Universal Orlando Will Go Head-to-Head with Powerhouse EPCOT Festival

Universal Orlando Resort is officially stepping into Disney territory again—and this time, it’s doing it with perfect timing.

Universal has now dropped major new details for its 2026 Mardi Gras celebration, including a huge list of food and drink offerings and a stacked concert lineup. And when you look at the dates, it becomes obvious what’s happening: Universal is positioning Mardi Gras as a direct competitor to EPCOT’s biggest seasonal events.

Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration will run February 7 through April 4, 2026, which means it overlaps almost perfectly with Disney’s EPCOT festival calendar. That includes the final stretch of the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts, which ends February 23, and then the start of the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival, which begins March 4 and runs through June 1.

In other words, Universal is lining up its own festival-style event at the exact same time Disney is trying to dominate the seasonal theme park conversation.

And now, with the menu finally revealed, we know Universal isn’t holding back.

Universal’s Mardi Gras Is Basically a Festival Now

For years, Disney has built EPCOT’s festival identity around one major selling point: seasonal events that give guests a reason to keep coming back.

Food booths. Exclusive drinks. Limited-time entertainment. Special merchandise. Live performances.

Universal’s Mardi Gras has traditionally leaned into parades, beads, and party energy, but this new menu drop makes it clear that Universal wants guests to treat Mardi Gras the same way they treat an EPCOT festival.

Not as a “bonus celebration,” but as a full seasonal experience.

And with the event stretching across nearly two full months, Universal is essentially offering its own version of a food festival, complete with international-style dishes, specialty cocktails, and themed booths.

Universal Drops New Food Booths and Global Menu Options

Universal Orlando’s newly revealed Mardi Gras 2026 menu includes a wide variety of items spread across different themed locations, and it feels like they’re trying to hit the same “walk around and snack” vibe EPCOT has perfected.

Guests will be able to find themed food offerings from countries like Mexico, Brazil, Jamaica, Chile, Austria, Puerto Rico, and Ireland, along with a heavy New Orleans-inspired section as well.

Some of the standout menu items include:

• Mazatlán Street Ceviche (Mexico)

• Flautas

• Picanha and Pão de Queijo (Brazil)

• Rasta Pasta (Jamaica)

• Vienna-Style Pork Schnitzel (Austria)

• Pinchos de Lechón (Puerto Rico)

• Shepherd’s Pie and Beer & Cheese Soup (Ireland)

Universal also leans into the “festival dessert” category with options like:

• Tres Leches

• Maracujá Mousse

• Kaiserschmarrn

• King Cake

• Traditional Beignets

It’s a pretty aggressive menu lineup, and the pricing feels similar to what guests already expect from Disney festival booths.

The Drinks Are Getting the Spotlight (and Universal Knows It)

Universal clearly understands what drives theme park festival hype: drinks.

The newly revealed menu includes a long list of cocktails and specialty beverages, many of which are tied directly to the Mardi Gras “Krewe Cup” system, offering both full price and refill options.

Some of the featured drinks include:

• Cielo Rosado (tequila + mezcal cocktail)

• Frozen Maracujá Caipirinha

• Kingston Rum Punch

• Terremoto

• Piña Colada

• Category 5 Punch

And Universal isn’t stopping there.

It’s also bringing back specialty drink setups like the Jack Links Bloody Marys, which include both mild and wild versions—served with an over-the-top garnish that includes a beef stick and a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos rim.

This is exactly the kind of “viral drink” gimmick that gets shared online, and Universal clearly knows what it’s doing.

The Concert Lineup Makes Universal’s Strategy Even Clearer

If the food wasn’t enough to prove Universal is trying to compete directly with EPCOT festivals, the concert lineup definitely seals it.

Universal has confirmed a major live performance schedule for Mardi Gras 2026, including artists across pop, EDM, throwback rock, and country.

The confirmed concert lineup includes:

• Kaskade (Feb. 7)

• Portugal. The Man (Feb. 14)

• Joey Fatone & AJ McLean (Feb. 21)

• RuPaul (DJ set) (Feb. 28)

• Shaggy (March 7)

• Tyler Hubbard (March 13)

• Bebe Rexha (March 14)

• Zedd (March 15)

• Barenaked Ladies (March 21)

• The All-American Rejects (March 28)

Universal has essentially built a mini concert series that lasts almost the entire event, and it’s the kind of lineup that feels designed to pull younger crowds away from Disney.

Universal vs. EPCOT: The Festival Battle Is Real

The timing here is what makes this so interesting.

Disney already had its early-2026 EPCOT lineup locked in:

• EPCOT International Festival of the Arts ends February 23

• EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival begins March 4

Universal’s Mardi Gras running from February 7 through April 4 means Universal overlaps with both festivals, capturing the exact seasonal window where Disney typically dominates Orlando tourism.

That matters because EPCOT festivals aren’t just “nice extras.” They’re major crowd drivers.

Flower & Garden especially pulls in repeat visitors, local passholders, and tourists who want seasonal food booths and spring visuals. Festival of the Arts pulls in a different kind of crowd, especially Disney fans who treat it as EPCOT’s most unique festival.

Universal is basically saying, “That’s cute. We’re doing our own thing too.”

Universal Is Betting Big on Seasonal Events

Universal Orlando has been expanding its event calendar for years, and Mardi Gras has become one of its most valuable seasonal draws.

But 2026 feels different.

The menu is massive, the drink lineup feels built for social media, and the concerts make this event feel like something you plan your trip around—not something you stumble into.

And that’s exactly why this is a direct challenge to EPCOT.

Disney has long relied on EPCOT festivals as a “we always have something going on” strategy. Universal now has the tools, the crowd momentum, and the event structure to compete with that head-on.

The Real Winner Might Be Orlando Visitors

At the end of the day, Universal going head-to-head with EPCOT festivals might be the best thing that could happen for theme park fans.

Instead of one resort dominating the seasonal hype, Orlando visitors now get multiple reasons to plan trips between February and April.

If you want art booths and Disney spring vibes, EPCOT has you covered.

If you want parade energy, wild drinks, and big-name concerts, Universal Mardi Gras is ready to take the spotlight.

And based on this menu drop, Universal is clearly planning to make sure nobody ignores it in 2026.