Inside float factory: Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras tribute store

ORLANDO, Fla. – Universal Orlando opened its newest Mardi Gras tribute store Thursday first to its annual passholders.

The store is now open to all guests ahead of the theme park’s Mardi Gras celebration.

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The highly themed merchandise location is located in Universal Studios’ New York-themed area of the park, which is in between The Race through New York starring Jimmy Fallon and Revenge of the Mummy attractions. When guests enter this area, they will see the tribute store sporting an older looking brick-style façade.

A sign out front reads “Float Factory Warehouse.”

“We chose the theme ‘Float Factory Warehouse’ because we wanted to share with our guests just how our design and fabrication process works,” said Robert Cametti, Director of Visual Merchandising, Universal Orlando Resort. “This Tribute Store is a faithful recreation of what our actual prop shop and warehouse space looks like.”

When guests first step inside, they’re immediately greeted by a small desk up against a wall.

A corkboard is on the wall with early sketches and designs of this year’s tribute store facade tacked onto it. Glancing around, it’s clear to see that store creators drew up some inspiration from tribute stores of year’s past. Binders are found on the desk that read “HHN Tribute Store” and “Holiday Tribute Store.”

Upon turning the corner, the first space guests will find themselves in is the “concepts & ideas” room.

Blueprints and pencil sketches can be found throughout this part of the store.

Guests can see how a float design is first thought of before it moves deeper into the creation process. Yellow and orange fluorescent lights provide the perfect warehouse feel alongside a large workspace lining the wall.

“We drew inspiration from the amazing parade that our Universal Studios Entertainment team created this year as well as our own past Tribute Store designs,” Cametti pointed out. “While we used a Space Gator float as our subject matter for this year’s store, the process we are showcasing also mimics the work flow we execute when we create each Tribute Store. You could really plug in the creative process for any of the Tribute Store themes we’ve done in the past and you would see all of the same creative steps you see outlined in this year’s Tribute Store.”

Scattered throughout the room is Universal Mardi Gras merchandise which includes unique shirts, cups, pins, hats and even a collectible wax gator and riverboat machine.

Fans of Universal should keep an eye out throughout the store.

There are small Easter eggs from previous tribute stores scattered throughout including the sign from last year’s Mardi Gras façade, the famous Halloween Horror Nights centerpiece bear and sign and helpful warehouse safety tips from the holiday favorite, Earl the Squirrel.

“You might find that one of our favorite furry friends has decided to hang out past the Christmas season and there are also a lot of props and signs that have been used in a variety of our Tribute Stores,” Cametti explained.

The float fun marches into the second room labeled “fabrication and build.”

Guests will see the float process progress even further with the overall construction and modeling. A gator, which could only be seen in sketches in the previous room, has now moved into a model form. One side is sketched out on plywood while the other side is taking full form. The sounds of drilling and sawing can be heard in this area of the store. Plywood used for the float construction lay near the walls, and bead and Mardi Gras garland drape from boxes near the ceiling.

The shopping experience moves into the third room, “scenic & paint.”

Paint cans, gator and wave glitter and small textures are scattered throughout the room. The room is also the perfect place where guests can find the perfect Mardi Gras mask.

The final room is labeled “the showroom.”

Guests will see the final floats on full display before they move out onto the parade route. This room has merchandise lining some of the floats and is also the place of dozens of delicious Mardi Gras inspired treats that are available for purchase.

Upon exiting the store guests will encounter a tree with hanging beads and piano, trumpet and trombone with a sheet of music that reads “When The Saints Come Marching In.”

The Mardi Gras Tribute Store is open during normal park hours.

See a full walkthrough of the store below.

Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration begins Feb. 3 and runs through April 24.

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