I'm A Huge Theme Park Parade Fan, And One World Class Event Can Be Seen At Universal Orlando Starting This Month

All eyes in the theme park world are on Universal Orlando Resort. The opening of Epic Universe in just a few months is arguably the biggest thing to happen in the industry for decades, being the first major theme park opening in a generation. But that doesn't mean that the resort is just waiting around for the big event. It's the 30th anniversary of Universal's Mardi Gras celebration, and this year is the biggest event yet.

I had technically been to Universal Orlando during Mardi Gras before, but realistically, this was my first time experiencing the event as it was meant to be. It did not disappoint. All the things I love about visiting theme parks, from the food to the live entertainment, are on another level.

My Last Mardi Gras Experience Was A Fraction Of The Total Event

I had technically been to Universal Orlando during Mardi Gras once before, but that was in 2021. The resort was open, but this was during the pandemic, so the event was a fraction of its normal self. There were no concerts and no parade. It was essentially a food festival, with booths dedicated to the various nations that celebrate Carnival by selling different items.

I still loved Mardi Gras four years ago. The food of the celebration is absolutely one of the highlights of the event. It was then and it still is now. This year sees China's addition and India's return as food booths. I'm not sure how big Mardi Gras or Carnivale are in those countries, but honestly, who cares, the Mardi Gras food is delicious.

However, I was very excited to have the chance to experience the "real" Universal Orlando Mardi Gras this year and get the full experience, checking out the things I missed. I had seen some of the floats when I had visited before, they had been let out as static displays in 2021. It's probably not a shock to say that just seeing them is not the same thing.

The Universal Mardi Gras Parade Is Not To Be Missed

The Mardi Gras parade was one of the best theme park parades I've ever seen, and I love a parade. The floats are absolutely massive, colorful and intricately detailed. Created in conjunction with Kern Studios in New Orleans, they are just like the sorts of floats you'd see in an actual New Orleans Mardi Gras parade. There's a brass band and numerous costumed characters and stilt walkers.

Several of the characters are also out and about the park before the parade, allowing guests to get a closer look and take photos with them.

It's not just a parade of cool stuff to see, as the energy of the music and characters are infectious, and the audience is quickly having a blast while grabbing bead necklaces that come flying off the floats. If you're not trying to catch the beads, watch out because the flying necklaces will absolutely hit you if you're not paying attention.

Mardi Gras isn't a "nighttime parade" in the traditional sense. It doesn't have the sort of built-in float lighting that you'd find in the iconic Main Street Electrical Parade or the returning Paint the Night Parade. Still, the lighting used to make the parade "pop" in the dark is incredibly well done.

The 2025 Mardi Gras parade is a celebration of the last three decades, with some of the best floats of previous years, and some brand new additions all sharing space. If you've never seen this parade before, or even if you have, it's worth it to check it out once again. Universal Orlando Resort celebrates Mardi Gras now through March 30.