Central Florida Thunderstorm Forces Ride Closures at Universal and Disney

A powerful thunderstorm swept Central Florida on the evening of June 30, 2026, bringing intense lightning that triggered safety shutdowns across major theme parks. At Walt Disney World, the storm struck the power grid, causing a widespread outage that disabled roughly half of the resort’s attractions and forced numerous rides to close for the night. Guests reported long waits and limited operation of only a few areas, such as the Animal Kingdom safari, while many indoor experiences remained unavailable.

At Universal Orlando, the same lightning activity led to the temporary suspension of outdoor rides. Most attractions reopened after inspections, but the Jurassic World VelociCoaster remained closed the following day, prompting speculation about possible lightning damage. Universal has not confirmed the cause, noting that rides undergo additional safety checks after severe weather. Both parks emphasized that their structures are designed to withstand lightning and that closures are precautionary.

Visitor comments highlighted the disruption, with one guest noting, "We were at Animal Kingdom earlier and it was a mess there too. Only things open at one point was Safari and Navi River," while another described the day at EPCOT as "one of the worse days at EPCOT I've had in quite some time."