The end of 2024 and the start of 2025 have proven to be unusually frosty for Central Florida, with theme parks across the region forced to shut their gates due to plummeting temperatures. Now, new data reveals just how extreme this cold snap has been.
Over the past two months, December and January have seen a string of cold fronts sweeping through the Sunshine State. These frigid conditions have disrupted operations at some of Orlando’s most beloved attractions, including Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort.
This week, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park—currently Disney World’s only water park in operation—and Universal Orlando’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park both remain closed. Today (Thursday, January 16, 2025) marks another day of closures after earlier disruptions this week.
“Morning temperatures have been routinely starting in the 30s and 40s across the region, and afternoons have often struggled to reach the 50s and 60s,” Click Orlando reported. “Normally, the Orlando area is enjoying highs around 71 degrees at this time of year, so this cold streak is definitely standing out.”
While January isn’t entirely immune to cold weather in Florida, the current temperatures in 2025 have set the year apart, placing it among the coldest on record.
“As of now, Orlando is experiencing its 12th coldest January ever on record, with an average high of 55.7 degrees,” the outlet shared. “For some context, the coldest January on record was in 1977, when highs averaged 50.6 degrees, which is pretty insane for Florida!”
This year now holds the distinction of being the coldest January since 2010, a year that saw average highs of 54.4 degrees, ranking it fifth in Florida’s record books.
At the time of writing, both Blizzard Beach and Volcano Bay are scheduled to reopen tomorrow, Friday, January 17, 2025. Blizzard Beach will welcome guests from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while Volcano Bay will operate during the same hours, with early park admission beginning at 9:30 a.m.
Are you braving the cold in Central Florida or sticking to indoor attractions this winter? Let us know in the comments below!
