Light Up UCF is the University of Cental Florida’s annual holiday event that features a free Christmas light show, outdoor ice skating, an ice slide, free outdoor movies, carolers, carnival rides, and Santa Claus. Other nights may feature a concert, a UCF basketball game, or one of the final home football games of the UCF Knights as the event is held at the UCF arena in walking distance of the football stadium.
Light Up UCF Attractions
By far, the ice skating rink is the most popular activity at the Light Up UCF event. The Ferris Wheel gives you a great view of the UCF campus and downtown Orlando on clear nights if your back is to the Barnes and Noble bookstore that sells Starbucks Peppermint hot chocolate.
Light Up UCF Movies
On select nights, feature holiday movies are shown on the big screen on an open lawn that you can bring a lawn chair or blanket to. The movies are shown at 7:00 pm and 9:30 pm on many of the nights but check the official calendar here for the night of your visit as the showtimes change for some of the movies.
The 2015 Movie Schedule is:
11/18 – Elf
11/20 – Polar Express
11/21 – Frozen
11/25 – A Christmas Carol
11/27 – The Muppets Christmas Carol
11/28 – Christmas in Connecticut
12/02 – Deck the Halls
12/04 – The Santa Clause
12/05 – How the Grinch Stole Christmas
12/09 – Miracle on 34th Street
12/11 – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
12/12 – Frozen
12/16 – How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon)
12/18 – A Christmas Story
12/19 – Arthur Christmas
12/23 – White Christmas
12/25 – It’s a Wonderful Life
12/26 – Home Alone
12/29 – Holiday Inn
01/01 – Home Alone 2
01/02 – Jingle All The Way
The Light Up UCF event runs from Friday, November 13th, 2015 through Sunday, January 3rd, 2015.
The Hours of Operation for the 2015 event are:
Monday – Thursday: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday: 5:00 pm – 12:00 am
Saturday: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Sunday: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Click Here to visit the official event website.
Waterford Lakes Christmas Carnival
If you would like to go to an event that has a lot more carnival rides, you can take a 10 minute drive south down Alafaya Trail to Waterford Lakes and attend their Santa’s Winter Wonderland Event.
Click here to read about more outdoor movies taking place around Orlando throughout the year.
Click here to read about more carnivals taking place around Orlando throughout the year.
Video below is an overview of the 2009 event:
Another look of the event:
Light Up UCF Map