Disney World in February Questions

[MadisonMouse13]

Hello! It's official, I've booked a WDW Vacation from Feb.12-20, with a side trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on Feb. 17. This is only my 3rd trip, the past two times I've been are Sept. 2004 and April 2009. Because those are very warm months in Orlando, I have a few questions/concerns about going in the winter.

1.) How should I dress? As a resident of Southeastern Massachusetts, winter clothing is right up my alley. However, I've never been to Florida in the winter, and I'm wondering how cold it gets during the day and night, and how I should dress.

Along the lines of #1, 2.) Is sunscreen still necessary?

3.) Are the hotel pools and resort water parks still open? I will be staying at the Beach Club if that helps answer this question.

Thank you! If anyone has any other tips that I should know about, please let me know!

 

[UCFGrad01]

1) Heh. Your guess is as good as anyone's! We were in the low 60's yesterday and will be back to the mid 80's tomorrow. Sooo... LOL
When I used to visit here in Feb, I'd bring jeans and t-shirts mostly, with a hoodie or a fleece. With that said, I like colder weather and am not very sensitive to it, so a hoodie or whatever was sufficient for me.

2) IMO, yes. The temperature doesn't have much to do with sunscreen needs, other than you may have more skin showing if the temperature is higher

3) The pools are usually open, I believe. Whether you want to get in them or not may be another story. There's usually one water park still open during the winter, and is sometimes closed on a day-by-day basis if temperatures get too low.

 

[HockeyMomNH]

We were there the same week last year for the Princess Half Marathon weekend. It was 32 degrees the first night we were there, and mostly in the 50s-60s the whole weekend. Although it is much warmer than here in New England in the winter, I think that the humid air in Florida makes those cold temperatures feel colder.

Just make sure you have lots of layer options.

 

[MadisonMouse13]

1) Heh. Your guess is as good as anyone's! We were in the low 60's yesterday and will be back to the mid 80's tomorrow. Sooo... LOL
When I used to visit here in Feb, I'd bring jeans and t-shirts mostly, with a hoodie or a fleece. With that said, I like colder weather and am not very sensitive to it, so a hoodie or whatever was sufficient for me.

2) IMO, yes. The temperature doesn't have much to do with sunscreen needs, other than you may have more skin showing if the temperature is higher

3) The pools are usually open, I believe. Whether you want to get in them or not may be another story. There's usually one water park still open during the winter, and is sometimes closed on a day-by-day basis if temperatures get too low.

Thank you very much!

 

[MadisonMouse13]

We were there the same week last year for the Princess Half Marathon weekend. It was 32 degrees the first night we were there, and mostly in the 50s-60s the whole weekend. Although it is much warmer than here in New England in the winter, I think that the humid air in Florida makes those cold temperatures feel colder.

Just make sure you have lots of layer options.

Great advice! If there's one thing New Englander's know how to do, it's wearing layers!

 

[Hopefully]

Have you made your dinner. ADR's yet? Reservations open 180 days prior to checkin in and popular in park restaurants fill completely months in advance. Have you established your MDE Account? You need to book FP+ 60 days in advance. Things have changed drastically since you last visited.
Look at the menus at all ears.net. Look at the crowd calendars at easy wow.com
Good luck

 

[MadisonMouse13]

Have you made your dinner. ADR's yet? Reservations open 180 days prior to checkin in and popular in park restaurants fill completely months in advance. Have you established your MDE Account? You need to book FP+ 60 days in advance. Things have changed drastically since you last visited.
Look at the menus at all ears.net. Look at the crowd calendars at easy wow.com
Good luck

Dining Rezzies and Fast Passes are all set! My dad and I are on MDE on our iPhones, and our Magic Bands are all ordered! Thank you for the reminders though! These Q's were just regarding FL weather in Feb, but I appreciate the thought!

