Credit: UniversalUniversal Orlando Resort has provided an update on its operations schedule for today (September 27).
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida last night, hitting the Big Bend region as expected. While it’s since been downgraded to a tropical storm – with winds 4 mph below the threshold for a hurricane-level storm at the time of writing – nearly 1.2 million people are still without power in Florida.
While Florida’s theme parks avoided a direct hit from Helene, they still felt the storm’s effects with heavy rain, strong winds, and tornado watches. Walt Disney World Resort canceled last night’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, but Magic Kingdom guests were given extended park hours until 8 p.m. to make up for it.
Typhoon Lagoon and the miniature golf courses—Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland—were shuttered, and several tours and experiences were briefly canceled before being reinstated later.
Meanwhile, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, located closer to Helene’s path, remained closed all day. Universal Orlando Resort also shut down Volcano Bay, its water park, and canceled Halloween Horror Nights for the evening. Even the resort’s shopping and dining district, Universal CityWalk, closed early due to the weather.
What’s the Status of Universal Orlando Resort Today?
With Helene now heading over to Tennessee, Universal Orlando Resort has issued its operating schedule for today.
The resort took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce that Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and CityWalk will all stick to their regular operating hours as planned.
Our hearts are with all those impacted by Hurricane Helene and we are grateful for the hard work of our Team Members during this time.
We welcome back our guests as we have returned to our normal operation, including Early Park Admission.
Update from Universal Orlando Resort. pic.twitter.com/Yvt7idhAUf
— Universal Orlando Resort (@UniversalORL) September 27, 2024
Today’s hours are set at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Universal Studios Florida, which is home to Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, E.T. Adventure, and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Meanwhile, Islands of Adventure—home to the OG Wizarding World of Harry Potter and lands inspired by Jurassic Park, Marvel Comics, and the colorful (but controversial) works of children’s author Dr. Seuss—will open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Volcano Bay will open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and CityWalk will open from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Halloween Horror Nights will also go ahead tonight. Guests who weren’t able to use their tickets last night will be able to enter the event and enjoy the likes of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines, and (if they’re brave enough) Insidious: The Further any night through September 29.
Do you plan on visiting a theme park today?