Universal’s Mardi Gras: The Best of New Orleans’ Cajun Celebration
While Halloween Horror Nights might be the most well-known event offered by Universal Studios Orlando, it certainly isn’t the only holiday festival in the park. Every spring, the theme park brings the magic of New Orleans – and the global celebration of Mardi Gras – to Orlando, Florida, for a whole lot of music, food, and fun. This family-friendly version of New Orleans’ famed street party has been running since 1995, making it one of the oldest events at the park (behind the famed Halloween Horror Nights).
If you want all the details on how to join in on Universal’s Mardi Gras celebration, just keep reading!
What is Universal Studios Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is a cultural Carnival festival celebrated in certain parts of the United States, South America, and Europe. The day, also called “Fat Tuesday” on the Catholic calendar, was a time when people celebrated the last “hurrah” before the 40 days of Lent.
Today, it is seen as a cultural event that focuses on drink, food, and fun. It is always held 47 days before Easter (though as you might notice, this celebration goes on for quite a bit longer).
The Universal Studios Mardi Gras is heavily inspired by the New Orleans version; every night you’ll be treated to a lively street festival with yummy food, drinks, and most importantly, amazing parades with elaborate floats and engaging entertainers. Each year, the theme for Universal’s Mardi Gras event changes, ensuring a totally unique experience during the festival no matter how many times you attend.
(Seriously, you might want to make it an annual thing.)
When is Universal Studios Mardi Gras Celebration?
Mardi Gras is a yearly celebration in the Universal Studios theme park. The event runs for around three months, typically starting in the first week of February and running until the end of April. The exact date is subject to change each year, as Mardi Gras does not have a set calendar date.
Pricing and Tickets
Unlike other special seasonal events in the Orlando area, Universal’s Mardi Gras is not a ticketed event. That means all festival entertainment offerings are FREE with the price of a general admission ticket. (How great is that?!) There are no additional fees for concerts or to view the parade. The only thing you’ll need to budget for is any food, drinks, or souvenirs you grab while you’re there.
Most Mardi Gras events do not kick off until the afternoon, leaving the morning free for you to explore the rest of the park. Some offerings are only available on certain days of the week, so be sure to check the theme park’s schedule when you are planning to attend during the festival. You’ll find that some events – like the concerts – only happen on the weekends. If there is something you don’t want to miss, just make sure you’re visiting on the correct days!
Universal Studios Mardi Gras Marvels
Like any Universal Studios event, the park is filled to the brim with some amazing entertainment and a plethora of fun things to do. Here are a few highlights you won’t want to miss!
Concerts.
Live music has always been a major part of Mardi Gras celebrations.
For Universal’s celebration, you’ll find live concerts from some of today’s biggest stars, all at the outdoor Music Plaza Stage. The line-up changes every year but has featured musical performances by Kelly Clarkson, Macklemore, Diana Ross, and many more.
These performances only occur on select nights. At the beginning of the festival, they usually only happen on Saturday nights. However, as Universal’s Mardi Gras progresses, there may be performances on Fridays and Sundays as well.
Parades.
If there was a reason to visit during Mardi Gras season, this is it.
Universal Studios hast the largest Mardi Gras-themed parade in the United States outside of New Orleans itself. The parade is held on select nights (though you’ll usually be able to catch at least one while you’re there) after the sun goes down. Unlike most theme park parades where the float vehicles are disguised within the design, these floats follow the traditional elements of being pulled by trucks – making the entire experience feel more authentic.
The parade usually has twelve floats. Six are traditional Mardi Gras floats that include iconic imagery like the King, Queen, and Gator. The other six are original for the year’s theme, introducing new elements and fun music.
One of the coolest things about the floats in the Universal Studios Mardi Gras parade is the fact that they are built by the same Louisiana company that creates many floats in the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration. Kern Studios consults with Universal throughout the year to provide unique one-of-a-kind floats for the park. As the event evolves through the years, so do the floats! They’ve even begun adding story elements into the show!
- Can I ride on a parade float?
The short answer is maybe.
If you are an annual passholder, you can sign up for the chance to ride on a float starting in January. There is typically a link on the Universal Studios website that enters you into an internal lottery. If you are chosen, you and up to five guests will be invited to participate in a single evening’s parade about a week prior.
If you do not have an annual pass, you can check out the stand-by lines on the day of your visit. These spots go fast so it’s recommended to check in about two hours before the parade start time to see if you can snag a spot onboard! - Where can I see the parade?
There are multiple dedicated parade viewing areas around the park, including one for families with small children and toddlers. There are also a few dining options that come with reserved seating as well. These are all on a first-come-first-serve basis. Fortunately, you shouldn’t have much trouble snagging a good spot!
Tribute Store.
Starting in 2020, Universal introduced a Mardi Gras Tribute store as part of its offering for the festival. The Tribute Store is a pop-up of sorts, switching up theming and merchandise depending on the time of year and on what events are occurring within Universal Studios. Located in the New York section of the park, you can find the entrance right next to The Mummy coaster.
