Universal City, CA — Holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood return daily from Nov. 21 to Jan. 3, 2027, included with park admission. The season offers Grinchmas in Universal Plaza (a 65-foot tree, tree lightings with snow, and photos with the Grinch and Max), the new Illumination’s Merry Minions in Minion Land, Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with the Frog Choir and The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle, and holiday decor at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD. Below is my guide to the season to help you plan.
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What’s new for 2026
- NewIllumination’s Merry Minions: for the first time, Minion Land celebrates the holidays, with festive decor, a meet-and-greet with the Minions in holiday attire, seasonal bites at Minion Cafe and a new Merry Minions merchandise collection.
- ReturningGrinchmas in Universal Plaza, Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with the Frog Choir and The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle, holiday decor at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD and the 40-foot CityWalk tree.
Grinchmas in Universal Plaza
Universal Plaza turns into the Grinchmas Who-bilation, built around a 65-foot tree with hundreds of colorful ornaments and thousands of LED lights. Multiple times each evening, a tree lighting ends with a flurry of snow. All three Grinch movies stream on Peacock this season, and my where to watch The Grinch guide has each version and NBC’s broadcast.
Grinchmas tree lighting
The 65-foot tree lights up with a snowfall flurry.
When: Multiple times each evening
Where: Universal Plaza
Cindy-Lou Who story time
Cindy-Lou Who reads How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Where: Grinchmas, Universal Plaza
The Fah-Who 4 A’s
A quartet performs holiday melodies.
Where: Grinchmas, Universal Plaza
Who-ville post office and ornaments
Send The Grinch a postcard listing your three good deeds, and decorate a paper Grinchmas ornament.
Where: Grinchmas, Universal Plaza
Who-tacular sweet treats and park-exclusive Grinchmas merchandise are for sale. Orlando’s Grinchmas is in my Christmas at Universal Orlando guide.
Illumination’s Merry Minions
Illumination’s Merry Minions brings the holidays to Illumination’s Minion Land for the first time, with twinkling decorations, a meet-and-greet with the Minions in their holiday attire, seasonal bites at Minion Cafe and a new Merry Minions merchandise collection.
Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Hogsmeade adds dazzling lights, garlands and seasonal wreaths to its snow-capped village, and the Frog Choir sings holiday songs multiple times a day. At night, The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle projects a holiday light show onto the castle, set to music from the Harry Potter films.
The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle
A nighttime projection show on Hogwarts Castle, set to music from the Harry Potter films.
When: Nightly. Times are in the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
The Frog Choir
Seasonal songs in Hogsmeade.
When: Multiple times a day
Hot Butterbeer
The seasonal hot Butterbeer joins the cold and frozen versions.
Where: Hogsmeade
Holidays at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD’s entrance to the Mushroom Kingdom gets Mario and Luigi snowmen and a holiday tree crowned with a shining Super Star, and holiday merchandise is at the 1-UP Factory shop inside the land.
Characters: Who to Meet and Where
The Grinch and Max are the season’s big photo line, in Universal Plaza, and the Minions in holiday attire are new in Minion Land. Universal posts character times in its app, not on its website.
The Grinch and Max
Where: Grinchmas, Universal Plaza
When: Times are in the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
One of the most popular photo lines of the season, so get in line early.
Cindy-Lou Who
Where: Grinchmas, Universal Plaza
When: Story time. Times are in the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
She reads How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Who-ville Whos
Where: Grinchmas, Universal Plaza
When: During Grinchmas
The Minions in holiday attire
Where: Illumination’s Minion Land
When: Times are in the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
A new meet-and-greet this year, so expect a line.
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD characters
Where: SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
When: Times are in the Universal Studios Hollywood app.
Universal says you can visit your favorite characters in the land this season.
Universal CityWalk Hollywood
Universal CityWalk, which is free to enter, has a 40-foot Christmas tree lit by more than 200,000 LEDs, and live music, DJ sets and street performers on the 5 Towers stage on select evenings.
Holiday Food and Drinks
Minion Cafe has seasonal bites for Merry Minions, Grinchmas sells Who-tacular sweet treats, and Hogsmeade pours hot Butterbeer. Universal hasn’t posted its 2026 holiday menu items yet, and I’ll add them when it does.
Holiday food and drinksSorts by savory, sweet and drinks
Grinchmas
.
Minion Cafe
.
Hogsmeade
.
Nothing matches. Try All or All locations.
Tickets and the Pass Member Takeover
The holidays are included with a Universal Studios Hollywood theme park ticket or an Annual or Season Pass, and blockout dates apply to passes. Pass members can also book the after-hours Pass Member Holiday Park Takeover on Dec. 1 and 2, with reservations required.
Fever sells Universal Studios Hollywood Express tickets, one day of admission with one-time express access to each ride and reserved seating at shows, with no booking fees. See Fever’s dates and tickets.
Ticket options
| Ticket | Price | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Theme park ticket | Set by date online | One day, with the holidays included |
| Annual or Season Pass | By pass level | The holidays are included, with blockout dates |
| Pass Member Holiday Park Takeover | For pass members, reservation required | After hours, Dec. 1 and 2 |
Photos
Universal Studios Hollywood Holidays FAQ
When is Grinchmas at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2026?
Daily from Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027, included with park admission.
What’s new for the holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood?
Illumination’s Merry Minions, the first holiday celebration in Minion Land, with a Minions meet-and-greet in holiday attire.
Holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood run daily Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027. For tickets, visit universalstudioshollywood.com. The park’s full year is in my Universal Studios Hollywood guide, and Orlando’s Grinchmas is in my Christmas at Universal Orlando guide.
