Happy Who-Lidays! 5 Tips to Celebrate the Holidays at Universal Orlando
Celebrate the Holiday season at Universal Orlando Resort from November 21, 2025 through January 4, 2026. This is one of my favorite times of year to visit Universal and there are so many fun things to see and do during your visit.
Here are 5 tips to help you celebrate the holidays at Universal Orlando Resort:
Meet the Grinch! The Grinch will be available for meet and greets during the holiday season over at Islands of Adventure and there are a few ways to meet him. The first option is the standard line but warning that this line gets VERY long (like over 4 hours on a daily basis). If you are going to use this method, you will want to stay onsite as a resort guest so you get early entry to the parks and will want to rope drop this experience. Second option is to book a Holiday tour (more info below). Or my personal favorite is the Grinch character breakfast where you get a special menu to enjoy, a chance to meet some of the Who’s during your meals and then after your breakfast, you get to meet the Grinch.
Watch the Holiday parade! I love watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade but New York crowds (and no easy bathroom access) gives me pause. If you’ve always wanted to see the parade but are looking for an easier option, this is a great compromise. You get to see Macy’s balloons, amazing performers and holiday magic from the comfort of Universal Studios Florida. This experience is no additional cost and runs once per day on most dates during the holiday season. My favorite thing to do- grab a hot butterbeer in Diagon Alley then grab a spot to watch the parade and enjoy.
Watch the holiday entertainment like the Grinchmas spectacular and the Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts both over in Islands of Adventure. The lines for Grinchmas can get long but they offer multiple showings each day and you can enjoy a comfortable seat during the show (the Holiday tour gets you priority seating!). And after dark, you can watch a special holiday light show on Hogwarts castle in Hogsmeade. The show is only a few minutes long and runs every 20 minutes from dark until the park closes.
Check out the holiday decor- in the parks, at City Walk and even at the resorts! Universal is immersive and they go all out for the holidays as well. Take time to look around and enjoy all the special holiday decorations through out the parks but also over in City Walk and even at the resorts. You are welcome to visit the resort lobbies even if you are not a guest at that resort and it’s a great way to take a break from some of the crowds during the middle of the day.
For the ultimate holiday experience, book the Holiday tour. Universal offers a holiday tour during their holiday season where you get to learn more about how they celebrate the holidays but also get to meet the Grinch and Santa, priority seating for the Grinchmas show and the Macy’s parade plus some special holiday treats.
Experiences like the Holiday Tour and breakfast with the Grinch will typically sell out quickly so if you are interested in these experiences (even if I didn’t book the rest of your Universal vacation), reach out to me today at amyfisher@goofygetaways.com
I would love to help you plan your 2025 or 2026 Universal Orlando vacation and my services are complimentary when you book your package with me. Send me an email or fill out the Universal quote request to get started.