 

[Disneytam]

We are from upstate NY and have been down to the world the past two Feb. and will be returning again Feb. 23-March 3 in 2016. I totally agree with other posters that it feels colder at Disney than it does at home. 60 degrees in NY is comfortable but 60 degrees in Disney is chilly and add just a little wind and I'm grabbing a jacket! Two years ago the first three days were in the 80's and almost hot but the night got nippy quick as soon as the sun went down. On an average day it's short sleeved shirts and capris' but by night time it's a sweatshirt and jeans and if the wind picks up a jacket as well. We have always had a day or two of swimming since the pools are heated but lounging in the sun by the pool is iffy at best.

 

[MadisonMouse13]

We are from upstate NY and have been down to the world the past two Feb. and will be returning again Feb. 23-March 3 in 2016. I totally agree with other posters that it feels colder at Disney than it does at home. 60 degrees in NY is comfortable but 60 degrees in Disney is chilly and add just a little wind and I'm grabbing a jacket! Two years ago the first three days were in the 80's and almost hot but the night got nippy quick as soon as the sun went down. On an average day it's short sleeved shirts and capris' but by night time it's a sweatshirt and jeans and if the wind picks up a jacket as well. We have always had a day or two of swimming since the pools are heated but lounging in the sun by the pool is iffy at best.

Thanks for the great advice! I hope you have a magical stay, and hey by the way, Feb. 23 is my 16th birthday!

 

[jenniy122]

Was there that time last year, in 2005, and going again the first week of Feb. next year. Back in the day I remember walking around universal in a bikini top after getting my clothes soaked on a water ride and not being cold (I clearly remember having ice cream and frozen lemonade there) but I was 17 then lol. 10 years later, either my body has changed or the weather has because I wore my fleece and long pants until the temps suddenly jumped from the 40s to the 80s early this year. Heck, in the mornings on my way in I needed a hat and gloves too!

To summarize, be ready for anything!!!

 

[MadisonMouse13]

Was there that time last year, in 2005, and going again the first week of Feb. next year. Back in the day I remember walking around universal in a bikini top after getting my clothes soaked on a water ride and not being cold (I clearly remember having ice cream and frozen lemonade there) but I was 17 then lol. 10 years later, either my body has changed or the weather has because I wore my fleece and long pants until the temps suddenly jumped from the 40s to the 80s early this year. Heck, in the mornings on my way in I needed a hat and gloves too!

To summarize, be ready for anything!!!

Thanks for the help!

 

[vicb]

My family has been to WDW many times in Feb. You have to plan for all types of weather, warm-rain-cold.
We always take fleece coats to layer with including hats and gloves! Ponchos or mini umbrellas. And bathing suits and sunscreen. We have used all of them on our Feb. trips, sometimes all of them on the same trip!

Also be flexible. One year it was apparent that the only day warm enough to be a pool day was to be our first full day in the parks, we ditched our plans and headed to BB. It was a bit disruptive but as it turned much cooler we were so happy we had taken advantage of that one warm day.

Good luck!

 

[MadisonMouse13]

My family has been to WDW many times in Feb. You have to plan for all types of weather, warm-rain-cold.
We always take fleece coats to layer with including hats and gloves! Ponchos or mini umbrellas. And bathing suits and sunscreen. We have used all of them on our Feb. trips, sometimes all of them on the same trip!

Also be flexible. One year it was apparent that the only day warm enough to be a pool day was to be our first full day in the parks, we ditched our plans and headed to BB. It was a bit disruptive but as it turned much cooler we were so happy we had taken advantage of that one warm day.

Good luck!

Thank you for the great tips! Very very useful! I will bring a plethora of clothing!

 

[msmama]

I'm going around that time and I will start checking the weather to decide what to pack the week before. I don't think it's worth even thinking about until then!! But, yes, I'll be planning on layers and having a bit of everything.

Sunscreen is an always thing - at least on the exposed parts, so my face gets it every day. It won't necessarily get reapplied as often as the warmer months though because we won't be sweating it off (hopefully).

 

[Paigesmom2013]

We're going at the end of February and I'm worried. We have one "pool day" and if it's cold, we're sunk. There's not much flexibility anymore with fast passes and dining reservations to change your park days. The kids can't resist a pool but we might need to be ready with plan B.

