2015 Holidays at Universal

[IzzyB]

I love Universal, BUT, their internet site isn't very good. They really need to step up their game.

Agreed. It really is lacking very far behind the other two parks. I can always easily find times and show information on Sea World and Disney sites. They both tie it to the park hours calendar and have show information pretty far into the future. Makes planning easier.

 

[WAJAS]

Agreed. It really is lacking very far behind the other two parks. I can always easily find times and show information on Sea World and Disney sites. They both tie it to the park hours calendar and have show information pretty far into the future. Makes planning easier.

SeaWorld only goes pretty far into the future during for dates in December and June. Any other time and they will only have the times for about a week later.

Anyways, I have to agree with all of this. Out of all the sites I would prefer SeaWorld, but that's only a little more than Disney. SeaWorld may have the advantage in this though because they have less information to present on the site due to only being a single park (Awuatica and Discovery Cove have completely separate sites). Universal is just clunky and old.

 

[IzzyB]

SeaWorld only goes pretty far into the future during for dates in December and June. Any other time and they will only have the times for about a week later.

Anyways, I have to agree with all of this. Out of all the sites I would prefer SeaWorld, but that's only a little more than Disney. SeaWorld may have the advantage in this though because they have less information to present on the site due to only being a single park (Awuatica and Discovery Cove have completely separate sites). Universal is just clunky and old.

Hmmm... I guess I am never looking far out other times of the year? lol

Yes, Sea World has less information, sometimes Disney is information overload because they have all their meet n greet times mixed with their show times. But I don't get too frustrated with either of their sites. Universal I always seem to get frustrated with and never find the information I need.

I am a planner when it comes to shows. So I normally have a path mapped out before I go and know exactly what we will be doing and when. Like today we are doing Epcot and I have our fast passes, dinner times, and candlelight time all ready to go and know how we will navigate the park. Probably why the whole FP+ system doesn't bother me lol

 

[Hockeyman55]

We might come up for the day so the kids can see all the holiday stuff going on at Uni. They have yet to see any of it and they will get a kick out of seeing the parade and Grinch show.

 

[IzzyB]

Yeah I think Abby will really like the Parade. We have never done any of the Uni Holiday stuff either. We always do Sea World and certain Disney things but never make it over to Uni.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Yeah I think Abby will really like the Parade. We have never done any of the Uni Holiday stuff either. We always do Sea World and certain Disney things but never make it over to Uni.

Same here. I've seen the parade year ago before the kids but never the Grinch show. Last time i saw the parade was during HRRR's construction. Is it me or does it seem like each year universal has been adding more lights to the NY section at the Studios? Maybe im just seeing more photos of them than before, id like to see more

 

[JungleSkip]

Same here. I've seen the parade year ago before the kids but never the Grinch show. Last time i saw the parade was during HRRR's construction. Is it me or does it seem like each year universal has been adding more lights to the NY section at the Studios? Maybe im just seeing more photos of them than before, id like to see more

They added a bunch of new decoration this year afaik, but that's second hand information.

 

[Nick]

I can confirm 100% Mannheim will perform at 6:00pm on their dates @IzzyB

 

[IzzyB]

I can confirm 100% Mannheim will perform at 6:00pm on their dates @IzzyB

Awesome. Thank you so much for the information!!!

 

[Nick]

They added a bunch of new decoration this year afaik, but that's second hand information.

I haven't been to Universal during the for their Christmas Stuff in 3 years, but what they have this year is a great improvement. If this is a year-to-to improvement, I can't say as I haven't been in a few years like I said, but it's definitely an improvement. Nothing showstopping, but it's very nice and classy overall. The walkway from Hollywood to Kidszone/Simpsons looks amazing.

 

[Brian G.]

For @IzzyB

 

[Nick]

I need to find time to make it over and see Grinchmas this year. I've lived in FL for 6 years and Orlando for 2.5 or so, but have still yet to see the show.

