The annual grab for beads aka Mardi Gras

[Detailor]

We were at Mardi Gras and the Ne-Yo concert last night. The parade was really good - lot's of fun. I always go away from the parade laughing at how competitive getting the beads is. We were standing next to a couple with a ten (or so) year old daughter and they were pushing and shoving other people to get their fair share of beads. And this was after the little girl already had at least three dozen strings of beads around her neck and the dad was getting close to that. I guess they thought they had a right to get the free beads. LOL! Other than that family everybody we were around were in good humor and having a really good time.

And Ne-Yo, who I'd never heard of (as a 54 year old male I'm not in his demographic anyway), was a really good entertainer and surely has some impressive singing talent. In spite of the big crowd for the concert we were able to get out of there pretty easily. It was a fun time.

Dick Taylor

 

[Metro West]

We were at Mardi Gras and the Ne-Yo concert last night. The parade was really good - lot's of fun. I always go away from the parade laughing at how competitive getting the beads is. We were standing next to a couple with a ten (or so) year old daughter and they were pushing and shoving other people to get their fair share of beads. And this was after the little girl already had at least three dozen strings of beads around her neck and the dad was getting close to that. I guess they thought they had a right to get the free beads. LOL! Other than that family everybody we were around were in good humor and having a really good time.

Are you kidding? People go NUTS for those beads and it's every man for himself. I've seen less violence on American Gladiators!

 

[donaldduck352]

Are you kidding? People go NUTS for those beads and it's every man for himself. I've seen less violence on American Gladiators!

 

[minniejack]

Come up to the Jamboree in the Hills this summer. Biggest country beer party in the world. www.jamboreeinthehills.com
Back in the ol' days and still sorta to this day, girls show their bo*bies and they get a beer.

And now they get the beeds to show everyone how many times that they've gotten free beer.

 

[Snowy-girls]

Are you kidding? People go NUTS for those beads and it's every man for himself. I've seen less violence on American Gladiators!

.
Oh my,we are going to our first Mardis Gras this year+are really looking forward to it,although i think we will be better off in our cycle helmet,elbow+knee pads now .x.

 

[inkkognito]

I just don't see what people see in the beads. On one trip, DH was in the exact right position and got a ton. He just gave most of them to a woman who was standing nearby and who hadn't gotten any. For the ones we keep, I just hang 'em around the neck of my giant stuffed cat that I won at Mardi Gras one year (it's purple w/mardi gras colors).

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Are you kidding? People go NUTS for those beads and it's every man for himself. I've seen less violence on American Gladiators!

hmmmm ... you can buy those beads real cheap from places like Oriental Trading ...

 

[minniejack]

hmmmm ... you can buy those beads real cheap from places like Oriental Trading ...

um hum, but they wouldn't say mardi gras universal..

 

[Kay1]

We were there, too, and were surrounded by lots of bead-happy people. I finally managed to catch one for my son. It was all a blast. We stayed at the Doubletree and took a cab that was only $5 plus tip so we could enjoy cocktails with no worries.

Btw, we were at IOA yesterday and noticed Dueling Dragons was closed and CMs were shooing people away almost frantically. We learned this morning on local news that there was a gas leak back there where they're doing construction on the Harry Potter ride.

 

[Metro West]

I just don't see what people see in the beads. On one trip, DH was in the exact right position and got a ton. He just gave most of them to a woman who was standing nearby and who hadn't gotten any. For the ones we keep, I just hang 'em around the neck of my giant stuffed cat that I won at Mardi Gras one year (it's purple w/mardi gras colors).

I agree...I mean...getting the beads would be fun but I'm not going to shove someone out of the way just so I could bring them home and let them sit in a drawer...you know?

 

[tink too]

Are you kidding? People go NUTS for those beads and it's every man for himself. I've seen less violence on American Gladiators!

I just don't see what people see in the beads.

I'm sure we'll at least get a laugh if there are adults scrambling for them as if the beads were made of solid gold! But believe me when I say that our DD7 will be absolutely over the moon if she manages to grab some cheap plastic beads.

hmmmm ... you can buy those beads real cheap from places like Oriental Trading ...

Yes, but FREE is the best price ever!

 

[donaldduck352]

I have seen some crazy peeps that will do anything for beads..
One year(I think 2004)after the concert and the Studios closed,we went too CW and PatO'Brains had people on the boucany throwing beads-talk about A free for all..Almost A Riot!!

There is something about beads that bring out the crazy in peeps...

 

[avic77]

I live in a Mardi Gras city and when its Mardi Gras time I stay away from it all. People get crazy over those beads and moon pies!

But I have been talked into going tomorrow to a parade that is supposed to be rather tame

 

[DOOM1001]

We were at Mardi Gras and the Ne-Yo concert last night. The parade was really good - lot's of fun. I always go away from the parade laughing at how competitive getting the beads is. We were standing next to a couple with a ten (or so) year old daughter and they were pushing and shoving other people to get their fair share of beads. And this was after the little girl already had at least three dozen strings of beads around her neck and the dad was getting close to that. I guess they thought they had a right to get the free beads. LOL! Other than that family everybody we were around were in good humor and having a really good time.

