Theme parks have had to get creative under the current conditions. While many people are more than happy to visit theme parks, others have been more apprehensive about making the trip, and others are simply unable to do so. As such, the parks have had to find ways to not only bring in guests, but keep the same guests coming back. Universal Orlando Resort may have found the perfect way to keep guests coming back to the resort again and again. Following an incredibly successful Mardi Gras event that was built around a lot of new menu options, the park is now breaking out a similarly special menu for the summer season.
The Mardi Gras event was extended a full five weeks longer than originally planned, which shows just how successful the event was. While Mardi Gras had been a Universal Orlando festival previously, it was mostly focused on parades and activities when the park was at full capacity. This year's event was all about food, and while most of the Mardi Gras themed dishes are on their way out, a collection of new options and some holdover favorites will be available throughout Universal Studios Florida in the coming weeks.
Orlando Informer confirms there will be a pair of food trucks, one in front of Fast & Furious: Supercharged, and another by Lombard Landing. There will be a food Kiosk in the Battery Park area of the New York backlot, and a food tent near the bridge that connects Springfield with Diagon Alley.
While these new food offerings are not part of any official new festival, that's all the more an indication that Universal is looking at food as a potential avenue to draw going forward, and that we may see these new food items not simply available, but highlighted in a way that may draw people back to the parks. If you visited during Mardi Gras, and you enjoyed the food, and we certainly did, then there's a bunch of new reasons to go back to Universal Orlando Resort because there are a bunch of food items you haven't tasted yet.
This idea has certainly worked down the road at Walt Disney World. At this point, you'd have to work hard to walk into Epcot when there isn't a special festival including food taking place. Between the Festival of the Arts, the Flower & Garden Festival, the Food & Wine Festival, and the Festival of the Holidays, there's basically something going on there year round. If Universal ends up doing something similar it could end up causing the theme park foodies to have real trouble deciding where to spend their time.
At the same time, if you are a serious fan of theme park food, this is good news as there will now be more places to try new things. The Mardi Gras food was excellent and so odds are that that what's being added for summer will be equally good.
