Whoville Set From 'How The Grinch Who Stole Christmas' Has Disappeared From Universal Hollywood's Backlot

A real-life Grinch may have arrived early to Universal Studios Hollywood backlot. The Whoville set from the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas has apparently disappeared from the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood, according to helicopter footage recently taken of the film studio and theme park.

The Whoville set has been a fixture of Universal Studios Hollywood since the release of the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which starred Jim Carrey as the green grump in the live-action feature adaptation of the beloved Dr. Seuss book. But a real-life Grinch may have swooped in and wiped Whoville off the map.

A video from YouTuber Micah Muzio, which showed a helicopter view of the Southern California theme park, seemed to show that the Whoville set had been "demolished," according to the Theme Park Obsession Twitter. You can see the apparently missing Whoville at the 10:07 mark.

For nearly as long as Whoville has been a fixture of Universal Studios Hollywood, "Grinchmas" has been a fixture of the theme park's Christmas celebrations. The annual Grinch-themed celebration began around the time of the park's renovation in 2013, and has delighted parkgoers every December since. During the celebration, the film's crooked tree is placed in Universal Plaza, and Cindy-Lou Who and the residents of Whoville gather around for a storytelling show of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, complete with special effects and audience participation. Photo opportunities with the Grinch himself are also offered.

/Film's own Peter Sciretta attended Grinchmas as recently as last year. There has been no official confirmation that Whoville has been demolished entirely or is undergoing renovations during closures due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.