The holiday season should be many things. Holly, jolly, merry, bright… I could go on. But, in my humble opinion, the most important thing that a holiday can be is cozy! I’m talking curled-up-by-the-fire levels of hygge: the Danish and Norwegian concept of cozy comfort that I structure my entire life around during this time of the year.
A theme park may not be the first place you think of when you’re planning a cozy holiday, but I’ve spent many a Floridian winter enjoying the Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort, and here’s my secret: Universal Studios Florida does cozy right. From November 21 through January 4, you can experience Christmas in the Big Apple, classic caroling cheer, and enough twinkling lights to short-circuit your local power grid.
Forget old acquaintance, don’t even think about bringing it to mind, and read on for my guide to a cozy Universal Studios holiday!
Have a New York Christmas
I’ve been lucky enough to celebrate the holidays in New York City a few times, and I can confirm it’s everything that the movies make it out to be. Universal Orlando Resort is all about bringing the movies to life, so it’s fitting that you can also get a little slice of Christmas in New York when you visit Universal Studios Florida!
If you visit in the evening, you can enjoy the sparkling Christmas lights adorning the brownstones on Delancey Street and shining above the Palace Theater Arcade. My foolproof agenda for a cozy evening? Grab a holiday snack or beverage — hot chocolate, ideally — find a seat, and listen to the holiday tunes drifting through the air.
The icing on the gingerbread man is definitely Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s. For the ultimate New York viewing experience, I recommend watching the parade near Revenge of the Mummy. There’s just something extra special about seeing the floats and balloons pass by the gigantic Christmas Tree located next to Gramercy Park. And when the snow begins to fall? Don’t get me started.
Get Ahead on Holiday Shopping
‘Tis the season for giving and gifting — two things that are extra easy if you do your holiday shopping at Universal Studios Florida! While you’re in New York, you can’t miss the Holiday Tribute Store. This is an experience in and of itself, with themed rooms, photo ops, exclusive merchandise, and seasonal treats.
I also recommend popping into the Universal Studios Store near the theme park’s entrance. This store is filled to the brim with potential gifts, and during the Holidays, you’ll also find an array of seasonal merch and apparel starring some of your favorite Universal franchises. So if you were looking for a chance to treat yourself to a beautiful Butterbeer ornament, let this be a sign.
Enjoy a Holiday Treat (or Two)
An essential part of The Cozy Experience
is, of course, the treats, snacks, and fun beverages. Luckily, Universal Studios has plenty of all three! At San Francisco Pastry Company, you can indulge in a Chocolate Yule Log, Santa’s Christmas Crème Puff, and — my personal favorite — Coquito Crunch, a chocolate rum cake with coquito mousse and a chocolate hazelnut crunch.
Looking to spice it up a little? At the Louie’s Italian Restaurant gelato window, you can find two specialty flavors for the season (if you’re not too cold in Florida’s signature 60-degree winter, that is):
- Pumpkin Praline Gelato
- Peppermint Chocolate Chip Gelato
My recommendation? Stop by Central Park Crêpes for the Snickerdoodle Crepe and take a stroll around the Hollywood streets. While you’re snacking, you might just spot some of your favorite characters meeting and greeting in their holiday finest!
Meet Earl the Squirrel
Speaking of meeting and greeting, this guy deserves his own section. Nothing — seriously, nothing — is as cozy as a hug from a cute critter, and Earl the Squirrel is about as cute as they come. He also just happens to be my favorite holiday mascot at Universal (don’t tell the green guy over in the other park), and once you meet him, I’m sure you’ll agree with me.
You can meet Earl the Squirrel in the theme park in front of Santa’s Sleigh across from Mel’s Drive-In, or in Universal CityWalk near Bigfire during the day and Red Coconut Club in the evening.
Enjoy Christmas Carols
Ah, the Christmas carol. People no longer go door-to-door spreading holiday cheer via song — at least not in my apartment complex — but luckily, you can still enjoy live Christmas tunes at Universal Studios Florida. In The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, you can catch Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees perform hits like “My Baby Gave Me a Hippogriff for Christmas.” (Is that a good or bad thing? You’ll have to listen to the song to find out!)
In the Hollywood section of the theme park, you can catch a special holiday performance by Marilyn and the Diamond Bellas. In New York, fan-favorite shows Vamos! Bailalo and the Beat Builders join in on the festivities with some familiar holiday tunes the whole family will dance to. And don’t forget to check out the Beat Builders’ decorating skills!
Over on Delancey Street, you can partake in one of my absolute favorite holiday treats: watching The Blues Brothers Show! Jake, Elwood, Mabel, and Jazz have a few holiday hits up their sleeves, like “Run Rudolph Run” and “Blue Christmas.”
Did I miss any of your cozy must-dos in Universal Studios Florida? What about in Islands of Adventure? Drop a comment down below!
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