It is Mardi Gras season again and Universal Studios is celebrating with style. The Flavors of Carnaval festival at Universal Orlando runs from February 3 – April 7, 2024, and it does not disappoint for the vegan community. The whole park is decked out in Mardi Gras colors and decorations. Everywhere you look, you will find beautiful embellishments to put you in a Mardi Gras state of mind. The entertainment throughout the festival is phenomenal. You will also find plenty of delicious vegan foods to try out while you are there. 

Vegan Eats at Universal Studios Orlando Mardi Gras

Universal’s extraordinary Mardi Gras menus take their inspiration from Carnaval celebrations from around the world. Lucky for us, many of these amazing dishes are vegan as is and a couple more become vegan with minor alterations. Universal continues to develop new vegan dishes with every festival. Here is a list of the vegan options at Universal Studio’s Mardi Gras celebration. 

Fried Green Tomato Po’boy 

The New Orleans booth offers a delectable Fried Green Tomato Po’Boy. It has the perfect combination of flash fried green tomatoes with lettuce, onion, pickles, and Cajun remoulade on bread with just the right amount of softness. The po’boy is served with tasty Cajun kettle chips. The chips are lightly spicy, but a little too salty. The po’boy was quite delicious, and the remoulade sauce had just a little kick. The sauce had a bit too much mayonnaise flavor for our taste, though. We gave the Fried Green Tomato Po’boy 4 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Bavarian Pretzel (Skip the Obatzda) 

The Bavarian Pretzel from Germany is not vegan as served but becomes vegan if you skip the beer cheese dip. These soft pretzels are served warm. We gave them 4 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Papitas Bravas 

The Papitas Bravas from the Spain booth has seasoned, crispy potatoes drizzled with paprika aioli. We really enjoyed this dish even though it was very salty and had a little too much mayonnaise flavor. We gave the Papitas Bravas 4 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Spicy Smashed Cucumbers  

We found a delicious Spicy Smashed Cucumber dish at the China booth. These spicy, marinated cucumbers come with peanuts, cilantro, and scallions. It was very spicy, so it is not for everyone. The spicy soy peanut sauce starts out good and gets even better as you eat. The Spicy Smashed Cucumber received 4 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Szechuan Noodle Salad 

Another spicy dish from China’s booth is the Szechuan Noodle Salad. This recipe is served cold and has the same sauce as the cucumber dish. The flavor was good, but the noodles were gummy and sticky. For that reason, we gave the Szechuan Noodle Salad 4 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Twisted Tator with Seasoned Salt 

The Twisted Tators are a returning plant-based favorite that we have come to love. They are served at Coca-Cola Market Square. We see this delightful treat at many Universal Studios festivals. Top your fried spiralized potato with seasoned salt for a perfect vegan treat. The Twisted Tators get 4 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Vegan Wild Mushroom Poutine 

The Canada booth had a savory Vegan Wild Mushroom Poutine. The curly fries are topped with vegan cheddar shreds and mushroom gravy. The gravy was quite salty, and the cheese did not melt well, but the overall mushroom flavor was exceptionally good. We added ketchup to make it even better. The Vegan Wild Mushroom Poutine gets 4 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Churro Loops (Hold the Chocolate) 

Hold the chocolate to turn these sugar-coated Churro Loops from Mexico into a sweet, vegan delight. These light, crispy Churro’s are quite tasty. We gave them 5 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

We discovered a hidden sweet treat at San Francisco Pastry Company. Their amazing Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie tastes like a pecan pie with chocolate on top. It is super sticky, overly sweet, and topped with Mardi Gras sprinkles. The best part is that this tasty delicacy is accidentally vegan. We gave the Pecan Bar 5 out of 5 Bumblebees. 

Entertainment at Mardi Gras 2024

You will find numerous entertainers as you walk the streets of Universal Studios’ Mardi Gras celebration. Dancers, stilt-walkers, and street performers are all over the park dressed in gorgeous, lavish Mardi Gras costumes. You cannot miss them, and you will undoubtedly enjoy all they have to offer.  

Mardi Gras Tribute Store

Universal Studios’ Tribute Store takes on a fresh look with new merchandise for every festival and celebration each year. The Carnaval Tribute Store offers loads of Mardi Gras themed merchandise. They carry traditional Mardi Gras masks and beads as well as Mardi Gras themed t-shirts and treats. Even if you are not in the market for clothing or souvenirs, you will still enjoy the atmosphere throughout the entire store. The Mardi Gras themed decorations are impeccable, and the merchandise is fun and bright. 

Universal Mardi Gras Parade

An integral part of every Mardi Gras is the beloved parade. Universal’s Mardi Gras parade is outstanding. The amazing floats mirror those from New Orleans and Carnaval celebrations around the world. You will have the opportunity to catch plenty of beads as they pass by. The performers are dressed in extravagant, fantastic costumes as they dance their way through the street and the lively music completes this Mardi Gras festivity. 

Concerts Nights at Mardi Gras

On select nights at 8:30, you can view concerts from an array of popular artists at the Music Plaza Stage at no extra charge. Enjoy performances from artists like DJ Khaled, Barenaked Ladies, Queen Latifa, KC and The Sunshine Band, and more. All you must do is show up. 

Universal Studios is well-known for their themed celebrations throughout the year. Their Mardi Gras festival is extraordinary. Universal continues to explore new vegan options in the spirit of inclusivity. They add more vegan options each year. This year’s offerings are quite impressive. We were extremely excited to see new flavors on the menu. Every dish we tried was wonderful. Vegans can relax and enjoy their vacation knowing they have plenty of food options available inside the park. We cannot wait to see how Universal Studios outdoes itself in the coming years.