32 Festive Foods, Treats, And Activities You Have To Try During The Holidays At Universal Studios

Hello friends, I come bearing fun, festive news: the Holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood is back!

Studio entrance with a red carpet
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

And, like always, there are plenty of holiday-themed foods, activities, and rides to enjoy this season. So, here's a look at allllll the fun things you can do (and some hot tips, too!).

Hello kitty
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

1.First of all, you should know that the Holidays at Universal Studios this year runs now through Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.

Large presents as decor outside a market
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

2.And all the Holiday Festivities are included in the price of theme park admission.

The stores lit up
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

3.If you're visiting on the weekend, keep in mind that lines for rides and attractions can get VERY long. (We were there on a Saturday and most rides had an over 100-minute wait time.)

Crowds of people on the street
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

4.One of the most popular areas to visit at the park during the holidays is the "Grinchmas Who-bilation" in Universal Plaza.

Grinchmas sign
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

5.During Grinchmas there are special activities like photo ops with the Grinch...

Closeup of the grinch
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

6....and even with his faithful dog Max.

Max
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

7.You can also enjoy story time with sweet Cindy-Lou Who.

Crooked tree with presents underneath
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

8.Or you can mail postcards and holiday messages from the Who-ville post office.

Kids writing letters
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

9.But, without a doubt, the most POPULAR thing to do in this area is watch the tree lighting ceremony of the 65-foot-tall Grinchmas tree at night.

The crowd at night around the lit tree
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

10.And be sure to arrive at the plaza early to get into the viewing area for the tree lighting ceremony because it gets REALLY CROWDED.

Crowd trying to get In
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

But let's take a few moments to talk about some of the FOOD because PHEW, there's a lot...

11.There are fun Grinch-themed treats you can snack on this year like a "Max 22" hot dog topped with beef chili, cheddar cheese, and potato sticks...

The foot long hot dog
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

12....a yummy roasted chicken & Brie croissant with stuffing, cranberry mayo, and lettuce (one of my personal favorites this year)...

The sandwich with a bite taken
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

13....a savory smoked brisket sandwich served on a pretzel bun with crispy onions and slaw...

The sandwich and fries
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

14....and holiday popcorn chicken & waffle served with gravy and cranberry sauce!

The waffle plated
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

15.As for the SWEET treats, there's A LOT to check out like this butterscotch pudding jar which has layers of pudding, graham cracker crumbs, and whipped frosting.

Author holding the pudding
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

16.And I personally recommend the gingerbread Who-Ville tree cookie covered in frosting and sprinkles.

Author eating the cookie
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

17.There's also a holiday Minion sugar cookie...

Minion wearing a Santa hat cookie
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

18....or a charming snow globe cookie, too.

Snowman in the snow globe cookie
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

19.You can embrace your inner basic self while noshing on this cute pumpkin spice caramel cupcake.

Pumpkin cupcake
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

20.Or GO BIG with this super-sized, delectable Grinch donut (it's bigger than my hand!)...

Grinch donut
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

21....or a seasonal chocolate wreath donut if that's more your thing. (Both come in a handy box in case you wanna save some for later, BTW!)

Wreath donut
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

22.There's even a Grinch funnel cake covered in cranberry compote, whipped cream, and a gummy heart two sizes too small...

Funnel cake with toppings
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

23.Want something ~boozy~ to wash all this goodness down? Try out a hot pear cider...

Cider
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

24....or a hot buttered rum.

The drink in a cup
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

25.For something more refreshing, there's a Grinch's heart, which has a sour apple flavor (and comes in a non-alcoholic, lemonade version, too).

The drink with gummies as the garnish
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

26.And, for more family-friendly options, there's always a warm and cozy peppermint hot chocolate. (SO GOOD.)

Author holding a cup of hot chocolate
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

27.For even more ~magic~ you can check out Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There, you can meander the streets of Hogsmeade to admire the festive decor.

The streets of the wizard world
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

28.Or stop and listen to the Hogwarts Frog Choir as they sing a special holiday a capella show.

Group singing on stage
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

29.At night, there's also the dazzling “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle" light projection show.

The light show
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

30.At The Three Broomsticks, you can enjoy the seasonal English holiday dinner which features roasted turkey, sourdough stuffing, ginger-glazed carrots, Brussels sprouts, bacon-wrapped sausage, turkey gravy, and cranberry sauce. Truly a feast!

Plate of all the food
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

31.And keep in mind that The Three Broomsticks is VERY POPULAR this time of year, so expect there to be a line. (But, don't worry, it moves pretty fast!)

The line outside
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

32.And, finally, you ABSOLUTELY have to treat yourself to a hot butterbeer, which you can also get at The Three Broomsticks!

Cup of butterbeer
Crystal Ro / BuzzFeed

Believe it or not, this is just the tip of the iceberg! To see even more treats (and try them out yourself), check out the Holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood now through Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023! You can buy tickets here.

The entrance
Gary Moss / Universal Studios

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