Hot Butterbeer From Hogsmeade, A 65-Foot Tall "Grinchmas" Tree, And 5 Other Things You Can't Miss At Universal Studios This Holiday Season
Christmas — or, ahem, Grinchmas — has officially hit Universal Studios. From festive foodie finds to a 65-foot-tall Christmas tree, the park is decked to the nines and ready for the holiday season. Universal Studios Hollywood was kind enough to invite me for a holly jolly-filled day at the park, so here are all their must-see attractions this holiday season (and a few pro-tips to make sure you have the most fun-filled trip possible):
1.Head down to the lower lot to see Super Nintendo World all lit up for Christmas.
This was my first time stepping inside Super Nintendo World, and all I've got to say is that the hype is absolutely real. I've been playing Nintendo games since the Game Boy Advance; it was so cool to see the world from my tiny little console brought to life in such a grand way. More than any other "land" at Universal, it's so immersive and over the top. I probably could've spent, like, an hour just wandering around and taking it all in. It was especially fun to see it all lit up for the holidays. Honestly, I kinda felt like a character in Super Mario Bros. Christmas game.
2.Catch the "Grinchmas" events at Production Plaza, including the Who-ville tree lighting show.
Production Plaza has a whole boatload of Grinchmas-themed happenings to partake in, from the Who-Bee Doo-Wops quartet (which I missed out on, as they only perform during the day) to a craft table where you can make your own ornament. After about 5:30, you can catch the Grinchmas tree lighting, which is a 15-minute show featuring songs and performances from everyone's favorite Who-ville residents, followed by the 65-foot tall, topsy-turvy tree being lit and *gasp* snow falling in Los Angeles!
Pro-tip to anyone hoping to catch one of the later tree lightings: The seats in the center fill up pretty quickly, but the best view is actually to the left of the stage, between the snack bar and tree. Most of the performances were right in front of us, there was plenty of space, and we weren't fighting a wall of people to get out.
3.Sample some Who-ville delicacies, like this Who Pudding (right) and "Up to Snow Good" drink (left).
After watching the tree lighting, I headed to the snack booth right in Production Plaza (City Snack Shop on the map/app, though its name is changed IRL to be more ~festive~) for a quick treat. It was around 8 then, and they were wiped out of all their other seasonal goodies by that time, so if you're looking for a wider selection, I'd definitely recommend stopping by early.
The "Snow" drink was surprisingly really tasty. Being that it's bright blue and all, I was worried it'd be way too sweet. Not at all! It was super refreshing and tasted like a light pineapple lemon soda. 10/10, would recommend. I wasn't as big of a fan of the Who Pudding for textural reasons — it was less of a pudding texture (though there's a tiny bit of what I think is mousse inside) and more of a jello and gummy candy texture. The whole thing is covered in cream cheese frosting, making it really (in my opinion, a bit overly) sweet. It kinda felt like I was biting into a container of super-sweet slime. Not quite my cup of tea, but I could totally see how a kiddo could really like it.
In addition to the goodies I tried, here are their other seasonal, Grinch-themed offerings:
Additionally, the app's menu also lists Whobilicious Cinnamon Rolls, Gingerbread Whoopie Pies, and Snowflake Cookies.
4.Snap a selfie with the Grinch, Max, and Cindy-Lou Who.
Cindy-Lou Who also hosts a live reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas in the Plaza.
5.Head over to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to grab a hot Butterbeer, admire the decorations, and catch the Hogwarts Frog Choir.
Harry Potter movie marathons are Christmas traditions for a reason, so it's no surprise that nowhere in Universal feels as classically Christmas-y as stepping foot into Hogsmeade Village does. A nice cup of steaming hot Butterbeer from The Three Broomsticks and listening to the frog choir really gets you into the festive spirit, I'll say!
6.Finish off the night by watching The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle light show.
In my opinion, this was the perfect way to end the night. While the show itself is a bit less spectacular than the Grinchmas tree lighting, it was still really cool to watch and definitely seemed to have the crowd feeling nostalgic. And, of course, what better way to say goodnight to Universal Studios than with a bang?
7.And finally, enjoy what the rest of the park has to offer!
In addition to their holiday offerings, all our favorite rides are still running amidst the festivities and the whole park is decked out for the holidays. I finally got to try out the Mario Kart ride in Super Nintendo World, and it was absolutely surreal. It was perhaps the best ride I have ever been on, period. Personally, I am still thinking about how cool it was to see Rainbow Road come to life! Also, the studio tour on the tram is also one I always, always recommend — it's loads of fun and a nice chance to get off your feet for a bit!
Universal Studios was kind enough to give me an express pass for the day, and I cannot stress enough how much easier and, frankly, more fun the park was with it. The Grinchmas tree lighting and Hogwarts light shows are both pre-scheduled, and it was already pretty tricky to arrange a time during our trip to watch both...and then rework our schedule several times because the ride we were in line for was taking longer than we'd expected or we were too far away in the park to make it in time. You can definitely still see all the holiday happenings and ride some rides without it, but I'd 1,000% recommend getting there right when the park opens to do so and planning to make a whole day of it.
Happy Holidays, y'all! Holidays at Universal Studios runs from now through Jan. 6, and access to everything you read about here is included in the price of admission. You can get tickets here.
