The Holidays are officially back in full swing at Universal Studios Hollywood! Guests visiting between now and Sunday, January 4, 2026, will have the opportunity to experience the return of beloved holiday traditions at the theme park, including Grinchmas, Christmas in the Wizarding World, and seasonal décor added to the Mushroom Kingdom at Super Nintendo World.
Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at all the special holiday offerings this year, which can be found amid the stunning views of Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk in the wintertime – both decked out with thousands of festive lights and decor for the season.
Grinchmas
Undoubtedly, the centerpiece of Universal’s holiday celebration each year, Grinchmas has once again taken over Universal Plaza for the season. This year, it offers a similar variety of activities to last year’s event, but with a slightly altered layout.
Starting with the subtle layout changes, the main Grinch meet-and-greet location has been moved under a tent on the left side of Universal Plaza when facing the main stage. The queue entrance can be found just to the right of the meet-and-greet location and wraps around the back of the plaza, effectively helping with crowd control in this space that often gets quite packed amid busy holiday crowds.
The alternate, pass member-exclusive Grinch meet-and-greet location – found on the upper level of Jurassic Café on the Lower Lot – remains unchanged, though you might want to anticipate similarly long waits there too due to occasional lengthy pauses in the Grinch’s set times.
On the Upper lot, a stroller parking area has notably been added to the empty queue of the former The Walking Dead Attraction, making it easier for families to find a place to leave their strollers without blocking guest walkways before dense crowds arrive in the evening for the Wholiday Tree Lighting. If you do plan on bringing a stroller, we highly recommend parking it before finding a seat for the show, as team members recommend.
Aside from these minor changes, the rest of the event remains largely the same. Guests will find various Whos wandering throughout Universal Plaza throughout the day – some familiar faces, others new – who are always eager to interact and pose for photos, offering a sparkle of Wholiday cheer to everyone they encounter.
Towards the back of the plaza, the ever-popular photo opportunity featuring Max, the Grinch’s canine sidekick, remains a favorite among guests as always.
Additionally, Grinchmas’s usual mini activities have returned, offering some additional fun for smaller guests in particular. Trim Up the Tree Lot has been moved next to the Grinch meet-and-greet entrance, where guests can make ornaments and hang them on Christmas trees for all to see.
Nearby, at the Whoville Post Office – now moved to where the Grinch’s meet-and-greet was previously located on the left side of the main stage – guests can fill out and mail a postcard sharing three good deeds they’ve done. For each postcard received, Universal Studios Hollywood’s Discover a Star Foundation will make a donation to School on Wheels – a charitable organization dedicated to educating homeless youth.
The Who-Mingdales stand on the right side of the plaza offers an assortment of Grinch-themed merchandise for guests eager to bring home mementos of the Grinchmas spirit.
The adjacent Who-bilicious Treats stand sells a selection of festive sweet food and drink offerings, including the iconic Grinch donut, a “Heart Grow 3 Sizes Cookie”, specialty drinks, and more.
Just down the way from the Universal Plaza, Hollywood & Dine has been transformed into an alternative location for Grinch-themed food and drink offerings, including the long-awaited return of the famous Who Hash, though with a slight twist on the previous recipe.
Returning to the main stage inside Universal Plaza, located just below the massive tree, are two familiar shows that run on an alternating showtime schedule throughout the day. The Wholiday Tree Lighting then takes place at night, with showtimes beginning at 5:30 PM and continuing at designated 45-minute intervals.
Story Time with Cindy Lou-Who invites guests to join the sweetest Who by the stage as she tells the story of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, reading from a copy of the Dr. Seuss book while acting out the distinct voices of each character. Like last year, the show is offered in both English and Spanish, with one designated Spanish showtime clearly marked on the show boards and typically taking place sometime in the mid-afternoon.
The other daytime show is Grinchmas’s signature singing group, renamed from last year’s Who-Bee-Doo-Wops to The Fah-Who 4 A’s. Made up of four talented performers, they now sing a slightly more modern setlist of holiday tunes.
This year’s show undeniably flows better than any of its previous iterations, and we’ll be curious to see if this version of the show finally becomes a permanent fixture. Guests enthusiastically gather for each performance, and we’re glad to see that live entertainment remains a core part of the Grinchmas lineup, even with slight changes each year.
Finally, the Wholiday Tree Lighting remains the most prominent nighttime entertainment offering at the park during the holiday season, which guests often start securing seats for over an hour in advance. This year’s tree lighting is essentially identical to last year’s show, combining elements from previous Grinchmas tree lighting ceremonies into a solid, entertaining show that runs about 12 minutes.
The show essentially presents an abridged version of the story of the Grinch, culminating in the lighting of the 65-foot Grinchmas tree. It begins with the citizens of Whoville celebrating Christmas by distracting themselves with their many flashy displays of gifts, only for Cindy Lou-Who to question the town’s long-held traditions and ultimately welcome the Grinch to receive an award.
Chaos ensues as soon as the Grinch arrives in signature style, providing many laughs before the show wraps up on a heartfelt note. The finale features the whimsical Grinchmas tree being successfully lit for everyone to admire at last.
Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Christmas in the Wizarding World features a beautifully decorated Hogsmeade adorned with twinkling lights, themed garlands, and cheerful wreaths. Guests can explore the land while enjoying a hot, cold, or frozen Butterbeer throughout the day, and catch a performance of the Frog Choir’s traditional holiday a cappella show at the stage by Hogwarts Castle.
At night, the land comes alive with twinkling holiday lights illuminating the way to Hogwarts Castle, where the nighttime light projection show, The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle, transforms Hogwarts into a luminous canvas adorned with intricate imagery that captures the spirit of the season – though obviously with quite a few magical twists.
Holidays in Super Nintendo World
The holiday celebration returns to Super Nintendo World for its second year, primarily featuring festive décor added throughout the land.
At the entrance, guests will encounter Mario and Luigi snowmen – one donning Mario’s signature red hat and a scarf, the other sporting Luigi’s green cap and scarf – framed by a sparkling tree crowned with a Super Star.
Inside, the Mushroom Kingdom is decorated with holiday lights, primarily found on Princess Peach’s castle, along with other subtle holiday touches. Guests can also explore a selection of special holiday merchandise available at the 1-Up Factory shop within the land, as well as at various retail locations throughout the theme park.
From now through February 28, Super Nintendo World guests with interactive Power-Up Bands also have the opportunity to unlock the exclusive “Winter Wonder” stamp. Those who visit during the month of December can also earn a special “Holiday Party” stamp.
Overall, Universal Studios Hollywood has brought back a diverse array of holiday activities this season, offering a rich lineup of entertainment and attractions perfectly complementing the park’s usual daytime offerings. With Grinchmas, Christmas in the Wizarding World, and the festive decor in Super Nintendo World, there’s something special for everyone to enjoy this holiday season, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Once again, we thank Universal Studios Hollywood for inviting us to experience this year’s holiday festivities, which run through Sunday, January 4, 2026.
As always, stay tuned to Inside Universal for all the latest news on Universal Parks & Resorts and follow along on our forums & discussion boards.
