2018 Xmas Holidays @ Universal Orlando Info

This will be my first time going to UO, do I need (different) tickets to the concert or is it in one of the parks? Do people start to line up early for it? Are there any tricks to getting to see it? We are heading there the first weekend of December.

Thanks!

We went tonight. We sat down an hour early right after the parade, but there was still lots of space to sit in the grassy areas 30 mins before. No one lines up, you just walk in and find a spot. Several members of our group left to get beer and snacks and came back, and went to the restrooms, my DD and her boyfriend even went and rode Minions with the EPs, it was not overwhelmingly crowded for the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I was surprised that the concert lasted an hour.
 
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Thanks for sharing. I’ve been waiting for confirmation of parade times etc as I’m trying to decide whether or not to make some dining reservations.

Out of interest, do people know if the Cinematic Celebration Show will still take place over this time or will it get put on hold? I looked yesterday and couldn’t find any indication of dates and times whatsoever.

There was something going on at the end of the night at US on Thursday and Friday, there were some fireworks about 10-12 minutes after park closing but we always seem to end our night at IOA, so I haven't seen it.
 
We’re visiting USO for the first time arriving on 12/25 and leaving 12/31. I’m thinking we’ll need to have a reservation for dinner on Christmas. Are all of the restaurants open? We’re staying at Hard Rock.
 
Has anyone taken the train o Er this year after the parade? Last year the line for it and the one to get herded into the castle area at IOA were rather daunting

We may just do IOA another evening to avoid the lines.

Is it safe to assume the lights on castle start at dusk?
 


Has anyone taken the train o Er this year after the parade? Last year the line for it and the one to get herded into the castle area at IOA were rather daunting

We may just do IOA another evening to avoid the lines.

Is it safe to assume the lights on castle start at dusk?

The map for 11/17-12/1 said castle lights ongoing from dusk to park close, so I think it is safe to assume.
 
We’re visiting USO for the first time arriving on 12/25 and leaving 12/31. I’m thinking we’ll need to have a reservation for dinner on Christmas. Are all of the restaurants open? We’re staying at Hard Rock.

Many of the Universal restaurants can be reserved on Open Table. That's how we made our Thanksgiving reservation. (The buffet at Islands at RPR was surprisingly not very busy at all.)
 
Has anyone taken the train o Er this year after the parade? Last year the line for it and the one to get herded into the castle area at IOA were rather daunting

We may just do IOA another evening to avoid the lines.

Is it safe to assume the lights on castle start at dusk?

I agree with @georgina . Also when I was there recently, I asked one of the cast members (or whatever they're called there) that works the wand cart by the Frog Choir and they said it's dusk, but then gave me a wink-wink off the record time it would start. Of course I've forgotten that now, but if knowing that would be more helpful you may be able to get someone to tell you more specifically when you're there
 


I agree with @georgina . Also when I was there recently, I asked one of the cast members (or whatever they're called there) that works the wand cart by the Frog Choir and they said it's dusk, but then gave me a wink-wink off the record time it would start. Of course I've forgotten that now, but if knowing that would be more helpful you may be able to get someone to tell you more specifically when you're there

I think it's been about 5:30pm.
 
We went tonight. We sat down an hour early right after the parade, but there was still lots of space to sit in the grassy areas 30 mins before. No one lines up, you just walk in and find a spot. Several members of our group left to get beer and snacks and came back, and went to the restrooms, my DD and her boyfriend even went and rode Minions with the EPs, it was not overwhelmingly crowded for the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I was surprised that the concert lasted an hour.
How is the Manheim Steamroller Concert?:confused: Thanks!:thumbsup2
 
How is the Manheim Steamroller Concert?:confused: Thanks!:thumbsup2

It was nice, I was only expecting a half hour or so and it lasted an hour. We were ready to get up and do something else by the end. Some members of our group enjoyed it more than others. There were some very pretty parts, my favorite one was with an oboe player, but the pulsing electronic music starts to sound the same after a while and I grew tired of it. Honestly once was OK but I would not feel the need to see it again. I guess I like my Christmas music a little simpler?

I went back and listened to bits of some of their albums online and they have done songs with less of that electronic beat which I like better.
 
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It was nice, I was only expecting a half hour or so and it lasted an hour. We were ready to get up and do something else by the end. Some members of our group enjoyed it more than others. There were some very pretty parts, my favorite one was with an oboe player, but the pulsing electronic music starts to sound the same after a while and I grew tired of it. Honestly once was OK but I would not feel the need to see it again. I guess I like my Christmas music a little simpler?

I went back and listened to bits of some of their albums online and they have done songs with less of that electronic beat which I like better.
Thanks for your response; appreciate it!
 
So the castle lights are something that is ongoing beginning at dusk and ending when the park closes? Not a show, like the lights on the castle at Disney? DH will be in training until around 6 every evening and I was hoping that if we wandered into the park around 6:45-7:00 one evening, that he would be able to see them and we could just walk and enjoy some of the sights at WWoHP.
 
So the castle lights are something that is ongoing beginning at dusk and ending when the park closes? Not a show, like the lights on the castle at Disney? DH will be in training until around 6 every evening and I was hoping that if we wandered into the park around 6:45-7:00 one evening, that he would be able to see them and we could just walk and enjoy some of the sights at WWoHP.

No, it's a timed show. If the show has already started or there is no more room for the show about to start, they will hold you in front of Olivander's until the next available show. They do keep running the show from about 5:30pm until the park closes though. Plus, they are controlling the crowd flow during the evening if it's crowded.
 
Many of the Universal restaurants can be reserved on Open Table. That's how we made our Thanksgiving reservation. (The buffet at Islands at RPR was surprisingly not very busy at all.)

Does this include any HP restaurants? (Just starting to try to figure out our Christmas week trip and haven't been to US since 2011 -- kinda lost right now!)
 
I’m so excited! First time seeing US/IOA during christmas time. We’ll be there 12/17 (me and my brother) and it’s a Monday, so that’s a plus.

We’re driving home that night, but it’s only a 3 hr drive back to South Florida that I’ve made countless times, so nbd. We’re looking to close out the park.

There’s 8 showing of Grinchmas that day. Which show would you all suggest? I was thinking one of the earlier ones, we’ll finish out IOA, then make our wat to US to ride some rides before the parade. How is the waiting proccess? Is there anything I should know in advance?
 
I’m so excited! First time seeing US/IOA during christmas time. We’ll be there 12/17 (me and my brother) and it’s a Monday, so that’s a plus.

There’s 8 showing of Grinchmas that day. Which show would you all suggest? I was thinking one of the earlier ones, we’ll finish out IOA, then make our wat to US to ride some rides before the parade. How is the waiting proccess? Is there anything I should know in advance?

Definitely get to the show area at least 15 minutes before it starts. We never did get to see it, I had been thinking it was like some of the street shows and walked up a bit late, was unable to enter.
 
Definitely get to the show area at least 15 minutes before it starts. We never did get to see it, I had been thinking it was like some of the street shows and walked up a bit late, was unable to enter.

I think they even move people into the theater for the next show 15 minutes before it starts, so you want to be there before they move people.
 
The show is done in one of the soundstages between the parks and it's a bit of a hike from the rope to the actual stage. We went to it twice--it's quite fun--arrived both times between ten and fifteen minutes before and were only seated a few minutes before the performance actually started. Neither show was full but I also don't recall them seating anyone late so the cutoff was probably a few minutes past when we arrived.
 

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