Cheerleader Overload

[MommytoaPrince]

We too didn't realize when we booked this past weekend that the cheerleaders would be present. We arrived Fri night around 7 and checked in at Sports. We dropped our luggage off and immediately headed to the food court for dinner. When we rounded the corner to head up the football field at Sports there must have been easily 1,000 people on and surrounding the field practicing their cheers.

 

[LoveToTravel2001]

ITA that Worlds needs to go to a larger venue. There is just not enough room for everyone. I don't undertand why they don't go the Cheersport route and use a venue like the World Congress Center.

There is a ten year contract with ESPN that needs to run its course before the event can move to another venue.

 

[LoveToTravel2001]

As an All Star Cheer mom, we just got back from Nationals. I knew that the All Star resorts would be packed and we chose to stay at another resort. Having said that, on the day I had to go to All Star Sports, I did feel bad for any guest that was staying there without the knowledge all the large masses of cheer groups. Keep in. Ind that even if Disney didn't set aside certain resorts, teams would simply do it on their own.
In regards to loud cheering and chanting - I didn't hear any of that in the parks. It may be different when All Star cheer teams are there as we don't 'cheer'. We tumble, stunt, and dance. For the 2 1/2 minutes my DD is on the floor, she never opens her mouth. The parks were packed but it was also the start of Flower and Garden and peak season. While the girls may be loud and rowdy, it's not just the girls fault - it's a parent issue. Parents need to provide supervision of the kids and remind them to be respectful. I know that just about every group of girls from our gym, had a parent with them at the parks. We didn't travel in huge packs but smaller groups of friends. We had a 9:30 curfew and a 10:00 lights out for comp nights. (No matter where you stayed.). Gym rule is no stunting or tumbling outside of practice and comp - an athlete could be injured and they know the consequences of such an incident. Competition starts at 8am (with warm ups starting as early as 7am) and goes non-stop until 9:30pm.
We competed at WWoS and the Indiana Jones arena at HS. HS was very busy on comp days as teams would be there before they competed and after.
Worlds is a huge event and the athletes are generally older teens. This past weekend athletes were as young as 4 or 5 up to 18. The older girls will be more likely to not be as closely supervised. But it is international as this past weekend was and thus, brings in large groups that stay together.
I've always gone during pop Warner and never had an issue but again, the cheerleaders are younger and compete largely during the day. Being younger, generally closely supervised.
When making a reservation anytime between Dec and end of April, I'd ask about events that will be happening.

 

[wdwmom3]

This is kind of related. I started a new thread but no replays yet. I just found out there is a choirs of America event the weekend we are there. The host resort is all star music an we are booked in a family suite there. Should we consider switching resorts?

 

[cheer25mom]

There is a ten year contract with ESPN that needs to run its course before the event can move to another venue.

Yep. I just think it was a poor decision in the first place. I don't see how they couldn't have realized there is nowhere near enough space. Do you know how many years are left on that contract??

 

[4kids4karen]

Yep. I just think it was a poor decision in the first place. I don't see how they couldn't have realized there is nowhere near enough space. Do you know how many years are left on that contract??

I don't think when USASF entered the contract they planned/anticipated for the cheerleading industry to grow as fast as it did.


To compete in Worlds the minimum age is 12, but there will be younger spectators and siblings there. I am not sure about the minimum age for dance.

My daughter is also All Stars so no "cheer" in her routine but the girls do still chant together in small groups when trying to waste time at the venue, etc.
LOL. I know the non-cheer families on here don't know the difference between the different types of cheerleaders, so I just left that one alone. It could be anything that annoys people, singing, dancing, harlem shake... hey just teenage girls laughing could annoy people when they are tired.

But in their defense, I have ran into many obnoxious adult and kids (non-cheer families) at the parks that I try to get away from and then the next ride... there they are again! Amazing how when you go the opposite direction to get way from the annoying family in orange crocs they still find their way somehow to be in line in back of you again.

Most of the cheerleaders are very sweet. If they are annoying you at the hotel and you pop your head out and say in a normal tone, can you please keep it down my baby is sleeping... they will comply.

