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Universal Orlando Mardi Gras 2023 Guide

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Universal Orlando Mardi Gras is one of my favorite events at the resort. I love the parade and chance to try different foods. So, here’s my review/guide to the 2023 event.

Universal Orlando Mardi Gras

Universal Orlando Mardi Gras

You can experience Universal Orlando Mardi Gras in 2023 from February 4th to April 16th. It’s the perfect excuse to visit the resort during spring break or to head down during the cooler months. This year’s theme is International Flavors of Carnaval, which alludes to the fact that there are foods from all around the world to try. The parade theme is Mythical Creatures.

International Foods

New this year, UO announced that it was going to have an International Flavors of Carnaval spin the event. This means that they have food booths around the resort featuring food from several different countries! New this year is the addition of a few food booths in Islands of Adventure and City Walk. I think it’s great that the party is expanding out of Universal Studios Florida so that there is more to enjoy.

Unfortunately, with a jam-packed schedule including the Float Ride and Dine experience, I didn’t get to try many of the delicious foods. I was able to try the Fried Green Tomatoes Po’ Boy and Beignets though. The Po’ Boy was really good. The beignets were a little small, but also tasty. I would totally eat both of these things again. Last year, we tried to King Cake and enjoyed it. My mom is still kind of sad that we didn’t make time to get another one this year. Oh, well. Maybe next time.

Parade

As usual, the parade is amazing! I viewed the parade twice in 2023 and enjoyed it both times. I loved seeing the mythical creatures this year. From unicorns/pegasus to dragons and phoenix, the parade is a sight to behold. There are some old school, traditional UO floats too, like the gator I got to ride. The combination of the old and new makes for a memorable parade.

People start lining up to view the parade pretty early. I’d recommend lining up 45 minutes early if you want a good spot up front. The parade times can vary, so be sure to check the app for the time. Also, it helps to make eye contact with the bead throwers if you want to catch lots of beads!

Concerts

One of the major perks of visiting Universal Orlando Mardi Gras is the chance to attend a concert! These concerts are included with the price of admission! So, it’s a neat way to experience a concert without paying concert ticket prices or dealing with trying to get tickets. On the Saturday we attended we got to see Patti LaBelle in concert! My mom was excited to see someone she grew up listening to.

It appears that most of the concerts this year are on Saturdays in February. However, there is a random Friday and Sunday as well as two concerts the first weekend in March. So, if you are visiting on a weekend before March 6th, check out the concert schedule to see if you can catch someone interesting performing! Also, make note that the nights with concerts have different parade times.

Tribute Store

Universal is in the habit of making a new tribute store for every season. This year’s Mardi Gras Tribute Store is pretty cool! Each room has a different vibe and I love it! It’s so much fun to just walk around and look at everything. Plus, you can grab some cool merchandise or food! My mom purchased a zip-up hoodie this year. I may have also purchased a t-shirt. You can also buy some beads here if you didn’t catch enough free ones in the parade.

Daytime Entertainment

A neat daytime treat is that you can see the parade performers in the park! I saw the jazz band out performing last year. This year, I saw the gator people on stilts during the day. So, keep an eye out if you want a unique photo opportunity.

Mardi Gras Fun

As you can see, there’s lots to see, do, and eat if you visit Universal Orlando during Mardi Gras. So, have you ever attended? What were your favorite parts?

Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine at Universal Orlando Review

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Last year, my mom and I visited Universal Orlando Resort during Mardi Gras and had a blast. This year, we decided to visit again, but we wanted the chance to be in the parade and throw beads! So, when Universal introduced their Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine add-on experience, we signed up almost immediately! Keep reading to see if we think it’s worth it!

Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine

Float Ride and Dine

This Mardi Gras Ride and Dine experience is the only guaranteed way to ride in the parade. We paid $55.24 each (after AP discount) to eat at Lombard’s Seafood Grille and to ride in the parade. This experience booked up quickly as did some of the more popular restaurants for our dates. So, if you are interested in this experience, I recommend booking asap. We did this experience on Monday, February 6, 2023 as the two days prior had already booked up by the time my mom called to book it.

Lombard’s Seafood Grille

For our dinner, we were allowed to choose a non-alcoholic drink, appetizer, entrée, and dessert from the regular menu at Lombard’s. I got a frozen lemonade, which was a nice surprise as the server initially told me I couldn’t have it. However, he checked with management who said we could have any non-alcoholic beverage. With it being the third day of this offering, they were still learning everything, so it’s understandable that my initial request was denied. My mom was content with her diet drink.

