The Tribute Store at Universal Studios Florida has reopened once again and is now celebrating the arrival of the Holiday festivities at the park. Park fans will instantly recognize that the massive facades that would cover the normal storefront are gone, and a more thematically blended and permanent-looking entrance marquee has been installed.
However, this could all be a tie-in to the classic department store at Christmas feel that the store now encompasses (at least at the entrance) that now features a fake elevator as you walk in, and you go through the rooms that are marked as different “Floors” of the department store. New York Holiday, Wizarding World, Whoville, and Earl’s North of the Border.
New York Holiday features a classic and traditional feel and features most of the park logo garb before you head into Wizarding World, where the requisite Harry Potter winter gear can be found.
Through a hallway, we find this year’s photo wall featuring fans in various shots alongside Earl the Squirrel and others, but the fun moment is if you look closely at some of the faux product advertisements. Namely the “out of stock” Monster Eatery and Used Parade Floats, paying homage to the now permanently closed and retired Universal Monsters Cafe and Universal Superstar Parade.
Then, it’s onto WhoVille where the Grinch takes center stage. The area is full of the mean green merch, and also some fun photo ops for the Suess fan. While this area is in the Tribute Store on the Universal Studios Florida side of the resort, Grinchmas takes place primarily next door at Islands of Adventure.
The real draw to the tribute store this time of year is the prevalence of the fan-favorite character that debuted only a handful of years ago, Earl the Squirrel. This year, he plays host to Earl the Squirrel’s Christmas Curios Museum and Emporium in the Tribute Store.
Earl’s North of the Border is home to all the snacks, treats, and goodies of the Tribute store, including the return of Earl’s Egg Nog Fudge and other fun, themed eats.
The Earl-Lando preview center is full of homages and send-ups to local Central Florida attractions and lore (I-4 Eyesore, anyone) and shows previews for faux coming attractions that are coming to Earl-Lando, though we think the map showing off the location for Mistletoe Falls is oddly specific to the location of and looks dangerously close to Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls at neighboring Islands of Adventure. Hmmmmmm.
The holiday Tribute Store is now open at Universal Studios Florida. Take a closer look around in our video below!