 

[CruellaDuVille]

I love being there during these events. My favorite was the World Dance Competition, it was wonderful. Teams from Japan, China, Australia, Europe....all wonderfully talented (and well behaved) kids. It's a joy to be there and watch them compete.

As for the cheerleaders, I've been there when they were there also. It's all about the upbringing, that's all I'm going to say. I love watching the cheer competitions on ESPN.

 

[CruellaDuVille]

Great post! I also have reduced my time at Disney because I don't want to deal with the crowds.

I have to drive 3-hours on Friday/Sat and Sun/Mon on I-75 from Valdosta, GA to Tampa, FL. If I want to vent it would be all of the out-of-state cards who don't know how to drive! Most of these people are headed to Disney. Can you please drive in the far right lane if you want to cruise slower than the flow of traffic. I am tired of having to pass on the right because 95% of the-of-state cars are in the far left or middle lanes! Also stop riding side-by-side to another car for an hour blocking anyone else from passing. I am counting down the time until I get pass the turnpike and away from the Disney tourists on the road! If your kid likes to make ugly faces at the cars around them, I hope you don't get offended when I make faces back at them! It often shocks them and I see them "tattling" on me to their parents afterwards. LOL.

Wow. In the summer we get a lot of tourists here in Oregon, a lot of them with Florida plates (and Georgia). We are not hostile to these people, we (generally) welcome them. I have not seen anyone making faces though.

 

[4kids4karen]

Wow. In the summer we get a lot of tourists here in Oregon, a lot of them with Florida plates (and Georgia). We are not hostile to these people, we (generally) welcome them. I have not seen anyone making faces though.

I find the kids making faces quite entertaining, but even more entertaining when I make faces back and they looked so shocked! LOL.

I am not hostile, I just wish they would drive in the far right lane and pay attention to the flow of traffic. When there is an accident it causes major delays. I was once stuck on I-75 in basically the same spot for 3-hours (a few years ago). Last weekend an accident near the turn pike backed up miles north of Ocala. I was thinking no way this can be an accident just before the turn pike, but it was. The turn pike is advertised for miles, but people will still get in the wrong lane and try to cut over just before hand. If you had to make the same dive twice every weekend, you would become frustrated too!

My son had to use the bathroom once, so I pulled over to a rest area and there were 7 tour buses unloading and lining up for the bathrooms when we got there. It was a college football team, band, and students going to a game somewhere in South Florida. LOL. Just for fun two weekends ago I stopped at the Florida Welcome center... in military uniform. Because sometimes I just drive to Florida straight from work, only pulling up for my son to jump in the car on my way to I-75 (which I live right by). The veterans selling the flowers stood up for me as I walked up. I picked up a few books for our relatives visiting this summer, used the restroom and left. I didn't bother to look to see if they still served free OJ (do they?). Most trips we do not make any stops at all. Oh the joy of living between two houses.

We have a lot of snow birds here in Florida that most Florida residents vent about their driving on the roads too. But since the snow birds are full time residents up North, perhaps this is the norm? Living overseas or in major cities, you become a more aggressive driver than living in a small town.

I have friends in Orlando and they avoid I-4 just to avoid tourist traffic. I don't know all the Orlando back roads but my friend says she never gets on I-4 at all. Yes, I can see how living in Orlando would be frustrating traffic wise.

 

[AudreyKThompson]

We try to miss those type of events but never fails there is always something going on at WDW. It is almost like off season is no longer "off." It would be nice if they would publish a calendar of these events so vacationers would know about them. But I guess that is what the boards are for.

Just got back from a week at CBR. Vacation started out nice enough, but by mid-week the cheerleaders began pouring in for some sort of National competition and I felt like I was unwillingly thrust into the middle of Spring break. Loads of people milling around in the food court when you wanted to grab a quick bite, and the pool areas were much busier.

