Universal Mardi Gras 2024. “Feet don’t fail me now”. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler (Let the good times Roll). Skeletons, Gator’s, Beads, Parades & More

[Robo56]

I received a text that my room was ready and I wanted to get back to the resort and get my suitcase and get in my room before I headed back to the park for the parade.

The Sapphire Suite is so nice and roomy. It has a large entry

There is a half bathroom to the left as you enter.




A really nice dining room.

The view looking over the Lagoon is nice.

A very large living room.






A small kitchenette.


A very large bath room with shower and tub. There are plenty of toiletries and soft towels and washcloths.

 

[Robo56]

A huge bedroom with a king size bed.









There is everything you need to have a wonderful stay.

I got settled in and took a nice hot bath. Then covered up with my Potter Blanket and took a short nap.

As I was enjoying the Suite it occurred to me this would be a wonderful Honeymoon Suite for a newly married couple looking for a lovely Suite to stay in.

 

[Robo56]

I woke up from my nap at 5 pm so I needed to get moving. The parade was starting at 6:15 pm so I wanted to get to the park.

There was a boat waiting at the dock and off to CityWalk we went.

I arrived at the Studios and headed over to Hollywood area and was lucky to find a space on a bench to sit on next to a lovely young couple who were also waiting for the parade.

It was a cool evening and I was so glad I had looked at the weather outlook for the time I was going to be in Orlando.

I had long pants on and had a sweatshirt hoodie. The wind was cold.

The parade route is changed this year from years past. In years past the parade came out of the gates and turned left through Hollywood.

People like to be positioned at the start of the parade or the middle so they get plentiful amounts of beads. Once the parade has reached the end of the route a lot of the beads have run out.

There were some little children that were standing around with their parents waiting for the floats so they could catch beads.

Last year all the beads I caught I gave them to the little ones. That was my plan this year also.


Heres the parade route from the website.


This Year there were some new floats that were based on the Elements. According to the young couple sitting next to me. There were supposed to be 6 traditional floats that Universal has had in the past for Mardi Gras and 6 new floats based on the Elements.

Before long the parade had snaked around and reached us.

There was a little music to start.


Then eventually it started to get dark and the Motorcycle Police arrived to herald the start of the Parade.





I always wonder how they stay upright on those bikes in such close quarters.

I felt sorry for the performers that were in the parade in that they had bare skin and it was cold, but they never acted as though it was an issue. They smiled and really looked like they were having fun.




Baron Ton Ton. I always marvel at how the performers walk and dance on stilts. They are awesome.

 

[Robo56]

 

[Robo56]

This is photo of the graffiti floating in the air after it shot up out of the float.












To be continued

 

[Robo56]

Mardi Gras parade continued















There are colored lights that are reflected on the floats that are really beautiful.

 

[Robo56]

More fun graffiti. It was colorful flying in the wind with the sky as the back drop with the light and Palm Trees.

 

[Robo56]

This was a pretty and cool float. There were puffs of air coming from the cloud. So this is definitely the Air element.

 

[Robo56]

The next float I’am guessing was of the Fire element.

 

[Robo56]

The next float was what I guess is for the element of Water. It was really pretty and colorful.








The Shark with the beads in its mouth was a great idea.

 

[Robo56]

 

[Robo56]

Then it was time for the end of the parade with the Gators on stilts and the the Gator float.

 

[Robo56]

The Gator float is one of my favorite floats of the Mardi Gras parade. Three years ago I rode on Mardi Gras parade float 4 times over a number of days I was there for the event. It was so fun.

Now riding the floats and tossing the beads has become very popular and is a bit harder to arrange at times.

This year with a ride and dine option at a cost you can plan a float ride in advance. Or if you are savvy enough you can look for openings on the Universal App virtual Queue. Those tend to fill up quickly.

Either way throwing or catching beads you will have a wonderful time at Mardi Gras.




Gator tail and the parade was over.


I had to stop in the Five & Dime on my way out.

I thought this hat was cute.


I had heard they were doing Monster Makeup now. I looked at the options from the booklet they had.





The Universal Monster replicas are awesome. The Creature from the Black Lagoon is really life like as are the other Monsters on display.


I don‘t remember seeing these Ghostbusters backpacks and purses before. I like that Universal offers good quality merchandise that is very useful and fun.


After looking around a little more I started my walk out of the park. The Universal Store on the way out of the park was mobbed with people buying their goodies to take home.

The line for the Water Taxi back to Sapphire Falls was not to bad. There were plenty of boats coming and going to get everyone back to their respective Resorts.

