The Complete Guide To Universal Studios At Christmas

What better way to spend the holidays than with your family, friends (and 93,000 strangers) in the mild Orlando winter weather at your favorite theme park? 

 Disney World gets a lot of attention during the holiday season, but we’re gonna take you on a tour through all of what  Universal Orlando has to offer for the holidays!

When it comes to the magic of the holidays, most folks will think of Disney World first, but we’re here to tell you that Universal has it’s own kind of magic during the holidays, and it’s pretty great!

No need to book a ticket to the chilly north of NYC and bundle up and shiver your way through the classic parade. You can enjoy this iconic parade in the relatively balmy weather of Orlando (though it does get chilly — bring a jacket, folks). Universal puts on its own Universal Holiday Parade Featuring Macy’s  — the giant balloons and everything!

And those giant balloons aren’t all.  Your favorite Universal characters get in on the fun, too. The characters all show off their holiday outfits, and Puss’s red boots are our fashion goals!

You’ll find every nook and cranny decked out with ornaments, lights, garlands, and GIANT Christmas trees! And it’s not just in the theme parks, the resort hotels get in on the action, too.

And let’s be honest, Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley feel a bit “wintery” all year round with their snow-dusted roofs (even in the heat of July), but during the Christmas holidays is when this area really shines!  We could spend HOURS sipping on hot butterbeer and enjoying the decorations around the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

The Wizarding World becomes SO magical around the holidays, with garland and lights framing the buildings and even decorations themed to each store. Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade both get decorated.

Hogsmeade just really transports you to a wintery Christmas village with those snow-capped roofs and festive decorations. It really just makes you feel like you’re a Hogwarts student taking a trip to Hogsmeade during the holidays. Which, if you’re a Harry Potter fan, is probably your dream.

Beyond just the decorations, you can really experience what it must be like to step into the Harry Potter books and movies with the special entertainment during the holidays. Celestina Warbeck changes up her normal show in Diagon Alley to make it a bit more festive, including some new outfits!

Back over in Hogsmeade, the Hogwarts Frog Choir puts on a special holiday show as well.

To finish out your day, there’s a festive light show projected onto the Hogwarts castle at night! The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle is the perfect view while you sip some hot butterbeer. It’s magical in a way only the world of Harry Potter can be. See? Disney’s doesn’t have a copyright on holiday magic!

If you loved exploring the Christmas magic from the Harry Potter books, then you can jump right into another holiday literary classic at Seuss Landing in Islands of Adventure, which is basically like stepping for into Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The lights line the quirky architecture to really give you that holiday holly-jolly feeling.

And you can actually see the Grinch, too! Look out Kris Kringle, this Grinch is stealing our hearts as well as your Christmas!

There is also the live Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular you can catch a few times of day over here, which features the story of the Grinch and some awesome music. Oh, and there is a real dog playing Max, which is honestly the main reason you should see this show!

The centerpiece of entertainment through film, TV, and theatre is showcased throughout Universal. So, it’s only fitting that there will plenty of holiday music and performers around both theme parks.

Another fun part of the holidays here is the Holiday Tribute Store. This is where you can shop for holiday-themed merchandise in a store that also has themed holiday rooms. Like, over-the-top theming! The store in itself is like an attraction.

The rooms include Santa’s Workshop, an area featuring Earl the Squirrel, the Grinch’s Lair, and the Yule Ball from Harry Potter!

The Holiday Tribute Store brings its A-game with exciting themed treats for the holidays here you can snack on. You had us at “Gingerbread Whoopie Pie”… *drool*

And since you’re going to admire all of the Universal Christmas trees anyway, be sure to grab the map for the Holiday Tree Hunt. Find all of the uniquely themed and decorated trees in the parks and in Universal CityWalk. When you complete the scavenger hunt, you get a special holiday ornament!

And the great thing about all of Universal’s holiday celebrations is that it’s all included during regular theme park admission — there is no major separately ticketed event like Disney has.

But if you want even more holiday fun, you can go on Universal’s Holiday Tour (starting at $79.99). This happens on select dates, and it’s a guided tour through Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

You can sip on hot cocoa with the Grinch (with his trusty dog, Max!!) and meet Santa Claus! Then, you get a special reserved spot for Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s and The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular. Plus, you get to nosh on some tasty vittles like Who Hash!

Finally, end your night with an exclusive after-hours showing of The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle. Note that you do also have to have park-to-park tickets and reservations to do this tour.

And to dig deep into all of the holiday feels, nothing does that better than all of your favorite earworm Christmas tunes. On select dates in December, Universal Orlando hosts a Mannheim Steamroller concert. So you can fa-la-la-la-la the night away!

So,  if you want a more unique holiday experience, we’d say Universal is the place to be, with activities that you can’t really find anywhere else. Also, if you’re a Harry Potter fan, then Universal definitely wins.

We hope this helps you plan your ultimate Universal Orlando holiday priorities! Stay tuned to All Ears for more theme park news, info, and updates.

Click here to see who has the better annual pass program — Disney World or Universal Orlando?

Which resort do you prefer to celebrate the holidays at? Let us know in the comments!

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