disney Dining Plan is returning, as Disney has announced it will be in 2022.

Disney Genie – FastPass+ is gone from the Disney parks, and has been replaced by Disney Genie. It offers some free planning advice, but mostly it is a pay-to-ride version of FastPass through Genie+ and the Lightning Lane. Love it or hate it, it has a huge effect on touring the theme parks.

Updated Safety Guidelines – Some of the guidelines like wearing face masks are still in place, others like social distancing and temperature screening are no longer enforced. To find out what guidelines are currently in place in the theme parks, hotels, and restaurants, read our article on Disney World Safety Guidelines Changes.

Limited Park Capacity – Disney has limited capacity in all 4 Disney World theme parks compared to their normal numbers. Theme park capacity in Disney World has slowly been increasing and should continue through the rest of the year.

Disney Park Reservations – Since park capacity is limited, reservations are required for entry. Disney has also created a Park Pass reservation system, so make sure your entrance is booked well in advance. 

Right now we don’t know how long these changes will remain in place, but they will likely stick around for at least part of 2022, with the potential of some rules loosening later in the year.

Events

While there are some events we really enjoy in February, that isn’t the focus of coming at this time of the year.

February Dates of Note:

• Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts (Jan 14 – Feb 21) – The first EPCOT festival of 2022 is still running into February. A must-do event.
• Super Bowl Weekend (Feb 13-14) – The biggest game of the year and fans can see it in a variety of locations.
• Valentine’s Day (Feb 14) – This year it doesn’t overlap with President’s Day
• President’s Day Weekend (Feb 19-21) – The most crowded week in February and to be avoided if possible.
• Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend (Feb 24-27)
• Cheerleading Competitions – Feb 4-6, Feb 11-13, Feb 18-20
• Dance Competitions – Feb 4-6, Feb 18-20

EPCOT Festival of the Arts

The 2022 Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts starts in January, but runs until February 21, giving guests almost the entire month to enjoy this wonderful celebration of art and food.

If you’ve been to one of the other EPCOT festivals before then this one will feel very familiar to you. The Festival of the Arts however combines the visual, culinary, and performing arts all into one big event. There are many outdoor kitchens with some awesome snacks to try as well as kids’ activities, street artists and more.

Spend at least a few hours during your EPCOT day exploring this wonderful event. Read our overview on the EPCOT Festival of the Arts for more info including full menus.

Super Bowl Weekend

The Super Bowl isn’t one of the most popular events of the year in Disney World, but if you are a football fan you will definitely need a good place to watch this historic matchup. Thankfully there are many places to do that including sports bars, and more.

Read our list of the Best Places to Watch the Super Bowl at Disney World for our complete rankings.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

runDisney holds a number of top-notch running events throughout the year, and the Disney Princess Half Marathon is a great one to be a part of. It normally happens at the end of February and is one of the most popular races at Walt Disney World since the weather is great for running.

There is something for runners of every age and experience level and there are plenty of chances to win a medal. The event sells out quickly so buy your tickets early. It shouldn’t have too big of an impact on the parks, just know the routes so you don’t end up in the wrong park on the wrong day.

This year, the Princess Half Marathon will be held on February 24-27.

Crowds

How Busy is Disney World in February? Usually, February is not a busy time at Walt Disney World and the crowds and attraction wait times are both low compared to other months in the year.

The low crowds are comparable to January if you’ve ever been at that time and especially in the first half of the month, most days are a 3/10 or 4/10 on the crowd calendar. In the past couple of years crowds have crept up in February, and from big crowds already in 2022, we see that increasing more.

The one week you definitely want to avoid in February if you are worried about crowds is the President’s Day weekend. Crowds will peak from the 12th through the 15th, then go home after the holiday is over. The weekends are more crowded, especially at EPCOT for the festival, but nothing too bad.

This year in 2022 we anticipate the crowds being higher than normal due to the pent-up desire to travel once again and last year’s vacations being pushed into this year. Hopefully, it is still a great opportunity to visit the parks when they aren’t as crowded and take advantage of the lower wait times.

