Thanksgiving at Universal Orlando – The Ultimate Guide
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Thanksgiving is one of the busiest weeks at Universal Orlando with wait times for popular rides regularly exceeding 90 minutes.
The Holidays at Universal Orlando event is already running by Thanksgiving week but I still don’t recommend visiting at this time of year unless you have no other choice. The crowds are so extreme it would make the visit frustrating to the point of being unenjoyable.
Thanksgiving Crowds Day by Day
Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest weeks at Universal Orlando, second only to Christmas, for three reasons:
- School breaks align with the holiday: Most US public schools close for Wednesday through Friday at minimum.
- Time off work: Thanksgiving is one of the few US public holidays where workplaces routinely close all four days.
- Families travel: Out-of-state visitors fly into Orlando in large numbers, often combining family Thanksgiving with a theme park week.
To give you an idea of how busy the park gets, here’s the average wait times from 2022, 2023 and 2024 combined for six popular rides at Universal Orlando on Thanksgiving Day:
| Ride | Average Wait | Peak Wait |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts | 79 min | 140 min |
| Despicable Me Minion Mayhem | 54 min | 135 min |
| Flight of the Hippogriff | 53 min | 105 min |
| Revenge of the Mummy | 50 min | 120 min |
| Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey | 45 min | 85 min |
| E.T. Adventure | 34 min | 65 min |
The average wait time for a ride at Universal Orlando on Thanksgiving Day is around 45 minutes. That’s roughly 60% higher than Labor Day weekend for example.
Since Epic Universe hasn’t been open for three years just yet, we don’t have the average wait time for the rides at this park on Thanksgiving Day. However, with the park being so new, expect the wait times to be even more extreme.
Here’s what Thanksgiving week 2026 is likely to look like:
- Monday November 23 and Tuesday November 24: Building crowds as out-of-state visitors arrive. The best two weekdays of the week if you have to visit before Thanksgiving Day.
- Wednesday November 25: One of the busiest days of the week, often busier than Thanksgiving Day.
- Thursday November 26 (Thanksgiving Day): Surprisingly slightly lighter than the days either side, as some families stay home for the meal.
- Friday November 27 (Black Friday): Peak day of the entire week. Many out-of-state families do parks Friday after travelling Thursday.
- Saturday November 28 and Sunday November 29: Locals visiting over the long weekend add to the out-of-state visitors.
If you must visit during this time of year and your trip can flex by a few days, shift to Monday November 30 or Tuesday December 1. The Christmas decorations and Holidays at Universal Orlando event is running in full but crowds are a lot lower.
Holidays at Universal Orlando
The Holidays at Universal Orlando event is already running in full by Thanksgiving.
Universal typically rolls the festive overlays out in mid-November. For 2026, expect the Holidays event to run from mid-November through early January, this includes:
- Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Studios Florida: The signature Thanksgiving-Christmas Universal Orlando event. Features balloons and floats from the real Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, plus performers and a finale with Santa.
- Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular at Islands of Adventure: A live stage show in Seuss Landing featuring the Grinch and Whos from Whoville. Themed photo opportunities with the Grinch are available across the day.
- Christmas in the Wizarding World: Special projection-mapping show on Hogwarts Castle in Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure, plus a magical Celebration of Magical Wonders show in Diagon Alley at USF.
- Christmas decorations: Theme park entrances, CityWalk, and the on-site hotels all decorate for the season by mid-November.
- Holiday merchandise: Limited-edition Christmas-themed merchandise (ornaments, themed lanyards, Grinch plush, festive Butterbeer mugs) is in stores from the start of the Holidays event.
Halloween Horror Nights ends November 1, 2026, so it does not overlap Thanksgiving week.
Thanksgiving Dining at Universal Orlando
Universal Orlando’s on-site hotels typically run special Thanksgiving Day menus at select restaurants, alongside the regular menus across CityWalk and in-park restaurants. Reservations fill up weeks in advance for the Thanksgiving Day fixed-menu options.
Special Thanksgiving Day fixed-menu dining (Loews on-site hotels):
- Trattoria del Porto at Loews Portofino Bay. Traditional Thanksgiving menu served from 12pm to 9pm on Thanksgiving Day. 2025 pricing was around $85 per adult and $35 per child ages 3-9. Expect a small uplift for 2026.
- The Kitchen at Hard Rock Hotel. Traditional Thanksgiving menu served from 11am to 9pm with family-friendly entertainment. 2025 pricing was around $80 per adult and $40 per child ages 3-9.
Regular Thanksgiving Day dining (open as normal):
- CityWalk table-service restaurants. Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, Bigfire, The Cowfish, Bubba Gump, and Antojitos all operate normal hours on Thanksgiving Day. Book at least three to four weeks ahead.
- In-park table-service. Mythos and Confisco Grille at Islands of Adventure, plus Leaky Cauldron and The Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World, all run normal Thanksgiving Day operations.
- Quick-service across all parks. Every quick-service location across USF, Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe, and CityWalk is open as normal. Expect longer queues during peak meal hours.
Book any Thanksgiving Day dining at least three to four weeks ahead using the Universal Orlando Resort app or OpenTable to secure reservations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the questions readers ask me most often about a Thanksgiving-week trip to Universal Orlando.
Is Universal Orlando open on Thanksgiving?
Yes. All three theme parks, Volcano Bay, CityWalk, and the on-site hotels operate as normal on Thanksgiving Day. Park hours are typically extended through the holiday week to handle higher demand.
How busy is Universal Orlando on Thanksgiving?
Very busy, second only to Christmas week. Crowd calendars rate Thanksgiving week 9 to 10 out of 10, and parks have hit capacity in past years. I’d plan Express Pass, rope drop, and dining reservations well before the trip.
Does Universal Orlando do a Thanksgiving dinner?
Yes, across multiple in-park restaurants, CityWalk venues, and on-site hotel dining rooms. Three-course Thanksgiving menus typically run at venues like Lombard’s, Finnegan’s, Bigfire (CityWalk), and the hotel buffets at Hard Rock, Portofino Bay, and Sapphire Falls, with prices ranging from around $22 at the Value hotel buffets to $85 at Trattoria del Porto. Bookings open up to six months ahead.
Are Christmas decorations up at Universal Orlando for Thanksgiving?
Yes. The Universal Orlando Holidays celebration runs November 14, 2026 through January 3, 2027, so by Thanksgiving week the Holiday Parade Featuring Macy’s, Grinchmas at Islands of Adventure, and Christmas in the Wizarding World are all fully operational. Thanksgiving visitors get full holiday entertainment without the late-December crowds.
Is Volcano Bay open on Thanksgiving?
Usually yes, but on a reduced seasonal schedule. Since November 2025, Volcano Bay has operated five days a week through the cool months and closes for weather (lightning, cold temperatures). Check the official park hours close to the trip dates, and have a backup plan in case it closes for cold.
Should I get Express Pass for Universal Orlando during Thanksgiving?
Yes for most families. With crowd levels at 9 to 10 out of 10, single-park waits routinely exceed 90 minutes on headliner rides, and Epic Universe rides regularly post 100 plus minute waits. The free Express Unlimited at Portofino Bay, Hard Rock, and Royal Pacific covers USF and IOA only, so you’d still need a separate paid Express Pass for Epic Universe.
