Freaking over Pop warner week

[WillCAD]

Egad,

I just did a search on Pop Warner, now I really confused.

Some of posts I read makes it sound like a nightmare.
Others like it's no big deal.

Yeah, that's because everybody percieves things differently.

I really haven't seen any major problems with the Pop Warner kids over the last three years, but that's me. If you are the type who goes ballistic over things like groups of kids eating in the same food court with you, or taking up room on the bus, or chanting Christmas songs loudly, then you might have a different opinion.

 

[swankybeth]

DH and I originally booked our trip during Pop Warner (staying at Pop Century). We've since decided to move our trip to the following week. We were concerned about the possible crowds at the food court and annoying cheering everywhere we go. We felt that we'd rather not take the chance of having a bad time and decided to rebook. Hopefully the park crowds will be just as low the 2nd week in December as the first.

 

[cobbler]

Basically if you are prepared for a busy busy food court during meal hours, a very busy pool where you might not be able to swin, cheering and chanting on the bus and around the resort and such you will be fine.

They are kids and will act as such. Sure there will be the few bad apples - there always are. We stayed at ASsports during the thick of it and it was the chaperones that left more of an impact on me than the kids. The chaperones were more concerned with "getting their drink on".

 

[Onceler]

Egad,

I just did a search on Pop Warner, now I really confused.

Some of posts I read makes it sound like a nightmare.
Others like it's no big deal.

It sometimes depends on which group of Pop Warner kids you encounter. We were there this past December and saw a couple dozen different groups in the parks. Most were perfectly fine. But there were a few exceptions. And the exceptions were very exceptional (imagine a group of cheerleaders doing cheers in the middle of rides).

 

[Mouse511]

We will also be there Dec 3 - 9 staying at the Wilderness Lodge. I have to admit when I first found out pop warner would be there the same week I was a little freaked out. We actually came close to switching our dates. Then I did some research on these boards and found out that the pop warner kids are usually well behaved and shouldn't be a problem. Plus, they should be at cheerleading events during the day and we will probably only see them at night. I wouldn't change your dates.

 

[TheresaNY]

We were one of the families that was there last December for Pop Warner Week and found it to be a NIGHTMARE !! We were at ASMusic. First, I suggest you review the posts again from the search you said you ran. There were a lot of them in December after PW. It was total chaos at ASMusic. We did not enjoy nor appreciate the nasty, foul mouths of the kids as well as "chaperones". Nor were we impressed with the drinking and smoking all over the resorts and the pigsty that the place was turned into !! We had a hard time getting seats and FOOD at the food court. Forget entirely about sleeping !! It was just pathetic. The staff did nothing about it. The parks were not too bad. When we did run across any PW it was the usual antics with the filthy mouths and line jumping(for rides, food, shows and bus). The buses were so overloaded and always a long and uncomfortable ride.
I really really recommend that you change resorts if not the date. All of the values as well as POR and even CSR were effected when we were there. We spoke with many many unhappy families last December from other resorts. The bulk of the problems seemed to be fairly well confined to the resorts...not the parks.
I wish you luck and lots of fun no matter what you end up doing. Hey - perhaps you will not even have a problem if you go!

 

[scrump]

The only problem I have had with them is that the cheerleaders love to sing "RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER - REINDEER!!!" at the tops of their lungs on the busses. After 20 minutes, that gets a little old...

No kidding. We've been during Pop Warner in '03 (AllStarSports) and '05 (Pop Century), and the busses were my worst memory of my whole stay. We were actually stuck for close to an hour and it was non-stop cheer screaming.

You won't notice them in the parks at all, at least we didn't. Had we known about the Pop Warner thing, I probably would've switched my dates for my '03 trip, but our '05 trip at Pop Warner was great. I think you'll be ok, but if you're already worrying about it, perhaps change your dates if it's still possible. I'm sure you'll have a great trip, have fun!!

 

[lpbm4]

I too was freaking over this but was reassured quite a bit not to worry. They are tied up with competition during the day so there is no increased amt of people in the parks at this time. I'm just going to enjoy my time with my family and not worry about others!!!

 

[wdwcindy]

I have been during this week for the past 3 years. I haven't stayed at any of the value resorts during this time so I can't comment on the pool or food court part. However, I have never encountered any problems in the parks or on the transportation. Downtown Disney seems a bit more crowded than say May or October.

