From Tracie: Naughty & Nice Holiday Celebration at Universal Orlando Resort

Sunday, December 08, 2013

Naughty & Nice Holiday Celebration at Universal Orlando Resort

I was invited to spend the weekend at Universal Orlando Resort for the opening weekend of their Holiday Celebration. They provided me with media tickets for this event, and Katarina and I stayed at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort. We had so many amazing experiences on this trip, I am going to split it into more than one post so you can share in all of our fun.

Holiday Celebration at Universal Orlando Resort
There are three main attractions at the Universal Orlando Resorts Holiday Celebration: Grinchmas, the Macy's Holiday Parade, and Manheim Steamroller Live in concert. This year's theme is Naughty & Nice. The Grinch is definitely naughty, but everything about the holiday celebration at Universal is nice. Katarina and I enjoyed all of it immensely.

Grinchmas

Universal's Islands of Adventure has a section called Seuss Landing that celebrates all things Dr. Seuss, and that is where you find Grinchmas. I have always been a huge Seuss fan. I even preformed How The Grinch Stole Christmas in a state forensics competition when I was in ninth grade, and I still have the entire book memorized. (If you ever need a quote from the Grinch, just ask me!) With the Grinch being big in my world, I was very excited to see the Grinchmas Wholiday Spectacular live for the first time.

Grinchmas Sign

It is everything you could want in a stage adaptation of the Grinch story. The set looks like it was taken right out of the pages of the book, the Whos costumes are perfect, the music was composed and recorded by Mannheim Steamroller, and the Grinch was, well, Grinchy in the very best way. Plus, Max is played by a real dog, which made Katarina very happy.

Grinchmas Preformance

After the play we were able to spend some time with the Grinch. I can tell you that he is much nicer now that his heart grew three sizes. At one point Grinch asked Katarina what her favorite part of the show was. "Maybe something green?" he suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrows. She wasn't phased by that at all, and told him Max was her favorite. The Grinch immediately got down on his hands and knees and crawled around us in circles barking, to see if he could win her favor.

The Grinch and The Nalls
Meeting the Grinch made my heart grow.

Macy's Holiday Parade

Just like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Orlando is planned months in advance. While the many of us are taking trips to the beach, John Piper, Vice President of Macy’s Parade Studio, and Lora Wallace, Director of Universal Holiday Shows, are listening to Christmas music and deep in talks about their holiday plans.

Lora Wallace and John Piper

This is the 12th anniversary of the Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Studios in Orlando, and it features the same balloons used in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York.

During their summer parade meetings, Wallace told Piper she wanted a hippopotamus for Christmas. Piper's team turned to a classic Macy's balloon from the '30s and '40s to make her dream come true. Happy Hippo was recreated for this year's parade (I love it when Macy's brings back the old balloons). They brightened Happy up, added a beautiful bow around her waist, made her bigger, and gave her pink toenails. Those toenails were Lora's idea, and they are really cute.

Macy's Balloon Happy Hippo 2013

After Happy made her debut in New York, she was sent down to Orlando with the rest of the balloons appearing in the parade at Universal.

Happy Hippo is flying in the parade each day, but you can also catch her in a special mini-show in the afternoon. She comes out next to the Horror Makeup Show building with her own set of dancers preforming to the song "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas." It is a special moment you don't want to miss.

I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas preformance

Katarina and I watched the Macy's Holiday Parade near the giant Christmas tree by the streets of New York. Every year we watch the Thanksgiving parade on tv, and hear the announcers talk about just how big the balloons are, but hearing dimensions and seeing the balloons on tv is nothing compared to seeing them in real life. They are seriously huge.

Macy's Giant Bear Balloon

Even seeing the giant balloons staked out all around the park as part of the decorations didn't prepare me for the wonder of seeing them floating by me.

Macy's Elf Balloon

The parade isn't all floating balloons, though. There are also marching bands, stilt walkers, dancers, and floats. It is everything you want in a parade. The Minions from Despicable Me appeared in this classic Central Park float with an ice skater.