 

[katt789]

We're going the 17-25th! And having lived in FL for the last year, I can assure you that weather can be ANYTHING.
Last year I was a tt, jeans, boots & a lighter sweater and was shivering. However it could still be sweat dripping weather. Keep checking when the 21 day forecast releases and keep your eyes on it!

Sunscreen is ALWAYS mandatory! (imo) Also if it's super sunny & hot you DEFINITELY want it, if you don't want to bring it, buy it when you get there, but it's gonna run you $15

Pools will be open, i believe one of the waterparks is usually down for refurb around that time, and one of the pools at your resort might be, just check the disneyworld website for that info

 

[Carolyn Louise]

Hello! It's official, I've booked a WDW Vacation from Feb.12-20, with a side trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on Feb. 17. This is only my 3rd trip, the past two times I've been are Sept. 2004 and April 2009. Because those are very warm months in Orlando, I have a few questions/concerns about going in the winter.

1.) How should I dress? As a resident of Southeastern Massachusetts, winter clothing is right up my alley. However, I've never been to Florida in the winter, and I'm wondering how cold it gets during the day and night, and how I should dress.

Along the lines of #1, 2.) Is sunscreen still necessary?

3.) Are the hotel pools and resort water parks still open? I will be staying at the Beach Club if that helps answer this question.

Thank you! If anyone has any other tips that I should know about, please let me know!

Hello fellow Feb tripper! I'll be there the 1st through the 5th. I was told it can be 30s-40s in the morning and then warm up to 70s-80s in the afternoon...so I'm planning on getting a couple of hoodies/fleeces to layer with and making use of locker rentals at the parks, haha. I have a winter down coat that squishes down to be really minuscule so I'll probably stuff that in my bag just in case. Aside from those strategies I'll basically be checking and re-checking the weather forecast the week leading up to the trip. I have no problem packing the day before leaving so I can wing it.

 

[kiltclan]

Huge fan of the feb trips, its my fav time of the year to go (No, my birthday in feb is not my major motivator )

So far all the pp have been steering you in the right direction. It can start as cold as the 30s to low 40's in the am and climb all the way up to the 80's by mid-day. Alot of the reason Disney feels colder than the cold at home is we've got a humid chill (everything in Fl is humid) so it'll get into your bones if you stop moving long enough. We usually opt for at least 1 thing made of wool to take with us, whether it be an over sized sweater or a blanket, its usually enough to keep the chill at bay.

No matter where or when you go in Florida, no matter how grey and cloudy the skies look, you should ALWAYS wear sunscreen. As a fl native, this is something I stress to everyone. Florida is a great big magnifying glass and the clouds and even window glass don't keep the most damaging rays from reaching your skin. For the best protection, find a sunscreen with uva/uvb protection

All the pools and water parks remain open, and a great deal of the resort pool are also heated, so even if its super chilly in the air, the water should be just comfy enough to get in a quick dip. I know I've done the insanity scuffle back to the hotel room a few times when I decided it wasnt too cold (please note: it was most definitely too cold for me lol) But it was super comfy in the pool, I almost didn't want to leave the water

 

[Pmlocke]

We go every year in February. Lower crowds and for me, ideal weather. The temps usually range from 68 to 75 but the past several years we have gotten into the 80's. Night time you will need a jacket and long pants as it can get chilly (40-50's) We will be there in 64 days and can hardly wait. The pools are always open at the hotels. I was there for a December trip in 2010 and the temps were 68 for a high. My wife and I were in the pools enjoying the change from our Michigan winters. Funny thing is the lifeguards looked like they were ready to shovel snow with all of the clothing they had on. I asked one of the guards "with all that clothing, how would you be able to save me if I started to drown". He replied, "sir, stand up-the water's only four foot deep. They keep the pools heated to 82 degrees in the winter so enjoy.

 

[bumbershoot]

They actually close pools now if it's too cold. we noticed that this January for the marathon weekend.

And in case it wasn't obvious from a previous mention, you're going over Princess Half Marahon weekend. There will be some road closures.