I initially was going to publish my entire review of the meal in this post. However, the post grew to around 800 words! If you are interested in reading my Lombard’s Seafood Grille review, you can click that link. Otherwise, I will just tell you what we had here. We had calamari for the appetizer. I had the lobster roll and key lime pie. My mom went with the steak and chocolate cake. Overall, it was good meal, especially for a theme park restaurant. You can see our food in the Instagram post below.

Riding a Float

I will say we were disappointed with the lack of communication from Universal prior to and on the day of this experience. It was hard to plan the day not knowing what to expect. Unfortunately, we were never told how to retrieve the pictures that were taken before or during the parade. The code I was given to retrieve pictures never brought any pictures up and the UO Twitter account told me that we were supposed to purchase pictures in the park up to 24 hours afterwards! So, we missed out on getting any of our pictures! The chaos of the event reminded me a little bit of our experience doing the Universal Holiday Tour.

At dinner we were given our lanyards, which instructed us to meet at 4:55 to begin lining up. Everyone put on an apron-like thing and sat with their assigned float group after signing a waiver. Team members did a good job of getting everyone hyped up for the parade. Then, they led us backstage to our floats and went over some general guidance before the parade started.

Aside from the confusion, we absolutely loved riding the float! It was amazing to be able to look a stranger in the eyes, toss them some beads, and make them happy. My mom has already said that riding in the parade was the highlight of this trip for her! Pro tip: pack light for this event as we weren’t told we could store our stuff anywhere and had to just put it in the floor of the float.

Is it worth it?

While the Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine is an expensive experience, it is worth it in my opinion. If they offer this experience next year, we will probably book it again. So, have you ever tossed beads in the Universal Orlando Mardi Gras parade?

Universal’s Loews Royal Pacific Resort Review

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Back in December, my mom and I spent a night at Universal’s Loews Royal Pacific Resort while visiting Universal Orlando Resort. It was our first time staying in a Signature Collection Hotel at UO and it did not disappoint.

Royal Pacific Resort

Royal Pacific Resort

The last night of our stay at Universal Orlando Resort in December, we switched from Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites to Loews Royal Pacific Resort. This was our first time staying at a “Signature Collection Hotel“. It was also our first time getting the Universal Express Unlimited pass since it’s included with a stay here! The price difference this trip was worth it for both of us to skip the lines!

One of the other perks of staying at Royal Pacific Resort is supposed to be the ability to ride the boat over to the theme parks. Unfortunately, the boat dock was being refurbished during our stay and we weren’t notified until we checked in. So, we were disappointed to discover that we couldn’t enjoy this amenity on our trip. We were pleased to discover that there was a walkway to the parks, which is a huge advantage over the values. It is a bit of a hike, but we were told it was quicker than waiting for a bus. So, we walked each time.

Upon entering this hotel, I realized that we were staying somewhere really nice. We loved the island theming as it’s very relaxing. I enjoyed the laid back vibes that counterbalanced the rush of visiting theme parks. We also appreciated that this hotel houses everything indoors, so we didn’t have to worry about walking with luggage in the weather!

Standard Room

Perhaps it’s because we had just spent 3 nights in the value hotels or perhaps this resort is just really nice! Either way, we had a very comfortable stay at the Royal Pacific Resort. The room was much quieter than at Surfside or Dockside. In fact, we both slept great! The beds were comfortable. The shower tile and bathroom vanity took the room up a notch. Even though it’s a standard room, there was more than enough room for the two of us.

Royal Pacific Food

One of my favorite things about traveling is trying new foods. So, I was happy to discover how good the food at Royal Pacific is! I enjoyed the Tuk Tarts from Tuk Tuk Market. I’ve also heard great things about the luau they host on Saturday nights. Unfortunately, we were staying here on a Monday night and didn’t get to experience it.

The standout dining experience of this trip was the Islands Dining Room. We had breakfast here both mornings and enjoyed it each time. The first morning, we got the buffet. The second day I got Hawaiian Pancakes while my mom got Tahitian French Toast. We were very pleased with our meals here! Everything tasted fresh and delicious! You can see the food in my Instagram post below.

Overall Review

I think you can probably tell that I enjoyed my stay at Royal Pacific Resort. In fact, it’s currently my favorite Universal Orlando Resort. I should be staying at two other UO hotels soon, so stay tuned to see if it remains that way. Have you ever stayed here? What did you think?

What to Pack for a Theme Park

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I know there are probably loads of other posts out there on what to pack for a theme park visit. However, like most things, I believe these lists to be subjective. I also believe we can all learn something from each other. So, I’m sharing the things I take when I visit one!

What to Pack for a Theme Park

What to Pack for a Theme Park

When thinking about what to pack for a theme park, you have to start with the bag itself. I know lots of people like to take a backpack. However, I prefer a crossbody bag because I can see my bag at all times. That way, I don’t have to worry about someone stealing from my bag. Perhaps I’m too careful, but I know thefts still happen on vacation.

