I am all about the Holidays, it truly is my favorite time of the year. I cannot get enough of the events and decorations. So you can imagine how excited I was to be able to attend a Holiday VIP Tour at Universal Orlando. Grab your Hot Cocoa and a cookie, and join me as I experience my first Universal VIP Tour… It won’t be my last!
But First…
Green and Red Coconut Room
I got to start the night with a look at the Green and Red Coconut Room. After a stint as the “Dead Coconut” for the Halloween season, The Red Coconut Club has been transformed for the holidays, and it doesn’t disappoint!
If kitschy decor and lights galore are on your must-see list, then this is the place for you. With live entertainment, a DJ, exclusive drinks, and Ugly Sweater Sunday, You’d have to be the Grinch not to have a great time here.
Don’t forget to venture upstairs to Earl the Squirrel’s Tree Farm.
Now that we’ve got you in the holiday spirit… on to the Universal Holiday Tour…
Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular
The Universal Holiday Tour starts with a viewing of the Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular. The reserved seating provides the perfect view of Whoville.
Watching the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes in this live rendition of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a great start for the night.
From here we went on to have some savory dishes with a holiday flare. The options varied from cheese and fruit, salad, and more savory options such as Sweet Potato and Turkey Souffle, White Christmas Pasta, and Corn Dog Nuggets. Soda, water, and Hot Chocolate were also available.
A Visit with Santa
On our way to visit Santa, we went through the streets of New York. The decorations are different on each building, made to look like each was decorated for the Holidays by the individual building owners.
A visit with Santa at Universal is exclusive to the Universal Holiday Tour. It is the only time you can see the “Man with the Bag.” With almost no wait, Santa is ready to greet you.
Holiday Tribute Store
Up next, is the Holiday Tribute Store. This year’s theme is storybook… So, let’s enter through the pop-up book entry. From Hogwarts to Grinch, Minions, and Earl the Squirrel, this store is packed with holiday delights. The tour provides a great opportunity to experience the Tribute Store with no crowds and enough time to let all the details soak in!
The mix of stories and merchandise flowed nicely. The Harry Potter section wasn’t quite storybook, but that didn’t make me love it any less.
The Grinch section had numbered bubbles to follow along. 
Earl the Squirrel has a story as well. 
My family loves Earl.
Earl the Squirrel
Speaking of Earl the Squirrel. This mischievous fellow has become the mascot of the Universal Holiday season. What started as a squirrel who ate the tree light wires, has transformed into a character responsible for making sure the Universal Holiday season goes off without any hiccups. You can even find him hiding in the glittering Christmas Tree.
Here’s what he looks like. See if you can find him on your visit.
Exclusive Ride Access
Entering a side door, we were ushered right to the loading zone for Villian-Con Minion Blast. While this was the only ride for the night, it may not always be the same attraction and is subject to availability.
Tribute Ornaments
Throughout the Universal parks, there are hidden ornaments in the decorations as a tribute to past attractions. Can you find Terminator in the upper wreath and GGrinch in the bottom? That knife stabbing the ornament is a non to Alfern Hitchcock and Lucy’s Vitameatavegamin bottle. 
You can find Rosie from The Jetsons, Jaws, cows from Twister, the swords from Sinbad, and more throughout Universal Studios and at the Port of Entry at Islands of Adventure. 
I don’t know about you, but I love it when the theme parks give you little things to explore and find!
Meeting the Grinch and Max
As we walked around looking for tribute ornaments, we were also heading for our sweet treats and to meet the Grinch and Max. From cookies to trifles and cheesecake, there were plenty of treats to enjoy.
We met the Grinch back at the Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular stage. While you can see the Grinch in the park, there is frequently a long wait… so this was a fantastic opportunity.
We met Max outside the stage, near his dog house. The only time you can meet Max is during the Universal Holiday Tour.
Seuss Landing
With full bellies and the excitement of meeting Max (and Grinch) behind us, we headed through Seuss Landing on our way to Hogsmeade. This area is amazingly themed and completely decked out for the holidays.
The buildings in Seuss Landing are ready for the Who-liday.
Even the Lorax and the Truffula trees are all decked out.
The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts
While waiting for The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts, we got to roam freely around a near-empty Hogsmeade. Talk about holiday magic; these Harry Potter lands are the real deal.
Watching the holiday show without it being crowded was an amazing experience.
Dusty just watched the show from Universal Studios Hollywood (it’s exactly the same presentation). Take a look at this magical show:
As soon as the show ended, we met back up with our tour guide and walked to the exit of Islands of Adventure ending our tour for the night.
Final Thoughts and Details on the Universal Holiday Tour
The Universal Holiday Tour isn’t just a walk through a park to look at decorations, it is full of behind-the-scenes information (which can differ depending on your tour guide) and access to opportunities not available to regular guests. I would definitely go on this tour again and bring more family and friends. This tour is a great way to celebrate the season. Tour Groups are limited to 10-12 people with a max of 30 tour guides a night. Tours run nightly through December 29 and start at $79.99.
How does a Universal Holiday Tour sound to you? And have you experienced the Coconut Club in any of its holiday overlays? We’re looking for your Universal holiday thoughts & tips… Let us know in the comments below!