I have a confession to make: Up until today, I have never been to Universal Studios Hollywood during the daytime. Yes, it’s true, I’ve grown up in Southern California and the only time I have made it to Universal was during Horror Nights. After today I realized the error of my ways and everything that I have been missing out on. Universal Studios Hollywood is just as great (if not better) during the winter holiday season as it is for Halloween.
With my husband and two kids in tow, we all made our way into the park eager to start our Grinchmas adventure. But Who-ville had to wait because my son bounced down the street determined to hit the Minion ride first thing. I obliged because I knew that the queues would probably have long wait times if we held off for later in the day. The holiday theming in Super Silly Fun Land lived up to its name. Christmas tress of non traditional colors lined the street. Wreaths loaded with purple ornaments adorned the doors and the giggles from the Minions were contagious. Yellows, purples, and everything in between made for a great break from the standard holiday red and green. The Minion characters were sporting Santa hats and even though my daughter was most definitely NOT going to run up and hug them, she did giggle and high five one just as long as she was in my arms.
After the kids had their fill of those wacky yellow guys, we made our way to Grinchmas. I wasn’t sure what to expect but upon walking into the square I was greeted by a cheery resident of Who-ville who knocked my socks off. I can’t figure out if it was the flawless makeup or the incredible improvisation skills of the actor that were most impressive. I do know that I couldn’t stop staring in wonder.
Realizing that I couldn’t stare at this chap all day, we decided the first stop would be the photo op with “Max,” a terrific K9 actor. I’m not sure how they got the dog to sit so nicely with his reindeer antler on his head. If it was my dog, it would’ve been chewed up in thirty-seconds. Good boy Max, you deserve every treat that trainer gives you.
Grinchmas has several activities to keep kids AND adults entertained. In between the shows celebrating the “Who-bilation,” families were darting about trying to solve their scavenger hunt clues. We didn’t get very far because my two and five year olds don’t have the patience to solve riddles. But I recognized this as a great way to keep guests in the Grinchmas area a little longer. My kids really got into sending a post card to the Grinch which in turn, a book will be donated to a child in need in your community. I am a huge fan of interactive experiences in theme parks, especially with families in mind. Universal did it right with Grinchmas. “Fun for the whole family” isn’t a cheesy tag line here, it’s actually going to happen. There are those holiday feel good emotions again, proving my heart might have grown a few sizes yesterday.
We did catch the entertainment. Story Time With Cindy-Lou was perfect for younger children who were invited to sit on little rugs while an adorable and delightful Cindy read them the story of the Grinch, enhanced by a pop up book and some audience participation. The only thing that could have made it cuter was if footy pajamas were required because footy pajamas and story time goes hand in hand.
One thing that was missing a little something was Martha May and the Who-dolls. The talent at Universal put the time and effort into the costumes, vocals, choreography and makeup but the “show” was so short and left me with wanting at least one more song. I like the idea of short shows; keeping it under 20 minutes because kids (and some adults) have the attention span of gnats. But just two songs? That didn’t bother me very much though because the rest of it more than made up for it.
Throughout the day, the line to have one on one time with the Grinch fluctuated. Earlier in the day it was forty-five minutes but we walked around a bit in the park and then returned to Grinchmas. We got lucky and only waited 15 minutes before my son came face to face with Mr. Grinch. My daughter was a hard no at first but I’ll hand it to good old Mr. Grinch, he knew just what to say and how to approach her so she would at least give him a high five. We managed to get a few pictures without a terrified look on her face but once again, I was flabbergasted by both the actor and the makeup. So I’m pretty sure that my open mouthed gaze made for an interesting picture.
Grinchmas was well worth the trip out to Universal Studios. Between the activities, photo-ops and characters roaming around, guests could spend quite some time enjoying just that one section of the park. But we all know that Universal Studios has so much more to offer. The tram ride/studio tour has always been the highlight and fan favorite of the attractions. During the holidays the studio tour goes through the classic movie and television sets as well as the Who-ville set, where singers and dancers entertain the guests on a brief stop. I wasn’t sure if my two rambunctious kids would be able to sit and be happy with the studio tour. They both loved it. Even my daughter, whose favorite word right now is “no,” was laughing and having a great time.
After lunch it was time to make our way to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It was everything that this Potterhead thought it would be. With our wands ready, my son and I charmed our way through Hogsmeade. But all of those spells makes witches and wizards thirsty so the only logical cure would be Butterbeer. It was EVERYTHING that I wanted it to be. There is sure to be a great debate on which is better, cold or warm, but it really doesn’t matter. They are both insanely delicious. I did prefer the warm but it was cold out today so that velvety, rich happiness in a paper cup seemed to warm my body and soul.
It was a long day of making memories with our kids. We spent all day at Universal but not because the lines were exorbitantly long. It was because we took our time to take in all that the park has to offer.
Hands down, the main reason why I can’t wait to get back to Universal is the actors and the makeup. I could not believe how flawless the makeup on the Who-ville characters were. But you can have stunning makeup on a mediocre actor and it won’t be that impressive. Not at Universal! Every actor for Grinchmas was dedicated to their character. They all knew how to interact with children in a superb manner. These actors weren’t just wearing a costume, they were the good citizens of Who-ville who stepped right off the screen (or page of the book) to bring the story to life. It wasn’t only the actors at Grinchmas though, throughout the park actors were bringing nothing less than their “A” game to their craft. From the Universal Monsters on the street to the witches and wizards in Hogsmeade to the mayor of Who-ville who made my son crack up, they were creating a fantasy world come to life.
And we haven’t even told you about CityWalk. More on that next time.
Do not miss Grinchmas. It runs weekends only December 3rd-4th and 10th-11th. It runs everyday starting December 16th ending on Janurary 1st. Buy your tickets here.