After I arrived back to Sapphire Falls I stopped into The New Dutch Trading Co. to pick up a snack and a diet soda and headed back to the room.

I watched a little TV then I took a nice hot shower and I was ready for bed.

I did turn the heat on in the room as it was pretty cold out.

After my head hit the pillow I was out.


To be continued

 

[wdwrule]

Your Potter blanket is absolutely gorgeous! Looks comfy too.

The detail on the floats and costumes are stunning and very well thought-out. Your photos captured that well.

 

[Skywalker3]

Catching up this morning on your TR. Your pictures are AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing all the fun, details, photos, and all of the experiences. We'll have 1 night to catch the parade in a couple of weeks, and getting excited!Floats look fabulous, and I really love watching all of the parade performers. and cant' wait to try all the food.
I'm originally from South Louisiana, and Mardi Gras was a part of our lives from childhood on. But now live elsewhere, and it's been so long since we've been back to LA, so I love getting that Carnival vibe in Universal.
Thanks again for sharing!

 

[Robo56]

Your Potter blanket is absolutely gorgeous! Looks comfy too.

I have a few Potter blankets and that one is my favorite. It is quintessential Potter. It has Hedwig, Hogwarts Castle on it, The Womping Willow, Sirius Black in his Animagus form Padfoot and Buckbeak.

The detail on the floats and costumes are stunning and very well thought-out. Your photos captured that well.

The Floats are really beautiful. Thank you for hour kind comments on the photos. I enjoy taking them.

Catching up this morning on your TR. Your pictures are AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing all the fun, details, photos, and all of the experiences. We'll have 1 night to catch the parade in a couple of weeks, and getting excited!Floats look fabulous, and I really love watching all of the parade performers. and cant' wait to try all the food.
I'm originally from South Louisiana, and Mardi Gras was a part of our lives from childhood on. But now live elsewhere, and it's been so long since we've been back to LA, so I love getting that Carnival vibe in Universal.
Thanks again for sharing!

Thank you for your kind comments. I’am so glad you liked the pictures. You will have a wonderful time at Mardi Gras at Univeral. They have done a wonderful job with the Mardi Gras celebration.

You have a special connection to Mardi Gras being born and raised in Louisiana and having enjoyed Mardi Gras over the years.

Have a wonderful time at Mardi

 

[Robo56]

Wednesday, February 7th

I woke at 6:30 am. I like to get up early and start by day. I had a good sleep. The bed was very comfortable and it was nice and quiet.

I got ready and went next door to Aventura to the Starbucks to get a coffee. Then I walked a few steps past Starbucks to the Urban Pantry which opens at 7 am and got a fruit bowl to go. You get to pick five fruits and some toppings. I always get the toppings on the side. The fruit bowl is big and easily shared.

After by purchases I headed back to the room and opened the curtains in the dining room and the Water Taxi was running already. I enjoyed some of the fruit bowl and coffee and decided to head over to IOA.

The exterior of Sapphire Falls is just as pretty as the interior. I was glad to see that the Water Falls was working again.


I lucked out and there was a Water Taxi. It was a quick ride over to CityWalk.

There were a lot of people heading over to IOA across the bridge when arrived. It looked like this was going to be a busy day. Strange for a Wednesday.


I don’t think I had ever noticed this door on the backside of the lighthouse before.


The Port of Entry has some colorful buildings and I always see something I did not notice before.


I always thought the listed possible modes of transportation were pretty interesting.


This is an actual mailbox

 

[Robo56]

Of course I had to walk through the Trading Company Store.


I have been tempted to buy this Bellatrix LaStanges Death-eater Mask.


There was a nice display of the Spell Charm necklace, charms, earrings and bracelet.There was also a cute Potter charm bracelet on the left.


This necklace of Hogwarts caught my eye.


As did this Bob/Tim Minion. I knew little J would like this. So I was for sure going to pick these two items up before I headed back to the resort today.


Back outside I enjoyed my walk and some more pictures.

 

[Robo56]

I had never noticed this sheet that was hanging from the window. An escape route for sure.




I had to look in the Port of Entry Christmas Shope.





The blankets, pillows and snowman were very nice.



The Snowman Cookie jar, Plates and candles and serving tray would be a nice addition to anyone’s Potter Christmas decorations.

They even had Potter Christmas cards.

One of everything please.

 

[Robo56]

Then the ornaments caught my eye. I kept seeing things that would be fun to add to my Harry Potter Tree at home.










I knew I could look around the Christmas Store forever so I needed to tear myself away from the beautiful Potter Christmas things and get back outside on my adventure.




You can actually hear this cat.