Experience the Magic of Universal Orlando Holidays 2026
MOM APPROVED TRAVEL • UNIVERSAL VACATION EXPERTS FOR FAMILIES
Universal Orlando Resort Holidays 2026
2026 dates: November 14, 2026 - January 3, 2027
and Universal knows how to put its own very EPIC spin on the holiday season!
From the Grinch and the Whos in Seuss Landing to enormous parade balloons, festive food, hot Butterbeer and Christmas throughout The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, there are holiday experiences for just about every member of the family.
And for 2026, the holidays stretch across even more of Universal Orlando.
Holiday experiences take place at Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Epic Universe, and the general holiday celebration is included with valid theme park admission.
What Is Included in Universal Orlando Holidays?
Most of Universal Orlando’s major holiday entertainment is included with regular theme park admission.
This includes seasonal entertainment such as Grinchmas, Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s and Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, along with holiday décor and atmosphere throughout participating parks.
Specialty food and drinks, merchandise and separately purchased experiences such as certain character dining or tours will cost extra, but your Mom Approved Travel Advisor can help you determine if these extra events are going to be “worth it” for your family.
Mom Approved Tip: You do not need to buy a separate “Christmas party” ticket just to experience the main Universal holiday festivities. That makes Universal’s holiday season very different from some other Orlando holiday events.
Grinchmas™ at Universal’s Isle of Adventure
Will run Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
If your family’s holiday spirit comes with a little snark and sass, Grinchmas may be your favorite part of Christmas at Universal Orlando.
Seuss Landing in Universal’s Island of Adventure will be all dressed up with holiday trimmings inspired by Dr. Seuss’s Who-ville. There is no additional charge to attend as, Grinchmas is included with your theme park ticket and is perfect for all ages.
Don’t miss the fun, live retelling of the classic Grinch story featuring the Grinch, the Whos and music recorded by Mannheim Steamroller at the Grinchmas™ Who-liday Spectacular, full of sarcasm, music, laughter and holiday fun!
A complimentary in-park Grinch character meet and photo opportunity is available to lift your holiday spirits with Grinchy snark and sass! And yes, the Grinch is every bit as delightfully Grinchy in person as you hope he will be – and his lines can be VERY long, but we can walk you through the best way to see him for your family!
Breakfast With the Grinch
Yes, you can have breakfast with the Grinch! The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast returns during the holiday season on select dates at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous inside Islands of Adventure.
It is a separately reserved dining experience with very high-demand and availability can be limited. Like all meals, it is not included with your vacation package or tickets, and will have an extra cost.
Mom Approved Tip: If breakfast with the Grinch is a priority for your family, tell your Mom Approved Travel Advisor early in the planning process, as availability becomes very limited.
Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s – Universal Studios Florida
Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s is a holiday parade you will not forget. Huge parade balloons, dancers, and favorite character appearances from some of your favorite stories including Shrek, Despicable me including the Minions, Madagascar and more.
Finding a parade viewing spot is easy as the holiday parade wind throughout Universal Studios Florida with the music, merriment and wonder of the holiday season! But your MAT Advisors have a few favorites!
This holiday parade will bring smiles and wonder to all ages, and don’t forget to keep an eye out for Santa as well!
Christmas at Epic Universe
For the first time, families planning a full Universal Orlando holiday vacation can include Epic Universe in the Christmas experience. Will run Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
Wizarding Paris in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic joins Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley with seasonal lighting, décor and holiday atmosphere, and Universal’s official 2026 holiday celebration includes Epic Universe as one of the participating theme parks.
In the How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk area, our favorite vikings will celebrate Snoggletog, the winter festival featured in the Gift of the Night Fury animated film with viking decorations, seasonal retail items and unique holiday treats like the Snoggletog Harvest Mac and Cheese Cone and Snoggletog Spiked Nog (for the grownups).
Super Nintendo World will feature trees adorned with Super Stars, snowmen resembling your favorite plumbers Mario and Luigi, seasonal treats and some fun seasonal Power-Up Band functionality.
Celestial Park will transform into a cosmic winter wonderland with twinkling trees at festival holiday-themed shows at the Cosmic fountain.
Epic Universe also changes a much bigger holiday-planning question:
How many days does your family really need at Universal Orlando now? If Epic Universe is a major priority, we want to plan your park days, hotel, tickets and holiday experiences together rather than simply squeezing another park into an already-packed trip.
Plan Your Epic Universe Vacation→
Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter™
Each night from dusk to park closing inside Islands of Adventure, you can experience the Magic of Christmas as Hogwarts™ castle lights up with a spectaular show with projections, music and favorite movie moments for the holidays.
Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter now stretches across three Universal Orlando theme parks. The Wizarding World is magical year round, but when festive holiday decor brightens up the streets of Hogsmeade™ in Universal Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley™ in Universal Studios Florida, and now in Epic Universe it seems even more magical!
The whole family will enjoy seasonal spins on live entertainment from both the Frog Choir and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees.
No words needed: Hot Butterbeer™ = pure holiday magic.
Mannheim Steamroller Holiday Concerts – Universal Studios Florida
A longstanding tradition, on select nights, Universal Orlando theme park guests can attend Mannheim Steamroller concerts on the Music Plaza Stage near where the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit rollercoaster used to be.