The bag in the picture above is a Disney Vera Bradley Crossbody Bag. I purchased it at a VB Outlet store in Pigeon Forge, TN last year. I love that it’s a soft fabric, washable, and that particular pattern features the Walt Disney World castle. I take this bag when I’m visiting Disney parks. This is the second Disney Vera Bradley crossbody bag I’ve owned. The first one was starting to get worn in the crossbody strap, so I replaced it with this one. However, I had carried it for years. In fact, I think I got it about the time I went to Disney Social Media Moms.

Back in 2019, I purchased a black Michael Kors crossbody bag at that same outlet mall in Pigeon Forge, TN. I have been carrying it when I’m not going to Disney. The fabric is not as soft as VB, but it’s holding up well. It’s also stylish no matter what I pair it with.

List of What to Bring

Without further ado, here’s my list of things to pack for a theme park:

  • Sunglasses and/or Hat – I wear glasses, but have several pairs of sunglasses that go over my glasses. In fact, I never leave the house without a pair to protect my eyes. In recent years, I’ve gotten better about protecting my skin by wearing hats too.
  • Poncho – If you are traveling to Florida, you need a poncho. They frequently have short rain showers while remaining hot. So, a light poncho is perfect. Also, you can save several dollars by bringing your own! I also sometimes carry a mini-umbrella if it’s calling for rain.
  • Charger – You will be using your phone to take pictures as well as using the park’s app. It drains your battery quickly. Bring a charger and cord.
  • Wallet – You have to have your tickets/id anyways. I know some parks have gone cashless, but I’m already carrying my bag, so might as well bring my wallet too.
  • Sunblock and bug spray – You need to reapply through the day. I got a brush with powder sunscreen inside the handle last year and like carrying it around.
  • Hand sanitizer – Ideally, you wash your hands before eating. However, at least you can sanitize after riding a ride.
  • Gum – Disney doesn’t sell gum in their parks. So, if you are a gum chewer, bring your own gum.

So, did I forget anything? What do you pack for a theme park?

Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites Review

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Last year, I reviewed Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside and explained that the Endless Summer Resort was actually two separate hotels across the street from one another. Well, during my December 2022 trip, I stayed at the other hotel – Surfside Inn and Suites! So, today I’m reviewing it!

Surfside Inn and Suites

Surfside Inn and Suites

Surfside Inn and Suites is considered a “value resort” at Universal Orlando Resort. This means it has cheaper rates while still offering some of the perks of staying on-site. For instance, you get early park entry and free bus transportation to the parks. However, since it’s a value, you do not get Express Pass a.k.a. the ability to jump the line as that perk is only offered at higher tiers of resorts.

I will commend Universal Orlando for building these value resorts recently as not all parks are concentrating on these lower end hotels. In fact, from what I’ve seen, most places are building fancier places that cost a lot more. So, kudos to UO for catering to all budgets.

Also, I will say that both Surfside and Dockside have nice theming. Both of them have a relaxing vibe that feels very beachy. I also enjoyed seeing all of the surfboards around the hotel! It doesn’t scream this is a cheaper hotel when you look around the hotel, which is appreciated.

Two Bedroom Suite

Both Surfside and Dockside offer standard rooms as well as two bedroom suites. Personally, I don’t think that’s an accurate name for the suite. However, I do appreciate a value resort offering a suite. It’s really a one bedroom suite as it features a separate small bedroom in addition to a regular two queen front room.

The suite also has an adorable picnic table dining area that the standard room does not have. I found this to be a nice addition as it gives you somewhere besides the bed to sit. It does come with just one bathroom though. Also, it has only one very small closet in the separate bedroom. So, storage may be an issue for your group if you have lots of clothing.

One big issue we encountered in the suite and not in the standard room was the air vent placement. In the separate bedroom, the air vent blows air directly on the bed. So, the person(s) sleeping in the separate bedroom may get colder or hotter than the other people with the air hitting them directly.

Surfside Overall

Having stayed at both Dockside and Surfside now, I would say that they rate very similarly. Surfside is smaller and I appreciate that as that means fewer people. This also means less walking to/from your room. However, my big complaint with both places is the noise. Both of these resorts have been very noisy every night we’ve stayed in them. I thought staying in a suite would cut down on the noise. However, the walls are really thin and voices can be heard through them. I also believe I was able to hear conversations in the vent in the separate bedroom of the suite.

Additionally, we encountered groups staying here as well. This time, it was a bunch of elementary school aged football teams staying for a tournament. So, I would say to prepare yourself for student groups if you book a stay at one of these value resorts and bring ear plugs. However, they offer great rates, so I guess it depends on what you want from your hotel room: peace/quiet or just a place to lay your head.