Shark Attack Drink (Universal Copycat)

This fun shark attack drink inspired by the one at Universal Studios Florida is not only delicious, it’s fun to make too! A blue fruity drink gets a touch of grenadine blood for a drink that both kids and adults will love!

When I went to Universal Studios last year to try out all the best food at Universal Studios, the shark attack drink kept coming up over and over again in threads I was doing research in.

I wasn’t necessarily looking for the best drinks at Universal Studios but after seeing how often people recommended the shark attack drink at Chez Alcatraz, I knew I had to try it. I mean everyone said it was the best drink at Universal.

I headed over for my very own drink and show! Because this one comes with a little show from the bartender.

They make the drink and then to finish it off, they use a toy shark hand puppet to act like the bartender gets bit and bleeds grenadine into the drink.

It’s pretty hilarious to watch, especially considering most of the time adults are ordering the regular option of this drink.

I thought maybe people recommended the drink just because it’s fun to watch being made but nope, it’s actually delicious!

With Shark Week happening every summer, I thought it’d be a really fun time to share this copycat recipe! I’m not 100% if these are the exact measurements (the bartender honestly didn’t even measure as I was watching them make it) of the drink, but they’re the same ingredients.

And the measurements I used in my version taste good, so I’m going with it! Also, this is a kid-friendly shark bite drink version so it’s great for any age!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fun themed drink – like I mentioned, this is called a shark attack drink for a reason. With a little grenadine blood and gummy sharks on top, it’s definitely a themed drink!
• Fruity flavor – the combo of the pineapple juice and blue curacao give this a nice fruity flavor without being over the top sweet.
• Easy – unlike some virgin drinks (like this strawberry mocktail recipe) that requiring making a simple syrup or some cooking, this one is just combining ingredients together! It’s about as simple as it gets!

• Pineapple juice – any pineapple juice works, I just used regular Dole pineapple juice.
• Sprite – I highly recommend using Sprite in this. You could try it with another lemon-lime soda, but if you do, go with 7Up. I’ve found that Sierra Mist and the blue curacao syrup just don’t work great together.
• Blue Curacao – this is just the syrup that you can get in stores or order from Amazon.
• Grenadine – any grenadine works, although I’ve never tried it with homemade grenadine, so maybe stick with store-bought. This is my favorite brand.
• Gummy shark candies – I like to add gummy sharks to the top of this drink since it is a shark drink, but you could technically make this without. You can also add Swedish fish to the drink, kind of like I did with these ocean blue popsicles.

Also, I’ve written the recipe card to make one shark attack drink. If you’re making a bunch of these, I’ve included notes in the recipe card for making these in bulk.

Like I mentioned before, this fun drink is super easy to make! You can make it next level by serving it with a show using a shark toy like they do at Universal or you can just make it on its own. Just serve immediately after adding the grenadine so people can still see the bloody shark water effect!

First, combine the blue curaçao syrup and pineapple juice in a cup and mix until well blended.

Then fill a 12 ounce glass (or clear cup that’s plastic if you’re worried about kids breaking the glass) about 3/4 full of ice and pour the blue pineapple juice over the ice.

Top the glass off with Sprite (or whatever lemon lime soda you want), leaving about an inch from the top for the remaining ingredients.

Add a splash of grenadine and then top with some gummy sharks swimming on top. Don’t stir in the grenadine, just let it sit on top of the glass, like it is blood from a shark attack.

If you really want to go Universal copycat on this, you can serve the drink like they do too. Instead of just adding the grenadine on top, use a shark puppet (or plastic shark) and make it seem like the shark bit your hand while you’re making the drink and your hand is bleeding into the drink.

You can watch the video in this post to see this in action at Chez Alcatraz – it’s quite the spectacle! Both kids and adults love it!

As a side note, I recommend making and serving these when you’re ready to enjoy them instead of making them ahead of time. The bloody grenadine clears out pretty quickly, which makes this less of a shark drink and more of just an ocean water drink with a red tint! Still delicious but not as fun or shark themed.

Recipe FAQs

More Easy Drink Recipes

If you like fun mocktails and fun punches, make sure to check out these yummy recipes! They’re fun enough for kids but tasty enough for adults!

• Virgin strawberry mocktail – this delicious mocktail tastes just like a strawberry mojito but without the spirits!
• Caramel apple drink – this yummy mocktail tastes just like a caramel apple!
• Creamy lemonade – this creamy version of the classic homemade lemonade is a unique version that went absolutely bonkers on TikTok!
• Blueberry lemonade recipe – a simple lemonade combined with a blueberry simple syrup for a fresh and fruity twist!
• Chocolate cake shake – another fun copycat recipe that combines a chocolate milkshake with an entire piece of chocolate cake!