Earlier in the week we had usually 8 to 10 people on the Disney park buses. By Friday they were full to standing capacity. It's not that the kids were causing trouble...it's just the situation when you suddenly have hundreds of kids in a resort having fun. The noise level and crowd level increases, our ability to enjoy the amenities decreases. If it was peak season we'd expect that, but we specifically attempted to go during off-season for a peaceful quiet resort experienceas we had in October a few years back. Oh well, live and learn.

ITA. Just got back this morning and while our DVC villa was not affected, the parks were much more crowded than we anticipated from all of the people involved with cheer, dance, and band festivals.

Did you notice any difference in your experience in the parks or DTD? We are going to be there during a gymnastics national competition. They will not be staying at our resort but I'm sure hoping it doesn't effect our experience in the parks.

Yes, it did! See above comment.

OP, I feel your pain! Honestly there are hardly any slow times at the World anymore. They fill the slow times with something, in the slower winter times now they must market to South America because there are a lot of tour groups from there. They always have something going on, after the cheerleaders is was the marathons.


I personally am evaluating renewing annual passes though, it is just to crowded to be enjoyable to me.When I am there I feel sorry for the people who only have a week or a few days to try to do everything. It would be no fun to HAVE to wait in line for 80 minutes or not see Test track or another popular ride. I am tired of having to wait in line to get in because half the entrances are empty because they have been changed over to RFD, then wait in line to eat, wait in line to ride or get a fast pass at a not convenient time and shuffle through the walkways because they are all full of people. I still get that happy feeling when I walk in the park every time but by the time I leave I am so ready to leave!

Thanks for letting me vent!

ITA- Last sept it was BTG, Jan the runners, now the cheer groups. Sheesh.

 

[staley98]

Our first Disney trip was the first week of April 2011. This happened to be the week before Easter (lighter crowds) and there was a choral competition going on. It was a great time to be there because not only did you have the wonderful garden show at Epcot, but beautiful choral performances by some very talented kids.
On another note, my neighbors and their 7 year old daughter were at Disney for the cheer competition last weekend. They had a blast, but I'd find it annoying. Just depends on your preferences

 

[knan74]

Some of the most magical Disney moments I had were at comps. It was super annoying though in high school at our nationals where we stayed at CBR. I was a cheerleader at the University of Tennessee and the nationals were a lot better at college comps.

Question: we always did prelims at the Indiana Jones location. I know it's notorious for rarely not having shows so are regular park visitors not given the opp to see the show? (Usually was one or two full days in HS) I would be annoyed. Looking back it was weird that we got so many backstage access opps as well. Just curious about this...

These trips were more expensive than any I've taken during vacation. The worst was being picked up at 5 am and having to practice for hours. Knowing I was half a mile from MK and couldn't visit was a bad feeling if anyone knows please let me know. My sisters are CMs and I'm a huge DISer but I've always wondered about HS visitors during this time. I'd be upset.

 

[LoveToTravel2001]

Some of the most magical Disney moments I had were at comps. It was super annoying though in high school at our nationals where we stayed at CBR. I was a cheerleader at the University of Tennessee and the nationals were a lot better at college comps.

Question: we always did prelims at the Indiana Jones location. I know it's notorious for rarely not having shows so are regular park visitors not given the opp to see the show? (Usually was one or two full days in HS) I would be annoyed. Looking back it was weird that we got so many backstage access opps as well. Just curious about this...

These trips were more expensive than any I've taken during vacation. The worst was being picked up at 5 am and having to practice for hours. Knowing I was half a mile from MK and couldn't visit was a bad feeling if anyone knows please let me know. My sisters are CMs and I'm a huge DISer but I've always wondered about HS visitors during this time. I'd be upset.

When my DD competed at the Indiana Jones venue in March for UCA Nationals, the show was not run. There were park guests that were quite surprised/annoyed to walk in expecting Indiana Jones only to find groups of 8-11 year old all star cheerleaders at the base of the venue doing their thing to very loud cheer music. (Which is you know is like pop music on speed.). I do not know how well Disney pre-warns? guests that the show will be down. That day there were postings in the park but not everyone looks at the board.