And Ne-Yo, who I'd never heard of (as a 54 year old male I'm not in his demographic anyway), was a really good entertainer and surely has some impressive singing talent. In spite of the big crowd for the concert we were able to get out of there pretty easily. It was a fun time.

Dick Taylor

How did you get out of the park easily I was there and the furthest I could move towards the exit was by the Monsters Cafe as the whole street was mobbed and NOT moving.It was so insanely packed after seeing the first two songs on the screen by the stage I went back into the park by the street by Terminator to get out of there.As far as beads I left with 21 and probably gave away 15 more to the little girl standing by me.I've been catching these beads at every Mardi Gras at Universal for years now and even the Horror Nights parades, I still keep all the ones I catch, so I'm running out of room to put them.So it's not the biggest deal to catch these beads,if I leave with 4,fine,but I still catch them if thrown at me.But I also have seen these people go insane trying to catch these beads even knocking people down to get them.

 

[Sleepy]

We went one year. I am very short. The guy behind me was very tall. He used that to his advantage. Everytime I reached out to grab the beads, he reached his hand in front of me and got them. While it is all in good fun, it frustrated me. I started falling back on him and stepping on his feet/letting my elbow hit him in some not so nice areas and he backed off.

 

[Detailor]

How did you get out of the park easily I was there and the furthest I could move towards the exit was by the Monsters Cafe as the whole street was mobbed and NOT moving.It was so insanely packed after seeing the first two songs on the screen by the stage I went back into the park by the street by Terminator to get out of there.As far as beads I left with 21 and probably gave away 15 more to the little girl standing by me.I've been catching these beads at every Mardi Gras at Universal for years now and even the Horror Nights parades, I still keep all the ones I catch, so I'm running out of room to put them.So it's not the biggest deal to catch these beads,if I leave with 4,fine,but I still catch them if thrown at me.But I also have seen these people go insane trying to catch these beads even knocking people down to get them.

Fortunately I was with my 17 yo and 27 yo daughters who are experienced concert goers. The youngest just kept moving ahead and carving a path of her sister and me. Amazingly she didn't push or shove. Somehow the crowd just opened up for her. I was pretty impressed as I probably would have just waited for the crowd to thin out before starting to leave.

Both of the girls have hung beads from previous Mardi Gras parades around their bedposts over the years but neither of them can remember the last time that they saw their old inventories. I suspect that many of these beads will go back to Boston with the older of the two girls and find their way to patients at Childrens' Hospital (she's a med/surg nurse there).

Dick Taylor

 

[MIB999999]

I agree...I mean...getting the beads would be fun but I'm not going to shove someone out of the way just so I could bring them home and let them sit in a drawer...you know?

back in the old days, i would collect the beads during the early concerts and then on the last one i intended to attend i stood behind the crowd that gathered around the stage, way before the parade, when the stage was by La Bamba. For some reason those "clowns" on the stage were trying to whip up the crowd for a few measly beads by having them do really stupid things. I had a backpack full of hundreds of beads and i would yell "hey you guys want beads". Everyone would turn around and i would start tossing beads all over the place. The "clowns" on the stage tried to regain the crowd using the microphone but they could not until i was out of beads.

 

[donaldduck352]

If you really want to get into throwing beads for the crowds,try this..
On A busy night the crowds are really kicking at CW!!!
http://www.universalorlando.com/mardigras/citywalk.html

You get to stand on the second floor balcony with A MC cheering on the crowds below..Well worth the price for the experince!!

 

[Metro West]

back in the old days, i would collect the beads during the early concerts and then on the last one i intended to attend i stood behind the crowd that gathered around the stage, way before the parade, when the stage was by La Bamba. For some reason those "clowns" on the stage were trying to whip up the crowd for a few measly beads by having them do really stupid things. I had a backpack full of hundreds of beads and i would yell "hey you guys want beads". Everyone would turn around and i would start tossing beads all over the place. The "clowns" on the stage tried to regain the crowd using the microphone but they could not until i was out of beads.

 

[dpwright]

This past february my family was picked to ride one of the floats and toss the beads! It was a blast! And safer than being one of the ones trying to catch the beads. We were just walking through the park and were approached by a castmember (do they call them that at universal?) and asked if we wished to ride a float in that evening's parade. At first my husband thought they were like the time share people trying to sell something, but they gave us wristbands and just said to meet at 7pm. At 7, we and several hundred other people, met. Seemed as though this also came as a perk with season passes and such. We filled out disclaimer forms, of course, then were sorted into the different floats. Ours was the spooky grim reapers float. We all got costumes and boarded the float and were given brief instructions on tossing all the beads then we were off! The down side is that we didn't actually get to see the parade since we were in it. But tossing was fun, and tiring. The people were CRAZY trying to get beads. I was often fearful the float would run someone over! We just kept tossing and tossing and trying to aim for little kids, people who didn't have any, and the back rows where people got few. It was a great experience. Lot of fun.