Credit: Universal / Disney / edited by ITMFlorida has a reputation for sunshine that is, on most days, thoroughly earned. Orlando in particular tends to function as a reliable escape from the cold snaps that grip the rest of the country during late winter and early spring, and for the millions of families who time their theme park visits around the promise of warm weather, that reputation is a selling point as much as the parks themselves. People book Disney and Universal trips for March partly because March in Central Florida is supposed to feel like summer.
Plus, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, but this is surely not a lucky situation.
This week, Central Florida did not get the memo.
Temperatures this morning are running nearly 25 degrees cooler than yesterday, and today’s forecast high is expected to struggle to reach 60 degrees across the region. To put that in historical context: if Orlando’s high today reaches only 60 degrees, it would break the previous record cool high of 61 degrees set in 1901. The normal high for this time of year is around 79 degrees. That is not a minor cold snap. That is the kind of temperature departure that changes what a park day looks like entirely, and for the resort’s water parks it means something more significant: the doors are closed.
Universal Orlando’s Volcano Bay and Walt Disney World’s Blizzard Beach are both shut down today due to the cold temperatures. Guests who planned their visit around either park are going to need to adjust, and guests with multi-day trips in the area should know how long this weather pattern is expected to last before conditions return to something resembling normal.
Volcano Bay Closes First
Universal Orlando’s Volcano Bay is among the closures today, and it is the kind of decision that makes obvious sense when you look at the thermometer. Volcano Bay is a water theme park built around the towering Krakatau volcano, featuring slides, a wave pool, the lazy Kopiko Wai Winding River, and the signature Kala and Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides that run through the volcano itself. It is a full-day experience under normal conditions, but “normal conditions” does not include a forecast high of 60 degrees with a morning start in the 30s for parts of the Orlando metro area.
🌧️ ❄️ Weather Update ❄️ 🌧️
Universal Volcano Bay will be closed on Tuesday, March 17, 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 16, 2026
The park requires temperatures that make water-based attractions viable for guests. When the forecast does not cooperate, the operational call is straightforward. Volcano Bay will reopen when conditions allow, and based on the forecast, that window is coming — but not today.
Blizzard Beach Follows Suit
Walt Disney World’s Blizzard Beach is also closed today for the same reason. The park, which is built around a ski resort that melted into a water park, features the Summit Plummit speed slide, the Teamboat Springs family raft ride, the Cross Country Creek lazy river, and a range of slides across its mountain-themed layout. It is consistently one of the most popular water parks in the United States during warm weather months.
Cold-weather closures at Blizzard Beach are not unheard of — the park’s entire aesthetic leans into a winter theme in a way that is almost self-aware about Florida’s occasional cold days. But a closure this late in the season, at a point when spring break travel is at or near its peak volume, affects more guests than a similar closure in January would.
Both parks’ closures are weather-related and temporary. The forecast for the coming days offers a clear improvement timeline.
When the Weather Turns Around
Today is the coldest day of this particular pattern. Temperatures tonight will dip further, with areas along the I-4 corridor dropping to the low and mid 40s and some northern areas of the region potentially seeing patchy frost in the mid 30s. Brevard County will be milder, in the low to mid 50s. Tomorrow, however, brings improvement: highs are expected to reach the low 70s, which is still below the seasonal average of around 79 degrees but a meaningful step in the right direction.
By the end of the workweek, temperatures should be climbing back toward the lower to middle 70s with abundant sunshine. The weekend looks considerably better, with Saturday afternoon readings expected to reach the lower to mid 80s — which is not just back to normal but slightly above average. A few clouds are possible but no significant weather concerns are in the forecast for the weekend.
For guests visiting this week, today is the outlier. The parks-in-general experience across Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando will not be dramatically altered by a 60-degree high in terms of thrill rides, indoor attractions, and the overall park day. But for anyone whose trip specifically included Volcano Bay or Blizzard Beach, the closure is real and today’s conditions make the reasoning self-evident.
What This Means for Your Disney or Universal Vacation
If Blizzard Beach was on your Walt Disney World itinerary for today, the first step is to check the My Disney Experience app for the current closure status and whether Disney has issued any guest accommodation for affected tickets. Disney occasionally offers replacement options or date flexibility for water park guests during weather closures, and it is worth contacting guest services directly if Blizzard Beach was a significant part of your planned day.
For Universal guests whose Volcano Bay visit falls on today’s date, Universal Orlando’s guest services line and app are the right starting points for understanding your options. Multi-park tickets that include Volcano Bay may have flexibility built in, and the resort’s team can advise on rebooking.
If your trip extends into the weekend, the forecast is genuinely encouraging. Saturday is looking like one of the better weather days of the week, with temperatures in the low to mid 80s and mostly clear skies. Guests who can shift a water park day to Saturday or later in the week are likely to get a significantly better experience than today would have offered even if the parks were open.
For families flying into Orlando for a trip that starts today, dress for the actual weather rather than the Florida weather you were expecting. Lows tonight in the 40s along I-4 will feel genuinely cold, and the parks themselves will be significantly cooler than a typical March visit. A jacket is not optional tonight — it is necessary.
Check back for updates on water park reopening status as the weather improves through the week.