Christmas Events at Universal Studios

Macy’s Holiday Parade

Every night at dusk

Head to the New York streets of Universal Studios for Macy’s Holiday Parade! This seasonal favorite features authentic floats and balloons (including several brand new ones this year) direct from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® in New York City. You’ll also enjoy festive street performers and talented marching bands from around the country, and of course Santa Claus himself. Afterwards stay for a spectacular tree lighting ceremony with music and a dazzling display of lights.

KidZone Holiday Show

Join your character friends as they dance to holiday hits in this live show.

Barney’s Christmas Show

Join Barney and his friends for a magical sing-along, clap-along show at A Day In The Park With Barneyâ„¢.

Blues Brothers Christmas Show

Add some rock and roll to your Christmas with the Blues Brothers! Catch them live, performing holiday favorites like “Santa Claus is Coming To Town” and “Blue Christmas” with snow on Delancey Street at the end of each show.

Universal 360 – A Cinesphere Spectacular

Dec 26 – Dec 31 • At the end of every night

Wrap up your day at Universal Studios with the big Hollywood finish of Universal 360–A Cinesphere Spectacular.

Through the unique “Cinesphere” technology you’ll experience the sights and sounds of some of Hollywood’s biggest films projected onto huge spheres in the Universal Studios lagoon, plus one of the largest laser displays in Florida, dazzling pyrotechnics and more.

It’s the most explosive, jaw-dropping cinematic adventure you’ve ever seen!

Christmas Events at Islands of Adventure

Grinchmasâ„¢

Join in the fun at Islands of Adventure as Seuss Landing™ is once again transformed into the wintry wonderland of Grinchmas™… featuring our incredibly popular live musical performance of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” This hilarious and heart-warming live show stars The Grinch™ himself and features music recorded by Mannheim Steamroller, along with a whole town full of singing and dancing Whos. Then stroll around the Whoville Wonky Tree Lot and take in the whimsical Wholiday decorations.

Meet The Grinch

Get an autograph, shake his hand, or have your photo taken with the mean, green one himself for a one-of-a-kind holiday memento!

Mannheim Steamroller

Live in Concert at Universal Studios®
Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008
Show times: 6:00 pm & 8:00 pm

Kick off the holiday season with the unmistakable sound of Mannheim Steamroller. On Saturday, December 6th, catch Mannheim Steamroller as they perform for the first time ever at Universal Studios®.

Enjoy a special LIVE concert of their world-renowned holiday music as Mannheim Steamroller celebrates the release of their newest CD, Christmasville. It’s all part of the one-of-a-kind holiday festivities your family can experience at Universal Orlando® Resort.

Mannheim Steamroller will have two bands touring the country this Holiday Season, but this will be Chip Davis’ only scheduled appearance.

City Walk also features its annual New Years celebration. This year ’70s group The Doobie Brothers will bidding so-long to 2008.

Click here for the official site for Christmas at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure Orlando Florida.

On of the unique features of the snappily title Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Roller Coaster is that you can choose the tune you ride along with. so as part of the survey, Universal asks you to rate a list of songs to see if you’d like them to be featured on the ride. A selection of the choices can be seen below (note… there’s loads more than these)

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrs Skynyrd
Them Bones by Alice In Chains
Start Me Up by Rolling Stones
Real Fine Place To Start by Sara Evans
Hedwig’s Theme From Harry Potter by John Williams
Money For Nothing by Dire Straights
Uptown Girl by Billy Joel
Monty Norman by James Bond Theme
Like Glue by Sean Paul
It’s Goin’ Down by X-Ecutioners
Survival Of The Sickest by Saliva
Refugee by Tom Petty
The Hand That Feeds by Nine Inch Nails
Rock And Roll by Led Zepplin
Wicked Garden by Stone Temple Pilots
Old Time Rock And Roll by The Hit Crew

It also looks as if Universal are planning on selling movies of you on the ride instead of the usual photo of the rider screaming as there were a few questions asking whether this should be on DVD or Memory Sticks.

To take the survey visit http://www.visitorsatisfaction.com/start.aspx?s=rockit

Although the ride has been in its soft opening phase for a few weeks yesterday marks the official date for the ride being available to ride to all visitors.

The event obviously had the full family making their big entrance, along with Krusty the Klown making an appearance in a live band. Blue wigs were handed out to visitors to give them the Marge style.

Orlando Sentinel

In a suprise announcement, Universal Studios have said that a new coaster snappily titled the Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit Rollercoaster will be opening at Universal Studios Orlando in 2009. Planned as a big, bright and brash rollercoaster featuring technology that will supposedly appeal to the “Youtube Culture”.

Universal Studios aim to make the coaster the stand out attraction at the park, and it will certainly draw your eye as it is going to stand at 167 feet making it the tallest coaster in Florida. Loaded with tonnes of loops and corkscrews, Rockit will be the first major outdoor thrill ride for the Universal Studios park and is slated for opening in Spring 2009.

The coaster is going to be squeezed between the Jimmy Neutron attraction and the Sharp Aquos Theater (where the Blue Man Group currently perform, but the track of the Rockit will hang over the Citywalk sidewalks, meaning the actual cars leave the park. It’s good to know we are not losing attractions with this new addition.

“We like to look at this as taking the thrill ride to a whole new level, both physically and figuratively,” said Mark Woodbury, president of Universal Parks & Resorts’ creative division, “It’s iconographic in its position. It’s going to do some things no ride has done before. And it combines entry into the digital age with the ability to customize and personalize the ride for each rider.”

Universal have really stepped up to the mark recently, with the likes of The Simpsons Ride tie in, as well as the opening of Disaster! earlier this month.

In fact, Heston has been removed totally from the attraction, with your host now being Frank Kincaid (AKA Oscar Winner Christopher Walken) the fictional movie director. With some cool effects, Kincaid appears projection appears to run on the stage, interact with the audience and elements on the set (furniture and the like).

Next up, volunteers from the audience are filmed getting reaction shots for the ride finale.

The ride itself is fairly similar to the old Earthquake where you take the subway to a station and encounter a simulated underground earthquake.

At the end of the ride, the action shots filmed of the audience are put together with your ride and shown on monitors in your tram on the way back to the final destination.

So Disaster! really is a A Major Motion Picture Ride.

Production Central
New York
San Francisco/Amity
World Expo
Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone
Hollywood

Recently Universal scrapped their free “Universal Express” tickets (similar to Disney’s fastpass) in favour of a paid version, making it all the more important for you to plan before you visit. For visiting tips and strategies see the Universal Studios Visiting Tips page.

Fans of the Blues Brothers will want to see the Jake and Elwood who entertain the crowd with songs from the film.

For the youngsters Jimmy Neutrons Nicktoon Blast is a great simulator ride pitting Jimmy against the evil Emperor Oobar. Kids will recognise all the Nickelodeon characters such as the Rugrats and Spongebob Squarepants.

Attractions in this Area:

Shrek 4D
Jimmy Neutron’s Nicktoon Blast

Restuarants:

Monsters Cafe
Other:

Guest Services