Mardi Gras 2013

[Hatetofly]

That crowd is insane!

 

[IzzyB]

The team is surprisingly big. That is why they were able to tackle Potter opening day and the many other days that Wizarding World has hit capacity. It is also why they are able to coordinate events like Grad Bash and GradVenture relatively incident free. With a crowd that large you are going to have issues, it's not a debatable subject. How the company handled any high capacity event prior to the creation of the "Event Operation" team is beyond me. There are still a huge amount of people there and when you have that many people in any one place minor things will happen and issues will too.

Then why during the mardi gras parade you can't find an employee to save your life. Also, while watching the concert there was not many people around to stop people from smoking or other things they should not be doing. I just don't understand why crowd control should be an issue for a theme park. They should be used to dealing with crowds, I mean it is a theme park, crowded every summer. I mean MK has tons of people in front of the castle every night for fireworks and parade and stuff like that, but you still have employees directing people out of the park and it never seems to be a nightmare like some are saying for the pitbull concert.

 

[Jakemeister]

Then why during the mardi gras parade you can't find an employee to save your life. Also, while watching the concert there was not many people around to stop people from smoking or other things they should not be doing. I just don't understand why crowd control should be an issue for a theme park. They should be used to dealing with crowds, I mean it is a theme park, crowded every summer. I mean MK has tons of people in front of the castle every night for fireworks and parade and stuff like that, but you still have employees directing people out of the park and it never seems to be a nightmare like some are saying for the pitbull concert.

I've been to Magic Kingdom enough times where the park closes after fireworks to know it was a nightmare and I've been to Mardi Gras' with terrible crowd control. They are of the same beast.

 

[IzzyB]

I've been to Magic Kingdom enough times where the park closes after fireworks to know it was a nightmare and I've been to Mardi Gras' with terrible crowd control. They are of the same beast.

Park closing is different. I feel both parks when closing after a major event are the same thing. Crowds moving at a slow pace and people always trying to move faster. I do have to say getting out of Uni's parking garage is always more of a nightmare than getting out of Disney parking lot.

But this is not closing, this is during an event itself. During the fireworks they seem to keep people under control and there are employees EVERYWHERE directing traffic and making sure you are not stopping where you are not supposed to. But when I am at a Uni event, you have to hunt for an employee and their exit paths are not always clear or well organized. It might also be the nature of the event. Fireworks is a family event where you are not going to have someone next to you light up something illegal, where Uni is doing concerts where people seem to be more apt to start smoking things they should not be. Heck, they shouldn't be smoking in the crowds at all, but whatever. Also, there is drinking allowed in Uni, where MK it is not, so again, different types of people to control.

 

[Nick]

Not sure if Pitbull always goes big like this with the stage set up as i've never seen him at Universal, but the set up he had was very impressive compared to what artists normally do during Mardi Gras.

[video=youtube;VU_BlUbbbgg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU_BlUbbbgg[/video]

 

[hildyp0824]

Not sure if Pitbull always goes big like this with the stage set up as i've never seen him at Universal, but the set up he had was very impressive compared to what artists normally do during Mardi Gras.

[video=youtube;VU_BlUbbbgg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU_BlUbbbgg[/video]

That's similar to his set up the last two times he was there. He's a great stage performer and I understand why he gets the crowds that he does. This year, the crowd was MUCH bigger than his previous two concerts and I think Uni was just not expecting the number of people that showed up. They seemed unprepared and unorganized to me. I love the Mardi Gras and Summer Concert series - it's part of the reason we keep our AP - but this was the worse organized one I've ever attended.

 

[Disneyhead]

I think that the answer i that Pitbull has grown in popularity very recently and just this year has become too popular for a venue this size. Given that this wasn't an issue last year, I can see how Universal may have been a bit unprepared for the turn-out.

 

[Nick]

The perfect type of draw that place can hold is something like what Matchbox Twenty brought in. They filled up the place to the point of where the concert yard was closed off and people were back by Twister, but it was organized chaos. This sounds (and looks) like it was just a disaster.

