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Credit: UniversalUniversal Orlando Resort made a surprising announcement on Twitter this afternoon regarding one of its Parks.
Universal Orlando Resort is made up of Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay Water Park, as well as the Universal CityWalk and numerous Resort hotels. For most Theme Parks in the Orlando area, it’s rare to see inclement weather closures, except in extreme circumstances like a hurricane. Just last year, Hurricane Ian shut down Walt Disney World and Universal Studios for several days in September.
However, an exception is made for Florida’s water parks. Although water parks do close for seasonal maintenance in the winter and coldest seasons, they will often stay open in fall and early spring, when temperatures may be colder than expected but generally still warm for Florida.
However, if the temperatures drop too much during the Park’s operating season, it may choose to close its gates for the day. This is often chalked up to the fact that most people don’t want to swim or get wet in cool weather, and therefore the Park would probably lose money if they chose to stay open due to low attendance. Water parks in Orlando generally close if the temperature averages under 70 degrees.
This afternoon, Universal announced via Twitter that their Volcano Bay Water Park would be closed on Wednesday, March 15, due to inclement weather.
🌧️ ❄️ Weather Update ❄️ 🌧️
Volcano Bay will be closed on Wednesday, March 15, due to inclement weather. For park updates, please call 407-817-8317 or stay tuned to Universal Orlando’s social channels.— Universal Orlando Resort (@UniversalORL) March 14, 2023
The Weather Channel is forecasting clear skies with a high of 68 degrees that day in Orlando, and while that is just barely under the threshold and the weather looks pleasant otherwise, Universal still decided to close the Park for the day. This closure is not expected to last more than the day, with the forecast for Thursday, March 16 showing highs in the 70s. The Park also closed for several days in January due to unusually cold temperatures.
Guests should stay tuned to Universal Orlando’s Twitter for updates.