Universal Orlando reveals Mardi Gras food and drinks, ‘haunted river cruise’ Tribute Store

ORLANDO, Fla. – Universal Orlando is gearing up for its highly-anticipated event, Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval.

Beginning Feb. 3, guests can expect a diverse menu inspired by New Orleans favorites and global Carnaval flavors, along with a colorful Mardi Gras parade featuring new floats and live concerts by top artists.

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On Thursday, Universal Orlando opened its popular Tribute Store merchandise location to its team members and passholders. Year after year, Universal’s merchandise teams execute a new theme that transports guests to new, mysterious and oftentimes festive locations. The Tribute Store for the Mardi Gras season will take guests onboard the P.S. Songbird river boat, a haunted river cruise heading through the Mississippi.

“The cruise may seem like a party at first, but be warned, not all is as it seems. The ship you’re sailing on met its end nearly 100 years ago. To this day, it’s ghostly horn can still be heard in the night as it carries unsuspecting travelers deep into the heart of the Bayou,” Universal described in a video online.

The shop will take eager guests through a series of highly-themed rooms that feature this year’s Mardi Gras merchandise including t-shirts, jean jackets, hoodies, bucket hats, cups and an all-new this year gator light-up popcorn bucket.

The merchandise location will officially open to all guests on Feb. 2 ahead of the kickoff to Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval.

The Tribute Store is not the only thing people can look forward to at this year’s event. The festivities will also feature more than 60 tasting-sized items from food booths scattered around the park. Universal Orlando said the food booths will feature flavors from Carnaval celebrations around the world.

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The best way to save and savor the flavors of this year’s culinary delights is with the purchase of the Universal Orlando Resort Food and Beverage Card, where guests can pay $65 for a $75 card, Universal said in a news release. Annual and Seasonal Passholders also receive special savings with the purchase of an exclusive $150 card for only $120, the release states.

See each of the food menus below.

Foods

• Sweet & Savory Gouda & Onion Waffle – Warm crystalized waffle, smoked gouda, beer braised onions, black forest ham

• Cookie Butter Liege Waffle – Warm crystalized waffle topped with cookie butter, whipped topping, Biscoff cookies

Drinks

Foods

• Shrimp Moqueca – Shrimp and coconut cream stew, micro cilantro, white rice

• Pão de Queijo – Brazilian cheese bread

• Brigadeiros – A Brazilian classic, chocolate with condensed milk and Mardi Gras sprinkles

Drinks

• Mango Caipirinha – Piras 51 Cachaça, Bols orange curaçao, lime juice, simple syrup, mango juice, mango purée, fresh mint, lime wedge

Foods

• Candied Bacon & Onion Poutine – Candied bacon spiced curly fries with caramelized onion gravy, cheese curds, spiced maple bacon and parsley

• Vegan Wild Mushroom Poutine – Seasoned curly fries with vegan cheddar, mushroom gravy, truffle oil

Drinks

• Fire Cider – Fireball cinnamon whiskey, apple cider, cinnamon stick

• LaBlatt Blue Light

• La Fin Du Monde Draft

Foods

• Szechuan Noodle Salad – Spicy cold noodle salad with cucumbers, peanuts, cilantro, scallions *contains peanut

• Spicy Smashed Cucumber – Spicy marinated cucumbers with peanuts, cilantro, scallions *contains peanut

• Potstickers – Pork potstickers served with a black vinegar and chili oil dipping sauce

Drinks

• Lucky Buddha Beer

• Hong Kong Boba Tea – Hong Kong style oolong milk tea over ice with coffee boba and salted cheese foam

Foods

• Colombian Burger – Grilled burger with Monterey Jack cheese, pineapple cabbage slaw, cilantro garlic sauce, potato sticks

• Arepa de Choclo – Traditional sweet corn cake filled with cheese and griddled with honey butter

• Oblea – Crispy wafer filled with dulce de leche, strawberries

Drinks

• Aguardiente Punch – Cumbe Aguardiente, lime juice, simple syrup, blackberry concentrate, berry gummies

Foods

• Bananas Foster Crème Brûlée Crepe – Banana caramel, vanilla cream, fresh bananas, whipped topping, brûléed sugar

Drinks

• Grand Framboise Slush – A decadent mélande of Grey Goose vodka, Gabriel Boudier Créme de Framboise, raspberry purée, white chocolate syrup

• Charles De Fére Cuvee

• Patient Cottat Sauvignon Blanc

• Feudo Maccari Grillo

• Domaine du pavillon Chavannes Côte De Brouilly

Foods

• Chicken Schnitzel – Fried crispy chicken thigh cutlet served with mustard and a lemon wedge

• Currywurst – Crispy skin German bratwurst sliced and topped with a spicy curry ketchup

• Käsespätzle – Cheese spätzle topped with crispy onions

• Bavarian Pretzel with Obatzda – Warm pretzel with Bavarian beer cheese dip

• Mutzen – Fried lemon-vanilla fritters dusted with powdered sugar

Drinks

• Beer Flight – Flight with Warsteiner Pilsner, Weihensthaner Hefe Weissbier, Ayinger Celebrator

