While the theme park mecca of Orlando is considered by many to be sunny all year round, the Central Florida city is actually experiencing a wave of unusually cold weather.
At the beginning of 2026, along with a blast of winter winds, the Orlando area is once again under a freeze warning, with temperatures expected to drop into the mid-twenties (-6 degrees Celsius) over the weekend starting January 31.
Such temperatures don’t make for a pleasant environment for splashing around in the water park, and Disney has kept Typhoon Lagoon closed for much of January — on its website, the resort said the park will be open for regular hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 30, then closed again for the next three days in February.
Since the park is already open for the season through February 14, the extended closure will take away time that Typhoon Lagoon fans can experience on the rides before the park closes for the next six months (every year Disney closes the park in mid-February for renovations while opening Blizzard Beach).
Fellow theme park giant Universal Studios also closed its Volcano Bay water park for two days, Jan. 28 and 29, due to cold weather. While the site is currently ready to resume normal operations on January 30, it could be closed again at the last minute if another cold snap occurs.
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“Due to severe weather, Universal Volcano Bay will be closed on Wednesday, January 28 and Thursday, January 29,” the theme park posted on X and Facebook. “For the latest updates, please call 407-817-8317 or follow our social channels.”
While Universal doesn’t have the same semi-annual water park system as Disney, Volcano Bay is also scheduled to close for five months between October 2026 and March 2027 as the park undergoes extensive renovations, which the resort describes as a “complete overhaul of the park’s complex water system.”
Disneyland California also closed 11 rides, including “The Haunted Mansion” and “Galaxy’s Edge” on a staggered schedule in January and February due to the need for routine renovations and the removal of holiday decorations.
At Disney World, the “Frozen” ride at Epcot is currently closed for renovations until February, while the “Dinosaur” ride at Animal Kingdom will permanently close on February 2 to make way for the new “Raiders of the Lost Ark” ride.
