Guests heading to Universal's Islands of Adventure in early 2027 will want to note a gap in the water-ride lineup. Universal has confirmed that Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges in Toon Lagoon will close for its annual refurbishment beginning January 4, 2027, with a scheduled return following February 2 — a shutdown window of roughly a month.
The closure is classified as routine seasonal maintenance, which is a fairly common practice for water attractions during Orlando's cooler winter months. The good news for fans of the ride — where getting thoroughly soaked is practically the whole point — is that Universal has given no indication this is anything other than a temporary tune-up with a firm end date.
The timing lands during an already eventful stretch for Islands of Adventure. Jurassic Park River Adventure has been offline for most of the year for an extensive refurbishment and is currently expected to reopen in November 2026, meaning it should be back in action before Bilge-Rat Barges goes dark. That avoids a scenario where both of the park's major water rides are unavailable simultaneously.
Bigger changes are also underway elsewhere in the park. The Lost Continent is being permanently retired, with demolition already underway in parts of the land. The area's beloved Mythos Restaurant is expected to be among the last locations to close, sometime in 2027. Universal has not yet announced what will eventually take the land's place.
Planning Your Trip
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For anyone planning a Universal Orlando trip around the Bilge-Rat Barges experience, the January 4–February 2 closure window is worth building into your itinerary. This story was first reported by Disney Fanatic.
