Disney/Pop Warner Article

[boomhauer]

I for one, do not agree with this coach. If you can't afford it, you don't go. Take it up with Pop Warner - Not Disney.

Pop coach smells rat over Disney monopoly
By Thomas Caywood
Friday, December 2, 2005 - Updated: 12:30 AM EST

One Hub Pop Warner star’s Super Bowl dream came true this week — but a greedy mouse is making other hard-luck teams squeak for help.

“If you don’t spend money with Disney, you can’t participate in their tournament,” fumed Dorchester Eagles coach Terry Cousin. “It’s not fair, man.”

The Pop Warner national championship playoffs are kicking off this weekend at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., and the Mouse House is demanding $25,000 just to cover the 15 hotel rooms for the Eagles’ 23 players, their coaches and chaperones.

Some teams — such as 12-year-old Jessica Puglisi’s Boston Raiders — had to raise as much as $70,000. Thanks to generous Herald readers, the Raiders will be going to Disney. But other teams may not be so lucky.

The Eagles’ gutsy play on the gridiron won them their berth in the championships, but Cousin said his team is $40,000 away from covering the trip’s tab.

“I understand nothing is for free in this world, but why charge so much? Disney is already billionaires,” Cousin said.

Cousin said his squad of 14- and 15-year-olds would happily pile in at a cheap motel outside the resort to get a shot at the championship, but Disney won’t allow it: Orlando’s Scrooge McDucks insist all teams stay at a Disney hotel and that a chaperone stay in every room, hiking the bill.

Disney spokesman Jacob DiPietre defended the cost, saying he young gridders get a discounted rate on hotels and park passes.

Pop Warner has held its Super Bowl at the Magic Kingdom for 11 years, and has never considered a cheaper venue, said national spokesman Josh Pruce.

“What you would save by staying off property, you’d probably have to spend to rent cars or vans,” Pruce said.

But Cousin said his players have been reduced to holding out cans to strangers in Downtown Crossing. The tournament begins Dec. 4.

 

[wandap1016]

I dont' agree with the Coach either, the prices offered by Disney for this event are very reasonable. My sons team didn't make it but they were just 3 wins away from making it to the Pop Warner Super Bowl!

 

[Nuchi15697]

I agree with you. It's PW fault not the Mouse. My son plays Ice Hockey. I know about paying alot for a sport, and I'm far from wealthy. I'm sure their are other football clubs that cost less. And they knew where the superbowl was going to be when they signed up at the begining of the season.

 

[boomhauer]

I agree with you. It's PW fault not the Mouse. My son plays Ice Hockey. I know about paying alot for a sport, and I'm far from wealthy. I'm sure their are other football clubs that cost less. And they knew where the superbowl was going to be when they signed up at the begining of the season.

Exactly.

Besides, I think the prices SHOULD be up there for these competitions. I'm not taking sides, but alot of people tend to stay away from Disney during these types of competitions.

I also think this guy is lying - There is no way, Disney charges $25,000 just for 15 hotel rooms. That's BS. They stay at All Stars - That would mean Disney is charging $400 a night per room, based on 4 nights. I don't buy it.

 

[bcvprincesses]

My dd's gymnastics team is going in Jan and Disney offers very reasonable prices. One room at All Star Sports is $60 a night and they have a package for 2 nights with 2 one day passes to the parks for $129 a person. They also offered discounts for other park tickets. Everyone was very happy with these prices.

 

[wandap1016]

Originally Posted by boomhauer
I also think this guy is lying - There is no way, Disney charges $25,000 just for 15 hotel rooms. That's BS. They stay at All Stars - That would mean Disney is charging $400 a night per room, based on 4 nights. I don't buy it.

Those prices actually include tickets to the parks (w/hopper options)

 

[boomhauer]

Those prices actually include tickets to the parks (w/hopper options)

Then what's this guy complaining about?

With 1 chaperone in each room, plus 23 players, that's AT LEAST 38 people. That's only $657 for room and park hoppers per person. What does this guy want?

 

[wandap1016]

Exactly LOL!

