Mardi gras 2022 celebrations at Universal Studios-- what to expect?

[isabellea]

Next spring, mardi gras will be on March 1st. We will at WDW that day but we are switching to RPR on March 3rd for two days in the parks (first time for our daughters) before driving back home on the Saturday. I know I am super early but planning makes me happy. So what can we expect? Any thread on what is going on in the parks during that time as I kind of remember reading that Universal celebrates it (but not WDW)?

Merci!

 

[TommyJK]

This year was more subdued due to the covid restrictions, but in a "normal year" here are the key elements:

Food!!!
- every year there are food booths with Mardi Gras inspired dishes from around the world. You can buy food items on their own or you can buy a food tasting landyard that allows you to try a bunch of different items and it saves you a bit of money than if you buy food items separately.
- for a good rundown on types of foods they've had, have a look at this Orlando Informer review of all of the different foods that were at this years event
https://orlandoinformer.com/blog/food-review-universal-orlando-mardi-gras-2021/
Concerts
- there weren't any this year due to covid, but typically they have free concernts on the weekends.
- here is their concernt schedule from last year (before the park shut down due to the pandemic)
https://www.insideuniversal.net/202...s-2020-concert-line-up-and-details-announced/
Nightly Parade
- Every year (minus this year due to covid) they have a very elaborate parade with Mardi Gras floats with people on them throwning out beads
- each year the parade usually has a different theme that the floats are designed to.
- you can also sign up (but difficult to get a spot) to be one of the parade float riders. Here is a link that describes how to do this (easiest if you are an Annual Pass Holder
https://unofficialuniversal.com/mardi-gras-float/

But here is an overall good write-up on things to do for Mardi Gras from last year

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/tra...20200204-q5au6daarfbdfjxogsk2c4d44a-list.html

 

[shawthorne44]

I suspect that they will keep the food booths scattered like they did this year. They've had a huge positive response to that. Last year they were all together in the same area. New York, I think. They also opened them for lunch this year, whereas last year it was 3 or 4 pm. The earlier time also got praise.

People have also really liked the floats just sitting out. Instead of people staying still and the floats moving, they have the floats stationary, and the people walking by. (So a reverse parade) Although that probably requires more staffing. So, I would guess they'll bring the parades back.

 

[Travelgrrl]

We randomly arrived as a parade came by (so much easier to get a good vantage point for a Universal parade!) and were positively inundated with beads! Pounds and pounds of them; super fun! There are Mardi Gras heads and props set around USF, and the floats themselves are from Kerns in New Orleans.

The first time we went, Third Eye Blind was playing so my daughter and her friend saw the band for the price of their ticket.

 

[ksdaveb2003]

Just an FYI: They advertise the food as "tastings", but my son and I found them to be much more substantial than that. Example is this picture of the Cuban Sandwich, which was delicious and very filling.