Universal Studios Hollywood is gearing up for its holiday season, running daily from Nov. 21, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, with the celebration included in regular theme park admission. The lineup blends returning favorites like Grinchmas with a new addition this year: Illumination's Merry Minions, debuting in Minion Land.
The holiday programming includes performances, decorations, character meet-and-greets, themed food and drinks, and other festive details spread across the Universal City park, according to NBC Los Angeles. Universal Studios Hollywood and NBC-owned TV stations share the same parent company, NBCUniversal. At the center of it all remains Grinchmas, which transforms Universal Plaza into Who-ville, anchored by a 65-foot tree adorned with hundreds of colorful ornaments and thousands of sparkling LED lights, per Universal Studios Hollywood's press materials.
Grinchmas Brings Back the Tree Lighting and Whoville Characters
Guests can meet the Grinch himself, his faithful dog Max, and a roster of Who-ville Whos throughout the Grinchmas celebration, the park's press release states. Multiple times each evening, the tree-lighting ceremony will be accompanied by a glistening snowfall flurry, delighting guests of all ages. The 2025-26 version of Grinchmas followed a similar format, with the same 65-foot tree and nightly lighting ceremonies, as Deadline reported last year.
Elsewhere in the park, Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter returns with hot Butterbeer and seasonal performances from the Frog Choir, per the same account from insideuniversal.net. Over in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, Mario and Luigi snowmen will stand beside a holiday tree crowned with a shining Super Star, continuing décor introduced in the prior season.
Merry Minions Makes Its Debut in Minion Land
New for 2026, Illumination's Merry Minions will make its debut in Minion Land, bringing Minions dressed in holiday attire for seasonal meet-and-greet opportunities, according to the report from insideuniversal.net. The Minion Cafe will offer a selection of holiday-inspired food and beverages to match, while seasonal merchandise will be available around the area as well. The addition slots Merry Minions alongside Grinchmas and the Wizarding World festivities as one of the park's core holiday draws for the season.
Free Holiday Fun Awaits at Universal CityWalk
Outside the park gates, Universal CityWalk will host its own free holiday display, centered on a 40-foot Christmas tree featuring more than 200,000 LED lights. Admission to CityWalk is free, the press release notes, and the area will also include decorations, seasonal merchandise and seasonal food. On select evenings, the 5 Towers stage will feature live music, DJ performances and interactive street entertainment for visitors strolling through.
The overall structure largely mirrors what Universal Studios Hollywood offered during the 2025-26 season, when the holiday celebration ran from Nov. 24, 2025, through Jan. 4, 2026, and included a similar mix of Grinchmas, Wizarding World programming and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD décor. The Merry Minions addition marks the most notable change for 2026, giving returning visitors a new photo-op and meet-and-greet experience layered onto the holiday traditions they already know.
