A dancer on stilts is behind one of the parade floats, where beads are being thrown to the guests below. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Cortes.
Mardi Gras returns to the Universal Orlando Resort, and The Minaret was invited to cover it!
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By Alyssa Cortes
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval returns from Feb. 7 to April. 4 for its 2026 run at the Universal Orlando Resort.
Although the celebration kicks off at Universal Studios, the other side of the Hogwarts Express is Islands of Adventure, and they’re not exempt from the fun. Team members across the park hand out beads before you head into a ride queue, or even as you’re leaving the bathroom. Over at CityWalk, not only are themed food and drinks available at various locations, but Pat O’Brien’s and the Red Coconut Club are the official Mardi Gras after-party locations. Whether you’re hitting both parks in a day, just one, or hanging out at CityWalk, you can still be a part of the celebration.
Back at Universal Studios, beads aren’t that easy to obtain; you have to work for them. Most team members, on stilts or on your level, will request a dance move or two before they’ll release a bead. Doing something extra fun, you may just receive a coin or two.
Of course, the real fun comes with the nighttime parade. In addition to the colorful floats and fun dancers, thousands of beads are thrown along the parade route. And who gets to throw those beads? Well, you can! It’s part of the perks of being a Universal Orlando Passholder or by purchasing the Mardi Gras float ride and dine experience. Meaning Universal guests are the people on the floats, not team members.
The stage lights in Mardi Gras colors and a list of all the artists’ concerts, outside of the Music Plaza Stage. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Cortes.
One of the biggest draws of Mardi Gras is the concerts at the Music Plaza Stage at the front of the park. The artists featured on this year’s lineup include Grammy winners and ‘90s pop icons. Past performers include Kaskade, Joey Fatone & AJ McLean, and, most recently, DJing was the Queen of Drag, RuPaul. RuPaul took over Universal, with the stage area reaching capacity and surrounding areas packed with fans, passersby, and locals.
Future concerts will feature artists Bebe Rexha on Saturday, March 14, and Zedd on Sunday, March 15. The final concert is on Saturday, March 28, with The All-American Rejects. The best part is it’s free! Well, it’s free with park admission. So, I think visiting on a day when a concert is happening can add to your experience.
The International Flavors part of the celebration is in full swing with specialty food options around the park, including Mardi Gras classics, king cake, beignets, and gumbo. In addition to the classics and beverage-specific food booths, the rest of the booths are based on different countries, and their menus follow suit. The Puerto Rican booth sells pinchos de lechón, pastelón fritters, coconut flancocho, and piña colada. The China booth sells shrimp fried rice, mala beef skewers, and a luck and prosperity milk tea.
Now is a great time to visit Universal Orlando Resort, as extra perks and experiences are occurring free of charge. There are only a few weeks left to experience Mardi Gras for yourself; I think it’s worth checking out.