Universal’s Lunar New Year Celebration has returned for its third year.
Running for just over two weeks and located in Universal Plaza, guests will be able to celebrate with Asian inspired foods, decorations, and character interactions. Come to Universal Studios Hollywood between January 30th and February 14th to join in on the festivities.
Mandarin-speaking Megatron is back as a fan favorite along with the Chinese lanterns and cherry blossom decor. However, there are some new additions this year that add to the fun. Wishing trees now line the interior of Universal Plaza, and guests can use one of the cards provided to write a wish and hang it on a tree as a token for the new year. Part of the fun comes from reading the wishes from other guests, and we suggest you check some of what other guests have to say for some heartwarming notes.
Being the Year of the Monkey, Universal has brought out Curious George in festive attire. Guests can check the list of times located near George’s meeting area to make sure they can get a picture with the curious little monkey throughout the day.
Asian inspired snacks and dishes are also provided in the adjacent food truck. For snacks, guests can enjoy sriracha potato chips, green iced tea, and giant doughnuts with the word “monkey” displayed on them spelled out in traditional Chinese characters. The food truck offers a heartier selection with pork potstickers, chicken egg rolls, and hot dogs that include Asian inspired toppings. Good Luck Pineapple has a pineapple relish, and their Korean Kimchi dish comes with kimchi, spicy mayo, and green onions. Lastly, Universal also provides a Chinese Fusion dish with eel sauce, Chinese garlic cucumbers, green onions and sesame seeds. Of course, if you’re feeling a little less adventurous you can always grab a plain Hot Dog too.
For one day only, on February 13th, The Five Continents Arts Troupe from Shenzhen China will perform amazing acrobatics and dance. The show will take place periodically throughout the afternoon, and we’ll have full coverage on Inside Universal.
Last but not least, Universal is offering extra Mandarin Studio Tours throughout the day. The Mandarin-speaking tours are standard practice for the park, but during the Lunar New Year, Universal is increasing the amount of daily tours for Mandarin-speaking guests. More information – including Mandarin tours – is provided in Chinese at USH.cn.
All in all, Universal’s Lunar New Year Celebration improves year after year making this the best one yet. There are definitely some fun activities for families and Mandarin-speaking Megatron is always a blast. You may celebrate the Year of the Monkey at Universal Studios Hollywood up until February 14th.