I will be there again this year during Pop Warner and I am looking forward to it. One thing to remember is that the next week could be a bit more crowded because it is closer to the holiday. So...Pop Warner extra people or closer-to-holiday extra people?

wdwcindy

 

[lamchop]

My advice.....RUN away from values during Pop Warner week. As others have said, the parks during the day are fine. I was at Pop Century during that week 2 yrs ago and witnessed behavior unlike anything I have ever seen in the parks/resorts. A large group of cheerleaders and their "chaperones" (such as they were) were escorted off the property by security. i.e pack up and get off the property. At MVMCP, i saw cheerleaders physically climb over people in wheelchairs to stand in front of them for the castle show. CHaperones who did the same thing. Never saw any bad behavior from any of the football players. Kudos to them and their chaperones!! THe cheerleaders on the other hand..... bad news. Still with all that, it's a great time to go to WDW. weather still good, Christmas decorations up, less crowds. Stay away from value resorts and stay away from girls all dressed alike with their hair in curlers and you'll be fine! have fun!!!!

 

[BrerMan]

The other familly we're traveling with are dead set against pop warner week.
So now we have to decide which dates will be better.

Dec. 8th-16th ,or Nov. 24th-Dec. 1st

I would opt for Dec. 8th-16th.

Any opinions on those dates?

Thanks

 

[WillCAD]

The other familly we're traveling with are dead set against pop warner week.
So now we have to decide which dates will be better.

Dec. 8th-16th ,or Nov. 24th-Dec. 1st

I would opt for Dec. 8th-16th.

Any opinions on those dates?

Thanks

Go for Dec 8-16. Then you'll be there for MouseFest.

 

[Maps05]

We were there Dec for the first 2 weeks. Pop Warner!!!! Worst nightmare. Not at the parks..they were great. But resorts...we stayed at POR, beautiful place. Never had breakfast, and dinner only twice. No room, noisy and dirty. And sleep!!! Forget it, every night till 2.00 in the morning and 4.00 one night. Ruined our holiday, so tired, went late to parks, early to bed so no shows or anything. Yes, we complained at night and at reception in the day. Nothing happened, just a lot of talk. I think it should be posted which resorts they will be staying at so other guests can book alternatives in confidence of a decent nights rest. Its not exactly cheap and we won't be able to afford another stay for quite a while.

 

[granmaz]

I'm surprised with all the complaints that Disney doesn't do something about it. I know they must bring in some revenue, but I am sure the resorts would be full anyway these days without the Pop Warner.
You should not have to suffer an experience like that.

 

[Mo-Yo]

We were in POR 11/31 -12/8. They came in the middle of the week, and it was definately noticable, especially at breakfast in the morning. We didn't do the food court too much, so it wasn't a big deal. We were up and out early, so we didn't have a problem in the a.m. We didn't have a problem on the busses either.

I would think the potential for problems was there...there seemed to be SOOO many bodies milling around the food court, but we didn't see anything obnoxious or inappropriate.

The parks were great that week.. no crowds and Christmas decorations.

 

[Maps05]

The parks were lovely, such a special time of year to go. We would like to go again with our daughters and their families but need to know PW not at same resort. We couldn't afford the luxury resorts but surely at least ONE moderate could be PW free!!

 

[BrerMan]

We were there Dec for the first 2 weeks. Pop Warner!!!! Worst nightmare. Not at the parks..they were great. But resorts...we stayed at POR, beautiful place. Never had breakfast, and dinner only twice. No room, noisy and dirty. And sleep!!! Forget it, every night till 2.00 in the morning and 4.00 one night. Ruined our holiday, so tired, went late to parks, early to bed so no shows or anything. Yes, we complained at night and at reception in the day. Nothing happened, just a lot of talk. I think it should be posted which resorts they will be staying at so other guests can book alternatives in confidence of a decent nights rest. Its not exactly cheap and we won't be able to afford another stay for quite a while.

Are you saying the second week of Dec. was just as bad? We where kind of thinking that after the weekend they'd be pretty much gone.

 

[kimbac3]

I would choose Nov 24th to arrive. We went this time last year and we are going again the same time this year. It was really nice. You could really tell the difference in crowd levels that following weekend. I believe that was the PW start date last year (Dec. 2 or 3rd) But all during the week it was so blissful..walk on to almost everything.
Kimba

 

[100AcreWood]

We were there the first week in December in 2005. We stayed at POR (one the Pop Warner resorts). Overall our experience was good. They were very well behaved kids. And most of them had a parent with them. Now, in the am we did hear them cheering outside. Hardly ever saw any of the pop warner kids in the parks.

However, I would still suggest going the week before or after. Not sure why, but the first week in December was so crowded! I usually go Feb/Sept/Oct and December was nuts in comparison.

Have fun!

 

[dizneycc]

I would try to avoid the weekend after Thanksgiving. Crowds might be heavier than in December.