Laissez les bons temps rouler! Mardi Gras has returned to Universal Studios Florida for the 2025 season, and Universal is celebrating 30 years of the Springtime event. As part of the event, there is an exclusive parade that runs nightly through March 30th. Note that the Universal Mardi Gras celebration is included with your park admission, similar to a Festival at EPCOT.
We made it out to Universal Studios Florida yesterday to enjoy the event and snap some photos of the parade. Here’s a look at the 2025 Universal Mardi Gras 30th anniversary parade!
- Parade Route & Showtimes
- Universal’s Float & Dine Experience
- Police Escort
- Music of Mardi Gras Float – NEW
- Krewe of Dionysus Float
- King & Queen Float
- Mask and Beads Carnaval Float – NEW
- Jesters Float
- A Taste of Mardi Gras Float – NEW
- God of Wine Float – NEW
- French Quarter Float
- Flowers on the Bayou Float – NEW
- Riverboat Float
- Blast from the Past Float – NEW
- King Gator Float
Parade Route & Showtimes
We’ll start with some logistics before jumping into the parade. First, it’s important to note that the parade happens at various times based on when the park closes and if there is a concert or not. Here are the showtimes, but be sure to check the Universal Orlando app on the day of your visit for the latest information.
- 5:00pm: February 4
- 6:00pm: February 2, 3, 5-7, 9-13, 18-21, 24–28, March 3-7, 9, 12, 18
- 7:00pm: February 14, 17, 23, March 2, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 23-28, 30
- 7:30pm (Concert dates): February 1, 8, 15, 16, 22, March 1, 8, 15, 16, 21, 22, 29
The parade starts in Hollywood from a backstage area between Cafe La Bamba and the Horror Make-Up Show, across from Mel’s Drive-In. The parade then takes a left through Hollywood for a clockwise route around the park, on to Illumination’s Minion Land, and through New York before making a full lap to exit through the same gate that it entered the park through.
This means that you could catch the parade twice if you watch from near the entrance/exit, or catch the parade when it exits after a lap through the park. In fact, that’s what we did for this article – we first caught the parade in front of the Bourne Stuntacular and then booked it up to catch it a second time in front of Mel’s Dine-In as it was ending. Check out the map below, with the direction of travel noted along the purple parade route.

While there are performers in the parade, the real star of the show is…you! Guests are able to sign up to ride in a float during the parade to throw out beads to other guests. If you’re interested in jumping on a float to toss out beads, you’ll have to sign up via the Universal Orlando app. More info on how to join the Virtual Line to throw beads is available on the app. We may also return to test out the process ourselves but just know that it’s very competitive, and far from a guarantee.

Universal’s Float & Dine Experience
If you’re looking for a guaranteed float riding experience, check out Universal’s Float & Dine Experience, which starts at $89.99 per person. Annual Passholders can save up to 15%. Reserve a guaranteed spot on one of the spectacular Mardi Gras parade floats. Plus, enjoy a 3-course meal from participating Universal Orlando restaurants. Separate, same-day theme park admission is required. Float spots are limited to 30 seats per restaurant, per day.
Float & Dine Participating Restaurants
- Finnegan’s Bar & Grill
- Lombard’s Seafood Grille
- Confisco Grille (2-Park ticket required)
- Pat O’Brien’s® (dinner only)
- The Cowfish® Sushi Burger Bar
- NBC Sports Grill & Brew
- Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food (dinner only)
- Bob Marley–A Tribute to FreedomSM (dinner only)
This year’s parade features six all-new floats inspired by some of the most famous Krewes in New Orleans. The new collection of floats will highlight food, beads, and the bayou, and will join Universal’s traditional lineup of New Orleans-inspired signature floats – complete with energetic live music, dozens of performers, and more.
The parade floats are designed and built in partnership with Kern Studios, the same team that creates the parade floats up in New Orleans. Every year, there’s a new theme developed for the floats along with the iconic floats, like King Gator. Each one has a unique costume designed for the bead throwers and a batch of beads colored to match the look and feel of the float.
Police Escort
Once the music begins, flashing blue and red lights make their way down the street. The parade starts with a police escort from three motorcycle officers from the Orlando Police Department.

