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Visitors cheer as The Blues Brothers belt out holiday tunes. They oooh and ahhh as the giant
Gingerbread Man balloon floats down the street in New York City. People sip warm Butterbeer as they listen to Celestine Warbeck croon, My Baby Gave me a Hippogriff for Christmas. They pass garlands and wreaths decorated with brilliant baubles on their way to The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle nighttime show. There are many activities at Universal Orlando to immerse guests in the holiday spirit. The best way to welcome Christmas at the theme park resort is to experience all of the things to do during Grinchmas.
During the holiday season, Seuss Landing, in Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure Park, is decked out for Grinchmas.
Decorations
One of my favorite things to do during Grinchmas is to admire the decorations.
The decorations in Universal Studios’ New York are classic, and the adornments in The Wizarding World are tastefully British. The decorations in Seuss Landing are whimsical, colorful, and bold.
I’m filled with childlike wonder as my eyes feast upon bows, balls, bells, and ample amounts of shiny garland. They go all out with the bingle balls and Whofoo fluff.
Meet the Grinch
Did you even celebrate Grinchmas if you didn’t meet The Grinch? Meeting the Grinch is one of the top things to do during Grinchmas. For most people, it is the thing to do. Unfortunately, meeting the grumpy, snarky diva, is not as easy as you think. During our visit, the standby line for the meet and greet reached 200 minutes.
Even if you try to rope drop the line, you may still spend a good portion of your theme park day queuing for that dream photo op. If all you want for Christmas is a photo with The Grinch, it’s worth the wait.
If your heart’s desire is a meet and greet with the green guy, you can take the theme park Holiday Tour. The tour is an extra cost, and you must have a valid theme park entry ticket on the day of your tour. During the tour, you’ll see all of Universal’s holiday splendor glowing at its best. You also have a private group meeting with The Grinch. Book your tour early. They sell out fast.
The other way to ensure a coveted Grinch encounter is to make a reservation for The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast. Reservations book up quickly, so secure your spot as soon as they go on sale.
Breakfast with The Grinch is an additional cost.
Click here to read about our experience at The Grinch & Friends Breakfast.
Our Grinch meet and greet was one of the highlights of our Universal Christmas trip.
To make your decision about meeting The Grinch, you will need to ask yourself some questions. Is it worth my time? Is it worth my money? Is it worth it at all?
Meet a Who
One of the things to do during Grinchmas is meet a resident Who. As you stroll around Seuss Landing, you will see wandering Whoville citizens. Dressed in their finest quirky attire, they sing, dance, and tell stories. They also have an affinity for decorating passing guests up like who-worthy Christmas trees. We caught their shenanigans out of the corner of our eyes. The Who residents were very popular, especially with kids. There was usually a crowd surrounding them.
Special Treats
After meeting The Grinch, I most looked forward to trying the special themed treats. The majority of holiday-themed foods were sweet. The conundrum of trying themed treats is having limited stomach space. I opt to try the most popular Grinchmas treat, The Grinch hot chocolate.
It is a basic hot chocolate. What makes it special is The Grinch heart chocolate bomb.
As a hot chocolate fan, I can’t believe this is my first hot chocolate bomb. I’m not sure what to expect or if the bomb effect will even work. I’m pleasantly surprised at how entertaining and delightful it is to watch the bomb sink and send bouncing marshmallows floating to the top. Did I sing Sink-Sank-Sunk to myself as I watched events unfold? Of course I did.
Was it the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had? No. Is it better than a warm Butterbeer? Also no. But it was a warm, cozy, enjoyable cup of hot chocolate.
Shop
If you always wanted to deck your halls with Grinchmas decorations or deck yourself out in Grinch attire, you can hop from shop to shop in Seuss Landing.
Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular Show
The fake snow falling from the ceiling is magic. Sitting in my seat, my heart soars as the cast sings,
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us
Fills each and every heart with love
It’s a job well done. In the moment my heart is full of love. Full of love for Christmas and full of love for Grinchmas.
You will find the entrance to the Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular Show next to Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-Pendous. Show times are posted on a sign and on the Universal app. It is best to start lining up about 30 minutes before the show starts to guarantee a seat.
The show is a shortened version of the 2000 How The Grinch Stole Christmas movie. It has great songs and musical numbers. The costumes and sets are dazzling, and the cast is fantastic. It was a Broadway-style performance, and I adored every minute of the show.
This entertainment is included with your park ticket. There is no additional cost. It’s worth the time. Don’t miss the show. It’s a great chance to rest your tired park legs and get a hefty dose of Christmas warm fuzzies.
Conclusion
There are enough things to do during Grinchmas to keep you occupied for at least half of a day.
It’s the best, happiest, whimsical Christmas activity in Universal Orlando. If you have kids or are a kid at heart, spend time in Seuss Landing and create some wonderful Christmas memories.
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