Universal Orlando Resort will be kicking off a big milestone this coming weekend for the 25th anniversary of Mardi Gras Celebration at Universal Studios Florida with big artist names for their concert series, food & beverage, jazzy tunes, nightly parade and more. Starting on February 1st till April 2nd, 2020 in where guests can enjoy returning fan favorites and new menu cuisine items in the French Quarter Courtyard with the mouth water of spicy Cajun-style type of food.
Here’s what you can expect from the Big Easy and all around the world to be served at this year’s event for 25 years of Mardi Gras!
Returning Fan Favorites:
Universal has heard you loud and clear for some Mardi Gras food classics and those will be served at the French Quarter Courtyard such as:
- Beignets
- King Cake
- Jambalaya
- Shrimp Gumbo
- Red Beans & Rice with Shrimp
- Cajun Twisted Tater
- Gator Bites
- Crab Etouffee
- Shrimp & Andouille Po’ Boy
- Sausage Po’ Boy
- Catfish Po’ Boy
- Chicken & Andouille Po’ Boy
The famous classic cuisine for the jambalaya will be coming back and has been served all year around by Universal’s guests for Mardi Gras.
New Carnival Around the Universe Tent Food Items
Brand new for Mardi Gras this year will be a rotation each week for carnivals from around the world and will be a brand new food tent that will rotate every two weeks that will feature a certain country and here’s what they are. Plant based options will also be served as well.
(Week 1 & 2) Trinidad & Tobago:
- Grilled Pineapple Trini-Chow (topped with kimchi seasoning and cilantro)
- Pholourie (fried spicy split pea dough with turmeric, curry powder and tamarind chutney)
- Chickpea Double (served on spicy bara flatbread with cilantro and mango chutney)
(Week 3 & 4) Louisiana Creole
- Softshell Crab Slider (softshell crab with organic veggie slaw and a bayou aioli)
- Cauliflower Dirty Rice (riced cauliflower with plant-based protein crumbles, black eyed peas and Cajun spices)
(Week 5 & 6) Brazil
- Pao de Quiejo or Cheese Bread (warm cheese bread served with guava dipping sauce)
- Sweet Plantains (covered in cinnamon and sugar served with banana poppy seed dipping sauce)
(Week 7 & 8) Germany
Germany will be last final stop for the carnivals worldwide and those cuisine items will be:
- Sauerbraten (slow braised beef with buttered spaetzel, pickled red cabbage and topped with a red wine sauce)
- Grilled Bratwurst (served on a potato pancake with whole grain mustard, sour cream and chives)
- Warm Pretzel
New Mardi Gras Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages
After all chowing down all of that tasty Cajun style food and where this year for Mardi Gras will be numerous drinks to pair up with your food, along with souvenir designed cups. These can be purchased at the locations of where they are served and here’s what you can drink up!
Full 20oz specialty drinks will be:
- High Seas Twister (kinda like a rum punch)
- Blue Voodoo (tasty blue margarita)
- Carnival Lane (refreshing gin drink with fruit juices)
- Baby Cakes (vodka drink that tastes like king cake!)
- Bourbon Street Punch (exclusive to the Bayou Boil)
- Coconut Water in a Coconut (non-alcoholic and available only during week 1 & 2 of Carnival Around the Universe)
Food & beverage 9oz pairings will be:
- Hoodoo Cold Brew (pecan vodka cold brew – great with beignets)
- Cajun Bloody Mary (pair with Jambalaya)
- Pecan Street (vodka caramel drink available only during week 3 & 4 of Carnival Around the Universe and pairs with the Softshell Crab Slider)
- Girl from Ipanema (gin coconut drink, available only during week 5 & 6 of Carnival Around the Universe and pairs with the Pao de Quiejo)
New ‘Float Floats’ To Be Served at Schwab’s Pharmacy
Also brand new this year will be some culinary beverages inspired by the parade floats being performed nightly and these new drinks will be sold at Schwab’s Pharmacy at the Hollywood section for Universal Studios Florida.
These new items will be:
- Shipwreck (pineapple soft serve ice cream, chocolate soft serve, pineapple soda, cotton candy and waffle cone flag)
- Sunken City of Atlantis (vanilla soft serve, wild berry soda, mango boba and gummy shark)
- Mardi Gras (pineapple and lime soft serve ice cream, grape soda, blueberry boba and waffle cone flag)
The Mimosa Bar is making a comeback over at Cafe La Bamba with eight different mimosas and for the younger kids will be The King Cake Slushie and Bayou Bog Water will be served.
Upgrading Your Mardi Gras Experience
One of the ways you can enhance your Mardi Gras experience for this year and will be the Bayou Boil as an add-on option, as one a of a kind New Orleans cuisine experience. This will be hosted over at Battery Park down by the lagoon with a private dining area and full-on service bar. For those who are not seafood fans, then try out chicken and Andouille sausage jambalaya, potatoes, and corn on the cob with your request.
You will get an exclusive viewing area of the parade in front of Cafe La Bamba and enjoy the nighttime entertainment and catching beads.
The Bayou Boil experience will cost, $59.99 per adult, plus tax ($39.99 per child, plus tax) and annual passholders can save up 20% off. You can purchase the add-on option by clicking the link here for more information.
The Mardi Gras Feast & Floats Dessert Party is another option as well for an add-on for both of the Mardi Gras parade and Universal’s Cinematic Celebration along with hors d’oervres specialty desserts, sparkling wine, sparkling cider and non-alcoholic drinks.
This add-on option will cost $49.99 per adult, plus tax ($29.99 per child, plus tax) and annual passholders can save up 20% off. You can purchase the add-on option by clicking the link here for more information.
Annual Passholders also get a Passholder tasting lanyard that includes 15 different items and other unique perks by visiting the link here for further information.
More Editable Mardi Gras Food at Universal CityWalk
The celebration of Mardi Gras will also be spread out all over Universal CityWalk with new food and drinks at several locations such as The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen, Voodoo Doughnut, The Cowfish and more.
Speaking of Voodoo Doughnut as they came up with a specialty doughnut or a Mardi Gras Doughnut (filled with cinnamon sugar bavarian cream, covered in sprinkles in Mardi Gras colors and topped with vanilla cream).
The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen will be serving up a King Cake milkshake or (The French Quarter Milkshake) which includes; (king cake, cream cheese and topped off with a pastry cream topped with king cake and a beignet.)
Universal CityWalk’s Food & Beverage carts will be offering different specialty cocktails such as The Jester Drink (apple whiskey with melon flavors) or over at The Cowfish restaurant will serving up a Masquerade Martini (grape vodka with blue curacao and citrus flavors).
You can read the many more food and drink offerings at CityWalk by visiting their official site here for more information.
Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras Celebration starts on February 1st till April 2nd, 2020 and will start at 4:00 pm. every day and must be 21 years and older with valid identification to purchase or drink alcoholic beverages.
To learn more information for this year’s Mardi Gras celebration by visiting Universal Orlando’s official site by clicking the link here for more information.
For everything Universal Parks & Resorts and all other themed entertainment news, keep checking back here at SkywalkingAdventure.com
Follow all the latest themed entertainment news, tips and tricks, reviews and more over on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Source: Universal Orlando
SkywalkingAdventure 