Emmanuel Itier

A review by Emmanuel ITIER and Roxanna BINA.

Here comes the magical season, here comes your time to enter the movieland of Universal Studios Hollywood (https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/web/en/us ).

To immerge yourself in the spirit of the holidays the first stop at Universal Studios Hollywood is to visit the “Grinchmas” plaza, at the beginning of the park. Make sure to take a family picture while drinking a yummy hot chocolate under the 65 foot-tall “Grinchmas” tree with its thousands vibrant lights. Every evening you can also count on the Grinch himself to participate to a lighting ceremony and to tell his story along with the Who-ville Whos. Photo oportunities don’t stop there and one of our sons’ favorites is a close-up with Max, the faithful dog of the Grinch.

After a long pause in the Grinch universe, you should stroll along the many Universal areas and discover or re-discover some of the classic rides that are part of the brand of this adored park: from the mad ride of “The Simpsons” to the back lot encountering the mega beast himself, King Kong; to the jaw-dropping dinosaur encounter of Jurassic World or the nerves breaking adrenaline rush of the “Revenge of the Mummy”. There is something for the whole family. To each their own way to feel the thrill and to surf, alive and kicking, the magic of the Holidays.

Save some appetite for the eyes and the tummy when the sun comes down on Universal Studios Hollywood and the magic lights of the “Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Porter” start their enchanting dance of beautiful spells. A spell full of Peace and Love to celebrate the season in the hope of a splendid new year to come. Make sure to stay late, not only to feed the family with a gargantuan feast at the “Three broomsticks” hall but, to also let your soul and senses get mesmerized by the breathtaking and dazzling spectacle of “The magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle” with its genius light and sound show. For a moment you will feel transported in the land of all possibilities, of all magics. And once you’re back on earth you will keep a little bit of this magic to give you a sense of renewal, of rebirth; such is the symbol of these unique times at the end of the year.

As we look into the crystal ball of the future, Universal Studios Hollywood just announced the long awaited opening of the Super Nintendo World for February 17, 2023 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2K4JzHVxpM )! This is the official debut of this world for the first in the United States. Universal Studios expended its park size to fit this new breathtaking and interactive land. You can be sure you will have a journey as never experienced before in the company of your favorite characters like Super Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach. Be ready for the ride of your life with the “Mario kart: Bowser’s challenge” inspired by the popular Mario Kart video game. And count on the craftmanship of Universal to deliver a full interactive gameplay environment without forgetting some gourmet food served at the unique “Toadstool café.” Be ready, the excitement is already palpable and it starts in a just a few months. Make sure to get your tickets in advance for another round of a perfect day at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Happy holidays to you and your family. We see you at the one and only park to visit this season: The Universal Studios Hollywood!

Special Thanks to Universal publicist: Anastasia Lee.