32. Top 10 Holiday Offerings at Universal Orlando (2025 Guide to Parade, Grinchmas, Wizarding World & More)

It’s the most festive time of year at Universal Orlando, and in Part One of this two-episode holiday special, I’m sharing the Top 10 holiday offerings included with your park ticket. From the Macy’s parade and the Who-liday Spectacular to Wizarding World garlands, Earl the Squirrel, hotel holiday décor, and more — this is everything you can experience without buying a single extra add-on.

In this episode:

• Best spots to watch the holiday parade
• What to expect from the Who-liday Spectacular
• Holiday overlays of classic shows
• Wizarding World Christmas offerings (plus castle show!)
• Earl the Squirrel meet-and-greet
• Red & Green Coconut Club overview
• Epic Universe’s first holiday season
• Universal hotel holiday décor
• And why you should ALWAYS check the app for updated schedules

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Transcript

Twilight settles over New York as the lights flicker on one building at a time, warming the brownstones with a familiar glow. The giant Christmas tree towers above the crowd shimmering like it's holding its breath.

You hear it before you see it. The distant rhythm of drums echoing down the parade route, . A balloon the size of your living room rounds the corner illuminated by spotlights in the soft glow of shop windows. Snoap begins to fall swirling under the street lamps, and suddenly you are wrapped in the unmistakable feeling of the holidays.

You're standing in the last stretch of the parade's journey, but the first moment your heart finally gives in because right now in this exact moment, you are in the middle of a Manhattan Christmas in inside of Florida theme park, and somehow it's perfect.

Welcome back to Unlocking Universal, your Key to all things Universal Orlando and beyond. Now here's your guide and unfair Advantage Holli.

Today we are unlocking one of my absolute favorite times of the year at the resort, the Holidays at Universal Orlando. Now, listen, this is not going to be one of those Influencer Punch List episodes where I read you the entertainment schedule and say, okay, go do this and this and this, and this, and this.

No thank you.

This episode is about strategy, clarity, efficiency, and the fan first honesty you expect from me. Because , the holidays at Universal Orlando are stunning, but they can also be busy, overwhelming, and full of shifting schedules if you don't have a clear plan, especially in late December when crowds can be festive in more ways than one. The holiday season officially runs November 21st through January 4th this year, and while a lot of returning favorites are back, there are also some changes you'll definitely wanna know about.

But first I have to ask, you do know what Snope is, right? Because I'll be referring to it throughout the holiday episodes and I would never leave you in the dark. Well, except at Halloween Horror Nights, of course, Snoap is what we have down here in Florida that looks like snow.

Gives you all the warm fuzzies of snow, but there's no shoveling or cleanup of any kind involved. It's a combo of snow and soap, if you will.

Alright, let's unlock some fun . We are starting with the top 10 holiday offerings that are totally included with your park ticket. No add-ons, no upgrades, just pure holiday goodness.

 Let's start with a big one. Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macys. This parade is the heartbeat of the holidays at Universal. There's no doubt about it, and it steps off every single night at 5:30 PM 

I love that time because by late November, the sunset hits right before five 30, so the entire parade feels like it happens under a glorious holiday glow. And yes, you should still check the app just in case of an operational hiccup, of course. But five 30 is your anchor and it's good for this.

Now let's talk strategy because where you watch this parade matters, and I'm gonna give you my two favorite spots to watch it.

First is Hollywood Boulevard, and this is best for photos if you wanna see the parade right as it steps off and be done sooner. Head to Hollywood Boulevard over near Mels or the Horror Makeup Show. This is the start of the route, so the parade gets to you first, and it's also a fantastic photo backdrop for clean lines, great lighting, and lots of space.

 My Personal favorite spot, is right across from the Giant tree in the New York area. And here's why. While you're waiting, you get to look for Earl in the tree because you know he's gonna be there every year and you need to find him in all of his squirrelly adorableness.

But here's the real reason why Santa Claus lighting the Christmas tree as he comes around that corner, the parade soundtrack. It's all gonna hit you right in the holiday spirit. It takes longer for the parade to reach New York. It's the end of the route, but the atmosphere here it's unmatched.

And another thing I wanted to tell you about is the cordoned off areas that are just for little kids to view the parade. I love this. Because it keeps them off of adult shoulders, which is a huge pet peeve of mine.

