Universal Orlando Announces 10 MAJOR Celebrities and NEW Snacks Are Coming Soon!

We spend a lot of time talking about the cool festivals and holiday celebrations that you can check out in Disney World…but did you know that Universal Orlando has something similar to offer?

Universal Orlando also goes big for both the Christmas and Halloween seasons, but there’s one big celebration they offer that Disney doesn’t — Mardi Gras! Universal’s Mardi Gras season is just around the corner, and we’ve got some big news about what you can expect at the parks in 2024.

This year, Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnival will take place from February 3rd through April 7th. During that time, you can enjoy some special eats, shop exclusive merchandise, check out unique entertainment, and watch a number of concerts! And Universal Orlando just released some new information about those offerings.

Starting with the concerts, you can find live musical performances on select nights at Universal Studios Florida. Here’s the schedule of acts that has been announced so far:

February 3rd — Walker Hayes
February 10th — The All-American Rejects
February 17th — Elle King
February 18th — KC and the Sunshine Band
February 24th — The Barenaked Ladies
March 2nd — DJ Khaled
March 9th — Ava Max
March 10th — Queen Latifah
March 16th — Luis Fonsi
March 17th — Zedd

Universal has also announced a few of the food options that will be available during Mardi Gras. Here are some of the food booths and dishes:

Germany booth — Chicken Schnitzel
Mexico booth — Chilaquiles Verdes
China booth — Szechuan Noodle Salad (NEW)
Puerto Rico booth — Pastelons (NEW)
New Orleans — Beignets

And of course, we have to mention the iconic Mardi Gras parade! On select nights of Mardi Gras, Universal Studios Florida hosts a big parade. People who want to watch can head to the streets to catch beads, but there’s also an opportunity to RIDE on the floats in the parade.

Reservations to ride will be accepted in-park through the Virtual Line experience in the Official Universal Orlando App. If you want to secure your spot ahead of time, you can book the Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine Experience instead. This year, Universal is also introducing some brand-new floats!