8 Major Changes Coming to Disney World in February 2026

Several changes are happening at Walt Disney World in February, including an end date to a popular festival and major closures happening across the resort. One land at the park is closing forever.

Let’s get into all the changes you need to be aware of for February at Walt Disney World, especially as many refurbishments take place this time of year. Mickey Visit brings the latest Disney news and planning resources, including details about the recent Disney World crackdown on unauthorized businesses and a fix to a long broken special effect.

READ MORE – SECRET Targets to Get High Score On Toy Story Midway Mania

1. DinoLand U.S.A. Goes Extinct FOREVER

DinoLand U.S.A. is closing permanently to make way for the new Tropical Americas themed land at Animal Kingdom. The DINOSAUR ride will soon be replaced by a new version of the fantastic Indiana Jones Adventure ride currently at Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.

DINOSAUR, Restaurantosaurus, and the Dino Institute will all close permanently on February 2, 2026, with February 1, 2026, the last day to experience them.

The Tropical Americas land will feature Encanto and Indiana Jones themed attractions, with construction already moving along swiftly on the Encanto area of the land.

2. Major Cheerleader Competition Crowds at Disney World

Guests staying at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort should be aware of a major sports event in February that brings large crowds to Disney World. The National School Spirit Championships are split into two weekends, with one division competing January 30-February 1, 2026, and the other February 6-8, 2026. This event brings thousands of athletes and spectators to the resort, significantly impacting the parks during this time frame. Most of these athletes will stay at the All-Star resorts, most notably the All-Star Sports Resort.

The first competition finishes on February 1st, which means many fans and teams that did not make the finals will use that day to visit the parks. There is also a private celebration party for athletes in Disney’s Hollywood Studios that evening, so this park will see higher crowds before the event starts. For teams and fans that are staying for the second event, the days between competitions could also be busy. The most noticeable impact will be on Disney Springs in the evenings during these competitions, as these groups visit after a day of competing. You can read more in our Disney World crowd calendar.

3. Disney Skyliner Reopens After Refurbishment

The Disney Skyliner will be closed for refurbishment from January 25, 2026, through January 31, 2026. The popular gondola system will reopen on February 1, 2026.

This transportation system is heavily used at Disney World, so its short closure ending at the start of the month is a significant benefit for guests. You can see all the current Disney World closures here.

4. Disney World Water Park Schedule Switch

Typhoon Lagoon will close for annual maintenance on February 14, 2026. The same day, Blizzard Beach will reopen to take its place.

This is common for how the Disney World water parks operate in the off-season, with the expectation that both will be open in the summer months.

5. EPCOT International Festival of the Arts Ends

The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts comes to an end on February 23, 2026, which means many of the food options in EPCOT will change as the food marketplace booths, called Food Studios, close as the festival ends.

This is also the last month to catch the remaining lineup of festival performances as part of the EPCOT concert lineup.

6. Yacht Club Restaurant Closing for Refurb

Crew’s Cup Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Club resort will close for refurbishment starting February 23, 2026, with a reopening expected in May 2026.

This is also within the context of additional refurbishments at the resort, which include visible exterior maintenance through the end of the year and more restaurant closings in spring.

7. Frozen Ever After Reopening with Ride Improvements

Frozen Ever After is currently closed as EPCOT upgrades the Audio-Animatronics from projection faces to sculpted faces, which has been an improvement fans have been requesting for years.

There is no official opening date yet, but it will be sometime in February.

8. Francesca’s Disney Springs Location Likely Closing

The fashion chain Francesca’s is expected to close its stores nationwide as it filed plans at the end of January to cease operations.

There is a Francesca’s location in Disney Springs, so it is likely we will see this location close sometime soon, likely in February, as many store locations have already closed. This comes after the Sprinkles location closure that came with the entire national chain shutting down at the beginning of this year.

READ MORE – Hidden Secrets of the Disney World Hotels You Haven’t Heard Of

I love exploring the different hotels at Disney World. Each hotel has so much detail that I always catch something new every time I revisit them. However, each hotel also has its own stories and secrets that, once you learn them, may change your whole perspective on Disney’s attention to detail. Let’s go over the top hidden secrets of the Disney World hotels.

READ MORE -Don’t Pack These Items For Your Disney Trip. They Can Cause Headaches and Some Are Banned.

When it’s time to pack for your Disney vacation, it’s important to keep in mind that certain items are not allowed on property. Even though Disneyland and Walt Disney World both have their own set of property rules, it can sometimes be unclear what exactly is allowed and what’s not. There are many items that are completely banned, while others only have certain stipulations that need to be followed. These are the Disney items you shouldn’t pack for your trip.