Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras

February 17, 2017

You do not need to go all the way to New Orleans to enjoy an authentic Mardi Gras experience! Universal Studios Orlando is already celebrating Mardi Gras in style and all you need to do is purchase a regular admission ticket to the park to enjoy all the perks of this annual event.

This year the celebration goes from February 4 – March 25, 2017, so make sure to plan your trip to enjoy this kid-friendly Mardi Gras. The event includes concerts, authentic Cajun cuisine, a parade with festive floats, plenty of purple, green and gold Mardi Gras decorations and thousands of beads to be distributed each night!

mardi-gras at universal studios Orlando

Concerts:

On select nights you can catch several big-name artists perform live in concert on the Music Plaza stage.

Check out this year’s lineup:

  • February 04 – Trace Adkins
  • February 11 – Ne-Yo
  • February 18 –  Collective Soul
  • February 19-  X Ambassadors
  • February 25 – Fifth Harmony
  • March 4 – Yandel
  • March 5 – Olivia Newton-John
  • March 11 – UB40
  • March 12 – Toby Keith
  • March 18 – Jason Derulo
  • March 19 – Earth, Wind & Fire
  • March 25 – The All American Rejects

 

Parade:

The one thing you can’t miss when attending this event is the daily parade. The parade has colorful floats designed by Kern Studios, who have been creating authentic Mardi Gras floats in New Orleans for over 60 years. Plus, most all characters in the parade have a bunch of metallic colorful beads to throw to the audience as the floats go by. The kids go absolutely insane because they often can’t even fit all the beads around their tiny necks, because there are TONS of them to be grabbed! Make sure to grab a map and one of the papers that outline the time for the parade on the day of your visit. All maps are available at the entrance of Universal Studios by turnstiles or you can get one from our lobby at the Enclave Suites. Here’s a cheat sheet for the parade times on different dates:

 

  • 2/7: 5:00pm
  • 2/5, 2/6, 2/8 – 2/10, 2/12 – 2/17: 6:45pm
  • 2/20 – 2/24, 2/26 – 2/27, 3/1 – 3/3, 3/6 – 3/10: 7:15pm
  • 2/4, 2/11, 2/18, 2/19, 2/25, 2/28, 3/4, 3/5, 3/11 – 3/25: 7:45pm

 

What about the  food?

There are several food kiosks set up just for this event serving the authentic Cajun cuisine that New Orleans is famous for. Are you drooling with excitement yet? Just remember that all regular park attractions are open, so make sure to divide your time between attractions and event-related fun wisely. Pro Tip: Eating a big bowl of spicy jambalaya before riding Rip Ride Rockit Roller Coaster is a no no!

And remember: When staying at the Enclave Suites you do not have to worry about transportation to the parks. We offer a complimentary daily scheduled shuttle that drops guests off right at Universal Orlando for a day of adventure and excitement! Will we see you soon? Stop by our Facebook page if you have any questions you still may need answered!