Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval for 2025 is underway, and we have compiled a full guide to help you plan your visit! This year’s celebration began on February 1 and will conclude on March 30; this year is slightly shorter than the 2024 event.
Complete Guide to the 2025 Universal Mardi Gras Celebration
Decorations
The central medallion at the main entrance arch of Universal Studios Florida is a gold circle saying “Mardi Gras 30th Celebration,” marking the milestone anniversary of Mardi Gras celebrations at the resort. The text is surrounded by multicolored confetti, beads, and music notes. An image of King Gator peeks out from the side of yellow, green, and purple feathers.
Other decorations have been put up around the park, as well, including 30th anniversary signage and nods to the musical heritage of the event. The tunes on the jukebox recall the classics of the 1950s. Frank Sinatra, Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, and Nat King Cole are all represented on the jukebox menu.
Food Menus and Reviews
One of the highlights of Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida is the food! Food and beverages from New Orleans and beyond can be found at different locations around the park. Check out our breakdown of all the menus with prices and our reviews of every single new item.
You can also watch our full video review below:
Food Location Map
The locations are marked on the map with a corresponding letter. See the key below.
- A: Canada
- B: Colombia
- C: Taste of the Quarter
- D: Bites of the Bayou
- E: French Quarter Sips
- F: Puerto Rico
- G: Italy
- H: China
- I: India
- J: Germany
- K: France
- L: Mexico
- M: Coca-Cola Market Square
Coca-Cola Freestyle Cup
Aligning with the start of Mardi Gras celebrations in Universal Studios Florida, the park has debuted a new Coca-Cola Freestyle cup full of festive spirit. The Coca-Cola cups are refillable at any Coca-Cola Freestyle machine located across the resort. The cups are also valid at vendors serving ICEE frozen beverages. These sell for $18.99.
2025 Tribute Store
This year’s Tribute Store is cryptid-themed, with a large billboard outside advertising “Cyrus T. Pavo’s Legends of the Bayou Museum and Gift Shop.” 2024’s Mardi Gras Tribute Store backstory involved a riverboat (the P.S. Songbird) owned by Captain Pavo, possibly meaning the two original characters are related.
Take a closer look in our video tour of the store:
The tribute store contains six rooms full of easter eggs, projections, and other decorations with some nods and references toward Disney attractions.
Merchandise
This year’s merchandise features festive designs that include characters like King Gator, Gator Junior, Baron Tonton, and more. We first found the new items for sale at the Universal Studios Store in Universal CityWalk Orlando. You can also find much of this merchandise available online if you’re unable to grab it while visiting Universal Orlando Resort.
Offerings include clothing, pins, badge reels, caps, bags, and more.
Passholder Merchandise and Offerings
Universal Orlando Annual Passholders can get into the festive spirit with a new Passholder button for Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval 2025 in addition to discounts, treats, and UOAP-specific merchandise.
Discounts include 15% off the Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine experience and $30 off the Universal Orlando Resort Food and Beverage Card for a limited time. UOAPs can also ride a Mardi Gras Parade float for free for one day during the event.
Universal Mardi Gras Parade
Let the good floats roll. It’s time for the 2025 Universal Mardi Gras parade! The parade is performed nightly at Universal Studios Florida for the duration of the Carnaval celebration and has new floats for the 30th anniversary celebration!
Guests can view it from the ground or participate as a bead thrower by signing up for the float ride experience. The parade begins in Hollywood next to the Universal Horror Make-Up Show. It travels down the Hollywood street, then through Minion Land and New York, ending where it started.
To experience the parade in a special way, you can sign up to ride a Mardi Gras parade float and throw beads on the day of your trip with a virtual queue. Guests can join the virtual queue via the Universal Orlando Resort app on the day of their visit. Make sure you have a Universal account, your tickets are linked to the account, and you are logged in on the app. Guests can sign up for the virtual queue between 2 p.m. and up to one (1) hour before the parade start time. Guests must be in the park to join the virtual queue.
Concerts
Mardi Gras concerts are included with valid park admission and take place on select nights during the event at the Music Plaza Stage in Universal Studios Florida. This year, guests can see acts like Joe Jonas, Foster the People, and DJ Pauly D. On February 1, the T-Pain Concert reached capacity before the concert began at 8:30 p.m.
Cursed Coconut Club at CityWalk
A Mardi Gras overlay has returned to the CityWalk venue, transforming the Red Coconut Club into the Cursed Coconut Club for the season. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Universal’s Mardi Gras celebration, and the Cursed Coconut Club includes homages to previous Mardi Gras events.
Are you planning a visit to this year’s Mardi Gras celebration at Universal? Let us know what you are most excited about in the comments below!
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