I cant believe the holidays have already rolled around again, but we were all so excited to get to have one of our new favorite family traditions. Last year was our first time experiencing the holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood and we all totally fell in love with the magic. This year was even more fun because the kiddos could go on almost every ride! You can see some of the highlights of our trip by clicking here!Keep reading to hear more about our favorite parts. You can experience the holidays as Universal now until January 1st.
Grinchmas
The layout of the Grinchmas area was a little different this year and I loved the new set up! All of the same fun was available though, like the meet and greet with The Grinch, his faithful dog Max and a ton of other Who-ville Whos. The centerpiece, as usual, is the topsy-turvy Grinchmas tree, that twists and turns over 65 feet in height with nightly tree lighting accompanied by a snowfall flurry. It’s pure magic! Plus, before the lighting is a little show with some familiar Who faces that you won’t want to miss. You can find the Grinch and Max in their own meet & greet lines, be prepares to have one person in your party wait in line for Mr. Grinch because his wait is usual and hour or more. It’s so worth the wait though!! Story Time with Cindy-Lou-Who is also one of the highlights, she got her own little set up this year, so the story time is much more intimate which we all loved! Be sure to stop at one of the food locations for some Grinch themed snacks and drinks. We tried the giant Grinch donut this year and it did not disappoint. All 5 of us shared it and it was super affordable at only $10.99. Finally, you have to visit the Who-ville Post Office. You’ll get to chance to fill out a postcard showing some good deeds you’ve done for the year and when you put in in the mailbox, it benefits homeless youths. Such a good cause and a reminder of what Christmas is all about, giving!
Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is always such a magical place, but you definitely don’t want to miss it during Christmas time! The rooftops are covered with snow and all sorts of festive decorations are scattered throughout the area. Then at the end of the night you’ll want to stick around for “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle” dazzling light show. The projections on the big castle showing familiar scenes from the movies mixed with holiday vibes and music and it’s an absolute dream. We also got to see the a cappella Frog Choir this year (we were so bummed to miss it last time) which features Hogwarts students who perform holiday themed songs with their giant croaking frogs, with a little humor mixed in. Plus you can fine holiday-themed food, including hot butterbeer, at Three Broomsticks. Three Broomsticks happens to be my favorite place to eat in all of Universal Studios, huge portions and some of the best ribs I’ve ever eaten, 10/10 recommend!
Other Fun
Of course there are holiday decorations throughout the park and holiday music playing. Then there are all of the regular rides, experiences, character interactions, and shows. The kiddos are great ages for Universal right now, as they can go on pretty much everything. Some of their favorites are the Secret Life of Pets ride, the Jurassic World ride, and the Transformers ride. There’s so much to do, including the Studio Tour, which the kids are super into as well. I highly recommend splurging for the express passes, it really makes the difference in your experience and it totally worth it. You get to basically walk onto every ride with virtually no wait time (I think the longest we waited was like 7 min) and you can use the pass one time per ride without needing a reservation.
Universal Studios, you were fabulous as per usual, we can’t wait to go back again in 2023!
