If you are planning a Disney vacation, you likely have just that — a plan. So, if Disney closes down one of their world-renowned theme parks with little to no warning, guests may end up in a slight panic, attempting to not only rearrange their vacation but also mourning the loss of not being able to enjoy that part of Disney.

Walt Disney World Resort is certainly the most magical place on earth, and while it leaves guests with unforgettable memories, it also is quite expensive.
When it comes to planning a Disney vacation, the expenses associated with visiting Walt Disney World Resort or any Disney park have steadily increased in recent years. Tickets for entry to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort can now reach up to $180 per person, which is not an easy purchase for many families. Additionally, tickets for after-hour events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party may cost around $200 per person for just a few hours.
When it comes to a place to sleep, guests have the option to stay at over 25 Disney resorts, each with its unique theme, ranging from The Lion King and The Little Mermaid to Finding Nemo and Cars at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. The accommodation choices include unique experiences like enjoying the Disney Skyliner at Art of Animation or riding the monorail from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa Resort to Magic Kingdom or EPCOR.
However, the cost of a Disney resort can easily reach $700 per night, especially at Deluxe resorts (and at times, it can cost even more).

When factoring in the expenses for food, drinks, merchandise, and other potential upcharges, a Disney vacation can quickly approach the $10,000 mark, or more, depending on where you are staying, and how many parks you are visiting.
Despite the costs, the theme parks offer a ton of iconic attractions, allowing visitors to meet beloved characters like Mickey Mouse, experience the thrills of The Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Tower of Terror, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, and many more. The diverse and enchanting experiences may make it easy for visitors to justify the overall expense of their Disney vacation.
At Disney, guests can also enjoy the water parks!
There are two water parks that guests can “choose” from: Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, we add choose in quotations as there is not really a choice, since both parks are never open at the same time. So, during the summer, guests can enjoy Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, and now, during the winter, Disney’s Blizzard Beach is open.

Blizzard Beach is a water park themed as a melted ski resort. It boasts a range of water attractions suitable for all ages, from the little ones who might want to splash around with young Anna and Elsa, to older guests who want to plummet down terrifying waterslides.
Some of the attractions at Blizzard Beach are Summit Plummet, an iconic high-speed water slide with a nearly vertical drop, and Slush Gusher, offering a thrilling, yet bumpy ride. Teamboat Springs provides a family raft adventure, while Toboggan Racers offers a mat racing slide for friendly competition. Downhill Double Dipper, Snow Stormers, and other attractions contribute to the park’s diverse water experiences.

Blizzard Beach also features a unique chairlift for easy access to Mount Gushmore, much like a ski lift, adding to the theming. Melt-Away Bay is a large wave pool, and Cross Country Creek is a lazy river winding through the park. Ski Patrol Training Camp caters to younger guests with smaller slides and water obstacles. The park’s immersive environment and various attractions create a distinctive and enjoyable water park experience.
While Blizzard Beach offers one of the most fun and unique themes of any water park across the globe, there are instances in which it will shut down entirely. This is typically due to cold weather.
Click Orlando recently reported that for the next few days, we will see a dip in the weather: “Overnight, a refreshing northwest breeze will persist, bringing minimum temperatures in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

On Wednesday, an intensifying low-pressure system off the Carolina coast will sweep a reinforcing cold front through the region early in the day. Expect brisk northwest winds at 15 to 20 mph, with gusts reaching 25 mph. Despite increased sunshine compared to today, temperatures on Wednesday afternoon will remain below normal, staying in the 60s.”
While these are not freezing temperatures, they are certainly not appealing numbers for those wanting to enjoy a water park in typical Florida sun. When the temperatures drop like this, it is not uncommon to see Disney shut down their water parks (or Universal when it comes to Volcano Bay) as attendance will drop significantly.

At the moment, Disney has shut the gates to Blizzard Beach today, December 6, as well as tomorrow, December 7. While it is expected to reopen on December 8, guests should be aware that if the cold weather persists, Disney may make the choice to extend the closure. Taking a look at the hours of operation for the park before getting ready for a water park day will likely save you time and disappointment.
As we noted, Universal also tends to close down its theme park, Volcano Bay. Volcano Bay is seen as the third gate to Universal Orlando Resort, and is right next to Cabana Bay, and a short bus ride to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. When guests visit, they are able to can soak in Waturi Beach, brave the Krakatau Aqua Coaster, ride Honu ika Moana, dive into the Ko’okiri Body Plunge, use their Tapu Tapu, and more!
Today, Volcano Bay is also closed due to weather, as well as tomorrow. We can see this on the current park hour calendar.
Like Disney, the theme park is expected to reopen Friday.
Would you go to Blizzard Beach in 60-degree weather?