Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras event is supposed to feel carefree. It’s loud, colorful, and packed with the kind of chaos that guests actually want. The parade floats roll through Universal Studios Florida, music blasts through the streets, and beads fly everywhere as people try to catch as many as they can before the night ends.
But this week, guests noticed something that didn’t exactly match the usual party atmosphere.
A post on X showed Universal security standing directly in front of the infamous “bead tree,” and it instantly got people talking. The bead tree has become one of those unofficial Universal traditions that isn’t printed on a park map, but longtime visitors know exactly what it is. It’s a tree that has been covered in Mardi Gras beads over time, thanks to guests tossing necklaces into the branches year after year.
There’s security in front of the b*ad tree pic.twitter.com/E5hx088kfM
— magic city mayhem (@magiccitymayhem) February 8, 2026
And while it might seem harmless on paper, Universal clearly appears to be treating clearly appears to be treating it like something that’s becoming a bigger problem.
The reason is pretty obvious. Once guests start throwing beads into the tree, it stops being a cute tradition and starts turning into a safety issue. People don’t always toss one or two strands casually. Some guests launch handfuls of beads like they’re trying to hit a target. Others try to throw them higher and higher, almost like it’s a game.
The problem is, those beads don’t always land where people want them to. They bounce off branches, hit the ground, and scatter into walkways. And if the tree is near roadways or active traffic zones, those beads can end up somewhere even worse.
That’s the part that makes this situation feel more serious than people may realize. Beads rolling into traffic lanes or drop-off areas isn’t just messy. It’s dangerous. All it takes is one vehicle suddenly braking or swerving, and Universal has a major issue on its hands.
Universal also has to think about escalating guest behavior. When people see a tradition like the bead tree, they don’t always act responsibly. Some guests might climb over landscaping barriers to retrieve beads. Some might attempt to climb up or stand on something to throw beads higher. And once one person starts doing that, others follow.
That’s exactly how a fun Mardi Gras tradition turns into something Universal has to shut down.
It’s also worth remembering that Mardi Gras season is already one of Universal’s busiest times of year. The event runs from February 7 through April 4, 2026, and it brings in huge crowds, especially on weekends. Guests come for the parade, the international food booths, and the concert lineup, and the park can feel packed from afternoon through close.
When the park is that busy, Universal doesn’t want random crowd gatherings forming in areas that aren’t designed for it. A bead tree attracts people. Guests stop to take photos, watch others throw beads, and hang around longer than they normally would. That creates congestion in walkways, which becomes another safety issue on its own.
So while Universal hasn’t publicly addressed the bead tree, security standing in front of it feels like a clear message. Universal isn’t trying to start drama. They’re trying to prevent it.
It’s a quiet crack down, and it’s exactly the kind of move Universal makes when they want to stop something without putting up a sign that goes viral.
The bead tree may still be there, but if security continues guarding it, the tradition might not last much longer. Universal clearly wants Mardi Gras to feel wild and exciting, but they also want it to stay controlled enough that nobody gets hurt.
And this might be the moment they decided the bead tree has gone too far.
