As December continues, shifting weather across Central Florida is once again shaping daily operations at the region’s largest theme park resorts. Cooler air, periods of rain, and increasing winds have combined to bring renewed closures at area water parks, affecting both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort just as the holiday season approaches.
Weather forecasts issued by Click Orlando earlier this month signaled an unstable pattern moving into the region. A series of weather fronts were expected to pass through Central Florida beginning over the weekend of December 6. Scattered showers were forecast for Saturday, followed by broader rainfall on Sunday, December 7. By late Sunday, rain chances were projected to reach as high as 80 percent, with one to three inches of rainfall possible in certain locations, particularly north and west of the I-4 corridor.
The rain was only part of the story. After several days of highs in the low to mid-80s, temperatures were expected to decline. Sunday’s highs were forecast to reach the mid-70s, with colder air moving in early the following week. Daytime temperatures were projected to settle into the upper 60s and low 70s, paired with cooler overnight conditions.
Click Orlando attributed the change to a weak front drifting into Central Florida and dissipating, followed by a developing low-pressure system along the northern Gulf Coast. That system was expected to pull a stronger cold front through the area late Sunday into Monday. “As the cold front arrives on Sunday, expect a few more clouds and the chance for isolated showers, mainly along the coast late in the day,” the outlet reported. “By Monday, Central Florida will likely wake up to chilly and breezy conditions. North winds are forecast to pick up, ranging from 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph possible.”
Theme park fans, especially those with water park plans, paid close attention to the forecast. Weather-related changes had already occurred earlier in the holiday season. Over Thanksgiving weekend, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park temporarily closed due to cooler temperatures, offering an early reminder of how quickly conditions can affect operations.
Those concerns became reality again in mid-December. Typhoon Lagoon closed on December 11 and December 12 as cooler and wetter weather settled into Central Florida. Soon after, the official Walt Disney World Resort website listed “No Times Available” for Monday, December 15, 2025, confirming another closure tied to the incoming cold front.
A subsequent update extended Typhoon Lagoon’s closure through Tuesday, December 16. During this period, Blizzard Beach remains closed as part of its seasonal shutdown, leaving Walt Disney World without an operating water park during the cold spell.
The impact has extended beyond Disney property. Universal Orlando Resort also confirmed the closure of Volcano Bay Water Theme Park as the same front moved through the area. While winter often brings heavy holiday attendance, it also increases the likelihood of weather-related interruptions. Volcano Bay, however, has times listed for today, December 16, 2025.
These closures arrive as Central Florida theme parks approach one of the busiest times of the year. The week between Christmas and New Year’s is traditionally the most crowded at Walt Disney World. With water parks unavailable, guests may redirect their plans to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, potentially increasing attendance across those parks.
Universal guests may make similar adjustments, shifting their focus to Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe when Volcano Bay is affected.
How do you feel about weather-related closures impacting Disney and Universal during the holiday season? Let us know in the comments.
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