Mannheim Steamroller Concert is available on select dates. 2026 Universal Mannheim Steamroller dates have not been released yet, but in 2025 they were December 2, 3, 9, and 10.
You will want to arrive a little early to these Christmas classics concerts as they are quite popular and there is no additional charge to attend. This concert is included with your daytime theme park ticket admission and will get all ages into the Holiday spirit
The Holiday Tribute Store – Universal Studios Florida
The Holiday Tribute Store is more fun than it sounds. The tribute store rotates seasonally and is part museum, part treat shop, and of course part gift shop.
Universal Team Members create four fabulously immersive and ridiculously themed rooms filled floor to ceiling with intellectual property props, bits of imagination, clever details, unique merchandise and more. Previous themes have included: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Seuss Landing, Earl the Squirrel (Universal’s holiday mascot), and a cozy Christmas at home.
Mom Approved Tip: Slow down and look around. Half the fun is finding all the tiny details Universal’s creative team hides throughout the rooms. This stop has become a cult favorite for frequent Universal Orlando guests! It’s worth stopping in to look for the details and grab a tasty treat!
Give yourself the gift of using a Mom Approved Travel Professional to make your Universal Orlando Holiday trip more magical
Are you ready to start planning a Universal Trip for the Holidays?
Mom Approved Travel is a Universal U-Preferred Travel Agency
Using a U-Preferred Travel Planner like Mom Approved Travel ensures you save an incredible amount of time, stress and your hard earned vacation dollars will be allocated to Universal holiday vacation things that matter to your family the most.
We were given this designation by Universal Parks and Resorts as a result of our agency’s ongoing focus and commitment to planning customized, magical trips to the Universal themeparks. Mom Approved Travel has helped thousands of families make their family vacation dreams come true.
- Your Mom Approved Travel Advisor will customize your Universal trip to create the best way for your unique family to experience the holidays at Universal according to your needs, budget and people.
- Mom Approved Travel Advisors maintain the highest level of Universal training
- You do not have to stress about getting the best deal, as your Mom Approved Travel Advisor will monitor your reservation for discounts and proactively apply any savings your booking qualifies for.
- Mom Approved Travel becomes your personal concierge and works with you on dining reservations, special events, recreation, VIP tours and so much more.
The Universal Holiday Tour
For families who want to make some of Universal Orlando’s biggest holiday experiences a priority, The Universal Holiday Tour combines several popular holiday must-dos into one guided experience.
The approximately 2½-hour tour is offered on select dates from November 14, 2026 through January 2, 2027, with pricing starting at $69.99 per person, plus tax.
The Universal Holiday Tour is a separately ticketed experience, and guests must also have two-park, Park-to-Park access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure for the date of the tour.
What Is Included in the Universal Holiday Tour?
The 2026 Universal Holiday Tour includes:
- An exclusive meet and greet with The Grinch
- An exclusive meet and greet with Max, The Grinch’s faithful dog
- Reserved seating for The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular
- A meet and greet with Santa Claus
- An optional reserved viewing area for Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s
Is the Universal Holiday Tour Worth It?
For the right family, it absolutely can be.
If meeting The Grinch and Max, seeing The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular and watching the Holiday Parade are high on your family’s Christmas wish list, the Holiday Tour puts several of those experiences together while also providing reserved access for some of the biggest holiday entertainment.
For a family whose priorities are primarily rides, Epic Universe or simply enjoying the holiday atmosphere while touring the parks, the additional cost may not provide the same value.
Mom Approved Tip: The Holiday Tour can sell out, particularly on popular weekend dates during the holiday season. If this is a must-do for your family, let your Mom Approved Travel Advisor know early so we can include it in your vacation planning instead of trying to fit it in after the rest of your trip is already set.
Is the Holiday Season a Good Time to Visit Universal Orlando?
It can be a fantastic time to visit, but the specific dates matter.
Holiday décor and entertainment make Universal especially festive, and truly magical, but Thanksgiving week, Christmas week and New Year’s travel can look very different from a trip in late November or early December.
Hotel availability, pricing, park crowds, school schedules and the holiday experiences most important to your family all factor into the decision.
There isn’t one “best” holiday week for every family.
We help our MAT client families find the travel window that makes the most sense for them.
Are the Holidays at Universal Orlando Good for Families?
Absolutely! For many families, the holiday season is one of the most fun times to experience Universal Orlando.
What makes it especially appealing is that the main holiday entertainment is layered into a regular Universal theme park vacation. You can ride attractions, explore the parks and enjoy Grinchmas, the Holiday Parade and Christmas in The Wizarding World without buying a separate ticket for the general holiday festivities.
But the RIGHT holiday trip is going to look different for every family.
- Families with younger children may care most about the Grinch, Whos and parade.
- Harry Potter families may want to structure evenings around seeing Hogsmeade after dark.
- Families with teens may care more about maximizing rides and Epic Universe while still enjoying the holiday atmosphere around them.
- And some families want to do all of it.
That’s why we don’t start by handing every family the same holiday itinerary. We look at your kids, your priorities, your vacation time and your vacation dollars and decide what deserves space in the trip.
Reviewed by Christy Slavik, VTA, CTA
Founder of Mom Approved Travel | Travel Advisor since 2015
Family & multigenerational travel specialist
Mom Approved Travel is a Universal U-Preferred Travel Agency
Last reviewed: August 2026