Grinchmas at Universal Orlando Resort has been around for a long time — longer than I have, even — and each year has been more festive and memorable than the last! This year is no exception. The 25th anniversary of Grinchmas in Seuss Landing in Universal Islands of Adventure will be more than just a special Who-liday occasion — it’s a Who-bilation!
The spirit of Grinchmas can’t be brought to life without the holiday magic of our Universal Team Members, and there are some who have been playing their part since the very beginning. Let the experts themselves tell you how much Grinchmas has grown over the last 25 years into what we know and love today.
A Look Back at 25 Years of Grinchmas
Grinchmas first reared its mean, green head around the holidays in late 2000, and there are quite a few Team Members who can still tell the tale 25 years later. There is no Grinchmas without the Grinch, and Mike Aiello, senior director of creative development in entertainment at Universal Orlando, did the honors of playing him in 2000.
Mike didn’t just play the Grinch in the original show, he embodied him. “It was my first time being in that level of prosthetics,” he says. “You’re completely gone (with) the way you’re completely covered, and you can’t help but kind of become the character.”
Three consecutive years of prosthetics, heavy makeup, and full-body yak fursuits later, Mike began exploring other performance avenues, which led him to auditioning and landing a role as Mayor Maywho in the show.
“The Mayor was awesome because he’s a showman. He’s the typical, ‘I’m shaking your hand because I want your vote, not necessarily because I like you,’” Mike says. “He’s like the Grinch, too, but on a whole different spectrum. He’s overly happy because that’s the air that he put on, but deep inside, he loathed the Grinch and honestly just wanted to win the award.”
As you’re wandering Seuss Landing and enjoying the holiday tunes, you might hear a DJ pipe up every now and then in the background. And you’ll never guess who voices that DJ: our resident Grinchmas expert himself, Mike Aiello! “It was kind of by chance,” he says. “We were doing new music in the land one year, and we came up with an idea that there should be a Who DJ spinning records somewhere in Who-ville. We wrote it up real fast, and I was around and said, ‘Well, I’ll take a stab at reading it,’ and that became DJ Drew Who.” Is there anything he can’t do?
This year, to honor the 25th anniversary of Grinchmas, Mike re-recorded his iconic lines from over two decades ago to really set the tone for this momentous celebration, and you can hear it in the land all season long!
In its original iteration, The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular wasn’t everything you may know it as today. Before becoming the hot spot to meet your favorite Seuss characters, the outside of All The Books You Can Read was home to the original show, which was split into three acts that played at different times of day. In Act I, you’d meet the Whos, Act II the Grinch, and Act III was the big Who-bilation.
While a hit among guests, the show wasn’t something everyone could squeeze into their busy Who-liday schedules. “This is where we really listened to our guests,” Lora Sauls, assistant director of creative development, says. She adds that some guests missed their chance to see the Grinch because of conflicts with their other theme park ventures, which is the last thing the Grinchmas team wanted to see.
“So, in 2002, we combined those three acts into one cohesive 15- to 20-minute show that (we) performed several times a day, and that really made our guests happy because they got the whole story,” Lora says.
Lora’s Grinchmas journey began 24 years ago, starting as a choreographer and later serving as the show director for The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular for over a decade. “I really absolutely love being a show director for Grinchmas,” she says. “Now, I am the assistant director of our team, and I really help guide and place people in the right roles to do the shows that they absolutely have the passion to direct.”
Over the last 25 years, Lora says everyone on the Grinchmas crew and creative development team has grown into a little family. “We all have kind of grown up and seen the evolution of Grinchmas, and we all are so excited that now we can celebrate 25 years,” she says. “It’s the Who-bilation celebration of 25 years of Grinchmas at Universal Orlando.”
How iconic would it be for one’s first job at Universal Orlando Resort to be a Who in the early Grinchmas show? Matt Flood, senior show director of creative development, knows a thing or two about that as he got his start at Universal in 2002 as the Lederhosen Who.
From performing on stage for over a decade to coordinating stage performances to show directing, Matt has done it all in the name of Grinchmas. “It really does feel like a privilege — a treat — something special each year,” he says. “It is such a special show, and I know that so many people come to the parks for Grinchmas … and to be a part of somebody’s family tradition and to play a role in that entertainment is a really special thing.”
The work Matt does for Grinchmas isn’t complete without the help of his entertainment and creative development team. “Working with a team that knows it so well — all of entertainment values the show so much,” Matt says. “Everybody has ownership of this in such a fun way, so working with a team that values what we’re doing just makes it all work.”
What to Expect During Grinchmas at Universal 2025
When the Who-lidays roll around, the atmosphere in Seuss Landing is nothing short of festive — but this season, the team is turning things up a notch for the 25th anniversary of Grinchmas.
An entirely new tree farm to walk through has been planted, and you’ll find six trees specially themed to some of your favorite characters. You may also see a new character or two roaming the land sporting new, spiffy costumes to boot!
And just in case this hasn’t raised your Who-liday spirits enough, the Who-Ops are back in business with a slew of Christmas carols, including the fan-favorite, “104 Days of Christmas.” Be sure to pick up your sheet music and sing along for a very merry time!
You can’t miss The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous, where you can meet the Grinch himself sporting his holiday best. Plus, his friend Cindy Lou Who is making her first-ever appearance at the breakfast in celebration of the 25th Grinchmas anniversary! And don’t forget to chat it up with your friendly neighborhood Whos who will be walking around during your Who-liday feast.
PRO TIP: Passholders can ring in the Holidays at Universal and celebrate 25 years of Grinchmas with an exclusive UOAP button, featuring the Grinch’s fantabulous face! Pick yours up through January 4, 2026 at the UOAP Lounge in Islands of Adventure or The Tonight Shop in Universal Studios Florida.
Whether you need a post-breakfast holiday snack or you’re simply not in the breakfast mood, there are two new, festive treats waiting for you at Hop on Pop Ice Cream Shop. Try a cold Crunch Bunch Ice Cream Bunch ice cream sandwich with a warm Holiday Hot Chocolate for that cozy holiday feeling.
Make the most of your holiday visit by booking a Universal Holiday Tour with your 2-Park 1-Day theme park admission ticket. This exclusive experience takes you on a pre-scheduled tour of both Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure and their select holiday attractions. During this tour, you’ll meet the Grinch and his faithful dog Max, have a reserved viewing area for the Universal Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, sit in reserved seating during The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular, enjoy cookie decorating, light bites, and non-alcoholic beverages at select locations, meet Santa, and more!
Matt says if you’re spending the holidays in Who-ville, don’t be afraid to kick it with the resident Whos. “I think most people would have already planned on going to see the show, but not everybody says, ‘You know what, I just want to hang out with the Whos for a little bit and sing a song and play a game,’” he says. “If you look for that, I think you can find some pretty magical moments. I just hope people have fun.”
Mike is thrilled for guests to revel in the wonder of Grinchmas and the 25th Who-bilation Celebration. “It’s so fulfilling to know that the stuff that we’re able to create and do — people really enjoy and come back year after year and live it,” he says. “There’s nothing like it.”
Are you excited to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Grinchmas at Universal Orlando Resort? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
No Comments