Disney could always increase the park capacity, but they probably won’t do that until later in the Spring since there probably won’t be a need in February.

People are still wary about traveling right now so most guests this month will be locals or people within driving distance. It won’t be until Easter that we see a major uptick in attendance so take advantage of it while you can.

Make sure to read our Disney World Crowd Calendar to understand which months are the busiest and when to avoid going.

Disney World Weather in February

The weather at Walt Disney World in the month of February is known for warm, mild days and chilly nights. If you are planning on spending the majority of your time at the parks, it’s absolutely perfect.

Temperature – According to USClimateData.com February in Disney World has an average high of 73°F (22.7°C) and an avg. low of 53°F (11.6°C). That means February is the third coldest month of the year in Walt Disney World on average.

February is a step up from January in average temperature and we find it quite pleasant. Some days in the second half of the month it can even reach into the 80s. We don’t like touring the parks when it’s too hot, so this is great for us.

Just keep in mind the difference in temperature between day and night. While not usually “cold,” the evenings can be chilly so you’ll want to dress appropriately.

Can You Swim in February? – It’s not particularly hot at Walt Disney World in February, but there could be some days during your trip when it warms up and is conducive to going in the swimming pool.

It obviously depends where you are from and what temperature you consider hot. If you are from a northern state like us, then you might already be in shorts at 70 degrees and get the urge to go in the pool. Just don’t expect it to be like the Summer.

Rain – Another plus about going to Disney World in February is there isn’t much precipitation. In Orlando it only rains approximately 6 days in February and it gets on average only 3.2″ of rainfall.

Of course, this is Florida and rain is always a possibility, but it will likely be showers and have a minimal effect on your trip.

Daylight – On average, Orlando, Florida has 11 hours and 8 minutes of sunlight in the month of February, making it the fourth-shortest amount of daylight per day.

What to Wear to Disney World in February

Though not as important as in other months, you still will want to dress in layers at Disney World in February. The problem is the mornings and evenings are much cooler than the daytime, which makes it hard to know what clothes to pack in your bag.

We recommend bringing long pants, a jacket, sweaters, and long sleeves for the mornings and evenings, and wearing a t-shirt underneath so you can remove those layers in the middle of the day. You probably won’t need a scarf or gloves, but you never know.

Weather can be unpredictable, so a few days before leaving for your trip, make sure to look up the weather forecast for the days you will on vacation. This will give you a better idea of how many long-sleeved shirts you need and if you want to pack your shorts.

With bigger clothes, you will need a larger suitcase in February than if you were going in the Summer when all you need are shorts and t-shirts. You might need a change of clothes when you go out at night and the temperature drops.

Go ahead and bring a swimsuit or two because if the temperature warms up enough you might get an opportunity to go in the pool or hot tub.

There will be a lot of sunshine, so make sure to pack enough sunscreen and a hat for shade. Since there is always the chance of a passing shower, bring your own ponchos from home and save a bunch of money.

Lastly, bring close-toed shoes, especially a comfortable pair of sneakers or tennis shoes as there will be LOTS of walking. We walk about 8-10 miles per day at Disney World so this is a must.

Park Hours

February park hours are usually reduced compared to busier months in the year anyway, but this is even more true this year. Since the Disney Parks reopened, the normal park hours have been cut, with most parks open 1-2 hours less than they normally would be. 

Here is an example of what you can expect the park hours to be in February:

• Magic Kingdom – 9:00 am to 8:00 pm or 9:00 pm (Weekend Hours 9:00 am to 9:00 pm or 10:00 pm)
• EPCOT – 11:00 am to 9:00 pm
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios – 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom – 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Prices & Discounts

Disney World is cheaper in February than many other times of the year, especially if you go during the first couple of weeks before the holidays.

The first 10 days of February are listed under the “Value” category for resort hotels, and that is the ideal time to go to save money. You can expect the lowest crowds and the lowest prices during that time.

We explain this more in our guide to the cheapest times for a Disney World Vacation.

