Holiday Splurges? (Not Upcharge Events)

[sandam1]

I'm so excited for our upcoming holiday trip. This is truly my favorite time of year at Universal! To celebrate, I'm looking for ideas for a holiday-related splurge (reasonable in price) that is not the two Universal upcharge events. I've looked at both of the Universal offerings, but I just cannot fathom spending $60 on breakfast and we're already doing the pieces of the holiday tour probably more than once during our trip.

Does anyone have any ideas of fun things that they've done? It is going to be just my friend and I (so two adults) for five nights. We are staying off-site for the bulk of our trip, but will be spending our last night on-site at Cabana Bay which is our home away from home.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

SeaWorld Christmas shows?

 

[PantherPete]

Christmas tree stroll at Disney Springs is nice. And free. And the Gaylord Palms Ice sounds great but I’ve never been. This year the theme is A Charlie Brown Christmas.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

An Orlando Informer Meetup might be a splurge option too, depending upon your actual dates.

 

[sandam1]

SeaWorld Christmas shows?

Oh, that's something that I hadn't thought of. Has anyone done SeaWorld at Christmas? How do it compare to the Universal offerings?

Christmas tree stroll at Disney Springs is nice. And free. And the Gaylord Palms Ice sounds great but I’ve never been. This year the theme is A Charlie Brown Christmas.

I like the idea of heading to Disney Springs! I love me some Homecomin' and Gideons cookies. Is the Christmas tree stroll better during the day or at night?

An Orlando Informer Meetup might be a splurge option too, depending upon your actual dates.

Actually we will be there the weekend of a meet-up and maybe for the mini-meet-up on Thursday (depending on whether we can change our flights to fly out earlier on our departure day). But the meet-ups are sooooo expensive and, for the one that we did, not have a great value. We are long-time annual pass members and pretty good maneuvering around crowds (zigging when others zag). We really enjoyed the "free food," but I can indulge on a lot of things during regular hours for $250+. If budget wasn't an issue, we'd definitely be doing it!

 

[PantherPete]

I like the idea of heading to Disney Springs! I love me some Homecomin' and Gideons cookies. Is the Christmas tree stroll better during the day or at night?

I've only done it at night, but I can't imagine it being better during the day. Almost everything holiday related is better at night.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I did SW Christmas & thought it was a little overhyped. However, they had an issue the week I went so there were no fireworks. I didn't notice that much difference with the normal animal shows, and we're adults so we didn't meet the characters. I was disappointed in the Nativity type show just because it touted live animals, and wasn't what I expected as they only had live animals in the last 3 minutes or so.

Since we only did one day, we didn't do the food booths but if they are anything like the 7 Seas Festival food booths, those are fantastic!

All that said, they did decorate the park nicely (on par with Universal IMO), and if I can have a day to go to SW and ride their coasters and watch a few shows, I am always all for it. I enjoyed the day, just didn't think the Christmasy portion was anything all that great. I just think my expectations were greater than they should have been, and the only actual Christmas show we saw was a bust (for me). And we were looking forward to fireworks which didn't happen due to extenuating circumstances. Go into it with as "SW for a day, with Christmas theming" rather than "SW Christmas is the best in Orlando!" and it'll be a lovely day.

Keep an eye out for black Friday specials, usually SW puts out some good ones if you are going before March-ish.

 

[keishashadow]

DS Xmas tree ‘stroll’ has been switched up. No longer all together in area where bus stop
Used to be, near the hotels.

The trees are scattered throughout DS now (pictured, haunted mansion tree the bride, far side of lego
Store)



You can get great blue Friday deals on tix to
SW & add ons there. They some awesome hot chocolate, full size in small insulated cup for price of a sampling, discounts via their food lanyards

We really like their laid back Xmas stuff, especially O’ Wonderous night

Admitted thing for camels lol

The Rudolph pics are fun & included


Ice show is festive way to end the night

 

[Grumpy92]

Universal has a tree scavenger hunt. I think it may be, $10, but at the end, you get a Christmas ornament.
We love going over to Portofino in the evenings to listen to the opera singers who sing Christmas carols this time of year. There is a Starbucks there, so great place to get a drink and enjoy the music.

 

[Disneytam]

Universal has a tree scavenger hunt. I think it may be, $10, but at the end, you get a Christmas ornament.
We love going over to Portofino in the evenings to listen to the opera singers who sing Christmas carols this time of year. There is a Starbucks there, so great place to get a drink and enjoy the music.

Can you explain how Universal does the tree scavenger hunt? We will be there in a couple of weeks and are looking for different things to do and I have never heard of this.

 

[Grumpy92]

The information is at the bottom of this website. We have never done it but going to try to fit it in this year.
https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/holidays/

 

[sandam1]

I've only done it at night, but I can't imagine it being better during the day. Almost everything holiday related is better at night.

I guess why I asked was because I love the evening shows at Universal (parade, Hogwarts castle and the Manheim Steamroller concert) so it would probably have to be an "OMG, trees at night are amazing and totally blow away seeing them during the day" scenario for me to dedicate an evening to Disney Springs. But I could see us spending a few hours at DS, gettting a meal at Homecomin (my fav) and some Gideons cookies while seeing the trees.

Go into it with as "SW for a day, with Christmas theming" rather than "SW Christmas is the best in Orlando!" and it'll be a lovely day.

Keep an eye out for black Friday specials, usually SW puts out some good ones if you are going before March-ish.

It sounds like this might be an option - for the right price. I'll take a look into what they have to offer and see if it's worth it.

 

[PantherPete]

I guess why I asked was because I love the evening shows at Universal (parade, Hogwarts castle and the Manheim Steamroller concert) so it would probably have to be an "OMG, trees at night are amazing and totally blow away seeing them during the day" scenario for me to dedicate an evening to Disney Springs. But I could see us spending a few hours at DS, gettting a meal at Homecomin (my fav) and some Gideons cookies while seeing the trees.



It sounds like this might be an option - for the right price. I'll take a look into what they have to offer and see if it's worth it.

The trees aren't that spectacular. If it is between IOA at night and the trees at Disney Springs, I'd do IOA. No question about it.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Universal has a tree scavenger hunt. I think it may be, $10, but at the end, you get a Christmas ornament.
We love going over to Portofino in the evenings to listen to the opera singers who sing Christmas carols this time of year. There is a Starbucks there, so great place to get a drink and enjoy the music.

Just wondering if you happen to know when the singers will be at portofino?