Mardi Gras 2015

SeventyOne · Feb 9, 2015

Jwhee said:
It was definitely a planned show stop. My friends who rode on the New Orleans French Quarter float said during the two stops they were told to stop throwing and to dance. If you watch videos, you notice that the soundtrack changes after a loud horn and the lighting also changes, with moving lights, then the horn sounds again and the parade moves on

Figured the horn was an emergency signal. Again, not sure I get the point, much like grouping the stilt-walkers together.

Jwhee said:
The River boat, and the gator got awesome refurbishments. Looked like they touched up many of the floats. The "new" float that you speak of is from the Super Star parade...

It just doesn't seem to serve a purpose. No beads thrown, barely decorated. Like it was supposed to be something more.

- - - Updated - - -

Next Big Thing said:
What do you mean by "has it's time passed?"

Mardi Gras seems to be doing it's job better than ever, basically Uni's version of F&W, the difference is, where most of your complaints are and from what i've experienced, the parking situation is a nightmare. They need to add on to that garage.

The real question should be has Uni gotten too big for it's current parking infrastructure? And to that, i'd say HELL YES.

Yeah, really entire transportation infrastructure. Garage needs work, but also need a more efficient way to move cars out of it and onto I-4 (where 90% are headed).

As for time has passed, it was needed for years to sell APs. In the mid-00s I imagine a lot of APs were sold during Mardi Gras, then not used again the rest of the year--maybe for parking at HHN. Now attendance would be fine without it. If they are going to keep it, they need to improve ops. Literally the same parking and crowd control measures they used in 2007 aren't cutting it in 2015.

Brian G. · Feb 9, 2015

The stop (I saw it in Hollywood) was pretty abrupt. Guests around me thought the parade had stopped due to an emergency for those few seconds.

Jordan · Feb 9, 2015

Worst Mardi Gras ever? In addition to already having an extremely weak concert lineup, the parade has reached a new low. No theme, zero new floats (no, throwing in a very basic Superstar Parade "float" doesn't count), one of them even appeared to be MISSING altogether, and even the character formations are in complete disarray. Very shoddy work all around. If they're too busy to do this event correctly, why even bother?

Oh, and I saw no doubloons. We're left only with the same cheap beads they use every year.

SeventyOne · Feb 10, 2015

Jordan said:
No theme, zero new floats (no, throwing in a very basic Superstar Parade "float" doesn't count), one of them even appeared to be MISSING altogether, and even the character formations are in complete disarray. Very shoddy work all around. If they're too busy to do this event correctly, why even bother?

Agreed on character formations, and on the record re: the new "float." Which float was missing?

Jordan said:
Oh, and I saw no doubloons. We're left only with the same cheap beads they use every year.

I saw no dubloons, but what would they theme them to? Also, didn't seem as tho the King & Queen float was throwing out the "nicer" beads like they usually do. Did feel hastily thrown together this year, which makes no sense.

Brian G. · Feb 10, 2015

Here's our recap and photos from this weekend.

http://orlandounited.com/2015/02/universal-kicks-off-mardi-gras-2015/

shiekra38 · Feb 10, 2015

BriMan said:
Here's our recap and photos from this weekend.

http://orlandounited.com/2015/02/universal-kicks-off-mardi-gras-2015/

Curious, what kind of cam do you use for these updates?

Brian G. · Feb 10, 2015

shiekra38 said:
Curious, what kind of cam do you use for these updates?

Canon T5i

Jordan · Feb 10, 2015

SeventyOne said:
Agreed on character formations, and on the record re: the new "float." Which float was missing?

I'm not sure which float it was, but the driver was still there as a placeholder, so you could tell the actual float was missing.

Brian G. · Feb 10, 2015

I just looked at 2014's photos and all the floats that were there, showed up this year. :shrug:

UPDATE: Just looked at 2013's photos. The floats themed to the Ocean, Jungle, and Swamp are there; but those were replaced with the new "Around the World" floats last year. (The train, the ship, and the blimp/plane)

Cole · Feb 10, 2015

Ouch those reviews!!! Whatever, Mardi gras has never been my thing anyways. Usually get into horror make up or T2 to avoid it because it just annoys the hell out of me. Hope it gets better for the ones that like it, whatever happens happens

SeventyOne · Feb 11, 2015

BriMan said:
I just looked at 2014's photos and all the floats that were there, showed up this year. :shrug:

UPDATE: Just looked at 2013's photos. The floats themed to the Ocean, Jungle, and Swamp are there; but those were replaced with the new "Around the World" floats last year. (The train, the ship, and the blimp/plane)

Yeah, we have double the number of unique floats this year, but I didn't notice any of the "permanent" floats missing (except the Crawfish Kitchen one--with my beloved Cake Girls--but that's been gone 3 years now at least). Like I said, I imagine this is technically the longest parade ever--just the way it's set up, it feels shorter.

Legolas813 · Feb 16, 2015

I thought the parade was fun as always. Sounds like some major over analyzing here, not that I blame you, it is what us fans do, but it takes away from just enjoying the moment. It seemed pretty clear that it was a show stop. People got down from where they were riding and went up to people in the street. Not a big deal. The confetti went off mid parade, I noticed.

I'm confused about what the parking comments are referring to. I did see something alarming last week on the roof with several cars drag racing, driving the wrong way, and doing donuts around light poles while I was trying to walk back to my car, but that is an unusual incident.

Teebin · Feb 21, 2015

Um... two things...

When did this happen to KC?

by @bobwadd1

And when did BobWadd regain entrance to UOR? I was shocked. Anyone know how that played out?

UK-Trigg · Feb 22, 2015

Hey Teebin

Bobs Ban was rescinded on Friday after a telephone conversation with Bill Coddington.

Hockeyman55 · Feb 22, 2015

roodlesnouter said:
Hey Teebin

Bobs Ban was rescinded on Friday after a telephone conversation with Bill Coddington.

I met up with him last night while waiting for the parade :thumbs:

Teebin · Feb 22, 2015

roodlesnouter said:
Hey Teebin

Bobs Ban was rescinded on Friday after a telephone conversation with Bill Coddington.

Wild... Great news for Bob and good to hear!

Kevin38 · Feb 22, 2015

roodlesnouter said:
Hey Teebin

Bobs Ban was rescinded on Friday after a telephone conversation with Bill Coddington.

Glad to hear that too.

Hated while getting pictures I liked to see he got banned.

Disneyhead · Feb 22, 2015

So that just leaves me outside, in the cold, all by my lonesome.

Dodgernole05 · Feb 23, 2015

Teebin said:
Um... two things...

When did this happen to KC?

by @bobwadd1

And when did BobWadd regain entrance to UOR? I was shocked. Anyone know how that played out?

Shes pregnant. My first mardi gras of the year. Pretty big crowd. She did really good too.

Miketheboss · Feb 23, 2015

Who's the Bob guy you all are talking about?

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