We’re big believers that no idea is too small to sprinkle with sugar, spice, and pixie dust—and that includes how you tour a theme park during the holidays! For our recent family trip to Universal Orlando, we decided to elevate the ordinary by booking the Universal Studios Orlando Holiday Tour. What followed was roughly five to six hours of structured family fun that was so much more than we could have hoped for.
The VIP Holiday Tour Who-liday Start
Our Magically Epic adventure began by meeting our guide and the two other families at the Red Coconut Club in Universal CityWalk. The small group size immediately set an intimate, relaxed tone for the afternoon.
From there, we were guided to the Grinchmas™ Who-liday Spectacular, a must-do for any holiday visitor. The show, which was beautifully revised into the spectacular presentation we know today around 2007, is absolutely amazing. As tour guests, we were given up-front seating to take in the fabulous set, wardrobes, singing, and overall high-caliber performance. Getting those premium seats made a huge difference in appreciating the show’s artistry.
Exclusive Access and Holiday Lore
The tour continued with several unique experiences that took us off the beaten path:
- Santa’s Secret Meet: We enjoyed a private family meet and greet with Santa, located in the upstairs of the NBC Jimmy Fallon New York attraction—a great location that offered a break from the crowds.
- The Earl the Squirrel Hunt: Our tour guide filled us in on the origin of Earl the Squirrel via a fun poem, followed by family photos in front of the 80-foot tall Christmas tree and moments spent searching for Earl within the tree’s branches!
- A Sweet Break: We also had an opportunity to decorate Christmas cookies (gingerbread men and Christmas trees were the delicious options!), which was a fun, hands-on activity.
- Tribute Store Easter Eggs: We visited the Christmas Tribute Store and learned about this year’s nutcracker theme. And for all you Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) lovers, our guide pointed out some subtle easter eggs in the store to HHN, sparking lots of chatter online about what it might mean for the 35th year of HHN in 2026!
For our “small bites”—since we were touring on Thanksgiving Day—Universal provided a feast that included a yummy Thanksgiving casserole, mac and cheese, desserts, and drinks. It was a perfectly timed, comforting meal.
The Grinchy Highlight of Our Holiday Tour
The absolute highlight of the day was, of course, meeting The Grinch and Max.
The experience of meeting the Grinch is everything you’d expect: charming, fun, and a must-do activity for families who love Seuss Landing and related IP. The character actor truly brought the Grinch to life—he was engaging, funny, and playfully “grinchy” in every way! Our family photos are unique and playful, and we absolutely love the subtle humor the Grinch brought to them. If you want that secret humor, you better book your own tour or plan to wait for a fairly long period of time in Seuss Landing!
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to think of a question to ask the Grinch and bring him an onion as a gift!
After meeting the Mean One, we met Max, a real animal actor dog, a moment our dog-loving kids adored. From there, our group was guided to a ride attraction. Our group, which included a young lady with accessibility considerations, had a wonderful time on the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction.
The Grand Finale
It was the perfect cherry on top when our tour guide delivered us all to a dedicated, roped-off, viewing area for the Macy’s Holiday Parade. We had a wonderful view of the New York set and the spectacular moment when Santa lights that 80-foot tree to cap off the parade!
While I’ve seen some negativity online that these tours used to be in the evening when the park lights are dazzling, for me and our family, the tour was more about who we spent the day with and the memories we made throughout.
And if you’re as Magically Epic as we try to be, we rushed out before our travel down to Universal Studios for Thanksgiving weekend to buy matching Grinch Pajama pants! My family wore them for the tour and the entire day. Several people commented on our PJs, and we weren’t the only family showing holiday spirit. So you do you—be Magically Epic and go rock your best holiday spirit when you get down for Grinchmas!
More Magically Epic Adventures Await!
If you enjoyed this look behind the scenes at Universal Orlando’s Holiday Tour & related Grinchmas offerings, be sure to check out our other articles on all things theme parks! Specifically, don’t miss our comprehensive review of the newest Universal Resorts located in the Epic Universe area that opened in early 2025, including the cosmic-themed Stella Nova and Terra Luna, and of course, the amazing, elegant, and luxurious Helios Grand Hotel.
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