The Walt Disney World Resort is home to four theme parks and two water theme parks, not to mention Disney Springs. The sprawling Central Florida destination is the House of Mouse’s flagship location for all things Disney and is visited by millions of people each year.
However, while Disney World aims to cater to and for everyone, outside influences can often cause operations to alter, and that is never more clear than when it comes to the Sunshine State’s tropical climate.
It was only two months ago that Florida and its surrounding states were battered by back-to-back hurricanes. Helene and Milton wreaked havoc over the East Coast of the United States, with the latter causing Central Florida theme park resorts to shut down. Guests at Walt Disney World Resort were forced to hunker down inside their hotels while Milton passed through.
Not just hurricanes can cause functions to falter, though. While known for its warmer climate, one reason why Disney handpicked Florida for its expansion of the Disney park portfolio is that significant cold fronts can hit Florida. This was the case this week, and judging by the latest announcement, it may be the case next week, too.
The cold front that swooped into Florida in early December caused Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort to close their water theme parks. Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park and Universal’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park have been closed for most of this week, with the former shuttered from December 2 through December 4. The Disney park is set to reopen at 10 a.m. on December 5, 2024.
But its reopening may be shortlived.
While another cold front is expected Thursday night, temperatures in Central Florida will average out and climb above normal moving through the weekend and into Monday next week, as reported by Click Orlando. “By Monday, temperatures will climb above normal, with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s,” they reported. “Overnight lows will also warm up, staying in the lower 60s by Monday night.”
However, the outlet notes that the weather can be unpredictable.
“As we head into Tuesday and Wednesday, the forecast gets a bit trickier. Models are showing a stronger cold front moving in, but there’s some uncertainty about when it’ll arrive and how strong it will be,” they explained. “We’ll keep an eye on it, but rain could return by Wednesday (20% chance). Until the front arrives, temperatures will likely stay slightly above normal.”
If this cold front is stronger than the one that shut down the Disney World and Universal parks recently, then guests may be forced to rearrange plans depending on whether Blizzard Beach and/or Volcano Bay was on their agenda for next week.
At present, Disney World only operates one water theme park at a time, a measure carried over from the pandemic era. Disney’s Blizzard Beach’s future closure has not yet been confirmed, but it can be expected that Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will reopen sometime in 2025.
How do you feel about these cold fronts taking over Central Florida? Are they causing your Disney World plans to change? Let Disney Fanatic know in the comments down below.
