I went to Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Orlando for my birthday (vlog above) and I dressed as Fleur, as you can see. Overall, I thought it was a lot of fun! I will be going into detail on the trip in this post. Additional coverage on the trip can be found on my TikTok and Instagram.

Hotel

I stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Resort for the first time and loved it. The location is unbeatable (only a 5 min walk from Universal). I decided it was awesome the moment I walked in and saw a giant painting of Taylor Swift. The hotel was clean & spacious (with well-working, fast elevators); the environment was safe; and the staff was friendly. I especially enjoyed how nice the walk was to the parks – there were lots of trees to gaze at.

Mardi Gras

I thoroughly enjoyed how there were many floats around Universal Studios with employees throwing beads liberally. I was so happy with my abundance of beads by the end of the trip. It was a festive environment with music, colorful floats, stands from a variety of countries with authentic food and drinks, and beads.

There were also some really great merchandise available for Mardi Gras. Do not forget to checkout the Tribute Store!

This is the light-up flower crown I got from the tribute store that everyone adored:

Food/Drinks

I had a lot of yummy things to eat & drink that I wanted to share. I did not get to have everything offered at the Mardi Gras celebration, but I did have some things that I will be offering my honest review/thoughts on. Here’s a full menu for easy reference (they have a lot to offer). By the way, if you are a pass holder you get special deals on the lanyards.

The poutine from Canada had great flavor. Although it was indeed small, it tasted great and was well worth it. My favorite part of this was the flavorful and soft beef short rib.

I’ll start with beers first. The beers were the biggest disappointment. I had the Aecht Schlenkerla Marzen Rauchbier (Oktoberfest-style lager) and it was the worst beer I have ever had (0/10, I’m sorry – just not for me).

Now, for the Pork Schnitzel – this was amazing. The portion was large in comparison to everything offered. I highly recommend trying this. The mustard and cabbage were great touches to the slider.

This sandwich from New Orleans was also excellent. The portion is pretty good, considering. My favorite part of the Muffaletta was the olive relish (yum).

The Arancini from Italy was my favorite. It was delicious, fresh, and unlike anything I have had before. I heard about this from another blog and was sold on giving it a shot. We practically licked the plate…

This was my first time having a beignet and I really enjoyed it. The portion was solid (4 pastries per order), and they were fresh & warm when we received them. I loved the slight lemony taste and the way they melted in my mouth.

OK, best Bloody Mary I have ever had. I loved how spicy the Wild Bloody Mary was. I do not normally drink Bloody Marys, but this one has turned me into a fan. I guess you only really need one really good one? For those of you hesitant to get a wild one (but you also don’t want a completely mild one), you can get a mix of the two.

Yes, I had to go back for a second Wild Bloody Mary before I left (peep the Voodoo Doughnut box).

The trip would not be complete without Voodoo Doughnuts.

This is also a staple for us. Finnegan’s is the best spot in the parks to drop by for a beer.

The Chocolate Cherry Mule from The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen is one of my favorite drinks and the main reason I keep coming back here.

In all honesty, from The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen has not been as good as the first time I visited it. It has been a bit of a let down recently. I still love the chocolate cherry mule, though!

Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food has yet to disappoint me. The guac was incredible and so were the tacos I had. It was all so good that I woke up craving it.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

It is no secret I love Harry Potter. I have written plenty of posts & created an abundance of content on it. Heck, I even dressed as Fleur Delacour. Here are some pictures from the Wizarding World of HP from THIS trip.

Also, look at how cute our collection of magical creatures is (some new ones were added from this trip):

Birthday

As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I went for my birthday. If you decide to celebrate your birthday at Universal, you can easily pick up a birthday pin at guest services (at night, the line is significantly shorter).

More Pictures

It was such beautiful time to visit. There were so many characters out and about posing for pictures and interacting with guests. There was also a plethora of pretty, vibrant flowers.

Video on my Fleur Delacour cosplay (check out my blog post on it, as well):

It was such a swell time! I cannot wait to go back.

XO,

Caylin