Universal Orlando Resort Announces Two-Day Closure Ahead Of Hurricane Ian

Tom Tapp
·3 min read

Universal Orlando Resort, including CityWalk, will close on Wednesday, the company announced today. The closure will continue on Thursday — when the storm is expected to be at its peak in Central Florida — and be lifted Friday. But an update from the Weather Channel on the rapidly developing conditions casts some doubt on the viability of a Friday reopening.

The channel told viewers late today that the prediction of flash flooding in the Orlando area had risen to “Very Likely,” the highest level, for two consecutive days — Thursday and Friday. The channel’s experts termed the designation exceedingly rare.

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The National Weather Service also upgraded its alert for the area in and around the resort from a Hurricane Watch to a Hurricane Warning. The new designation “means that hurricane conditions are expected over the next 36 hours.”

Seminole County director of the office for emergency management Alan Harris told the Orlando Sentinel that, as Ian is a slow-moving storm, its winds and rain would likely start by Wednesday afternoon and continue until early Friday.

“Regardless of where the storm goes exactly, this will be a flooding event,” said Harris. “We could see some areas receive up to 15 inches of rain.” Seminole is just northeast of Orlando.

Hurricane Ian wind forecast as of Tuesday a.m. - Credit: NOAA
Hurricane Ian wind forecast as of Tuesday a.m. - Credit: NOAA

NOAA

The National Weather Service today warned Orlando and surrounding areas to prepare for “major flooding rain,” winds from 75-110 mph and scattered tornadoes.

Universal’s move gives out-of-state guests a small window to get on a flight before Orlando International Airport ceases commercial operations at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Here is the full statement resort officials released to Deadline, a version of which was later posted to social media:

Due to Hurricane Ian, Universal Orlando Resort, including CityWalk, will close on Wednesday, Sept. 28. We will remain closed on Thursday and anticipate reopening on Friday, Sept. 30 as conditions permit. Our hotels are currently at full capacity and will remain operational as they focus on taking care of our guests.

Also, our Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Studios Florida will be canceled Wednesday, Sept. 28 and Thursday, Sept. 29. We anticipate reopening the event on Friday, Sept. 30 conditions permitting.

For more information and FAQs from Universal, click here.

The resort’s neighbor, Walt Disney World, announced closures of some attractions yesterday and today followed Universal’s lead, announcing a full two-day closure shortly after Universal did so.

“Given the latest projections, the theme parks and water parks will be closed on Wednesday, September 28 and Thursday September 29. Disney Springs will be closed Wednesday, September 28,” according to the Disney Parks Twitter feed. Updates should be available via the resort’s weather updates page.

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