I know that Pitbull likes performing at Universal though, likes the atmosphere, it's close to home for him and as long as he and Universal keep a good relationship (which I don't see why they wouldn't) he'll probably continue to perform there. It's just something they're gonna have to get used to. The crowds aren't gonna be as bad since it's a closed event, but he still is performing 5 more times over the next month for Grad Bash. Hopefully that'll give them some practice.

 

[kimlovesfl]

The team is surprisingly big. That is why they were able to tackle Potter opening day and the many other days that Wizarding World has hit capacity. It is also why they are able to coordinate events like Grad Bash and GradVenture relatively incident free. With a crowd that large you are going to have issues, it's not a debatable subject. How the company handled any high capacity event prior to the creation of the "Event Operation" team is beyond me. There are still a huge amount of people there and when you have that many people in any one place minor things will happen and issues will too.

Thanks Jake. Crowd control is a lot harder and more complicated than you can imagine. Don't judge until you've done it and had to deal with crowds like that.

 

[King_K.]

Thanks Jake. Crowd control is a lot harder and more complicated than you can imagine. Don't judge until you've done it and had to deal with crowds like that.

I can back this up.

 

[WeekendGM]

The crowds last night were not as bad as last week but the food lines were the longest I've seen them in a while.

 

[Hatetofly]

The crowds last night were not as bad as last week but the food lines were the longest I've seen them in a while.

Uhhhh it was 4:20 of course the food lines were massive, munchies anyone?

 

[Felipe]

Uhhhh it was 4:20 of course the food lines were massive, munchies anyone?

:rofl:

I went Saturday and it was a great closing night for Mardi Gras! :thumbs: The crowds were big, but they were well organized and everyone was pretty chill. (Maybe it was due to 4/20 ) But seriously, lots of fun, lots of beads, and I even scored three doubloons (gold, purple and green) so I was really happy. I collect those, and have at least one from each of the past three years.

Also, All-American Rejects put on a very good show, and they had a really nice stage set-up with lots of lights. It looked different from the pictures and videos I saw of Pitbull's stage set-up, so I wonder if each band brings their own, or if Universal provides the equipment and arranges it to each band's specifications.

I'll upload my pics and post them this afternoon

 

[sethg]

The All-American Rejects concert was easily one of my favorites of all time. I got in line at around 3 to see them and was not disappointed at all! Their performance of "Kids in the Street" in particular was one of the coolest things I've seen. I hope they come back next year!

 

[hildyp0824]

I think each band brings their own because the set ups have been different for each band I've seen

 

[King_K.]

I think each band brings their own because the set ups have been different for each band I've seen

Correct.

Pitbull's had the best set up so far. Really entertaining.

 

[John321]

My favorite concert for Mardi Gras 2013 was All-American Rejects!

 

[IzzyB]

I went this past weekend and I have to say, I believe they have added more coins, because they were way too easy to get. I got at least 3 from each of my visits. But my one disappointment was again related too crowd management during the parades, where there is no sidewalk they really need to rope it off so that people don't end up in the street. I was in the Amex viewing area and from where we started (where they told us to stand and would push us back all the way up to when the music started) to the end of the parade was 6 feet into the street. I am not exaggerating either. At one point they had to yell at the kids because they kept running out into the street and someone was going to be hit. It really bothered me because I was sitting with my daughter and my son was in the stroller and as much as I tried to keep people from standing in front of me I just couldn't. It was a constant battle and I kept scooting up to stop people, but no matter what they would walk in front and stand in front of me. This does not happen at Disney because they have ropes so people can't do this. So if you get there 45 minutes in advance (which we did) to sit in the front, you actually get to SEE the parade.

 

[WeekendGM]

They brought out anything left from beads to the doubloons. I know firsthand that the bucket they gave us of them that was full was gone by the end along with all the beads they gave us :thumbs:

 

[IzzyB]

They brought out anything left from beads to the doubloons. I know firsthand that the bucket they gave us of them that was full was gone by the end along with all the beads they gave us :thumbs:

One float ran out of beads by the time it got to us, I was surprised by that. It wasn't just this Saturday, I got 4 coins the time before that and 2 coins the time before that.