2024 Mardi Gras | Page 3 | Inside Universal Forums

2024 Mardi Gras

  • Signing up for a Premium Membership is a donation to help Inside Universal maintain costs and offers an ad-free experience on the forum. Learn more about it here.
The Mardi Gras Tribute Store has officially opened at Universal Studios Florida as Universal Orlando gears up for 2024's Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval.

 
That looks to be a major step up from last year's Mardi Gras store. I was worried that the new location would be much more limiting, but over time they've really found creative ways to utilize the space well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ahmanet
Looking forward to experiencing this when we're there the first week in March. The Tribute stores have been a great idea. Whoever brainstormed the original concept deserves a pat on the back....plus promotions and more money. I look at the Tribute stores as a real walk through 'Attraction'. They're actually generally more entertaining than some of the rides (looking at you Fast & Furious). This recent mock up looks very promising.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ahmanet and GA-MBIT
We've put together a Guide for Mardi Gras 2024 to help with the basic know-how, food menus, and provide some veteran knowledge to your game plan.

 
No photos -- live in the moment -- but parade remains excellent. If anything, I felt the new floats have more of a traditional New Orleans feel. Stunning colors, look great all lit up, see this at dusk or later if you can. Performers were fun and energetic like always. Maybe because it was kick-off night, but felt like riders were instructed to throw out more beads as well. Brought a reformed Disney first timer who was meh about the Christmas parade; he was so excited he asked if we could go back to see this again during the week. A triumph for Universal.

I hear exiting the park immediately after the parade was a bit of a cluster. Apparently not a lot of guests stuck around for Walker Hayes, which having seen his first couple songs is understandable (Counting Crows and Cyndi Lauper no longer the worst shows I've seen at Mardi Gras.) I ended up leaving a little after 9, busy but no real delays.
 
No photos -- live in the moment -- but parade remains excellent. If anything, I felt the new floats have more of a traditional New Orleans feel. Stunning colors, look great all lit up, see this at dusk or later if you can. Performers were fun and energetic like always. Maybe because it was kick-off night, but felt like riders were instructed to throw out more beads as well. Brought a reformed Disney first timer who was meh about the Christmas parade; he was so excited he asked if we could go back to see this again during the week. A triumph for Universal.

I hear exiting the park immediately after the parade was a bit of a cluster. Apparently not a lot of guests stuck around for Walker Hayes, which having seen his first couple songs is understandable (Counting Crows and Cyndi Lauper no longer the worst shows I've seen at Mardi Gras.) I ended up leaving a little after 9, busy but no real delays.

I’d be inclined to think the traffic around Universal wasn’t helped by MegaCon and Pro Bowl stuff.
 
I’d be inclined to think the traffic around Universal wasn’t helped by MegaCon and Pro Bowl stuff.
Yeah, Universal Blvd's been rough at the close of MegaCon every night (including right this second). Although good throughout the rest of the day, credit to OCCC and OCSD.
 
I’d be inclined to think the traffic around Universal wasn’t helped by MegaCon and Pro Bowl stuff.
Between MegaCon, Pro Bowl, and Olympic trials all in one weekend I can tell you locally in East Orange was pretty dead. Our opening Girl Scout cookie booths were getting 40 to 50 boxes less in a 2 hours timeframe. Everyone was on the opposite end of town this weekend. I can't imagine how bad traffic was over there.
 
A couple of blurbs from today:

The All Hallows' Eve Boutique in Islands of Adventure has become the "Bayou Boutique" for this year's Mardi Gras - featuring much of the event's merchandise.


Inspired by the popular float, the King Gator popcorn bucket lights up, with the crown and beads illuminating when turned on.