The beads are flying, the floats are rolling, and the sounds of live music are echoing through the streets of Universal Studios Florida. Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration is in full swing, and between the parades, concerts, and food booths, the festival’s drinks have become just as much of a highlight as the party itself.
From over-the-top Bloody Marys stacked with wild garnishes to tropical rum punches and king cake–inspired cocktails, this year’s Mardi Gras menus are packed with bold flavors that capture the spirit of the party.
If you can’t make it to the park every night of the celebration — or you want to bring a little of that Bourbon Street energy home — these copycat recipes recreate some of the standout drinks from this year’s Mardi Gras festival. With simple ingredients and approximate measurements, you can mix up the same festive cocktails while the party is still going strong.
So grab some beads, cue up a New Orleans playlist, and let’s start mixing.
🍅 Bloody Mary Wild
Spicy Vodka Bloody Mary with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Rim & Beef Stick Garnish
This over-the-top Bloody Mary is more meal than cocktail. Spicy, savory, and packed with bold flavors, it’s finished with a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos rim and a Jack Link’s beef stick garnish.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ oz vodka
- 4 oz tomato juice
- ½ oz lemon juice
- ¼ oz simple syrup
- ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp prepared horseradish
- ¼ tsp celery salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 3–4 dashes hot sauce
- ½ tsp Sriracha
Rim & Garnish
- ½ cup crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
- Lemon wedge
- 1 Jack Link’s beef stick
Instructions
- Run a lemon wedge around the rim of a tall glass and dip into crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- In a shaker, combine vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, celery salt, pepper, hot sauce, and Sriracha.
- Shake gently and pour into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with the beef stick.
🔥 Savory, spicy, and unapologetically wild — just like Mardi Gras itself.
☕ King Cake Espresso Martini
Coffee Cocktail with King Cake Cinnamon-Vanilla Sweetness
This festive martini combines rich coffee flavor with the warm sweetness of king cake spices.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ oz vodka
- 1 oz espresso liqueur
- ¾ oz king cake syrup (see note below)
- 1 oz freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee
- Ice
Optional Garnish
- Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar
- Coffee beans
Quick King Cake Syrup
Simmer together:
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Cool before using.
Instructions
- Add vodka, espresso liqueur, king cake syrup, and coffee to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds to create foam.
- Strain into a chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with sugar crystals or coffee beans.
☕ Smooth, caffeinated, and dessert-like — perfect after a long parade night.
🌪 Category 5 Punch
Dark Rum Hurricane-Style Tropical Cocktail
Inspired by the powerful storms of the Gulf Coast, this punch blends two dark rums with citrus and passion fruit.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 oz dark rum
- 1 oz Myers’s dark rum (or another Jamaican rum)
- ¾ oz lime juice
- 1 oz orange juice
- ¾ oz passion fruit syrup
- ¼ oz simple syrup
- ¼ oz grenadine
- Ice
Optional Garnish
- Orange slice
- Maraschino cherry
Instructions
- Fill a shaker with ice.
- Add both rums, lime juice, orange juice, passion fruit syrup, simple syrup, and grenadine.
- Shake until chilled.
- Strain into a hurricane glass filled with fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange and cherry.
🌴 Sweet, citrusy, and dangerously drinkable — a true Mardi Gras hurricane.
🐊 King Gator Bayou Blast
Tequila Cocktail with Elderflower, Absinthe & Honeydew
This bright green cocktail brings together herbal, floral, and fruity flavors for something uniquely Mardi Gras.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ oz reposado tequila
- ½ oz elderflower liqueur
- ¼ oz absinthe
- ¾ oz lime juice
- ¾ oz honeydew syrup
- Ice
Honeydew Syrup (optional)
Blend and strain:
- 1 cup honeydew melon
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Add tequila, elderflower liqueur, absinthe, lime juice, and honeydew syrup to a shaker with ice.
- Shake until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a melon ball or lime wedge.
🐊 Herbal, fruity, and just a little mysterious — a true bayou-inspired drink.
🥥 Canal Street Colada
Tropical Rum Colada with Mango & Pineapple
A New Orleans twist on a classic piña colada.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ oz overproof dark rum
- 2 oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz lime juice
- ¾ oz mango syrup
- 1 oz cream of coconut
- Ice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender with about 1 cup ice.
- Blend until smooth and slushy.
- Pour into a hurricane or tiki glass.
- Garnish with pineapple wedge or cherry.
🥥 Rich, tropical, and perfect for sipping between parade floats.
🍑 Royal Street Refresher (Mocktail)
Peach & Strawberry Citrus Refresher with Mint
A refreshing non-alcoholic option that still feels festive.
Copy-Cat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 oz peach purée
- 1 oz strawberry purée
- 1 oz Sūpāsawā (or substitute: equal parts lime juice + simple syrup)
- 3 oz sparkling water or club soda
- 2–3 drops mint extract or a few muddled mint leaves
- Ice
Instructions
- Add peach purée, strawberry purée, citrus mix, and mint to a shaker with ice.
- Shake lightly.
- Strain into a glass filled with ice.
- Top with sparkling water and stir gently.
🍓 Bright, fruity, and refreshing — Mardi Gras without the hangover.
🎉 Final Sip
Universal’s Mardi Gras celebration is known for parades, beads, and live music, but the drinks are just as memorable. Whether you’re craving a spicy Bloody Mary, a tropical rum punch, or a refreshing mocktail, these recipes let you recreate the flavors of the festival at home.
So grab some beads, turn up the jazz, and mix yourself a cocktail — because the party doesn’t have to end when the season does.
See you in the Single Rider Lane 😉