With more than 20 trips to Walt Disney World, I’ve visited during every season and most months of the year — a June work trip, November family trip for our Disney wedding, a 5th birthday trip in May, and in the runDisney ChEAR squad with a friend in February.
This year was my fourth time visiting in the winter months of January/February, and it was just my husband and me. Despite some very chilly days, this trip confirmed it — winter is officially my favorite time to visit Disney World, especially when it’s a kid-free trip.
Winter is a time to explore the parks differently
In the months when avoiding heat and crowds is a priority, it’s best to arrive early, stay late, and avoid being outdoors during the hottest hours of the day.
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When it’s cold, it’s kind of the opposite. We focused on the indoor attractions and spots with indoor queues in the morning.
At 11 a.m., we searched for opportunities to be in the brisk afternoon air and lovely sunshine.
Once the sun started setting and it started getting chillier around 4:30/5 p.m., we headed to eat, taking our time over meals at restaurants geared more toward adults, like Takumi-Tei at EPCOT.
We found rare characters, cold-weather costumes, and new Cast Members
Late January/early February is one of the start times for the Disney College Program, also known as DCP in Disney lingo.
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Some of my favorite Cast Member interactions have been with excited, brand-new college kids in “Earning My Ears” ribbons. These Cast Members are proof that some of the biggest Disney fans work in the parks.
This is also a time to randomly meet rare characters because characters are being “warmed up” (Disney speak for training) for parades, shows, and character meet and greets.
On this trip, we had two character firsts at EPCOT — meeting both Geppetto from “Pinocchio” and the mice from “Cinderella.” Usually, the only place to see these characters is during a parade.
I got a wave from Geppetto and helped the mice search for Cinderella’s glass slipper.
EPCOT is also home to many outdoor character meet-and-greets. When the temperature drops, the cold-weather costumes come out — Alice dons a gorgeous cloak, Moana has sleeves with seashells, and Aurora gets a stunning pink fur trim on her gown.
We found a new favorite location for a nighttime show, California Grill
With the not-so-magical weather, we changed our plans for the nighttime show.
Even in a hat, gloves, and multiple layers, the chilly nighttime air coming off the lagoon at EPCOT for Harmonious and the cold seats at Hollywood Studio Fantasmic! weren’t appealing.
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Instead, we made our first visit to California Grill. Seeing fireworks fill the sky over Magic Kingdom, toasty warm with a goat cheese ravioli and a glass of Skywalker wine, was an experience I will happily repeat.
The best EPCOT Festival is for a few weeks and only in the winter
I’ve been to every one of the four annual EPCOT festivals multiple times.
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is, without a doubt, my favorite. It’s the smallest, shortest, and least busy festival.
We visited the festival every day of our four-day trip. We climbed inside 3D chalk art, saw popular Disney artists, hopped inside scenes from Disney movies, and sampled sips and bites almost too beautiful to eat.
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What I love most about the Festival of the Arts is the sense of community and inclusiveness.
We joined thousands of people from around the world to transform a wall into a colorful community art piece.
And, before leaving the park for the evening, we stood with other guests watching Spaceship Earth light up in rainbows while The Muppets sang “Rainbow Connection.”
This trip, we were prepared for the cold weather
Almost every winter trip to Disney, I have come home with an impulse purchase made while freezing in the park.
There’s the blanket from the EPCOT Mexico pavilion we huddled under during the fireworks in November, and the Mickey sweatshirt bought at a very chilly late-night Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. I have two hoodies from my last trip in February — it was so chilly, I wore both at the same time.
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Not this time! We were prepared for the cold, and instead of a suitcase full of cute vintage-inspired Disney dresses — my usual park look — I packed packable puffer jackets and gloves, and got creative with Disney-esque layers.
Multiple guests and Cast Members complimented my Minnie Ear beanie and Mickey-inspired red and black puffer jacket layers — items I got for an Alaska Disney Cruise that I never thought I’d wear in Florida, but looked great in front of the magical glow of Spaceship Earth.
