Food + Drink • Things to Do • Orlando

6 Reasons to Spend your Holidays at Universal Orlando

The holidays are upon us and that means we’re gearing up to welcome the season of celebration. Here at Universal Orlando Resort, we kicked off the holidays on November 17. Whether you’re looking for a wonderful holiday meal with family and friends, or you want to give back by volunteering, here are six ways the season comes alive at our hotels.

Food On A Table

1. Eat, drink and celebrate this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the biggest food holiday of the year and a time when our chefs and culinary teams create some amazing dishes. Fun fact: Our chefs roast more than 270 turkeys every Thanksgiving. Enjoy turkey and an amazing spread of delicious food on our Thanksgiving buffets at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. See the menus here.

A Group Of People Standing In A Room

2. Holiday activities and special events

Here’s another fun, festive fact: Our on-site hotels offer more than 50 holiday activities throughout the season. Enjoy Christmas carols at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel or decorate ornaments and stockings at Loews Royal Pacific Resort. Check out all of our hotel holiday activities here.

A Group Of Stuffed Animals

3. Give back

All six hotels will be holding hunger projects over Thanksgiving weekend. Once again, we’re partnering with Feeding Children Everywhere and this year, our volunteers will pack a record-breaking 425,000 meals! We’ll be sending 100,000 of those meals to the Florida Panhandle to help those affected by the recent hurricane and the rest are distributed to food banks here in Central Florida. Team members, hotel guests and local residents can all take part. Sign up to give an hour of your time here.

A Birthday Cake With Lit Candles

4. Hanukkah menorah lighting ceremonies

In honor of Hanukkah (December 2 through December 10), a rabbi performs a menorah-lighting ceremony at all six hotels. Candles are illuminated every evening at sundown in the lobby. If you would like to be part of this special ceremony, check with the front desk during your stay for the latest schedule.

A Group Of People Sitting At A Table With Food

5. Indulge at our Christmas Day buffets

Here’s another tasty, fun holiday fact for you: We serve more than 2,500 pounds of seafood on our Christmas buffets at Loews Portofino Bay, Loews Royal Pacific, Loews Sapphire Falls and Hard Rock Hotel Orlando. Feast your eyes (and tummy) on a spread featuring salmon, shrimp, tuna, king crab legs, oysters and more. In addition to the seafood extravaganza, you can dine on holiday delights unique to the hotel, like the churrasco station and ceviche at Loews Sapphire Falls. Ready for an unforgettable dining experience this Christmas? Be sure to make your reservation here or call 407.503.DINE (3463).

Photo credit: Essentially Erika

6. Check out the gingerbread houses

Our pastry chefs use more than 75 pounds of candies on the gingerbread houses at Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort! They’re a hotel tradition on display in the lobby every holiday season. Stop by the lobby from 11 AM to noon and 4–5 PM throughout the holiday season to learn more about our gingerbread displays and watch our pastry team in action.

With six on-site hotels and more festivities than ever, you're sure to have a one-of-a-kind holiday at Universal Orlando Resort.

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Haping

A Person Smiling For The Camera Haping is an island girl originally from Aruba. She has a healthy obsession with teas and soups. She enjoys spending time with her two furry babies and discovering new places to eat in Orlando.