Universal Studios Orlando At Christmas
Universal Studios Orlando is composed of 8 different neighborhoods and all 8 were not equally festive for the holidays. Much of the Christmas decorations were centered in the New York and Hollywood neighborhoods.
There was a big Christmas tree in the park in front of Macys in the New York neighborhood where I ran into Marilyn Monroe and some other starlets singing holiday tunes. This neighborhood is, after all, not the 21st century New York, but the 1950s version.
The holiday parade route circles New York and Hollywood. The parade features Macys and Santa but there are more minions than elves in this parade, because this is Universal.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is also decked out for Christmas with decorations along Diagon Alley. There are wrapped presents among the luggage awaiting the Hogwarts Express.
Do Universal Studios Florida Or Islands Of Adventure Do Anything For Christmas
Yes! Each holiday season, the Universal Orlando Resort gets all decked out for Christmas, from special events and regular entertainment with a festive twist to seasonal drinks and dishes and limited-time merchandise. This years Universal Orlando Christmas dates officially fall on .
And with holly-jolly offerings available at both theme parks as well as Universal CityWalk Orlando and many of the Universal hotels, theres no shortage of yuletide treasures for you and your crew to enjoy this Christmas season. The only question is figuring out when to visit.
Park Hopper Tip: Universal Studios Harry Potter Christmas Tickets 2022
For Christmas in Universal Orlando Resort, we can go all out with a Potterhead Christmas celebration, with live entertainment, Holiday tours, and incredible Universal Christmas light shows. If youre looking to see both Harry Potter World Christmas events, we suggest park hopper passes, or the park-to-park option. This option offers flexibility to enjoy both parks in one day. Plus, its the only way to experience the Hogwarts Express. Now you can have a Hogwarts Christmas at Universal Orlando by experiencing Islands of Adventure at Christmas, and then hop on the Express to enjoy the rest of Universal Studios.
Related Post: Complete Guide for the Best Harry Potter Christmas at Universal Orlando
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Christmas At Universal Studios Hollywood
Between Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Grinchmas, there will be plenty of holiday entertainment to keep you busy.
Throughout the park you will notice seasonal holiday decor, characters such as the beloved Minions in Christmas hats and festive outfits, and a variety of Christmas treats and souvenirs.
When it comes to tips for navigating Universal Studios Hollywood during this busy time of year, we don’t vary too much from our usual strategy.
But we do have some additional tips and tricks to keep in mind for this busy holiday season:
Mannheim Steamroller In Concert
The second big seasonal event at Universal Studios is a series of concerts by Mannheim Steamroller. The band will play on four nights in early December 2021 at the Music Plaza Stage, so check the schedule if its important to you to see the show. According to Universal, Mannheim Steamroller is the best-selling holiday artist of all time. Youve surely heard their music on the radio or at a party during the holiday season. But to get an idea of exactly what best-selling holiday artist of all time means, check out this video from our friends at Undercover Tourist. The concert is free with your Universal Studios Florida admission.
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Christmas At Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is hosting a number of holiday events for all ages to enjoy this year! Lets go through what you can expect:
Reasons To Spend Your Holidays At Universal Orlando
The holidays are upon us and that means were gearing up to welcome the season of celebration. Here at Universal Orlando Resort, we kicked off the holidays on November 17. Whether youre looking for a wonderful holiday meal with family and friends, or you want to give back by volunteering, here are six ways the season comes alive at our hotels.
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Harry Potter Christmas Decorations
Harry Potter World Christmas decorations are one of the many reasons that Universal Orlando is such a beautiful place to visit in the winter. All throughout both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade are beautifully crafted seasonal decor. The twinkling lights and snowy glow of the Harry Potter Christmas decor truly transport you into a small wintry British village right in the middle of Central Florida.
Universal Orlandos Holiday Celebrations Have Begun Heres What To Know Before You Go
- Sharon Kennedy WynneTimes staff
Universal Orlando has unwrapped its holiday merriment with a big parade, live entertainment, decorated streets and sugar-laden food offerings.
Last year amidst the background of the pandemic, the parade was presented as a simple selfie opportunity with floats parked as a socially-distanced photo opportunity.
The return of the holidays at Universal parks started Nov. 13 and runs through Jan. 2. And things feel close to normal. Crowds mob the decorated streets of New York at Universal Studios to see its Holiday Parade Featuring Macys, and live shows fill every seat in the theater.
Its a good idea to download the Universal Orlando app before your visit. It allows you to browse wait times and plan more efficiently. The app also has the show schedule at both parks, which are not usually published on the website.