Minions at Central Park float

There is a second new balloon in the holiday parade this year: a snowman. I spotted him on this float - he is riding on an iceberg that is being pulled by a classic car.

Snowman Balloon Float

Another great collaboration between Wallace and Piper, this snowman was inspired by the group of tap-dancing snowmen who have appeared in the Holiday Parade at Universal Studios for the last several years. You can see them here, leading their new friend through the parade.

Tap-Dancing Snowmen and balloon

Did you know you can be in the Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Studios? You can. I learned on Saturday that many of the balloon handlers are volunteers. If you are interested in participating in the parade in this capacity, you want to head toward the Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone a couple of hours before the parade is scheduled to begin. You have to search for the Universal Studios employees dressed in their balloon handling jump suits to land the job.

Macy's Gold Star Balloon

Mannheim Steamroller Live

After the parade, we headed over to the Universal Music Plaza for a live performance from Manheim Steamroller.

Mannheim Steamroller at Universal Studios Orlando

This was Katarina's first live concert, and it was so special to sit with her for this experience. The light show was amazing, and the music was beautiful. It was the perfect end to our night.

The Holiday Celebration at Universal Orlando Resort runs from December 7, 2013 - January 4,2014. Check out the Universal Holiday page for more information about holiday fun. The Grinchmas Wholiday Spectacular and the Macy's Holiday Parade are available every day during the holiday celebration, but Manheim Steamroller will only be preforming on select weekend nights, so if you want to see them (you do!), make sure to plan your visit on a day they will be there.

When you plan your vacation, make sure to check out the new vacation planner on the Universal Orlando Resort website. It will help you customize the perfect adventure for your family so you can get the most fun out of your visit to Universal.

Have you ever visited Universal Orlando Resort during the holiday celebrations?

*I was given media tickets to attend the Universal Orlando Family Blogger Press Trip, and was not compensated in any other way. I was not required to say nice things or to tear up during Manheim Steamroller's performance of Joy To The World.

56 comments:

  1. Awesome! My Aunt works for the Universal Orlando corporation. It makes for fun for us when we visit her in Florida. Just over one month from now and I can't wait!

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    1. So awesome!! We need a countdown clock or something to mark the days until you visit.

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  2. you saw minions!!! i am jealous!! i would run to see grinchmas too

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    1. The minions are awesome!! There is a new minions ride in Universal Studios that was a lot of fun, too. We went on it at least three times during the weekend. Maybe four.

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  3. Oh my goodness, this looks wonderful! I'd love to make it out there to take part! Love it!

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    1. Yes!! I hope you can do it, your family will enjoy it so much. It was magical.

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  4. That looks like a lot of fun! Though, that grinch looks pretty real and almost scary ;)

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    1. He really does look real. I was super impressed. He is just the right level of scary during the play, and then once it is over you just want to give him a big hug.

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  5. This looks so fun!! We used to go to the Macy's parade in NYC every year since we lived there, but now that we moved I feel like we are missing out. It would be so fun to do this in the warm weather instead of the freezing cold!

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    1. It is definitely much warmer. And you don't have to wake up so early in the morning, because the parade at Universal happens in the evening. It is a double win.

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  6. That looks like so much fun. I love being able to do fun Holiday activities like this with my boys. I love all the balloons.

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    1. It really was fun. Your boys would love it!

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  7. HOW FUN!!!! That picture of the Grinch with you is awesome!

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    1. Thanks! I was so excited we got to meet him after the play.

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  8. Oh what an amazing time... we have yet to hit Universal, but would love to

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    1. Definitely include it on your next Orlando vacation. There is so much there for the whole family, you won't be sorry.

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  9. How fun! I would love to do this with my family someday.

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    1. Yay! Visiting for the Holiday Celebration is a once in a lifetime kind of thing - unless you do again the next year (and you will want to do it again the next year!) when it will become an every year kind of tradition. Traditions like that are great for everyone.

