Holiday Celebrations at Universal Orlando Resort Hotels

The three on-site hotels at Universal Orlando Resort will offer guests and local residents a chance to savor the season and celebrate the holiday spirit. Holiday buffets, special menus, wine and food events, appearances by Santa, a New Year’s Eve luau and brand new Holiday in the Harbor festivities will highlight this holiday season.

Holiday in the Harbor at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

All-new Holiday in the Harbor festivities at the Italian-themed Loews Portofino Bay Hotel will feature dining packages in Trattoria del Porto and Mama Della’s Ristorante that include a horse and carriage ride around the hotel’s picturesque harbor and a professional family portrait printed on a tile by Family Art Photography. Dinner package guests can also enjoy all the other complimentary festivities on the harbor including the nightly grand illumination of the Portofino Christmas tree, holiday carolers, acrobatic elves, storytelling by the tree and a children’s activity area in Babbo Natale’s Sweet Shop, where kids can write letters to the Santa Claus.

Holiday in the Harbor dinner packages, which include carriage rides and family portraits are offered on the evenings of December 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 23 and 24. For Holiday in the Harbor dining reservations, call 407-503-1200

Christmas Dining

Special holiday buffets will be offered on Christmas Day at Trattoria del Porto (view menu) at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Islands Dining Room (view menu) at Loews Royal Pacific Resort, featuring an array of culinary delights, entertainment, children’s activities and more. The Kitchen (view menu) at Hard Rock Hotel will feature special prix fixe menus on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in addition to their a la carte menu of New American cuisine. For Christmas dining reservations, call 407-503-DINE (3463)

New Year's Eve Special Events and Dining

Live From Loews . . . New Year's Eve Party on the Piazza

A brand new event will fill the Harbor Piazza at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel to ring in 2012. Live from Loews New Year’s Eve Party on the Piazza is a ticketed event, featuring gourmet food, wine and champagne, live jazz by Johnny Cool and the Mobster Swing Band, dancing and a midnight celebration, all in a special reserved seating area on the hotel’s picturesque outdoor Harbor Piazza. Tickets are available on-line at loewshotels.tix.com.

New Year's Eve Wantilan Luau

Loews Royal Pacific Resort rings in 2012 with a special New Year’s Eve version of the Wantilan Luau, with seating at 6:00 pm. This family-friendly event features a traditional Polynesian luau, hula dancers, fire knife dancer and New Year’s party favors. Reservations can be made on-line through OpenTable for the Wantilan Luau.

Buffets and Celebrations

All three on-site hotels will also offer New Year’s Eve buffets. Hard Rock Hotel will offer a holiday buffet in The Kitchen restaurant , followed by a lobby party from 8:00 pm – 1:00 am, with a DJ, balloon drop, confetti cannons and champagne toast.

Islands Dining Room at Loews Royal Pacific Resort features an Around-the-World buffet, with American, Italian, French and Asian cuisine from 5:00 – 11:00 pm , with face painters, balloon artists, hula dancers and islands music.

Trattoria del Porto at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel will serve a New Year’s Eve champagne buffet from 5:30 – 11:00 pm, featuring an array of Italian and American specialties (view menu), plus strolling musicians, a children’s holiday craft table, Universal Orlando characters, face painter and balloon artist.

For reservations, call 407-503-DINE (3463) or book your reservation on-line through OpenTable for The Kitchen, Islands Dining Room or Trattoria del Porto.

For more information, visit universalorlando.com/hotelevents.