 

[frayedend]

All I can say is that my nephew's team was one game away from going. I have the actual numbers provided by the coaches for the trip (we are also in MA, same as Boston Raiders). Anyhow, the cost was 1600 for a family of 4. There were no rooms being offered for say 1 chaperone and 3 kids, but I assume that was possible if parents planned things together. This included a 4 day park hopper for each person. This was also for 8 days. The problem is that this is really hard to do on such short notice (your talking one week from winning to go to Disney). While everyone knows where the superbowl is, noone really expects it until the time comes. Anyhow, parents had to add flight and money to ship equipment down there. It really doesn't make sense for Disney to require you to stay there and also not allow "room only" rates. They were told, buy the package or you can't go. Now, I don't know what fundraising would have been done once they won the last game, but being just one week from winning there wouldn't have been much time to raise funds. (The Boston Herald may not have been so quick to help a middle class suburb).

While most people on here don't agree with the coach, it is true that Disney requires the package. From what I understand, since pop warner is non profit, they can't start fund raising for this until they actually win or else they will have cash in the bank that they aren't supposed to have at the end of the year. I don't know much about that, but they should be able to bank the cash to use when needed. That might also help.

It was very sad at the last game to see parents half heartedly rooting for their kids, because they wanted them to win, but couldn't afford the Disney trip.

 

[frayedend]

Then what's this guy complaining about?

With 1 chaperone in each room, plus 23 players, that's AT LEAST 38 people. That's only $657 for room and park hoppers per person. What does this guy want?

Actually if that math was true, that is something to complain about. You are saying 657 per person. Now a room for say 2 adults and 2 kids for 8 nights at ~70 a night at a value is only $560 for the hotel. Divide that by 4 and that is 140 per person for the entire week. That would mean each person is paying $517 per person for a park hopper, which at least for our team was only a 4 day pass. Of course, the actual cost was not that high as you can see in my post above, but that's the math. The real kicker is that the coaches told the parents..."Don't think you will really use the park hopper pass, this week will be about football!!! We will be practicing every day and there won't be much time for the parks. " (of course, that must have assumed that the team didn't get knocked out the first day)

 

[Nuchi15697]

From Disney's Web site.
1 adult with 3- 15yr. old kids, 4 nights at All Stars in Dec. with park hopper tickets $1301.00. So $657.00 sounds pretty good to me.

 

[boomhauer]

All I can say is that my nephew's team was one game away from going. I have the actual numbers provided by the coaches for the trip (we are also in MA, same as Boston Raiders). Anyhow, the cost was 1600 for a family of 4. There were no rooms being offered for say 1 chaperone and 3 kids, but I assume that was possible if parents planned things together. This included a 4 day park hopper for each person. This was also for 8 days. The problem is that this is really hard to do on such short notice (your talking one week from winning to go to Disney). While everyone knows where the superbowl is, noone really expects it until the time comes. Anyhow, parents had to add flight and money to ship equipment down there. It really doesn't make sense for Disney to require you to stay there and also not allow "room only" rates. They were told, buy the package or you can't go.

But again, this problem should be taken up with Pop Warner - Not Disney. If the families can't afford it, then Pop Warner should stop planning to have their Superbowl at Disney.

8 days???? $1600 for a family of 4 for 8 days, with 4 days of park hoppers is BEYOND cheap. If Disney were to charge room only rates, granted, it would be less money, but they would still have to pay for a rental car and such to get to Disney.

As for flying the equipment down there, again, not Disney's responsibility.

 

[boomhauer]

From Disney's Web site.
1 adult with 3- 15yr. old kids, 4 nights at All Stars in Dec. with park hopper tickets $1301.00. So $657.00 sounds pretty good to me.

Well, it's per person, but it's also for 8 nights.

We're also leaving out Disney's costs to have the games at their complex the entire week. That place isn't operated for free.

 

[frayedend]

From Disney's Web site.
1 adult with 3- 15yr. old kids, 4 nights at All Stars in Dec. with park hopper tickets $1301.00. So $657.00 sounds pretty good to me.

That was 657 per person, so the total would be 2628. Your rate is more in tune with what we saw.

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

[“I understand nothing is for free in this world, but why charge so much? Disney is already billionaires,” Cousin said. ]
CHARGE SO MUCH?!?! Don't get me started on these CHEAP parents!! Qualifying for Nationals is a HUGE accomplishment!! We had parents complaining about the prices also. Disney is VERY generous with the package deal for Pop Warner! It includes a lot for the money. Room, park hopper passes, water park, Disney Quest, special party just for Pop Warner at MGM, admission into Wide World of Sports. These people need to sit back and enjoy the fact that their child has made it to Nationals!! (If anyone is interested, you can go onto the National Pop Warner site and find the exact prices of the package, it's a GREAT deal.)

