We know a lot of our readers are planning trips that include Universal alongside Disney and we want to make sure you have the full picture before you finalize anything.
Universal Orlando’s refurbishment situation in 2026 is more significant than it usually is. There are extended closures at multiple major attractions, a handful of permanent closures that represent real losses to the parks, and now a new addition to the list starting next week.
Inside Universal reported on X that Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp and Po Live! in DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios Florida are closing for refurbishment on May 18, 2026. The expected reopening is July 4, 2026. If DreamWorks Land was a planned stop for your group, especially if you have younger kids who were excited about interacting with Po, that six-week early summer closure is information you needed to have before your trip.
Here is everything else that is currently closed or closing across the resort.
Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp, along with Po Live!, in DreamWorks Land will be closing for refurbishment starting May 18, 2026. The area is expected to reopen by July 4, 2026. @UniversalORL pic.twitter.com/3uEaCGA5hN
— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal) May 17, 2026
Universal Studios Florida
Finnegan’s Bar and Grill has been closed since January 12, 2026. It is not coming back until Winter 2026, which is a vague window that means most of the year it is simply unavailable. Finnegan’s is a genuine dining experience with live entertainment and a full bar, and its long absence has thinned out the dining options in the New York area of the park.
Universal Orlando’s Horror Makeup Show closed May 12, 2026, also with a Winter 2026 return window. This one matters if the show was on your list as an entertainment option. It is not a quick refurbishment.
MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack is closed June 1 through June 16. That is specific, it is short, and if you are going in June just know whether your dates land in that window.
The bigger long-term news here is that Fast and Furious: Supercharged is closing permanently in 2027. It is still running for now but the clock is ticking. Whatever replaces it will be one of the bigger Universal stories of the next couple of years.
Universal Islands of Adventure
This is where things get more serious.
Jurassic Park River Adventure closed January 5, 2026, and does not reopen until November 19, 2026. That is almost an entire year. If you are visiting Islands of Adventure at any point before late November, Jurassic World is running without its centerpiece attraction. Plan accordingly.
Pteranodon Flyers was down from February 27 and comes back May 21, so it should be available for the main summer run. Me Ship, The Olive, the children’s play structure in Toon Lagoon, closes May 26 through June 9.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is staying open. There is visual refurbishment work happening on the exterior of Hogwarts Castle but no closure is scheduled for the ride itself. You can still ride it, just with some scaffolding in view.
The Lost Continent is closing permanently. In phases, throughout 2026 and 2027. This is one of the original Islands of Adventure lands from 1999 and it is going away. If any part of that land matters to you, your window to experience it is actively shrinking.
Mythos Restaurant is closing permanently at a TBD date in 2027. We cover food and we are going to be direct: Mythos has been considered one of the best theme park restaurants in the world by people who take that question seriously. If you have been putting off eating there, stop putting it off.
Thunder Falls Terrace Restaurant is closing this summer and will be transformed into a new signature full-service restaurant opening in 2027. The current version is leaving, a new version is coming.
Universal Epic Universe
Viking Training Camp in the How to Train Your Dragon world closed May 4 and reopens May 22. That is the only listed refurbishment at Epic Universe right now. For a park that only opened in 2025, the refurbishment calendar is basically clean compared to what the original parks are dealing with.
Volcano Bay and CityWalk
Volcano Bay has no attraction refurbishments currently listed. The seasonal closure kicks in October 26, 2026, with a planned reopening on or before March 24, 2027. If a fall or winter visit is what you are planning, confirm park hours in advance because Volcano Bay closes on select dates during those seasons and can also close for weather.
At CityWalk, the Burger King Whopper Bar closed April 21 and Five Guys is coming in its place this summer. Hot Dog Hall of Fame closes July 2026 to become Fat One’s Hot Dogs and Italian Ice. Both of those are straightforward tenant swaps.
What This Means for Your Orlando Trip
We cover Disney here primarily but we cover Orlando as a whole vacation destination and we want to give you an honest picture.
Epic Universe is operating the most completely right now out of all the Universal parks. The original parks have meaningful extended closures: Islands of Adventure is without Jurassic Park River Adventure for almost the entire year, and Universal Studios Florida is running without Finnegan’s and the Horror Makeup Show for most of 2026. Epic Universe has one short closure on its current list.
If you are splitting your Orlando days between Disney and Universal and trying to figure out how to allocate your Universal time, the math currently favors spending more of it at Epic Universe during this closure window. That could change as the year goes on and some of these refurbishments wrap up, but for now it is where the most complete version of the Universal experience is.
Check your Universal trip dates against the current closure calendar before you finalize anything. Inside Universal updates their refurbishment list weekly and it is the most current source for this information. If Jurassic Park River Adventure or any of the other extended closures affect a priority attraction for your group, knowing now gives you options. We will keep updating our coverage as these dates shift or new closures are announced.
