Depending on where you reside, you might not have much sympathy for Florida’s current chilly weather. Many people who reside in Florida year-round find the thought of experiencing temperatures below freezing intolerable. However, visitors to the theme parks in the Orlando area over the winter vacation should dress for the cold. They need to dress warmly, at least by Florida norms. Due to the unseasonably chilly weather expected for the next few days, several theme parks have changed how they operate.
As you might have anticipated, cold weather has a negative impact on water parks. Although in the Orlando region, water parks often remain open all year long, closing for only a few days due to inclement weather. Due to the cold, many of Orlando’s theme parks’ water parks will be closed for a few days. It won’t be possible for visitors to spend Christmas Eve or Christmas Day at a water park. The sole exception would be Discovery Cove, which, according to its website, will be open during those times.
On December 24 and 25, Volcano Bay, Aquatica, and Blizzard Beach will be closed. Volcano Bay and Aquatica are expected to reopen on December 26 as of the time of writing. Due to anticipated below-freezing temperatures on those days, at least in the morning, these water parks were closed.
However, according to their website, Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park won’t reopen until December 28. The park’s opening and closing times are always flexible.
In terms of land-based theme parks, due to the unseasonably chilly weather, SeaWorld Orlando will delay its opening hours on December 24 and 25 to 10 am. The running of the outdoor rollercoasters at SeaWorld Orlando will not be made possible by the chilly weather. Additionally, both visitors and SeaWorld Ambassadors (Staff) sometimes find the water-based shows to be uncomfortable. Since the location is called SeaWorld, water may be seen everywhere throughout the park.
Speaking of the roller coasters, if you plan to rope-drop at a theme park during these colder days in the Orlando area, do not count on the outdoor coasters opening on time. Depending on the manufacturer, a specific temperature must be maintained for the coaster to operate. For example, the Incredible Hulk Coaster will open once a particular temperature is reached. I have visited Universal’s Islands of Adventure numerous times, with that coaster closed at the park opening due to wintry weather. If you plan to ride coasters on a frigid day first thing in the morning, this might go differently than planned. These issues remain beyond the theme park’s control, so that operations will be adjusted due to weather conditions.
When unseasonably cold temperatures hit the Orlando area theme parks, you should expect things will be different. This could include things like dining operations or attraction loading times. You should expect delays if you visit during the winter.
Have you ever visited a theme park in the Orlando region in near-freezing temperatures? How did things go? Would you do it all over again? Please let us know in the comments section below.
