Let your heart (and tummy) grow three sizes in a day — just like the Grinch! During the holiday season at Universal Orlando Resort, you can enjoy a sit-down meal with the green meanie himself, as well as Whoville citizens and other characters from the Dr. Seuss universe. You can try themed food and drinks such as Green Eggs and Ham and Grinch Punch, as well as traditional breakfast foods, during the Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast, a specially ticketed dining experience — this year, in a brand new location!
Overview of the Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast
The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast is taking place on select dates from Nov. 17 through Dec. 29, 2023. Breakfast reservations tend to disappear quickly, so keep this in mind when planning your holiday trip. This year, reservation times include seatings at 7 a.m., 7:15 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 7:45 a.m., 8 a.m., 8:15 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m., 9 a.m., 9:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Allow between 60 to 90 minutes for the entire experience. It takes time to get seated, order and receive your food and meet all of the characters.
To complete your reservation, you must purchase your tickets in advance. Prices start at $58.99 per adult and $32.99 per child (ages 3 to 9), plus tax. You will need to make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance, and walk-ins are not accepted. Separate theme park admission is required for the same date as the breakfast. If you need to add or remove someone in your party, our best advice is to call Guest Services. Last year, we attempted to add someone to our party last minute but were unable to because there wasn’t any availability left at that point. Also, be sure to print out your tickets or pick them up at one of the Will Call kiosks outside the main entrance of the park. (There is a team member who can print them out stationed between Confisco Grille and Croissant Moon Bakery if you hoppen to forget.)
Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast Experience
The breakfast takes place at Confisco Grille in Port of Entry — a change this year after previously being housed in Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous in Seuss Landing. When you hit the central lagoon upon entering Universal Islands of Adventure, it's the building on your right. You should arrive about 15 minutes prior to your reservation time to check in with the host outside. Once you check in outside, you'll be asked to wait just inside the front of the restaurant for your table to be called.
While we all know the Grinch is the main star of the breakfast, the Whoville citizens are an absolute whoot too. One Who gave us great advice for when we meet the Grinch (plug your nose!) and another Who was in awe of the people inside our mobile devices with three tiny eyeballs on the back. Later in our meal, we saw her unwrap the tinsel from one of the trees and ask a guest at another table to wrap it on a different tree. They also sang Christmas carols and "Happy Birthday" to a frog who was celebating! As we were sat on the balcony upstairs, we also got to see them wishing a Merry Grinchmas to the people down below!
When you're finished with your meal, you'll receive a postcard from the Grinch. That's your ticket to meet the "mean one" himself! (A team member will hole punch it upon redemption.) There's meet and greets both upstairs and downstairs depending on where you're sitting. (Shhh! Just don't tell the tadpoles!) You may have to wait in a line to meet him but once you get to the front, the Grinch is more than hoppy to chat for a bit and take some fun photos! The big green guy gave us some unfiltered beauty advice, asked us to compliment him, gave his candid thoughts about our meal choices and informed us that those delicious Grinch cookies are nothing more than dog food. ("We're all just dog food in the end. One day Max will devour me." ~the Grinch)
Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast Menu
Here’s what the Whos are serving up at this festive feast:
The Feast
- The Grinch's Green Eggs and Ham
- Mayor Augusts' Biscuits and Gravy
- Martha May's Chicken and Waffles
- Max's Smoked Brisket Skillet Hash
- Betty Lou Who's Power Bowl
- Lou Lou Who's Breakfast Sandwich
For our Little Whos
- Scrambled Eggs
- Green Eggs
- Belgian Waffle
- Roasted Potatoes
- Biscuit with Gravy
- Fried Chicken
- Sliced Roast Ham
Beverages
- Juice
- Coffee
- Soda
Every meal comes with an appetizer consisting of croissants, muffins and fresh fruit and dessert consisting of Grinch cookies, Max's dog treats and red velvet hearts.
The pastries and fruit are a perfect way to settle your rumbling stomach upon being seated. When your waiter comes around, we highly recommend ordering the Grinch Punch for a nice sour beverage to wash your meal down. This verdant concoction is made with green apple, lime and pineapple juices.
For our entrées, I chose Lou Lou Who's Breakfast Sandwich which consisted of a butter croissant, eggs, ham, cheddar cheese, arugula and roasted potatoes. Leap opted for Max's Smoked Brisket Skillet Hash which consisted of house smoked brisket, poached eggs, crispy potatoes, poblano peppers and sriracha Hollandaise. Both were delicious, hearty options! We recommend choosing something savory so you can enjoy the sweet treats at the end of the meal.
As for the desserts, the Grinch cookies are always a soft and sweet froggy favorite. The red velvet hearts were also deliciously rich!
Our Final Thoughts on the Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast
The Grinch is one of our all-time favorite characters to meet, so we enjoy any time we’re able to be in the presence of the green sourpuss himself. While it is an extra expense, we think it’s worth the consideration because you’re guaranteed to meet the Grinch and get a photo with him. The only other way to interact with him (aside from Universal's Holiday Tour) is at his meet-and-greet location at Honk Honkers in Seuss Landing and we've seen that wait time go up to a whopping seven hours (and even reach capacity on sporadic days)!
The meal lives up to the amazing food you expect from Confisco Grille. It's incredibly filling with great options to fuel you up for a morning of Who-liday celebrating! It’s also a great option particularly for picky eaters, as they can expect standard breakfast fare. It does take up a significant portion of time (60 to 90 minutes), so you'll just need to adjust your plans accordingly. However, if you make a 7 a.m. reservation, you'll most likely be finishing just as the park opens!
Overall, it's a delicious meal that guarantees you face-time with some festive Whos and the famous Grinch without waiting hours in line! Truly a win-win!
Meeting the Grinch is a must-do experience during the holidays at Universal Orlando Resort, and what better way to do so than the Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast? Plus you get the opportunity to try Green Eggs and Ham. Have you had any funny interactions with the Grinch? Share in the comments below!
Related: A Froggy Festive Guide to the Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort
Hoppy holidays!