But I'm glad that the little kids have a place to watch it where they can actually get a good view 

because these floats are immense and so impressive, I want all the little kids to see that fully .

 Next is the Who-li Day Spectacular. This is the stage show retelling of how the Grinch stole Christmas, and it is gorgeous. You've got Grinch, Max, beautiful Who costuming and a Manheim Steam Roller soundtrack that gives you the goosebumps every dang time. Maybe even a few tears . Not that I know about that myself.

Okay, maybe I do. Regardless, you're gonna wanna arrive early, and I'm gonna say 30 minutes, maybe more and here's why. The logistics of the runtime with the emptying of the theater and then letting everyone in, it takes time. And you don't wanna be in line for multiple runs of the show if you can avoid it.

You know, time is money when you're on vacation, but if that happens to be the case and you do have to wait for one run or two, the time invested is totally worth it , if I had to pick just one included holiday offering to do, this would be it.

And if we're gonna talk about the Who-liday Spectacular, we need to talk about Grinchmas itself in Seuss Landing. Now, Seuss Landing, it shines during the holidays. There's Garland everywhere, whimsical decorations and the who's roaming around doing who things. There isn't a rigid schedule for a lot of it, and it makes the whole area kind of feel spontaneous and joyful.

It's perfect for wandering earlier in the day when the pathways feel a little more open because folks are racing back to Hagrid's and the Veloci coaster still. This is also where, I mean, duh Holli, where you'll find the Grinch meet and greet, one of the single greatest characters to ever walk the curve streets at Universal Orlando.

This green guy, he's worth meeting. 1000% how to do that. We're gonna talk more about that later.

 The holiday versions of the Universal Studio's daily shows. Now, these are so underrated and so fun, and you don't really even have to plan much around them. So I'm talking about the Blues Brothers holiday set complete with Snoap on Delany Street, Marilyn and the Diamond Bellas. They're stunning holiday harmonies in their outfits.

It's just a really fun opportunity to kind of go back in time. The Beat Builders, you know, I absolutely love them. I love the festive percussion and they have, of course, a whole Christmas set ,

and depending on the 2025 show rotation Bailalo has a seasonal equivalent as well. These shows are great to catch between doing attractions, allow yourself to stop and enjoy the moments like these because you are doing yourself a disservice. If you don't,

you're never gonna regret stopping to watch any of these shows. If we're gonna talk about the holiday versions of these Universal Studios daily shows, we need to talk about the holiday offerings in the Wizarding world altogether. The Wizarding World is absolutely stunning this time of year.

Garland's wreaths, the warm shop windows, it's all just gorgeous. Almost too much, but in the best way. Plus their show offerings. Get some holiday love too. For example, Celestina Warbeck Holiday Show in Diagon Alley, their Snoapfall. My recommendation is to grab yourself a Butterbeer and go watch it.

And while we can actually get hot Butterbeer all year now, this is the official season for it. The thing is, right now it's a lot less likely to be 95 degrees outside, so you can actually enjoy it 

Because remember, the hot Butterbeer is the superior version. .

Feel free to fight me on that. And we save the best for last, and that is the Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle. This is the beautiful little star atop the tree of the Wizarding World at Christmas time. This Castle show runs every 20 minutes beginning at dusk,

so you can just hover around over in Hogsmeade after sunset, and you'll catch it eventually.

 The holiday tribute store this year, the holiday tribute store has kind of a Nutcracker theme, and boy is it a nutty Nutcracker theme

my current lock screen on my phone right now is the Frankenstein Nutcracker, and I just absolutely love it. I might have to post this picture on Instagram, so if you wanna see it, I'll put it over there and you can even steal it and use it for your own lock screen if you want to. I'm happy to share, .

 Let me just say this delicately, but honestly, 'cause that's what we're here for, right? This year's Halloween Horror Nights tribute store landed during what should have been a really cool anniversary year for the tribute store itself. So expectations were high, and the layout where they chose to put it, it was a challenge, amazing props, but the flow made it really hard to enjoy.

This holiday tribute store, Earl's Holiday tribute store. Total return to form. It's beautiful. It's atmospheric, it's photo ready. It flows well. All the coolest holiday merch and the snacks are delicious. Do not skip this. I will hunt you down if you skip this. 