This year should be a decent year, though there aren’t as many discounts as we saw in the last few years. More people are starting to travel again which may reduce Disney’s need to offer lower prices. You also won’t find the Disney Free Dining Plan right now, and we will keep an eye on it to see if it ever comes back.

Hotels

The first place you want to look for deals is on hotel rooms and vacation packages, this is before even taking into consideration extra promotion.

Let’s look at a comparison in price between going in February and other times of the year at Walt Disney World.

Below are the prices for a standard room per night at 3 different Walt Disney World Resort hotels (we chose one from each hotel tier, Value, Moderate, and Deluxe). The prices show the base prices during the various seasons of the year:

We see a tale of two months as the first 9 days will be in the value Tier, and the rest of the month is either a holiday or it falls under the Spring tier which brings up the overall monthly average. That’s why going at the beginning is so important.

• Pop Century Resort price per night: $168 in early February, $270 in Spring, $333 during the Holiday Season.
• Caribbean Beach Resort price per night: $248 in early February, $340 in Spring, $432 during the Holiday Season.
• Animal Kingdom Lodge price per night: $450 in early February, $622 in Spring, $766 during the Holiday Season.

By going to Pop Century in early February instead of the Spring you will save $40 per night, and instead of going during the Holiday season you will save $103 per night. Over 5 nights that means saving $200 and $515 respectively.

If you choose to stay at one of the moderate or deluxe resorts the savings are even higher than in this example. With all that savings you can put it toward your park tickets, meals, and merchandise.

Keep in mind, these are just the base prices, during many months Disney runs even deeper discounts on hotel rooms and vacation packages that will help you save even more money. Make sure to check the Disney World website for the latest offers.

Current Disney World Hotel Discounts:

• Annual Passholders: Save Up to 25% on Rooms at Select Disney Resorts in Early 2022 – Stays most nights from January 2 through March 10, 2022.
• U.S. Military Members – Discounted rates at select Disney Resort Hotels on stays most nights from January 1 through December 16, 2022.

Park Tickets

Theme park tickets are also lower in the first half of February than many other times of the year like the Summer or holiday season.

Prices for single-day Disney World theme park tickets range from $119 to $145 which is on the low to middle end of the spectrum.

The most expensive days of the month for park tickets are on the holiday weekend over President’s Day and the Saturdays before and after that. Avoid those dates to save the most money.

Make sure to read our post if you are wondering “How much does it cost to go to Disney World?” for a more detailed look into prices.

As always, if you want to take advantage of the discounts in February, the best way is to use an Authorized Disney Travel Planner. We recommend Show You the World Travel for all your trip planning needs. They are super helpful and the best part about it is they are FREE to use!

February 2022 Refurbishments and Construction

If you are going to Walt Disney World in February, you should know that it is one of the biggest months for refurbishments. It’s possible one of your favorite attractions could be closed during this time.

Disney must keep the majority of rides open during the holiday season, so when the winter rolls around, they take advantage of the dip in attendance to do regular maintenance to the attractions.

Keep up-to-date with what attractions are open in our Walt Disney World Refurbishment List so you won’t be surprised when you get there.

In February both Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids are usually closed with a long refurbishment from January into March. It makes sense since not many people want to get wet in those months.

This year The Walt Disney World Railroad will be closed at least until the end of the year as part of a long refurbishment while they are building the TRON roller coaster. Expedition Everest is also closed for refurbishment at the Animal Kingdom until the Spring.

Take these into consideration when planning your trip.

It’s also important to know that, at least one of the two water parks will be closed in February due to regular maintenance going on during the cold weather. This year neither Blizzard Beach will be closed for refurbishment in February.

In the next few years, expect to see a ton of construction in Walt Disney World. Of all the theme parks, the biggest project is the huge EPCOT expansion which is turning Future World into 3 separate areas. Don’t expect this to be finished before 2023.

In February 2022 we are in the middle of the Disney World 50th anniversary celebration. Some of the projects we saw finished for this event are the new ride Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, the Space 220 restaurant, and the new fireworks show “Disney Harmonious.” 

