If you’re looking for holiday fun during your Orlando vacation, or you’re a local looking to get into the spirit of the season, look no further than Universal Orlando Resort. The holidays are back at all its parks, with plenty to enjoy for everyone in your party.

So Much Festive Fun to Be Had!

Across Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and even Universal Epic Universe, there are festive offerings like decor, themed entertainment, merchandise, food, and more to enjoy this season in Orlando (not to mention Earl the Squirrel returning for meet and greets).

This year, the Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort run from November 21 through January 4. By the time we’re writing this, that means you have just under a month to check out everything that Universal has to offer before it all disappears.

Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

First up, you can’t have holidays at Universal without spending Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This year, wizarding Paris at Epic Universe is even decorated for the season — its first ever!

There’s also holiday entertainment in the Wizarding World to enjoy. In Diagon Alley, you can enjoy the stylings of Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees, who offer a festive show with classics like “My Baby Gave Me a Hippogriff for Christmas.” In Hogsmeade, you can enjoy the Frog Choir’s “Christmas at Hogwarts” show and The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle nighttime fireworks and projections show.

Tracker Tip: Keep in mind that you will need a Park-to-Park ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express between both Harry Potter lands! The train travels between Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida and Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure.

Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s

At night, Universal Studios Florida comes to life in spectacular fashion with the return of the nightly parade, Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s. Since 2017, the parade features massive balloons, strolling performers, and appearances from your favorite characters on themed floats — including the Minions from Despicable Me, characters from Shrek and Madagascar, and more — in the lead-up to Santa Claus’ arrival at the end.

Tracker Tip: The parade is extremely popular and can draw a crowd long before the performers step off for the night. To make sure you secure a good viewing spot, try to get settled 30-45 minutes before the parade begins.

Grinchmas

At Islands of Adventure, Seuss Landing decks its halls every Who-liday season to celebrate Grinchmas.

This overlay of the land includes several seasonal offerings, including the beloved stage show, The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular, which retells the story of the Grinch with music recorded by Mannheim Steamroller.

Other offerings include roaming Whos dressed in their holiday best for mingling with guests, and meet and greets with the Grinch himself in Honk Honkers.

Tracker Tip: Because of the Grinch’s popularity, waits to meet him in Seuss Landing can get pretty long. You can opt to book The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous to guarantee a visit from the Grinch as well as the Whos during your morning breakfast feast!

2025 Holiday Tribute Store

Dubbed the “Tribute Holiday Market,” this year’s holiday Tribute Store brings together the worlds of Harry Potter, the Grinch, Earl the Squirrel, and more into one snow-capped building packed with merchandise, treats, and unique displays. Earl’s RV is even parked out front!

The interior of the store is divided into six rooms, each with its own unique theme or purpose, including a workshop, a room themed to snow-covered mountains, the “Town Center,” “Earl & Gerg’s Nutcracker Lodge and Emporium & Museum & Car Wash,” a confectionery, and a room for checking out purchases.

Each of these rooms is packed with not only references to Universal, but to past Tribute Stores, characters in the parks, and more.

Tracker Tip: Keep an eye out for a Dark Universe-themed Easter egg in the nutcracker display featuring everyone’s favorite lab assistant and delightful little freak.

The Red and Green Coconut Club

During the holiday season, the Red Coconut Club transforms into the Green & Red Coconut Club. The club is decorated from top to bottom with festive decor, filled with holiday music, and debuts menus featuring themed drinks to celebrate the season. This year, the venue is the Mistletoe Pines Ski Lodge.

Tracker Tip: The beverage menu upstairs is different from the menu downstairs! Check out both as you explore to see what options are available.

Epic Universe’s First Holiday Season

This year marks the first year that Epic Universe (which opened earlier this year) is celebrating the holiday season along with the rest of the parks. Though its offerings are minimal this year, there’s still some nice updates to enjoy in Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk.

In Celestial Park, there are plenty of decorations themed to the land, with garlands and ornaments as far as the eye can see.

Tracker Tip: Try to count all the pizza and moon-themed ornaments on the garlands at Pizza Moon! Mushroom ornaments? Groundbreaking.

Of course, there is also the year-round holiday-themed side of Sensorium Emporium in Celestial Park. There, you can find merchandise from each of the park’s worlds, ornaments, and other gifts and goods. There are even a couple of references to everyone’s favorite squirrel for you to spot.

At Celestial Sweets, there’s even a festive new treat: the Celestial Holiday Churro from Freestyle Snacks, the Coca-Cola stand. It includes a gingerbread churro, peppermint marshmallow topping, holiday sprinkles, and a white chocolate Santa piece.

Over in Isle of Berk, the season of Snoggletog has arrived. In the How to Train Your Dragon universe, Snoggletog is their annual holiday similar to Christmas. The decorations are mostly limited to the shops — Hiccup’s Workshop, Toothless’ Treasures, and How to Treat Your Dragon — but they’re still cute and festive.

There are three holiday food offerings in Berk to enjoy this year, one from Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel and two from Mead Hall.

At Hooligan’s, the Snoggletog Harvest Cone has joined the menu, featuring mac and cheese, pulled maple glazed turkey, spiced lingonberry drizzle, roasted sweet potatoes, sage chimichurri, and crispy stuffing crumbles.

Over at Mead Hall, you have the other two items: Gronkle Bread Pudding and Frozen Yaknog. The Gronkle Bread Pudding is a warm malted cinnamon bread pudding with a “Yaknog” anglaise, chocolate pop rocks, and vanilla ice cream. The Frozen Yaknog dessert beverage (available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions) is the traditional Yaknog drink, but frozen for the holiday season.

Over in Ministry of Magic, a.k.a. Wizarding Paris, the only holiday updates this year are various decorations throughout the land. While this is still nice, we hope to see more in the future!

The best part about holidays at Universal Orlando Resort is that it doesn’t cost you anything extra to enjoy everything the season has to offer. As long as you’ve got park admission, you’ve got your ticket to all the festive fun!

Have you visited Universal Orlando this holiday season? Which offering has been your favorite this year? Let us know on social media!