• Schöfferhofer Grapefruit Radler

• Warsteiner Pilsener

• Ayinger Celebrator

• Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier

• Schladerer Himbeergist Brandy

• Jägermeister

Foods

• Roman Suppli – Mozzarella and provolone filled risotto with vodka sauce, roasted red pepper aioli

• Zabaglione with Berries – Frangelico anglaise with mixed berries topped with toasted hazelnuts

Drinks

• Aperol Spritz Sorbet – Aperol aperitivo with blood orange sorbet

• Bollini Pinot Grigio

• Querceto Chianti

• Bertani Valpolicella

Foods

• Chilaquiles Verdes – Tortillas topped with chile braised shredded chicken, salsa verde, cilantro onion mix with lime crema and cotija cheese

• Quesabirria – Birria beef in a corn tortilla with Monterey Jack, Oaxaca cheese, served with birria broth

• Churro Loops & Chocolate – Cinnamon sugar churro loops with Mexican chocolate dipping sauce

Drinks

• Classic Margarita – el Jimador blanco tequila, lime juice, Dekuyper triple sec, agave nectar, smoked sea salt

• Gran Añejo Margarita – Jose Cuervo Añejo tequila, DeKuyper Triple Sec, lime juice, agave, smoked sea salt

• Jose Cuervo Añejo Tequila

• Modelo

• Modelo Chelada Lime

• Modelo Chelada Pineapple

• Agua Frescas

Foods

• Beignets – Sweet fried pastry with powdered sugar

• King Cake Mini – Traditional cake with cinnamon swirl icing, Mardi Gras sprinkles and a Mardi Gras baby

• Crawfish Étouffée – Creamy crawfish and vegetable stew over white rice

• Chicken & Andouille Jambalaya – Mixed rice with andouille, blackened chicken, peppers and tomatoes

• Fried Green Tomato Po’Boy – Flash fried green tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles and Cajun remoulade served with Cajun kettle chips

• Shrimp Gumbo – Stew of trinity, shrimp, andouille and bacon over white rice

• Shrimp & Crawfish Boil – Mixed bag with crawfish, shrimp, andouille, potatoes and corn on the cob

Drinks

• Category 5 Punch – Cruzan dark rum, Myers dark rum, lime juice, orange juice, simple syrup, passion fruit puree, grenadine

• Espresso Martini – Brewed coffee, JF Haden Espresso liqueur, New Amsterdam vodka, black sugar syrup

• Chicory Coffee – Chicory coffee, toasted marshmallow syrup, with toasted marshmallow cold foam

Foods

• Pancit Bihon – Rice noodles, sautéed vegetable, pulled chicken, garlic, soy sauce

• Crispy Lumpia – Pork filled crispy rice paper roll with dipping sauce

• Pandan Cheesecake – Pandan cheesecake with whipped topping, shaved toasted coconut

Drinks

• Buko Juice – Coconut water, coconut milk, coconut cream, pandan extract, smoked sea salt. Served in a souvenir coconut cup

• San Miguel – European-style pale lager bottled

Foods

• Pastelón – A layered casserole of sweet plantain, picadillo beef topped with Edam cheese

• Bacalaitos – Crispy salt cod fritters with bell peppers, cilantro and onions served with mayo ketchup

• Pastelitos de Guayaba – Guava filled puff pastry with powdered sugar

Drinks

• Piña Colada – Ron del Barrilito Santa Ana Overproof rum, lime juice, coco cream, pineapple juice, smoked sea salt

• Fanta Piña Colada

Foods

• Ensalada de Pulpo – Traditional Spanish salad with octopus, fresh herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, paprika, sherry vinegar

• Papitas Bravas – Seasoned crispy potatoes, paprika aioli

• Crèma Catalana – Brûléed citrus milk custard with candied orange peels

Drinks

• Sangria Flight – Flight of Sangria Tinto, Sangria Blanco, Sangria Rosado

• Sangria Tinto – Red sangria with Honoro Rioja, Torres 10 brandy, Ferrand dry curaçao, lemon juice, orange juice, blackberry extrac, simple syrup

• Sangria Rosado – Rosé sangria with Honoro Rosé, New Amsterdam gin, strawberry purée, a pinch of smoked sea salt

• Sangria Blanco – White sangria with Honoro Vera Rueda, Bacardi rum, pineapple and lemon juices, simple syrup, lemon bitters, a pinch of smoked sea salt

Foods

• Green Papaya Salad with Shrimp – Sautéed shrimp on a salad of shredded green papaya, carrots, with Thai basil, peanuts, tossed in a spicy Thai dressing *contains peanut

• Green Curry with Chicken – Spicy green curry chicken with shiitake mushrooms, eggplant, snap peas, red bell pepper, jasmine rice

• Chicken Satay – Marinated grilled chicken skewer with Thai cucumber, topped with peanut sauce *contains peanuts

Drinks

• Butterfly Pea Blossom Tea – New Amsterdam gin, butterfly tea matcha, passion fruit syrup, mint syrup, simple syrup, lime juice in pipette

Click here for more information about Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval.

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