Thanksgiving 2020 at Universal Orlando – complete guide

It’s been a strange year, what with the COVID-19 pandemic, and, as such, it’s something of a strange year for Thanksgiving at Universal Orlando Resort.

None of this, of course, is surprising – but what is surprising is just how much of a normal holiday Universal is managing to deliver. While neither Universal Studios Florida nor Islands of Adventure will be getting in on the action for 2020 (for the past two years, the theme parks had served up special meals at four of their restaurants), most of Universal Orlando’s hotels will still have one offering or another on-hand. That’s right: prepare for some more-or-less traditional turkey bites at Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific Resort, Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites.

Skip to: Hard Rock Hotel | Royal Pacific Resort | Cabana Bay Beach Resort | Surfside Inn and Suites

Hard Rock Hotel

This is the second of three premier hotels at Universal Orlando. You can read more about it here.

The Kitchen restaurant

In lieu of the usual Thanksgiving Day buffet, a feast will instead be had from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, serving “traditional Thanksgiving items” family-style at each table. A live acoustic guitarist will provide the entertainment (from 12:00 to 10:00 pm).

Adults: $59.99, children (ages 3-9): $24.00.

See the menu.

For reservations, call 407-503-DINE (3463) or click book online.

The image above was shared with us by Dana Trivino. After having Thanksgiving at Hard Rock Hotel in 2012, it instantly became a family tradition.

Royal Pacific Resort

This is the third of three premier hotels at Universal Orlando. You can read more about it here.

Islands Dining Room

A holiday buffet will be served from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day, featuring smoked fish, sushi, and more. (Please note that safety measures will be implemented, including plexiglass barriers around the food and having salads and desserts be pre-packaged and served market-style. In addition, some grab-and-go Thanksgiving dinner options will be on-hand, as well.)

Adults: $59, children (ages 3-9): $27.00.
Add-on all-you-can-drink mimosas and Bloody Marys: $15.00.

See the menu.

For reservations, call 407-503-DINE (3463) or book online.

Islands Dining Room at Royal Pacific Resort. (Source)

Cabana Bay Beach Resort

This is the first of two prime value hotels at Universal Orlando. You can read more about it here.

Bayliner Diner

On Thanksgiving Day, from 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm, there will be a Special Thanksgiving Day Meal featuring all your holiday favorites, including turkey, stuffing, cranberry compote, broccoli, mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits. (Add-on dessert options include pecan and/or pumpkin pie, of course.) If you stop by at 9:00 am, you can even catch the Macy’s Day Parade on Bayliner’s jumbo screens.

Adults: $18.99, children (ages 3-9): $9.99.
Add-on dessert: $3.50.

See the menu.

Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites

This is the first of two (eventual) value hotels at Universal Orlando. You can read more about it here.

Beach Break Cafe

Surfside Inn and Suites will be hosting a Traditional Thanksgiving Day Meal which isn’t too dissimilar from what’s available above at Cabana Bay Beach Resort: oven-roasted turkey, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, green beans, and cranberry compote.

Adults: $15.99, children (ages 3-9): $8.99.

See the menu.

For contact information covering Universal’s restaurants not mentioned in this guide (in case you want to ask what they might be serving on Thanksgiving), visit our dining reservations page.

To learn so much more about Universal Orlando’s hotels – even the closed ones – click here.

We have an entire community of Universal fans discussing Thanksgiving right now! When you’re done here, join us for vacation planning and more in our Orlando Informer Community on Facebook.