Universal Kids Resort Adds Holiday Event From Nov. 20 to Jan. 3

Universal Kids Resort will hold its first holiday celebration from Nov. 20, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, according to an announcement from Inside Universal. The event brings seasonal decorations, lights, entertainment and a chance to meet Santa Claus.

For families planning a winter trip, the celebration covers the weeks around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, and adds holiday-themed characters, food and merchandise to the park.

Santa, snow lights and a winter forest

The Universal Kids Resort Theater will be turned into an interactive winter wonderland, with snow lights and an enchanted forest. Children can walk through the scene before they reach Santa, who greets guests and poses for photos through Dec. 24. A sleigh at the resort is set up as another photo spot.

Kids who want to send a wish list can write letters to Santa with help from Universal Kids Resort Play Ambassadors. The letters go into a special holiday mailbox.

Gabby, the Christmas tree and a dance party

Each day at dusk, Gabby from “Gabby’s Dollhouse” appears in the Isle of Curiosity as the Christmas tree lights up. The celebration also includes a dance party set to “Meowy Christmas,” a song from the series.

New and returning characters

The Penguins of Madagascar are new to the resort and join the holiday meet-and-greets. SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star and Gabby will also appear in holiday outfits for their own character encounters.

Holiday food and drinks

The resort lists several seasonal items across its restaurants and snack stands:

• Holiday Pizza, a flatbread with classic turkey dinner flavors, sold to hotel guests at Curiosity Café in Universal Kids Resort Hotel.
• Poppy’s Holiday Poutine, French fries with roasted turkey, melted cheese and gravy, sold at Trolls Eatz! in DreamWorks’ TrollsFest.
• Gingy, a gingerbread man cookie, and a Holiday Shrekzel with powdered sugar and peppermint chocolate dipping sauce, both at Swamp Snacks in DreamWorks’ Shrek’s Swamp.
• Purrfect Hot Chocolate, topped with whipped topping and cinnamon sugar, at Comidas y Leche in DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots Del Mar.

Seasonal merchandise

Shops will carry holiday collections based on Illumination and DreamWorks Animation characters. Two of the named lines are Merry Minions merchandise and the Shrek the Halls collection.

What this means for families

The resort previously had no holiday celebration of its own, so this is the first year families can combine a visit with Santa photos, seasonal shows and themed treats. The Santa greetings end on Dec. 24, while the decorations, entertainment and other seasonal offerings are listed through Jan. 3, so what a family sees depends on which dates it visits.

Some items are limited to certain spots. The Holiday Pizza is available only to guests staying at the resort hotel, and each of the other dishes is sold at one named location. Families who care about a specific character, snack or photo stop will find them in different parts of the resort.

The announcement points readers to the official Universal Kids Resort website for more information. It did not list ticket prices or hours for the celebration.

Source: Inside Universal