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  10. Oh I so want to escape the ice and cold and go to Orlando!!
    This would be so much fun with the kids!

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    1. Time for an escape plan! The kids will love it, and you can wear shorts while you celebrate the holiday. It is a win-win.

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  11. I'd love to see the Grinch live, and how awesome that they used a real dog! What a great holiday memory

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    1. I was super surprised and excited that Max was played by a real dog. It definitely added to the overall play experience.

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  12. They always do the best parades at Universal. So fun!

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    1. They really do! This one was awesome. All the fun of a Macy's parade without the cold temperatures, and a more reasonable parade running length.

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  13. Oh, what fun! My family would love this! Between the minions and the Grinch, they would be beyond ecstatic!

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    1. It was a great mix of awesomeness! You have until January 4th to check out all the fun.

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  14. Meeting the Grinch would make my heart glow too :)

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  15. You got to meet the Grinch, see the best parade on the planet, and then hear Manheim Steamroller.?!! THAT. IS. AWESOME!! I totally want in on that action!! How awesome!! (I noticed nobody was bundled up in enormous coats..so SCORE on that front, too!!) --Lisa

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    1. I did. I did. I DID!!

      It really was AWESOME. You and Ashley need to take a quick trip to Orlando, and I will happily do it all over again with you! :-)

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  16. My kids would LOVE this! My daughter thinks the Grinch is hilarious.

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    1. He IS hilarious! Your daughter has great taste!

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  17. This looks like so much fun! We would love to do this!

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    1. Definitely include it in your plans for next year if you are already booked for 2013. It is well worth the trip!

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  18. Wow, that looks like so much fun! We have friends in Orlando and have been talking about taking our three year old there next summer (she'll be four then). I think she'd really enjoy it. They have lots of stuff for younger kids?

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    1. Yes they do! The entire Seuss Landing area is great for younger kids, and they also have a Woody Woodpecker area and a Curious George place that younger kids love. The Curious George place has a lot of water that shoots out of the ground and flys all around, so be prepared for that - but if you are coming down here in the summer, you will want to get hit with some cold water to combat all of our heat.

      I think four is the perfect age for a first theme park visit. They are old enough to have fun, and to be able to remember the experience as they grow up.

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  19. You must have had a great time. Hopefully I'll get to check that out one day!

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  20. Ha we have been a few times and the kids love it there. We have other plans this year but UO during the holidays is almost a tradition for us.

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  21. I have never visited, but I would love too!

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  22. I have never visited but it looks like a lot of fun. I would love to visit.

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  23. Awww Universal is sooo much fun this time of the year... loved your pictures..thanks for sharing , sure looked like you had a blast

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  24. Jealous! Sounds like an awesome time. Great pictures.

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  25. I used to love going to Universal Studios during the holidays with we lived in Florida. I love the Grinch, the show is amazing. Glad ya'll had a good time.

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  26. I would have loved to have seen the parade. That looks like a ton of fun!

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  27. I am so jealous!!! My kids have always wanted to go. It looks like you had a wonderful time and made so many wonderful memories. I am so excited for youj

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  28. The Grinch always scared me as a kid...still does! But I love that big Grover!

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  29. Oh the Grinch is too funny! We met him when I was a teenager and boy did he have a mouth on him!

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  30. Oh I would LOVE to be in Orlando for Christmas time, that would be so much MORE magical!

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  31. Universal Studios is a BLAST but even moreso at winter for sure!

    Trisha
    momdot

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  32. Ok, that is just about the most inviting holiday event I've seen at a theme park. I SO wish I could go there and experience this!

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  33. I've never been during the holiday but what an amazing opportunity for you. Everything looks amazing!

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  34. I love the Grover balloon. Too cute.

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  35. So sad this is not close enough to us - my boys would love it.

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  36. This is so awesome! And it looks like the two of you had so much fun. Taking my kids to Orlando to Disney and Universal (we need to get to Wizarding World of Harry Potter) is on my list of goals for the next three years. We've never been!!

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