ALL the Holiday Offerings Announced for Universal Orlando

It’s almost time for the holidays to arrive at Universal Orlando!

The updates from Universal just seem to keep coming, and there’s no stopping them! We’ve recently learned when Universal’s newest theme park, Epic Universe, will open and how much it will cost for tickets. We also got a brand new lagoon show AND the longest daytime parade featuring fan-favorite movies. But as much as we’ve enjoyed all of the latest updates and entertainment, a turn of the seasons is quickly approaching, and that means the holidays are starting soon at Universal!

Universal Orlando is gearing up for a season of thrills, fun, and excitement as it celebrates the holiday season. The holidays at Universal will start on November 22nd and run through December 31st, and we can hardly contain our excitement to see a few returning favorites and see what’s new for the parks and hotels!

The best part is that most of Universal’s holiday offerings can be enjoyed free with theme park admission! Let’s take a closer look at what awaits you at Universal and where you can find it!

Islands of Adventure

Surround yourself with holiday magic as you explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter this holiday season! Hogsmeade will be ready to welcome you with its festively themed décor, garland, and twinkling lights while you pick up a Hot Butterbeer to keep you cozy.

Don’t forget to stop and see the The Frog Choir perform a few holiday tunes with oversized bellowing frogs!

But as the night falls on Hogsmeade, magic takes to the skies! The nighttime spectacle, “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle,” is set to return this year as a fan-favorite projection and pyrotechnic show on Hogwarts Castle. It will feature Christmas moments and holiday cheer inspired by the beloved Harry Potter characters and stories.

Grinchmas will take over Seuss Landing, and we promise it’ll be a hoot! It’s one of our favorite times to visit this whimsical land due to its holiday cheer and the special cast of characters you might find roaming around. Trust us — this is a BLAST!

Here, you’ll be treated to a live retelling of the Dr. Seuss holiday classic story, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” in the beloved stage show, “Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular.”

Plus, you might even get a chance to pose for a photo with the mean one himself – the Grinch!

Be sure to keep an eye on the wait times for his meet-and-greet, as they can get pretty lengthy, and watch for a potential virtual queue in the Universal Orlando app.

Universal Studios

You won’t want to miss the spectacular, larger-than-life floats and balloons based on beloved pop culture-inspired stories and characters from Despicable Me, Shrek, and Madagascar, to name a few, during Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s.

This will be your chance to sneak a peek at Santa Claus lighting up an 80-foot-tall Christmas tree in New York! While you’re there, see if you can spot a mischievous little squirrel hiding in the tree — he’s known to pop out from time to time!

But that’s not all that awaits you here! Some of your favorite live entertainment offerings, from the Beat Builders to The Blues Brothers and even Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees in Diagon Alley, will also offer a festive holiday overlay you won’t want to miss.

Just as you would expect, there’s plenty of holiday-themed food and beverages, seasonal merchandise to shop in the all-new Holiday Tribute Store, and a chance to meet with characters who are also in the holiday spirit – including that nutty Earl the Squirrel!

This year marks a new offering in the parks as well! The Holiday Nutcracker Hunt will take you on a scavenger hunt across Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Universal CityWalk in search of a few cleverly hidden surprises.

Holiday Add-Ons

The festivities don’t have to stop there! Universal also offers other special ticketed events to keep building on that holiday cheer! Universal’s Holiday VIP Tour takes you on a multi-hour journey through Universal’s holiday experiences across both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Some of which will include:

• An exclusive meet and greet with the Grinch and his faithful dog Max
• Small plates, delectable desserts and non-alcoholic beverages in Universal Studios
• Reserved seating at the “Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular” in Islands of Adventure
• An exclusive meet and greet photo opportunity with Santa Claus in Universal Studios
• An after hours showing of “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle”
• Priority access to Universal Studios’ newest attraction, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast (subject to change and based on availability)

The Universal Holiday Tour is now available to book online, through the Universal Orlando app, or a travel agent and is available on select dates starting November 25th through December 29th. Pricing for this experience starts at $79.99 per person, and separate theme park admission with a minimum 1-day park to park ticket is required.

The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast returns this holiday season to Islands of Adventure! Start your morning off by dining on a delicious breakfast of Green Eggs and Ham, or savor the likes of Cindy-Lou Who’s Belgian Waffles and more. The plated breakfast will take place in Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendous in Seuss Landing on select dates starting November 22nd through December 30th for $58.99 per adult and $32.99 per child ages 3-9.

If you’re looking to snag tickets for this breakfast you can do so by visiting www.UniversalOrlando.com/Holidays. As a reminder, premiere and preferred Annual Passholders are eligible to receive a 20% discount!

Universal Hotels

The holidays will be in full festive swing at all eight Universal hotels! Each one will be decked out with holiday decor to celebrate the season, and special menus will be offered for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

Holiday celebrations, such as Christmas tree lightings, Hanukkah menorah lighting ceremonies, strolling carolers, and more, will also be available, so be sure to ask at your hotel’s front desk to participate in these activities!

Universal CityWalk

CityWalk isn’t going to leave all the season’s greetings to the parks and hotels!  You can get into the holiday spirit here with special entertainment and menu offerings at select venues and restaurants, including:

• The Green & Red Coconut Club at Red Coconut Club, where you can enjoy live entertainment and themed holiday cocktails
• A festive meet and greet with Earl the Squirrel during select dates between November 29th through December 28th at CityWalk Plaza
• Pick up assorted seasonal food and beverages at Bigfire and VIVO Italian Kitchen, a seasonal milkshake at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen, and so much more

Wow! There’s so much to look forward to at Universal Orlando in just a few short weeks. A lot of these special offerings are very popular, so if you’re thinking about snagging tickets to enjoy it all, we recommend you don’t hesitate! And if you’re not already working with a travel agent, consider reaching out to our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

We’ll be out celebrating the holidays at Universal all season long! Don’t forget to stay tuned with us at AllEars to see it all.

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What are you most excited to experience during the holidays at Universal Orlando? Tell us in the comments below!

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