Central Florida theme parks, such as Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, were under a freeze warning, where animatronics stopped in their tracks, and the parks closed down.Credit: Disney / UniversalCentral Florida Theme Parks Frozen in Time as Temperatures, Animatronics and Parks ShutterThe volcano was steaming, the music was pumping, and yet no one was in the water. Lifeguards huddled under towels, guests shuffled by in hoodies and scarves, and the only thing crashing at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon was the wind howling across empty wave pools. Just down the road, in Universal Orlando’s newest park, frigid air bit at the faces of guests who had come for spellcasting, starships, and video game worlds—only to find some of the most advanced animatronics in Central Florida suddenly frozen stiff.How did Orlando, of all places, end up feeling colder than some northern cities on New Year’s week?Credit: Universal / Disney / edited by ITMArctic Blast Chills Central FloridaA major cold front pushed across Florida this week, delivering an Arctic blast that sent temperatures in Orlando and Central Florida plunging into the 20s and 30s overnight, with wind chills dipping even lower. Meteorologists marked it as one of the coldest New Year’s periods in the region in decades, with Orlando’s New Year’s Eve morning low near 36 degrees—far below the city’s typical seasonal norm.Local officials and forecasters issued freeze warnings and cold weather advisories across much of Central Florida, urging residents and visitors to protect plants, pets, and pipes as the coldest air arrived just before sunrise.Credit: Disney (left) / Universal (right)Theme Parks Forced To AdaptAs the cold snap settled over the tourism corridor, both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort made rare wintertime moves: closing popular water parks and adjusting operations to keep guests and Cast Members safe. Disney confirmed that Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park would close for multiple days around New Year’s as temperatures dropped and wind chills made water attractions impractical, with the park scheduled to be closed on December 30 and 31, 2025, and January 1, 2026.Universal Orlando followed suit, shuttering its Volcano Bay water park amid the same Arctic blast, effectively shifting demand back toward the dry theme parks just as the holiday crowds peaked. For guests who had planned a mid-winter water day in Orlando, the closures meant scrambling to rearrange itineraries and dining reservations at the last minute.Credit: Universal / Disney / edited by Inside the MagicWhen Animatronics Meet a Hard FreezeBeyond pools and slides, the cold created an unusual challenge for some of Orlando’s most sophisticated technology. At Universal Epic Universe—a park that officially opened on May 22, 2025, with a lineup of cutting-edge animatronics and effects—guests reported show elements pausing or resetting as temperatures pushed well below what these systems typically encounter in Central Florida.Comedy video clip … it was so cold in Epic Universe on New Year’s Eve that the Snow Wraith was frozen solid. In The Isle of Berk. – @bioreconstruct on XComedy video clip … it was so cold in Epic Universe on New Year's Eve that the Snow Wraith was frozen solid. In The Isle of Berk. pic.twitter.com/GfXQSrf7As— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) January 1, 2026Outdoor-facing animatronics and show figures are designed to withstand a range of weather, but sudden, prolonged cold can impact sensors, hydraulics, and timing systems, leading to characters holding a pose longer than intended or effects cycling offline while safety systems recalibrate. This week’s conditions offered a rare glimpse at what happens when Orlando’s theme park hardware collides with near-freezing temperatures usually reserved for much farther north.Credit: Inside The MagicWhy This Matters for Park GuestsFor fans planning a “once in a lifetime” holiday trip to Disney World or Universal Orlando, weather like this changes everything—from packing lists to park strategy. A Cold Weather Advisory specifically noted impacts across Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, warning of morning and evening lows in the 30s and 40s that could affect comfort and outdoor activities.When Typhoon Lagoon closes for cold weather, guests lose a lower-crowd option on some of the year’s busiest days, concentrating visitors into Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom instead. The same holds true at Universal Orlando, where a closed Volcano Bay can mean longer lines at Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and the new Epic Universe park. Long-term ripple effects in the industryWhile cold snaps are not unheard of in Florida, this particular blast—arriving during a key holiday window and forcing multiple days of water park closures—highlights how climate variability is reshaping theme park operations in real time. Parks that once focused primarily on beating the heat with shade, misting fans, and indoor queue design are now factoring in sudden extreme cold, from updated costuming to more robust weather contingency plans.For seasoned fans, it also serves as a reminder to treat “Orlando winter” with a bit more respect. That might mean adding gloves and a beanie to the suitcase, padding itineraries in case water parks close, and understanding that even the most advanced animatronics at places like Universal Epic Universe are ultimately at the mercy of Mother Nature when the mercury drops.Key takeaways for your next trip (cold-weather edition):Check the forecast and advisories a week out and again the night before visiting Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando.Have a backup plan if you booked a “water park day” at Typhoon Lagoon or Volcano Bay during December or January.Expect occasional show tweaks or downtime for complex outdoor animatronics at parks like Universal Epic Universe when temperatures plunge near freezing.The post Animatronics Stand Silent and Theme Parks Close Amid Central Florida’s Record Winter Temperatures appeared first on Inside the Magic.