Disney Confirms Closure Status as Florida Theme Park Shuts Down in Early 2025

The Walt Disney World Resort has confirmed the closure status of one of its theme parks as Central Florida experiences a meteorological event.

With record crowds flooding Walt Disney World this Christmas and New Year season, guests are truly embracing the magic of Disney’s flagship resort. From selling out the divisive Lightning Lane Premier Pass to experiencing New Year’s Eve fireworks and rare character appearances, the holidays have been extremely busy.

However, as the festivities begin to come to a close, reality will surely set in, and nothing is more grounding than waves of cold weather barreling through Central Florida. The cold fronts have already claimed one theme park victim in the Sunshine State as Universal Volcano Bay Water Theme Park has announced a two-day shutdown across January 2 and January 3, 2025.

As Universal Orlando Resort gears up for the highly anticipated debut of Epic Universe, the theme park giant is currently grappling with operational setbacks brought on by Mother Nature herself. In a surprising twist for the Sunshine State, chilly weather has forced Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park to close its gates once again. This follows another unexpected shutdown on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2024.

The news was shared on Universal Orlando Resort’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, where they stated:

“Universal Volcano Bay will be closed on Thursday, January 2, and Friday, January 3, due to inclement weather. For park updates, please call 407-817-8317 or stay tuned to Universal Orlando’s social channels.”

🌧️ ❄️ Weather Update ❄️ 🌧️
Universal Volcano Bay will be closed on Thursday, January 2 and Friday, January 3, 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) January 1, 2025

According to a late December forecast from Click Orlando, colder weather was on the horizon, with temperatures dipping into the 60s during the day and plunging to lows in the 30s and 40s overnight. The report noted that “wind chill values will mostly be in the 40s, but some areas may feel like the mid to upper 30s.”

For Central Florida, this kind of weather can wreak havoc on outdoor water parks, and the prediction has clearly come to pass.

Usually, water theme parks in Central Florida will all follow the same closure pattern. However, as seen on the official Walt Disney World Resort website for Disney’s Blizzard Beach, the park remains open (at the time of publication) across January 2 and 3.

The Blizzard Beach park, the only open water park at Disney World with Typhoon Lagoon indefinitely closed, experienced a multi-day closure in the last month of 2024, extending to six days while a cold front moved through.

Those looking to experience Summit Plummet and Tike’s Peak in the next few days still have a chance to, but that may not be the case moving into next week.

Looking ahead, meteorologists are warning of even more frigid conditions. A new Click Orlando report highlights that “Florida will indeed get in on the Arctic action as well. Temperatures will absolutely plummet when the first major winter system drags that dense but shallow layer of arctic air south.” This icy forecast is set to hit early next week, around January 6, 2025.

For guests planning to splash into Central Florida’s iconic water parks, patience might be a virtue. With more cold fronts on the horizon, waiting for warmer weather could make for a much more enjoyable visit.

Do you think Blizzard Beach should also close due to low temperatures? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!