Central Florida experienced a rare cold snap that produced icicles across Disney World and Universal Orlando, with Orlando dipping to 24°F on Feb. 1. Social-media photos and videos showed frozen fountains and icicles on attractions including Epcot’s Remy’s fountain and the Universal Studios globe. The National Weather Service issued cold-weather advisories and freeze warnings for Orange and Osceola counties, and Universal closed Volcano Bay on Feb. 2–3 due to the inclement weather.
Rare Freeze Turns Disney World and Universal Orlando Into Winter Scenes — Icicles Form as Orlando Drops to 24°F
bioreconstruct/Instagram
Photos and videos shared on social media captured an unusual sight over the weekend: icicles and frozen fountains at both Disney World and Universal Orlando as an Arctic blast pushed temperatures in central Florida to record lows.
bioreconstruct/Instagram
What Happened
Orlando plunged to a low of 24°F on Sunday, Feb. 1, and several popular attractions showed visible effects of the cold, according to reports from Florida Today, WESH and the National Weather Service. Posts from X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram — including content shared by the account @bioreconstruct and reporter Marcus Leshock — documented the freeze across both resort complexes.
bioreconstruct/Instagram
Notable Sightings
- Epcot: Long icicles dangled from the fountain outside Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in the France Pavilion.
- Magic Kingdom: The Jungle Cruise misting system in Adventureland appeared to be frozen.
- Epic Universe (Universal): Fountains including the Mario Fountain outside Super Nintendo World and the Isle of Berk fountain in How to Train Your Dragon developed ice and icicles.
- Universal Studios: Thick icicles were even visible hanging from the iconic Universal globe.
Park Responses and Safety
The National Weather Service issued cold weather advisories and freeze warnings for parts of central Florida, including Orange and Osceola counties where the parks are located. In response to the inclement weather, Universal Orlando announced via its official X account that Volcano Bay would be closed on Monday, Feb. 2, and Tuesday, Feb. 3; previously scheduled closures for Feb. 4–5 remained in place.
bioreconstruct/Instagram
“Parks and local officials monitored conditions while guests and online viewers reacted to the rare winter-like scenes,” reports said.
Visitors and park staff were advised to dress warmly and follow any guidance from park operations. Although rare in the region, such freezes can lead to temporary ride adjustments and closures for guest safety and to protect park infrastructure.
Sources: People, Florida Today, WESH, National Weather Service, posts from X and Instagram (including @bioreconstruct and Marcus Leshock).
Help us improve.
