Walt Disney World Braces for Rare Hard Freeze: Wind Chills in Teens Expected Sunday
Walt Disney World Braces for Rare Hard Freeze: Wind Chills in Teens Expected Sunday
www.wdwmagic.com
-
The new WDWMAGIC iOS app is here!
Stay up to date with the latest Disney news, photos, and discussions right from your iPhone. The app is free to download and gives you quick access to news articles, forums, photo galleries, park hours, weather and Lightning Lane pricing. Learn More -
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
News Disney World Faces Rare Hard Freeze - January 31 2026
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
www.wdwmagic.com
JohnD
Well-Known Member
Trust me when I tell you: The Disney on Broadway dining package is NOT needed during this hard freeze. If you want to brave the cold and go to the Broadway Concert, I'm telling you now, there will be plenty of seating. Too dam* cold!Walt Disney World Braces for Rare Hard Freeze: Wind Chills in Teens Expected Sunday
Walt Disney World Braces for Rare Hard Freeze: Wind Chills in Teens Expected Sunday
I experienced a similar hard freeze during MLK weekend several years ago and did the dining package. I wasted money. Just get a regular dining reservation and pop in on the concert if you want.
Alice a
Well-Known Member
So we’re supposed to be going from Charleston, SC to Tampa for a concert Saturday and then WDW on Sunday for 4 days before a trade show.
Dunno if the (stupid expensive) concert tickets are refundable due to cold weather (doubt it, indoor venue) but I could theoretically skip the concert and go to WDW after the trade show.
Being from SC, even with hand warmers and the warmest clothes we have, how miserable is this weather?
We can’t do a lot of rides due to health issues, and we are both very small women and don’t eat enough food for most table-service to be worth the price. We mostly go to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere.
We were just there in April 2025 for a record-breaking heat wave, and it was an unpleasant experience and total waste of money.
Another big issue is we booked the Chase deal for Animal Kingdom Lodge, so to rebook, this soon, and over a weekend is going to be $$$$.
However Disney changed their cancellation to 8 days, so at this point, I can’t just completely cancel and book at the Dolphin.
On top of this, I live in a historic house in Charleston that has to have all kinds of monitoring in below-freezing weather to keep the pipes and water heater from freezing, and it’s going to be even worse here.
What should we do? I doubt cancellation insurance covers this stuff, right?
Dunno if the (stupid expensive) concert tickets are refundable due to cold weather (doubt it, indoor venue) but I could theoretically skip the concert and go to WDW after the trade show.
Being from SC, even with hand warmers and the warmest clothes we have, how miserable is this weather?
We can’t do a lot of rides due to health issues, and we are both very small women and don’t eat enough food for most table-service to be worth the price. We mostly go to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere.
We were just there in April 2025 for a record-breaking heat wave, and it was an unpleasant experience and total waste of money.
Another big issue is we booked the Chase deal for Animal Kingdom Lodge, so to rebook, this soon, and over a weekend is going to be $$$$.
However Disney changed their cancellation to 8 days, so at this point, I can’t just completely cancel and book at the Dolphin.
On top of this, I live in a historic house in Charleston that has to have all kinds of monitoring in below-freezing weather to keep the pipes and water heater from freezing, and it’s going to be even worse here.
What should we do? I doubt cancellation insurance covers this stuff, right?
If you go to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/trip/my-vacation/ are you able to at least modify it? You could bump the trip to a later date.
In terms of the weather comfort level. That all depends on your tolerance. As of now, it's looking like wind chill will be as low as 10 to 15F on Sunday.
I jest but only because the windchill were I live was -40F last Friday, and the outside temps this week are in the single digits above zero. I know Florida isn't well-equipped to deal with cold snaps like this, so hopefully all goes well.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
It's because they closed Frozen for refurbishment, isn't it? Elsa's mad about not having her usual spotlight.
Chef Mickey
Well-Known Member
I guess banning straws worked?
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Horticulture is going to have their hands very full.
Not just prep work, but all the replanting that will be required once the freeze passes.
-
Not just prep work, but all the replanting that will be required once the freeze passes.
-
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
There will still be tourists from Michigan in the pool!
Brian
Well-Known Member
I know you mean this in jest, but for anyone who is visiting during this period: the pools will be closed.
Ayla
Well-Known Member
From a Wisconsinite, it will be miserable. We've visited a couple times in January when it was in the 40's...and even with the proper layers/gear, it was not much fun.
Could you just hang out at the resort and enjoy the down time?
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
I'm sure. We visited for NYE last month, which was rather chilly (but not this cold). It was low 40s at night and I was shocked the pool at POFQ was open! Those poor lifeguards...
Hot tub was nice! Getting out wasn't...
WorldExplorer
Well-Known Member
Unusual intense weather when they're closing Dinoland. Nice to see Mother Nature doesn't believe the gobbledygook about Humanland fitting either.
Now I've got three days to turn my Summery Dinoland outfit into a Wintery one. Doable, but I will need more fabric paint.
Now I've got three days to turn my Summery Dinoland outfit into a Wintery one. Doable, but I will need more fabric paint.
Nubs70
Well-Known Member
It has been snowing for about 8 days straight. Picked up about 18" last night. I live about 5 miles from that 100 car pile up last week. Had another 30 car pile up this morning.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
I have family from SC. Y'all gonna freeze.
Alice a
Well-Known Member
4 days is a lot of time at AKL when I’m imagining it will be too cold for most of the animals to be out some of the time, no? I suppose we could resort hop for a day or so.
Tuesday and Wednesday look warmer in the afternoon, but then we’ve either burned 4-day parkhoppers to use 1 or 2 days, or we have to buy 1 or 2 day tickets and still have these 4-day ones sitting out there.
I think we’ve decided to go, because the concert tickets were so pricey and trip/ticket insurance apparently doesn’t cover this.
I’ll be writing my first-ever trip report if we do!
Spectro shire
Well-Known Member
30 degrees sounds like a heat wave to be honest
but you need at least a winter coat, gloves (real gloves), a hat that covers your ears
but you need at least a winter coat, gloves (real gloves), a hat that covers your ears
Last edited:
Having been there last year for a day when temps were in the low 40’s (plus light rain), not to mention memories of a February trip in the mid 80’s with a day at EPCOT Center when the high was around 48 plus 20-30mph winds, I can safely say:
