3 Big Mistakes I’ve Made At Universal Studios' Mardi Gras I Won’t Ever Make Again

I’ve made no bones about the fact that Universal Studios’ Mardi Gras is probably my favorite celebration at the theme park, though I do love me some Grinchmas. However, even a seasoned theme park lover like myself has made a mistake a time or two in the parks, and I’m here to share those so you don’t fall into the same trap. So, without further ado, here are three Mardi Gras mistakes I’ve made in the past I won’t ever make again.

Mistake 1: Not Lining Up Early For The Parade

I understand that not everyone is a parade person. However, Universal Orlando has always done parades a bit differently, from giant Macys Day balloons over the holidays to intricate floats filled up to capacity with bead throwers for Mardi Gras. Which brings me to one mistake I’ve made more than once: Not lining up early for the Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval parade.

As a casual parade lover, I do like to roll up at the last second to just sort of catch some of the performers on stilts and to see cool floats from a distance without having to do any sort of tertiary work. However, this doesn’t make sense for the Mardi Gras parade. The big draw with this is interacting with the bead throwers on the floats, and trying to catch some cool colors. Plus, if you’re up close, you get to have more interactions with the Universal team members. The whole thing is simply way more fun if you line up early.

Mistake 2: Not Taking Advantage Of The Musical Guest On Weekends

Listen, I definitely get there are pros and cons to hitting up a theme park during the week versus on the weekend. When I can do it, I’m usually a weekday theme park girlie, truly. I like to have shorter lines to try food from the Mardi Gras booths and I very much enjoy shorter ride wait times (usually), as well.

However, there’s something really lively about attending the Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval event on the weekend. Not only are the parks hopping with a lot of enthusiastic Universal stans, there’s a big benefit to being in the park on Saturdays in particular: The musical lineup.

This year, I got to see Kascade perform a DJ lineup that peppered his originals with fun songs from Daft Punk, Gotye, and even Nintendo. I’m stoked for other big Saturday additions like Portugal. The Man, The All-American Rejects (on a big comeback tour), a couple of Backstreet Boys, Shaggy, Barenaked Ladies, and so many more. Past years have featured such fun acts as T-Pain and more, and all you have to do is show up a little early and park yourself in a spot. The concert is included with your ticket, and you can get plenty of food and riding in before the event kicks off. It’s an A+ addition, and worth spending a weekend in the parks.

Mistake 3: Not Purchasing The Food Card Upon Entrance

You get a discount if you by a food card for the event instead of paying per item. So, if you buy a $65 dollar card with a General Admission ticket, you get a $75 dollar food card, which means you can add a little freebie on at the end, perhaps like the new flanchocho cake I’m all over at the Puerto Rico booth. In addition to it being cheaper if you purchase the loaded card, paying is also quick and easy.

You can get an even better deal if you are still shelling out as an Annual Passholder, as you can purchase a card for $120 and get a loaded $150 card to spend on Mardi Gras food, at a savings of $30. Passholders also get their usual discount on food, so you really do get to try a whole lot more. Either way though, don’t be like me and pay as you go. Live a little; get the card. Items at the event average like 8-10 bucks (with some more and less), so even spending $75 on a couple of people is not outside the realm of probability. Plus, it’s fun to just try a lot of different things.

Suffice to say, there are a lot of different ways to enjoy Mardi Gras at Universal Studios. You can do all of them, you can do some of them, you can make whatever dream you want happen. Ultimately, however, you can't really go wrong ... but you can probably stand to be more thoughtful, particularly if you haven't been to Universal Orlando in a while. Next time I do it, I'm following this plan to a tee.