Universal Orlando Lights Up the Season with the Start of Its Holiday Celebration. Tis the season for holiday thrills as Universal Orlando Resort’s destination-wide Holidays celebration officially begins today. Running daily through January 4, 2026, guests can celebrate the most wonderful time of the year as they enjoy a festive collection of holiday experiences inspired by beloved characters and stories where they can revel in the magic of Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, meet The Grinch during Grinchmas, and watch larger-than-life balloons and floats wind down the streets of Universal Studios in Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s. Guests can also savor delectable, photo-worthy seasonal treats, explore an all-new Holiday Tribute Store, admire the awe-inspiring decorations across the destination, including Universal Epic Universe, and so much more.
See below for an overview of all the merriment and excitement that awaits guests at Universal Orlando Resort this holiday season – from fan-favorite traditions to delicious menu offerings to immersive shopping experiences and more.
In-Park Holiday Experiences
Guests visiting Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Epic Universe can celebrate the holidays with festivities that are included with their theme park admission including:
- Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Guests can immerse themselves in dazzling décor and wizarding splendor across all three wizarding world locations this season – including Hogsmeade at Universal Islands of Adventure, Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida, and for the first time, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic at Universal Epic Universe. Guests can also enjoy special holiday-themed musical performances and the wondrous nighttime spectacle, “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle,” which highlights Christmas moments inspired by the cherished characters and stories from the “Harry Potter” films;
- Grinchmas: Guests can step into the whimsical Who-ville in Seuss Landing, where they’ll meet the mean, green one himself – The Grinch – and enjoy a live-retelling of the Dr. Seuss holiday classic, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” in the beloved stage show, “Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular.” Seuss Landing will also come to life with Who encounters across the land, and the all-new Who-ville Tree Lot with a collection of whimsical trees themed to various Dr. Seuss characters.
- Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s: Guests can watch as beloved holiday traditions and pop culture-inspired stories and characters come to life as larger-than-life balloons, performers and colorful holiday floats during Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s at Universal Studios Florida;
- The Holidays at Universal Epic Universe: Guests can immerse themselves in holiday merriment at Universal Orlando’s newest park amid dazzling décor in Celestial Park – the imaginative first world guests encounter at Epic Universe – as well as in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic – set in 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beastsfilms and the British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter film series.
Delight in Seasonal Treats Across the Destination
This holiday season, guests can savor a menu of delicious holiday-themed offerings across the destination that includes a Snickerdoodle Crepe from Central Park Crepes, The Elegant Ornament dessert at TODAY Café, and a Sunday Roast at Finnegan’s in Universal Studios Florida, plus, the return of the wildly popular Gingy Cookie to DreamWorks Land. At Islands of Adventure, guests can enjoy treats like Holiday Hot Chocolate and the Crunch Bunch Ice Cream Bunch at Hop on Pop in Seuss Landing. Guests can also enjoy Spiced Apple Cider in both The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
Shop for Holiday Gifts and Explore This Year’s Holiday Tribute Store
The celebration continues with this year’s Holiday Tribute Store located in the Hollywood area of Universal Studios Florida. This years’ experience invites guests to journey through a snowy holiday market in a quaint village as they explore whimsical rooms – an artisan’s studio where wooden toys and trinkets are handcrafted for the market, the snow-covered woods on the edge of town where guests will encounter the Northern Lights, the town square that features the village holiday market itself, and Earl’s nutcracker nuthouse, where guests can spot a variety of nutcrackers.
Guests can also take their visit to the next level with add-on experiences like:
- The Universal Holiday Tour, where guests embark on a guided journey through Universal’s holiday experiences in Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure that includes reserved viewing areas for “The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular” and Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, plus exclusive meet and greets with The Grinch and his faithful dog, Max and more.
- The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast, where guests can start their day alongside the Grinch and other favorite characters from Seuss Landing while dining on a delicious plated breakfast in Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendous in Universal Islands of Adventure.
Universal CityWalk is also joining the holiday fun with live entertainment and themed holiday cocktails at the “Mistletoe Pines Ski Lodge” at The Green & Red Coconut Club – where guests will step into a cozy atmosphere filled with the sounds of the merry melodies that score the most wonderful time of the year, and the chance to meet the famous Earl the Squirrel. Plus, all 11 Universal Orlando Resort hotels will be decked out with festive décor for the season and offer special menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve in addition to other special holiday celebrations.
Universal Orlando’s Holidays celebration runs daily from November 21 through January 4, 2026, and access to the in-park festivities is included with regular admission to the theme parks. There are a variety of special offers available now for guests to plan their visit to Universal Orlando Resort this holiday season – including saving 30% on a stay of five nights or longer at one of Universal Orlando’s hotels (click here to learn more), and special Florida resident offers that include getting a second day free with the purchase of a 1-Day Park-to-Park Ticket (click here to learn more), and saving up to 40% on hotel stays (click here to learn more).
For more information and to book a Holiday vacation at Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com/Holidays.
About Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort is an award-winning, weeklong vacation destination that welcomes all to truly be themselves while enjoying world-class attractions that redefine theme park experiences. Here, a multitude of authentically thrilling, exciting and spontaneous adventures await – each inviting guests to embark on whatever vacation they crave while igniting their full range of emotions like never before – from the awe of walking the streets of Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to the rush of adrenaline that takes over when coming face-to-face with a Velociraptor in Jurassic Park to the wide-eyed joy of seeing an entire slice of cake atop a delectable milkshake at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen.
Universal Orlando Resort is home to four exhilarating theme parks that boast some of the most innovative and immersive experiences ever created – Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Volcano Bay, and the all-new Universal Epic Universe. Guests can also relish in exciting dining and entertainment at the Universal CityWalk entertainment complex and enjoy incredible accommodations and magnificent theming across eleven hotels that offer something for every style and budget: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Universal Stella Nova Resort, Universal Terra Luna Resort, Universal Aventura Hotel, Universal Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and Universal Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites & Dockside Inn and Suites.
Universal Orlando Resort is a part of Universal Destinations & Experiences, a unit of Comcast NBCUniversal.
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