For the rest of the year, we know that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is opening in Summer 2022, but that’s definitely not in time for February. The TRON Lightcycle Run coaster also won’t be ready, probably not until 2023.

If you are interested in learning about more new attractions coming to Disney World, then make sure to read our extensive post on the topic where we explain each one in more detail.

Tips

Here are our most important touring tips for the month of February.

1. Go Early in the Month

If we haven’t made this clear by now, we’ll say it one more time. Go early in February (the first 10 days) to get the best discounts and to have the parks at the lowest attendance levels of the month.

Avoid President’s Day weekend, unless you have no choice because of your schedule.

2. Make the Most of Your Days

While not as bad as other months, the park hours are shorter in February and closing time comes earlier. That means it’s even more important to go to the parks early at rope drop and do as many attractions as you can.

From our experience, the Disney Parks open a solid 30 minutes before the listed opening time. Be there before that so you can be one of the first people in line for the big attractions. Even though it’s not ideal to wake up early on vacation, you will thank us later.

3. Prepare Well for Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios doesn’t have as many lulls in attendance no matter what month you go in. This has been the case ever since Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opened and isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

If you are at all interested in riding what is arguably the best attraction in Disney World, you need to know its special riding rules. Right now, Rise of the Resistance is using a standby queue, instead of the Virtual Queue which it used for the first 2 years.

In case it switches back to the virtual queue, you can read our detailed post on How to Ride Star Wars Rise of the Resistance for more info.

January vs. February in Disney World

Honestly, there isn’t much difference between going to Walt Disney World in January or February.

Both months are great for getting a discount on rooms and tickets, though January has more overall days that fall into the Value tier. The crowds are a little lower in January, but you will want to avoid the big holidays in each month (Martin Luther King Jr. Day and President’s Day).

If we are splitting hairs, February has slightly better weather with higher temperatures and a bit more sunlight each day. If you are hoping to go in the pool on vacation, February gives you a better chance, though neither month is a guarantee.

Overall as long as you pick a date that falls in the Value tier, go whenever is more convenient for you. Read our complete guide to Disney World in January for more info.

February vs. March in Disney World

February vs. March is a much different story and there are more differences between the two.

For one, the weather is much better in March than in February. Temperatures rise dramatically and most of the month is warm enough for shorts and t-shirts, yet not excruciatingly hot like the Summer. If warm weather is important, you will like March more.

The events are also better in March since the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival is in full bloom. The landscaping in EPCOT is incredible, and that carries over into the whole resort with more flowers everywhere. There are also fewer refurbishments in March.

February, on the other hand, is cheaper than March with more discounts available. Crowds, in general, are a bit lower too, but if you go in the first half of March crowd levels are very similar to February. This is also less of a concern in 2022 as both months should be pretty low until Spring Break hits.

We prefer February to March by a small margin just because we prefer saving money and having low crowds to warm weather. Either month is beautiful though as long as you avoid the holidays and Spring Break.

Read our Guide to Disney World in March for more tips and info.

Should You Visit Disney World in January?

We are big believers in going to Walt Disney World in February and would highly recommend it. There is plenty of sunshine, little rain and mild temperatures which is perfect for visiting the parks.

Crowd levels are low in the first half of the month, and should be even more so this year. The same goes for the prices and you can get some good deals. While there aren’t tons of events, the Festival of the Arts is a must-see for us every year.

The combination of weather, crowds and price make February a winner in our book!

Visit Disney World in February If…

• You like cheap prices on hotels and tickets.
• You like lower crowds and shorter wait times.
• You like mild temperatures and want to avoid the heat and humidity.
• You don’t have any problems getting off from work or school during the month.

DON’T Visit Disney World in February If…

• You want to spend a good portion of your trip in the resort pools or waterparks.
• You want to avoid missing out on a couple of attractions closed due to refurbishment.

FAQs

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about visiting Disney World in February…

• Do you think February is a good month to visit?
• Which month do you think is the best?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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