[Orlando’s Scrooge McDucks insist all teams stay at a Disney hotel and that a chaperone stay in every room, hiking the bill.]
Do they want their underage children unattended??!! GEEZ!! Just goes to prove they will complain about ANYTHING! It seems that a lot PW organizations let their children run wild . . . that's why all of PW gets a bad reputation.

[Pop Warner has held its Super Bowl at the Magic Kingdom for 11 years, and has never considered a cheaper venue, said national spokesman Josh Pruce.]
Where else could you possibly hold this event that has room for THOUSANDS of participants/parents, has football fields, a place for a cheerleading competition with springboard mats, and a place where the children will have the time of their lives at an event that they will never forget??? WALT DISNEY WORLD PEOPLE!!

PS: Cheerleaders compete one day, so the park hopper passes are used!!
Sorry!! Done now, I have to go get my girls from school!!!

 

[boomhauer]

Actually if that math was true, that is something to complain about. You are saying 657 per person. Now a room for say 2 adults and 2 kids for 8 nights at ~70 a night at a value is only $560 for the hotel. Divide that by 4 and that is 140 per person for the entire week. That would mean each person is paying $517 per person for a park hopper, which at least for our team was only a 4 day pass. Of course, the actual cost was not that high as you can see in my post above, but that's the math. The real kicker is that the coaches told the parents..."Don't think you will really use the park hopper pass, this week will be about football!!! We will be practicing every day and there won't be much time for the parks. " (of course, that must have assumed that the team didn't get knocked out the first day)

That's not accurate though. A room at a Value resort is about $90 with tax, and then you have to add on an additional $10 for the 3rd and 4th guests. So, it's $110 a night, which over 8 nights would be $880. And again, you have to consider Disney's operating costs for the use of their facilities.

 

[frayedend]

But again, this problem should be taken up with Pop Warner - Not Disney. If the families can't afford it, then Pop Warner should stop planning to have their Superbowl at Disney.

8 days???? $1600 for a family of 4 for 8 days, with 4 days of park hoppers is BEYOND cheap. If Disney were to charge room only rates, granted, it would be less money, but they would still have to pay for a rental car and such to get to Disney.

As for flying the equipment down there, again, not Disney's responsibility.

I agree that Pop Warner should find a way to handle it and probably have some funding set up. But Disney shouldn't require the package and that they stay on site. One family on our team was not going period because they couldn't afford it. The kicker is they have relatives that are minutes from Disney that they could stay with (and get transportation) so if not for the rule of staying at Disney they would have been able to go.

I don't know much about whether Disney makes money for using the field, if there is advertising or any other things. All in all I'd say Pop Warner needs to work with Disney and figure out ways to make sure the teams all get to go. Heck with all the fundraising at every football game, you'd think there is money somewhere. I can't count how many 50-50 raffle tickets I bought and I don't even know what a 50-50 raffle is

 

[frayedend]

That's not accurate though. A room at a Value resort is about $90 with tax, and then you have to add on an additional $10 for the 3rd and 4th guests. So, it's $110 a night, which over 8 nights would be $880. And again, you have to consider Disney's operating costs for the use of their facilities.

Good point on the tax, I forgot how high it is. Anyhow, a family could certainly afford 880 more easily than 1600, if they didn't have to buy the park hopper. I have no idea how to add operating cost of the facility. I'm sure that there could be advertising sponsors to cover that.

 

[boomhauer]

While I understand what you are saying, and forgive this for sounding rude, but why should Disney host this event, allow people to stay offsite at a competing resort, and spend money at a competing park?

 

[sue1013]

My DH has been on the Pop Warner board in our town for at least 10 yrs. Another poster said Pop Warner is not allowed to have money at the end of the year completely false. Infact ours has at least $50,000 at all times. Fundraising should not wait until you make the superbowl it should be done each year. Football is a very expensive sport to equip all the kids with helmets, pads, practice and game uniforms that constantly need to be replaced. I feel bad if the kids won't be able to go but that coach needs to be complaining to the board instead of Disney.