We went at the same time last year and it was the same. We stayed at CBR and the girls were everywhere. None of them were rude or anything, like other groups we've encountered, but yes, waking up at 7 am to hear them screaming and practicing cheers, or trying to get kids to sleep at 10 pm and hearing the same, or them laughing and giggling around the rooms, was less than pleasant lol.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 experience as we had in October a few years back. Oh well, live and learn.
hoosll said:Bathrooms at American Pavilion at Epcot. Every stall had a cheerleader in it changing her clothes ... we were lined up out the door waiting for these girls to come out ... not sure why it takes 10+ minutes to change your clothes but it did.
I don't understand....why do these sort of competitions have to be held at Disney World? Aren't there other places with a substantial venue that can house these events? Like at city arena's surrounded by lots of hotels or more places like (if it has to be a park atmosphere) Great
Adventure or something? Why do they have to bombard the resorts at a prime vacation destination where ppl don't want to deal with all the chaos ?! It surely does make it unpleasant and uncomfortable and shouldn't be so since it costs such a huge amount of money for these vacations. Disney should set aside 1 resort, pref AS's as the host resort and especially not any of the mod's should be an option. And inform people when they call to make reservations that the All Star resort will be hosting the competitors this week and that week so that you have the decision as whether on not you want to be surrounded by all the chaos. At least keep them all in one place.
Cindie-rella said:Disney should set aside 1 resort, pref AS's as the host resort and especially not any of the mod's should be an option. And inform people when they call to make reservations that the All Star resort will be hosting the competitors this week and that week so that you have the decision as whether on not you want to be surrounded by all the chaos. At least keep them all in one place
As a cheer mom I can tell you it is PEEK CHEERLEADING COMPETITION season. From February to April, there are going to be dance teams, cheer teams, etc in Orlando. College Cheer, High School Cheer, All-Star Cheer, Recreation Cheer. They will all have their turn. <3 We love it! The HP Field House is one of several prime locations for cheer competitions. Along with the Silver Spurs Arena (Kissimmee) Orlando Convention Center, Gaylord Palms, and the Peabody Hotel. We live 45 minutes away in Tampa and are always going to Orlando area for competitions.
What you see there now is nothing compared to the Cheerleading Worlds Competition to be held April 27-29 2013. They HP Field House fills to capacity so they have to have one of those jumbo screens outside for all the late arrivals who can't make it inside. We started taking DD 9, there to watch for the first time last year, will go back again this year. You have teams fro all over the world and people coming from all over the world to watch. It is the Olympics of cheerleading.
We will be at WDW when the Worlds are on. I read that the finals will be at World Showcase. Do you know what date/time and where?
I don't understand....why do these sort of competitions have to be held at Disney World? Aren't there other places with a substantial venue that can house these events? Like at city arena's surrounded by lots of hotels or more places like (if it has to be a park atmosphere) Great
Adventure or something? Why do they have to bombard the resorts at a prime vacation destination where ppl don't want to deal with all the chaos ?! It surely does make it unpleasant and uncomfortable and shouldn't be so since it costs such a huge amount of money for these vacations. Disney should set aside 1 resort, pref AS's as the host resort and especially not any of the mod's should be an option. And inform people when they call to make reservations that the All Star resort will be hosting the competitors this week and that week so that you have the decision as whether on not you want to be surrounded by all the chaos. At least keep them all in one place.
Found this online about the Dance and Cheer schedules for Worlds:
http://usasfdance.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/dancewrld-trvlbk_2013_web.pdf
It might impact ME riders who are arriving late the last week of April, when the competitors and families are arriving. Also, I think we will change our plans and NOT go to Epcot on Monday 4/29 as planned, since that is where the Dance Finals will be that day. Also, note that there is an after party at DHS the evening of Monday 4/29. Not sure how that impacts anything but thought I would mention it.
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 have seen it on this board, put nicely the time I saw it, that some tourists wish that FL residents would not clog the parks on week ends. We wish tourists would not clog them in what used to be the times we would go, in the off season! Bottom line is that Disney is in business to make money and they market in such a way to keep the place full. I wish they were not so successful but it is what it is.
If you do some investigating though the information is online as to what special events may be going on and that may help you in your future trip planning.
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!
I wish there was a way they could shrink the size of these groups. We had just finished eating breakfast at Pop when we watched about 100 of them march into the food court.
We were lucky that we already had our food, but when such a large group swarms in, it just overwhelms the place. We were at Sweet Tomatoes once that was taken over by a group of girls from Brazil. These food places just can't keep up.
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.Unfortunately, many of us from the "cheerleading side" of the issue have also been complaining that Disney is too small for certain competitions like the Cheerleading Worlds. In the cheerleading discussion forums there were many angry people after the 2012 Worlds. The HP Field House only holds 5,000 people. The Josten Center seats 1,200 people. Between these two venues, they reached max capacity, the Fire Marshall was called to the event because of the capacity limits. Parents could not get into see their own kids compete because max capacity was reached. Once max capacity was reached, the only option was to watch the event outside in the heat on the jumbotron. Because of the issues from 2012, 2013 they revised to a 3-day instead of a 2-day in hopes to spread out the crowds more. The increase in the overall prices is causing some spectators to select few days or not go at all.
For us, instead of paying $40 per person on Saturday and Sunday for me, DH, and DD... we will just go Monday only and pay $30 per person, per session. Monday has the teams we want to see the most!
Not all of the spectators may decide to go to the parks. Some just go to the competition only.
Keep in mind this is also a "world competition" as in international event. When I was re-reading the cheer boards yesterday it was brought up that Disney capabilities for handling international teams who do not speak a lot of English. The teams from Asia and Europe also love to come to Disney. The international teams are awesome to watch. If you have the time, watch/youtube the Bangkok team from 2011. Here is the link to their youtube video: ESPN Clip with commentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDDaga4732o Full Routine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m9pKSQP8Wo