The Tribute Store always sells fun merchandise that is only available for a short time. They’ve also incorporated a small event-themed bakery in more recent years. However, the biggest draw is simply walking through the store to appreciate the immersive theming and excellent ambiance it has to offer. You’ll often find yourself strolling through eerie historic graveyards or pirate ship holds as you shop.
Ultimately, the Tribute Store is almost an attraction in and of itself and shouldn’t be missed during your trip.
Collect Your Beads.
Another New Orleans tradition, you’ll find Universal team members around the park in their Mardi Gras finery carrying piles of brightly colored beads. If you ask them, they’ll throw you a set or two – though typically they will ask you to sing or do a silly dance in exchange for the beads! The parade is another opportunity to collect beads as well, as you can usually catch them as they’re thrown out from the floats as they go by. These necklaces are fun to collect as you wander through the park – and completely free!
Rides and Attractions.
Since this festival takes place during regular park hours, all the regular rides, shows, and attractions are open throughout the event. You’ll be able to visit all sections of the park, including Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley (which is typically closed during special events).
The Krewe Crawl Scavenger Hunt.
A newer piece of entertainment added to the event is The Krewe Crawl. For a small fee, participants are given a “treasure map” to take around the park so they can hunt for decorated skeletons. At each location, a Universal team member will stamp an “X” on the spot. Once you’ve found them all, you can swing by the final location and pick up your treasure. It’s a cute activity that’s great for kids and adults alike!
Delicious Dining and Delightful Drinks
One traditional piece of Mardi Gras is, of course, the food. New Orleans is known for its delicious and distinctive cuisine. In recent years, Universal has begun incorporating more food offerings into their version of the event to bring international flavors and unique new dishes to the park. Mardi Gras adds a selection of food booths that run through the festival.
The French Quarter section of the park usually houses most specialty food tents, though you can find the selection slow expanding through the park as the food festival grows.
The food tents officially start serving in the late afternoon – around 4 PM – but they often open early (especially on concert nights).
Savory Foods
Over 100 specialty food items are introduced during the festival representing festivals from over a dozen countries. Carnival is celebrated across the world, so there are many signature dishes from Brazil, Germany, and many others that made the menu. Previous booths have featured food from counties including:
• France
• Cuba
• Germany
• Canada
• Columbia
• The Bahamas
• Brazil
• Belgium
• Italy
• Puerto Rico
• Spain
• Trinidad
• And more!
While these dishes are inspired by certain cultural traditions and geographic locations, they are still within a theme park. That means even dishes that are typically served with a hefty dose of spice will be mild by comparison.
You will, of course, always be able to find New Orleans staples like King’s Cake and warm beignets available for purchase.
Specialty Drinks
Themed drinks are a specialty of Universal Studios events, from seasonal beers and wines to unique cocktails, frozen drinks, milkshakes, and other beverages.
Cocktails. As Universal Studios is known as a park that caters to an older crowd compared to Disney or SeaWorld, they always have interesting cocktails available for their events. You can usually find 4-6 themed drinks during the festival.
Nonalcoholic Selections. In addition to the cocktails, the event also usually has specialty nonalcoholic beverages as well. These may be slushes or milkshakes with unique flavor combinations or juice-based mocktails for non-drinkers.
Souvenir Glasses. Among the most popular souvenirs of Universal events are the specialty drink glasses available during them. These light-up pint glasses feature the logo of the event on them and are often packaged with one of the specialty cocktails (or nonalcoholic beverages) as part of the price. They usually run around $10-12 depending on the festival and the glass. While the lights are fun to have on hand at night, they also make great inexpensive keepsakes for your trip.
Tips and Tricks To Make This Your Best Mardi Gras
The Event Goes on Beyond the Park Gates. While the majority of the action takes place inside the Universal Studios theme park, there are some food items you can only get outside the park! From seasonal snacks at Voodoo Donut and Dr. Toothsome’s Chocolate Emporium at Universal Citywalk to entrees only available at Universal hotel properties, you may want to venture out a bit and see what else Universal has to offer.
Food Tasting Lanyards. If you want to experience all the food that Universal’s Mardi Gras has to offer, you might want to check out the Tasting Lanyards, which lets you try several dishes for one flat fee. These come in 5 or 10 item increments and are priced accordingly.
As a note, these do not expire. If you are visiting the parks on multiple days, you can spread out your tastings throughout your trip.
Download the App. Don’t rely on a map to get around this event. Download the Universal app to help you navigate wait times and showtimes (as they can change unexpectedly).
No Costume Masks Allowed. While Universal sells pretty masquerade masks all over the park during this time of the year, they also have rules in place about wearing certain types of costume masks. If you do buy them, you may want to check with their current rules to know whether you’ll be able to wear one during the festivities.
Bring the Kids. While the real Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans is known for being a rowdy event as the evening progresses, the Universal version is perfectly family-friendly. They’ll have a great time watching the bright spectacle of the parade and interacting with the performers!
Have you been to Universal’s Mardi Gras? Let us know what you’re looking forward to the most!
And laissez les bons temps rouler!
Cover Image
Photo: Jared via Flickr
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