Presidents’ Day weekend is here, and if you’re heading to Disney World or Universal Orlando this Saturday through Monday, brace yourself. This is consistently one of the busiest weekends of the winter season, and 2026 is shaping up to be no exception.
Disney World Crowd Expectations
Wait times have already been climbing ahead of the holiday weekend. Earlier this week, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure hit 105 minutes, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run reached 95 minutes, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind was at 90 minutes during regular park hours.
WDW Prep School’s crowd calendar rates February 14-16 as “very heavy crowds” at all four parks. The combination of Presidents’ Day, Valentine’s Day falling on Saturday, and school breaks across the country creates a perfect storm.
Tips for Surviving the Crowds
Use Lightning Lane. If there was ever a weekend to invest in Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Individual Attraction Selection, this is it. The most popular rides will be pushing 90+ minutes in standby all weekend.
Rope drop is your best friend. The first hour of park opening typically has the shortest waits. Get to the gates 30 minutes before official opening and head straight for the headliners.
Consider the less crowded parks. EPCOT and Animal Kingdom tend to draw smaller crowds than Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios on holiday weekends. EPCOT also has the Festival of the Arts running through February 24.
Stay late. Crowds thin out after dinner. If your park has extended evening hours, take advantage of them.
Universal Orlando
Universal will be busy too, especially with Mardi Gras running daily through April 4. The concert series adds extra evening crowds on top of the holiday rush. Epic Universe, now in its first year, will likely see its heaviest crowds yet this weekend.
Disneyland Resort
Disneyland is expecting moderate to heavy crowds as well. Our Disneyland guide rates Presidents’ Day weekend as one of the busier periods in February. The good news: Rise of the Resistance reopens tomorrow after its month-long refurbishment, and Soarin’ Over California is back for DCA’s 25th anniversary.
If you can wait, crowds drop significantly by the following Tuesday.
Sources: WDW Prep School, Disney Tourist Blog