A recent addition to its holiday celebration is Christmas in the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter. At Universal Studios in Diagon Alley, there are beautiful Christmas decorations in shop windows and the character Celestina Warbeck performs her show with a holiday spin. At Hogsmeade Village in Islands of Adventure, you can catch a Frog Choir performance. But the main event there is a holiday light and projection show at Hogwarts Castle, held several times each night.
If the weather cooperates, guests should expect to see more than 30 huge balloons in the parade.
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Watch The Universals Holiday Parade Featuring Macys
Im so happy to announce that the fan-favorite, Universals Holiday Parade featuring Macys, is back this year!
This is absolutely one of my favorite things to do at Universal Studios for Christmas. Not only is the parade top-notch, you get to feel as if youre truly in New York watching the actual Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade.
During this parade, youll get to see gigantic balloons floating in the air with characters from Despicable Me, Shrek, and Madagascar. Youll even get to see the man himself, Santa!
Is Universal Studios Orlando Busy At Christmas
Holidays tend to draw some of the biggest crowds at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, and the Christmas season is no exception. With schools out on break and many people on vacation, the parks tend to be packed.
Even worse is Christmas Day itself. In fact, for both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, December 25 is one of the busiest days of the year. So, should you decide to brave the crowds in honor of all things merry, we suggest you get there bright and early before the gates actually open to get a head start on your day.
Since the parks tend to reach capacity rather early on in the day, we also recommend that you start your visit at whichever park youd be happy to stay in all day and skip heading back to your hotel room for a midday nap, or else risk being shut out of the park. If you do want to park hop, use the Hogwarts Express rather than exiting and walking to your next destination, so you know for certain that they are accepting more guests.
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What Christmas Food Is At Harry Potter World 2022
- Holiday Feast Located at both The Leaky Cauldron and The Three Broom Sicks, this two-course meal serves traditional British holiday fare.
- Butterbeer This treat is available all year round. But hot butterbeer is only available during the holiday season!
- Soups The Leaky Cauldron has a spellbinding butternut squash soup to warm you up on chilly Orlando evenings.
- Pudding This tantalizing Christmas Pudding is drizzled with hot brandy butter and topped with a citrus glaze.
Universal Studios Hollywood At Christmas: Everything You Need To Know 2022
This holiday season, spend a day enjoying a Harry Potter or Grinch filled Universal Studios Christmas. The holidays at Universal Studios offers plenty to see and do in terms of entertainment, activities, and seasonal décor.
Universal Studios Hollywood focuses their Christmas time festivities in two main themes: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Grinchmas. Along with these two main themes, you can also see holiday décor throughout the park from the festive decorations to characters wearing Santa hats! Seasonal food is also in abundance, especially in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This year’s holiday celebration takes place from
Need a refresher on everything Universal Studios Hollywood has to offer? Make sure to check out our full guide with tips on how to get discount tickets, what rides are offered, and a complete touring strategy.
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Universal Orlando Announces Holiday Celebration Dates
The holidays will be here before we know it, and we cant wait to see what celebrations are in store at the theme parks!
While Disney Worlds holiday decorations and Christmas parties are magical, we cant forget about the celebrations over at Universal Orlando. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is usually , and were sure the Tribute Store will have some delicious festive treats. And, we just found out the dates and more info on the holiday celebrations!
The Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort will begin on . Thats a LOT of days and nights of holiday fun!
There will be celebrations across Universal Studios Florida, Universals Islands of Adventure, Universal CityWalk, and the resort hotels.
Universal also says there will be Holiday shows and decorations in both lands of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.
They promise one-of-a-kind experiences and also called their celebrations a mind-blowing, mischief-making, action packed adventure which sounds just incredible, we cant wait to witness the excitement ourselves!
Universal Orlando has also launched a new deal where guests can save 30% on a 4-day, 4-night hotel and ticket vacation package if you book by September 8th. The offer is subject to limited-availability and the trip must take place between August 16th and December 16th, so you can fit in that holiday trip and save some money!
Stay At Universals Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Universal Orlando has a lot of great hotels, and they all have their charms, but Universals Cabana Bay Beach Resort is my favourite because its so much fun, it has great pools, nice family-sized rooms, and decor that will take you back to the 60s.
The retro-themed resort offers standard rooms or family suites, so you can sleep four or up to six people in a room for an affordable rate, and there are deals when you bundle hotel stays with park tickets.
