Safety Advisory Issued for Disney World Resort, Whole Park To Remain Closed

A new advisory is now in effect for Disney World.

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The National Weather Service in Melbourne, Florida, has officially issued a cold weather advisory for Orange County. The advisory will be in effect from 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, January 22, and while the weather may not seriously impact guests’ vacations, those visiting the parks this week should still be aware of the risks.

The National Weather Service warns that there is a risk of hypothermia and suggests guests wear proper protection from the cold. Wind chill temperatures are expected to be as low as 25 degrees.

The advisory includes Inland Volusia, Seminole, Southern Lake, and Northern Lake counties, as well as Orange County.

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Guests should prepare for colder-than-usual weather, especially if they plan on rope-dropping in the parks. Parks with exposed pathways, like EPCOT and Animal Kingdom, could feel even chilly due to increased wind exposure.

Additionally, Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park will close due to the weather. Blizzard Beach has shut down numerous times over the last several weeks due to cold weather, and while guests may opt to skip aquatic activities entirely during the winter months, there are actually a few reasons to visit Disney’s water parks during the winter.

Not only will the water parks be less crowded than Disney’s four main theme parks, especially during the colder months, but both Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon feature heated pools, meaning they can be enjoyed (mostly) year-round. If things get too cold, Disney and Universal Studios will close their water parks as a safety precaution.

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Looking ahead, 2025 will be a very important year for Walt Disney World. Not only will it say goodbye to some of its most iconic locations, rides, and attractions, but Disney World will soon begin work on some of the largest and most ambitious transformations in the resort’s history.

These big changes started with Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand U.S.A., a prehistoric-themed environment centered all around dinosaurs and fossils. Disney officially confirmed the closure of this land last year at its D23 event. Half of DinoLand U.S.A. closed permanently in January, with the other half set to remain open through 2025.

This includes DINOSAUR, the land’s big “E-ticket” attraction, meaning guests still have a year to enjoy what is perhaps Disney World’s scariest ride currently operating.

DinoLand will eventually become Disney’s new South Americas land, a totally new world for guests to explore at Animal Kingdom. It will be home to three new attractions, one of which will be based on Disney’s hit animated film Encanto (2021) and another set to feature Indiana Jones.

Guests can expect to see changes start happening soon over at the Magic Kingdom as well, with Disney set to totally transform the park’s waterways. Magic Kingdom’s Rivers of America, the Liberty Belle, and Tom Sawyer Island experiences are set to wind down operations sometime this year, giving Disney room to construct its new expansion based on Pixar’s Cars franchise.

The changes don’t end here, with Disney’s Hollywood Studios also set to undergo significant transformations over the coming years. Last year, Disney announced that both Muppet*Vision 3D and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster would be closing. This has proven to be one of Disney’s more controversial announcements, with many Muppet fans feeling disappointed over the decision.

However, Disney confirmed that guests will still be able to see The Muppets at Hollywood Studios, just not in their original form.

What new Disney World project are you most anticipating?