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Cold weather could impact at Central Florida theme parks
When you come to amusement parks, the thrills and the excitement may be enough to keep you warm, but for roller coasters the chill could cause your ride to be delayed.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Central Florida is expecting record cold temperatures this week.
When you come to amusement parks, the thrills and the excitement may be enough to keep you warm, but for roller coasters the chill could cause your ride to be delayed.
What they're saying:
Theme park expert Seth Kubersky breaks down how today’s weather impacted Universal Studios.
"There are attractions that definitely have troubles because of the cold weather. We've seen today alone that most of the big roller coasters inside of Universal had delayed openings today. Stardust racers weren't able to start running until this afternoon," Kubersky said.
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The temporary delays help prevent situations like what happened two weeks ago with Universal's Star Dust Racers.
"What happens to a roller coaster when it’s very cold, they can do a thing called valleying which means they don’t make it up the hill and they can be stuck there for a very long time," Kubersky explained.
Local perspective:
We reached out to Sea World to see if their rides would be impacted but have not heard back. Over at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, the water park is temporarily closed today through Thursday. The company says there are no other impacts on Walt Disney World operations at this time.
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Park experts say the dip in temperatures could change that at parks in Central Florida. Manufacturers set limits for temperatures that prevent the rides from running. Some rides can't operate at lower than 50 degrees, others it’s 40.
What to look for if headed to the parks
What you can do:
If you are heading to Disney, outdoor rides like Expedition Everest, Slinky Dog Dash, and TRON Lightcycle Run could be impacted. Over at Universal Studios, outside rides such as the Hulk Roller coaster, the Velocicoaster, and other outdoor attractions could face delays or cancellations.
It’s best to check the company's apps before heading out the door.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by theme park expert Seth Kubersky and Walt Disney World Resort.