Missing it alone is actually enough punishment, but don't do that to yourself. It's amazing.

And that brings us to the big squirrel himself, Earl the squirrel.

 Earl is everywhere this season, and if I'm being honest, he's my favorite rodent in Orlando. Please don't tell Mickey though. I'm on his payroll too, and he kind of gets a little high strung about these things. This year, Earl has his own insanely adorable, dedicated meet and greet outside of the tribute store, complete with a fully decked out themed camper as his backdrop.

It is just so cute and detailed. It is just so Earl, . And he's part of the fun at the Red and Green Coconut Club too, which leads us to. The Red and Green Coconut Club in City Walk.

If you want cozy, immersive holiday vibes, you must go upstairs in City Walk. Did you know City Walk had two levels? Uh huh. Go up the escalator to the red and Green Coconut Club. The club itself has two levels. Downstairs is Mistletoe Pines, Ski Lodge, cozy alpine decor, snowy touches, warm lighting, and incredible live performers.

And I don't even say that lightly. .

 Upstairs is Earl's 12 days of Christmas. It's playful, colorful, ridiculous, in all the coolest ways. There are two different drink menus, some light eats, and Earl tends to make appearances around opening time,. Check the app. I believe it's around 5:00 PM uh, most days, but I'm also not sure if it's open seven days a week because for Halloween Horror Nights.

The Dead Coconut Club version was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so that's something we definitely wanna check to confirm.

But of course, Halloween Horror Night's Dead Coconut Club had decidedly less appeal to most kiddos. So this one may be open every day.

 And I'm telling you, this is one of the best holiday surprises on property, and you don't even need park admission for it.

 Can you believe that this is going to be Epic Universe's First Christmas already? They grew up so fast. Epic Universe isn't being overwhelmed by Christmas this year, and that's intentional. They want guests to experience the new park in its purest form, 

But you will find them celebrating a little Snoggletog over in the Isle of Berk because that's what they celebrate. You'll find lots of seasonal food offerings scattered throughout the worlds beautiful Wizarding World garlands, of course, because the Wizarding World is the wizarding world.

Wherever you go, even if it is 1920s, Paris. And in Celestial Park, and this is my favorite, you're gonna go to the holiday store on the right hand side as you enter, and you're gonna buy a personalized glass ornament, which is an amazing keepsake, not only for Epic Universe's opening year, but for Christmas as well.

, To me, it's a two for, they are absolutely gorgeous, and the artisans put your name or whatever you want on them.

Overall Epic is not gonna be your main holiday destination, but it is a beautiful bonus.

 And finally on our list is the holiday decor and offerings at the Universal onsite hotels. The Universal hotels go all out for the holidays. Think towering Christmas trees themed garlands. Get up close and really look at them because if you're, say over at Hard Rock Hotel, you're gonna find musical themed things built into the tree and into the Garland.

Or if you are at Lowe's, Royal Pacific, you're gonna find Polynesian Flare. Take your time and really. You know, check 'em out, get up close to them. You're also gonna find beautiful lobby displays, seasonal drinks at the hotel bars. That's always a hit. You're gonna find some holiday menu items, especially at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Year's, like.

They may even have special full menus.

And of course we'll find holiday activities scattered throughout the resort. This is a fantastic midday break or maybe a non-park day crawl, or even a relaxing evening stroll, because don't forget, it's really easy to go between all the hotels on the North Campus because they're accessible by walkways or water taxis. It's super easy to make this part of your holiday experience.

Those are the top 10 included holiday offerings, everything that comes standard with your Universal admission. Heck, you don't even need admission for some of them.

And in part two, which is coming up very soon, we're gonna dive into the holiday treats and seasonal snacks, a Coca-Cola freestyle deal that you're gonna love; Universal Holiday Tour review, and whether or not I think it's worth it this year, the Grinch Breakfast Review 

And your full access Holli's Holiday Strategy Corner with Parade Tips, Wizarding, World timing, early park admission usage, and so much more.

So don't miss the next episode. It's your full strategy guide for making the holidays at Universal Joyful instead of stressful. If this episode gave you a little jingle in your jangle, go ahead and leave me a review. It's like handing me a fresh, hot butterbeer without the carbs. See you next time.

Thanks for hanging out with us. Now, get out here and go do something nice for someone.