 

[Cole]

I went to the first macys parade of the year last night with YouTube pals discoliz, universallybritt and thorsontv. This was also my first time seeing the parade in person. Tons of fun, from what I can tell it's the same old parade from years past with a couple minor changes but I thought what they had was killer. Perfect way to start the holidays, especially if you've never seen big balloons like that before. Also really loved the soundtrack. If you haven't done it and you're curious about doing it, do it

 

[IzzyB]

Thanks Bri!

Uni updated their website this morning with the Grinch showtimes for today, so I know they still have the 3:45 PM Show. So I am all set. Doing the 3:45 Grinch show, then headed to Macy Parade at 5 PM and hopefully finding a place to see the parade close enough to the stage that when it is done we can see the show. With kids I don't plan on getting too close to the stage because not sure if we will stay for the whole thing. Just want to experience the 3 Christmas things they do for the first time.

 

[Disneyhead]

Thanks Bri!

Uni updated their website this morning with the Grinch showtimes for today, so I know they still have the 3:45 PM Show. So I am all set. Doing the 3:45 Grinch show, then headed to Macy Parade at 5 PM and hopefully finding a place to see the parade close enough to the stage that when it is done we can see the show. With kids I don't plan on getting too close to the stage because not sure if we will stay for the whole thing. Just want to experience the 3 Christmas things they do for the first time.

And Mannheim Steamroller are shockingly loud if you are near the stage.

 

[IzzyB]

Did it. Nothing struck me as this is amazing I have to see it each year like Shami Miracles or the candlelight processional. But it was good. They had tech issues with the concert. We didn't stay long for the concert.

Can I say my other complaints? The parking people need to go to parkin school and stop yelling at people for getting stuff out of their car, security needs to stop standing right in the middle of the entrance to the walkway just talking to another security person, and they need to stop putting up barriers in wierd places where people can walk. They narrowed the path to only open it back up, I have no clue what that acconplished. There was just a barrier in the middle of nowhere. Oh and the parade people need to communicate better and stop sending people down the side of transformers to only loop them back inot the store landing you right back where you started. Especially since they could open the chains and just send you down the overflow express queue. Ok, rant done

It wasn't a busy day, every ride was posted under 40 minutes and we made it thru all the lines under the posted wait time. But their app still sucks and had Simpson at 10 minutes when it was 35 lol. I don't know what the actual wait was since we decided to pass on it once we walked there and saw that.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Did it. Nothing struck me as this is amazing I have to see it each year like Shami Miracles or the candlelight processional. But it was good. They had tech issues with the concert. We didn't stay long for the concert.

I think Universal is the least impressive of all the parks for the holidays. The decorations and music at the Studios is great but I think Grinchmas is a pretty poorly-done show and the concerts are not managed well by security or events people. The parade is pretty cool tho

 

[Hockeyman55]

Was there yesterday and had a blast.

The Grinch by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr

Macy&[HASHTAG]#x27[/HASHTAG];s Holiday Parade by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr

 

[IzzyB]

I think Universal is the least impressive of all the parks for the holidays. The decorations and music at the Studios is great but I think Grinchmas is a pretty poorly-done show and the concerts are not managed well by security or events people. The parade is pretty cool tho

I agree, the parade was cool. Just not that feeling of oh I have to go see this every year type thing. I also agree I have never been impressed with Unis event staff. I feel like they have issues all around when it comes to that. Moving people, organizing people, and parking. I am not sure why some higher up doesn't go to Disney and see how these things are done and duplicate them. Of course I always question why Sea World doesn't go and see how Universal and Disney load people on rides and duplicate that too lol These parks never seem to want to improve on their weaknesses.

 

[Brian G.]

I agree, the parade was cool. Just not that feeling of oh I have to go see this every year type thing. I also agree I have never been impressed with Unis event staff. I feel like they have issues all around when it comes to that. Moving people, organizing people, and parking. I am not sure why some higher up doesn't go to Disney and see how these things are done and duplicate them. Of course I always question why Sea World doesn't go and see how Universal and Disney load people on rides and duplicate that too lol These parks never seem to want to improve on their weaknesses.

I like Grinchmas and the Parade, but it does feel a bit stale....