Outside of the resort youll find two pools, a lazy river, and inside theres a bowling alley, arcade, and a store. The resort also has bars, restaurants, and a cafe for drinks, food, and fun snacks.
From the resort, you can catch the shuttle bus to Universal CityWalk, and Universal Studios Florida and Universals Islands of Adventure theme parks, and its a short walk to get to Volcano Bay.
During the holidays, the resort is decked out with Christmas trees, without any of the pesky cold weather or snow. And its such a fun resort that I recommend planning some time to explore when youre not at the parks.
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What About The Parks And Universal Citywalk
The restaurants at the parks and Universal CityWalk offer an incredible variety of wonderful food, but they dont typically have buffets or special events for Christmas, even when there isnt a pandemic going on. Instead, they tend to offer a few holiday-themed items in addition to their regular menus. To learn what they may be offering this year , visit our dining reservations page for contact information.
This wraps up our overview of the 2021 holiday festivities at Universal Orlando. Be sure to check out the navigation links below to continue planning your visit.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from your friends at Orlando Informer!
Which Ticket Should You Get During Holidays At Universal Orlando Resort
With so much hoppening at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure during the holidays, you may be wondering, “Which ticket should I get?” We’re very big fans of the Park-to-Park option. With the two parks so close together, it’s easy to hop back and forth. The Park-to-Park option offers maximum flexibility to enjoy it all. And it’s the only way to experience the Hogwarts Express. So if you want to experience Christmas in the Wizarding World at Hogsmeade and then hop right over to extend the merry in Diagon Alley, you’ll need the Park-to-Park ticket.
If you need some palm trees and sun with your Christmas vacation, you’ll need to find it poolside this season. Universal’s Volcano Bay water theme park is usually open in the winter. Don’t let the time of year trick you. It’s still plenty warm in sunny Florida and the hotel pools are heated.
Ready for Christmas at Universal Orlando Resort this holiday season? Pick the best dates to visit using our Orlando Crowd Calendar. Check out our Orlando planning timeline for a stress-free family vacation during the holidays at Universal Orlando Resort and other destinations. And be sure to add Universal Express Passes onto your tickets to skip the lines!
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Hoppy planning!
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Christmas At The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter
Universals Wizarding World of Harry Potter is magical any time of year, but nothing is as enchanting as Christmas at Harry Potter World. Seriously, after spending one holiday with Harry and the gang, youll be ready to hop on the next Knight Bus bound for Diagon Alley every year.
Aside from the jolly décor, a whole slate of bewitching entertainment with yuletide flair and other Harry Potter World Christmas events is also on offer at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Just for the holiday season, The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle lights up the night from dusk to park close each evening with dazzling projection technology and a merry soundtrack.
For even more Christmas cheer, be sure to check out the live music around Harry Potter World during the holidays. In Diagon Alley, Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees celebrate the season with some of the wizarding worlds most popular Christmas songs. While over in Hogsmeade, the unique human and amphibian harmonies of the Frog Choir charm guests with their own seasonal tunes.
When you arent grooving to the music, remember to snag a cozy cup of hot Butterbeer available from The Leaky Cauldron, the Three Broomsticks, Hogs Head Pub and The Hopping Pot to enjoy as you take in the show or search for wintery wizarding merch. This sweet concoction is reminiscent of hot cocoa, only with notes of rich butterscotch instead of creamy chocolate.
Universals Hotels Decorated For The Holidays
Lets start with where your Universal Orlando vacation may begin: an on-site hotel. You can expect whatever halls youre staying in near the theme parks to be appropriately decked for the season.
When you arrive at Universals Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, for example, youll be greeted by a Christmas tree in the lobby thats so tall it barely fits under the lobbys lighting fixtures.
Look for pretty touches everywhere, like pine boughs and wreaths in strategic places, as well as a smaller Christmas tree in the club lounge.
Loews Portofino Bay just might be the best overall deal at Universal if you have a Platinum Card® from American Express. Staying at this property gets everyone in the room Universal Express passes along with early entry to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. Booking via the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program also gets you free daily breakfast, late check-out and a complimentary dinner for two people per room once during your stay.
If youve been looking for a fun way to spend New Years Eve, the hotels are also hosting parties though some are quite pricey. For example, Portofino Bays New Years Eve Party on the Piazza costs $180 per person for adults 21 and older, $130 for ages 1020 and $45 for kids 39 children under 3 are free. A DJ will kick off the evening and there will be dinner, drinks and dancing, plus a face painter, balloonist and a kids crafts and activities table.
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