Music of Mardi Gras Float – NEW
The first parade unit celebrates the music of Mardi Gras. This is a new float for the Universal Mardi Gras parade and a new start to a parade that has typically utilized a riverboat-themed float in recent years. The Beads & Brass band keeps the energy high leading off the parade with the new music-themed float behind them.



The all-new float features a larger-than-life band in front of the Mardi Gras 30th Anniversary logo. The back of the float features huge instruments. Here’s a closer look!






Krewe of Dionysus Float
A returning favorite is the Krewe of Dionysus float. Performers dressed as jesters and a skeleton baron on stilts lead the unit. The parade float has changed a little bit over the years, but the stylized bird at the front of the float remains a staple.
Mardi Gras 30th anniversary banners and medallions can be found throughout the float as well as more stylized birds and the iconic fleur-de-lis.










King & Queen Float
Another returning favorite is the King & Queen float, featuring actual guests seated as the king and queen for the parade! More stilt-walkers lead the float, including a king and queen.





The float itself has a large crown flanked by fleur-de-lis. Roman columns prop up the canopy covering the throne area as other guests throw beads from a lower position. Large king and queen figures can be found on either side of the float corresponding with the side that the king and queen are seated on. A scroll on the back of the float says “King and Queen” with a fleur-de-lis.









Mask and Beads Carnaval Float – NEW
The next float is an all-new float this year, and Universal calls it the “mask and beads” float. Vibrant colors and designs are reminiscent of a Brazilian Carnaval. Performers have vibrant costumes, and there are two performers on the float itself.











Jesters Float
The Jesters float is a returning favorite float. More stilt performers lead off the float. The float features two large jesters in front of a giant mask. Large beads are strewn throughout the float, along with various masks. The back of the float contains two more jester figures and a large fleur-de-lis.










A Taste of Mardi Gras Float – NEW
The Taste of Mardi Gras float is all-new this year, and it features theming that celebrates flavors iconic to the Mardi Gras festival. Performers in front of the float contain a mix of old and new costumes. An oyster and chefs on stilts are new this year, while a shrimp and crawfish should be familiar to guests who have attended Universal Mardi Gras before.





The all-new float features fireballs sent into the sky above a baby sitting in a traditional king cake. A necklace of baby figures and utensils can also be found on the front of the float. The side of the float is decorated with beignets, shrimp, and gumbo – delicious! The back of the float features a larger-than-life chef making cooking away.











God of Wine Float – NEW
Another all-new float this year is the God of Wine float. Dionysus gets a second mention this year as the God of Wine float glides down the street. Performers are dressed as different styles of wine. Stilt performers feature a similar wine design and a representation of Dionysus himself. The center of the float features a very Greek-looking structure with the Mardi Gras 30th anniversary celebration logo draped in the middle. The back of the float features a wine bottle.











French Quarter Float
A returning favorite, the French Quarter float recreates the scene on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. A large trumpet player stands in front of a medallion with the buildings behind him. The buildings include the “Bourbon Street Jazz Club” and “Blues Room”. Animated shadows are cast from within the windows to show the lively party inside.












Flowers on the Bayou Float – NEW
The Flowers on the Bayou float is all-new this year and features a fun scene of a gator piloting an airboat on the front of the float and a typical bayou cabin towards the rear of the float. Performers ahead of the float feature bayou critters on lily pad hats.














Riverboat Float
A Mardi Gras parade staple is back with the Riverboat float as we near the end of the parade. The riverboat float has been featured at the front of the parade in recent years but finds itself third from the end this year. Duel smokestacks fill the air with even more fog than there is anyway. The sides of the float feature large signs celebrating the anniversary year.












Blast from the Past Float – NEW
A new float is loaded with beads and features medallions (logos) from past Universal Mardi Gras events. A woman can be found at the front of the float that periodically blasts fog into the air. We haven’t looked over every inch of the float, but I’d imagine that all of the past logos are represented here. A dancing women is on the back of the float.
















King Gator Float
The iconic King Gator float wraps up the roughly 20-minute parade. New costumed performers featuring birds of the bayou are followed along the route by two gators on stilts. The large King Gator float is broken up into multiple pieces, “held together” by beads. King Gator has a crown atop his head and a mask over his eyes.














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