There’s a new festival in town, and this one might just give Epcot a run for its money. Universal Orlando’s popular Mardi Gras event has been around for years, with exciting parades, culinary delights, and concerts from major acts like Styx, Fall Out Boy, and Diana Ross. Thanks to COVID effectively cancelling any parades or major concerts, this year’s event has an enthusiastic new emphasis on celebrating the flavors of Carnaval celebrations around the world. This year’s Mardi Gras even has a brand new name: International Flavors of Carnaval. I’m a huge fan of food-centric events like Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival or Flower & Garden Festival, so I had to check it out Flavors of Carnaval right away. I quickly found out that the best way to get started was to invest in a 2021 Flavors of Carnaval tasting lanyard. Here’s why.
Theme park food festivals can be notoriously expensive. Prices aren’t always listed online, and menu items are often relatively expensive considering the small portion size. Here’s what I love most about Universal’s International Flavors of Carnaval: there’s none of that bullshit. Menus and prices are clearly listed on Universal’s website. Tasting prices are reasonable to downright cheap. I’m talking five bucks for a tequila-and-rum-spiked coconut limeade cheap. Universal makes it so easy to plan ahead and spend an enjoyable day in the parks without overspending on food. And here’s the very best part: with the Mardi Gras 2021 Flavors of Carnaval tasting lanyard, it’s more affordable than ever to live it up and chow down at Universal Studios’ Mardi Gras.
Lanyard Options and Pricing
There are two Flavors of Carnaval tasting lanyards available for purchase. The first is $55 for 10 tastings, or “entitlements.” Universal Orlando annual passholders also have the exclusive option to buy a $65 lanyard, which includes 15 tastings. The lanyards can be purchased at the reservation cart near the Today Cafe, or at any of the participating Mardi Gras kitchens. Each entitlement can be used to purchase one tasting size Mardi Gras item marked by a small Universal globe on event menus throughout the park.
To use the pass, simply order as usual and present the tasting lanyard for payment. The cashier will scan the barcode and hand you a receipt, which shows how many entitlements are still available for use. Pick up your food at the kitchen window, and enjoy!
But let’s get to the real reason you’re here. You want to get the most value out of your tasting lanyard, right? Here are the most expensive food and drink items on the Universal Studios Mardi Gras menu, all of which can be purchased with the lanyard. Order these tasty items if you want to really maximize the monetary value of the 2021 Mardi Gras International Flavor of Carnaval tasting lanyard.
Most Expensive “Flavors of Carnaval” Food Items
- Crawfish & Shrimp Boil – New Orleans, $12.99
- Crawfish Boil OR Shrimp Boil – New Orleans, $10.99 each
- Andouille Twisted Tater – New Orleans, $10.99 (add andouille queso for $2.00)
- Carnitas, Beef Picadillo, or Pollo Arepas – Colombia, $9.25 each
- Poached Pear Crème Brulee Crepe – France, $8.99
- Bratwurst or Vegan Bratwurst with Beer Braised Onions – Germany, $8.99
- Bavarian Pretzel with Spicy Mustard Cheese Sauce – Germany, $8.49
- Queso Arepas – Colombia, $8.25
- Jerk Chicken – Bahamas, $7.99
- Beef Short Rib Poutine – Canada, $7.99
- Muffaletta Sandwich – New Orleans, $7.99
- Cuban Sandwich – Cuba, $7.99
- Cajun Twisted Tater – New Orleans, $7.99
- Jerk Jackfruit – Bahamas, $7.49
- Charcuterie – Spain, $6.99
- Picadillo Empanada – Puerto Rico, $6.99
Most Expensive “Flavors of Carnaval” Drink Items
- Lindemans Strawberry Lambic (9oz) – Belgium, $9.00
- St. Bernardus Abt. 12 Ale (9oz) – Belgium, $9.00
- Queen’s Park Swizzle (9oz) – Trinidad and Tobago, $7.00
- Piña Verde (9oz) – Puerto Rico, $7.00
- Bourbon Street Coffee – New Orleans, $7.00
- Mild OR Wild Bloody Mary (9oz) – New Orleans, $7.00 each
- Goombay Smash (9oz) – Bahamas, $7.00
- Pineapple, Strawberry, or Mixed Caipirinha (9oz) – Brazil, $7.00
- Cuba Libre (9oz) – Cuba, $5.00–$7,00, dependent on your choice of rum
There are also a wealth of international wine and beer samples available for purchase, plus even more cocktails, ranging from $5.00–$7.00 in price. Wine pours are typically 3oz, while beer is 9oz. Not bad!
Is the Mardi Gras 2021 International Flavors of Carnaval Tasting Lanyard Worth the Cost?
In almost all cases, yes. Let’s break this down: for the $55 lanyard, divided by 10 items, you’re paying $5.50 per item. The savings are even greater for the $65 AP lanyard, which is good for 15 items at about $4.33 apiece. If you add up the cost of all the Mardi Gras food items available for purchase inside the parks, the average cost per dish comes out to $6.92. That figure does not factor in the average cost of drinks.
There are a few offerings that would cost less per item. Trinidad and Tobago’s Pineapple Trini Chow, for example, is $4.29, while Puerto Rico’s Quesito is $3.99. If you exclusively order inexpensive items, then of course the tasting lanyard won’t be of much value to you. You can see the full 2021 International Flavors of Carnaval menu and pricing here and get an idea of what items you’d most like to sample.
Bottom line: if you plan on ordering plenty of high-value items and/or alcoholic drinks, then the tasting lanyard is an excellent value.
Putting the Flavors of Carnaval Tasting Lanyard to the Test
I put the Flavors of Carnaval tasting lanyard to the test over the past week or so, and I’m seriously impressed by its value! Here’s what I ordered (and plan to order in the future) with my 10-item Mardi Gras 2021 International Flavors of Carnaval tasting lanyard.
- Poached Pear Crème Brulee Crepe – France, $8.99
- Carnitas Arepas – Colombia, $9.25
- Lindemans Strawberry Lambic (9oz) – Belgium, $9.00
- Pineapple Caipirinha (9oz) – Brazil, $7.00
- Crawfish & Shrimp Boil – New Orleans, $12.99
- Bourbon Street Coffee – New Orleans, $7.00
- Charcuterie – Spain, $6.99
- Pork Schnitzel Slider – Germany, $5.99
- Tropical Storm Punch – New Orleans, $6.00
- Piña Verde (9oz) – Puerto Rico, $7.00
My total pre-tax cost for these ten items is $80.21 if ordered separately. With the prepaid $55 tasting lanyard, I saved $25.21 and got to try an awesome variety of food and drinks. I could have saved even more by choosing more expensive items, of course, but instead I chose the dishes and drinks that appealed most to my flavor preferences and sense of curiosity. It’s a great real-life example of how the tasting lanyard can be a major money-saver for everyday people.
What do you think of Universal’s Mardi Gras 2021 International Flavors of Carnaval event? Do you like the new emphasis on celebrating with food and drink? Do you plan on purchasing a tasting lanyard? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to pin this post if you found it helpful.
Taryn says
Omg I NEED that Schnitzel sandwich