Help...All Star Movies on Wednesday

[musicmom3]

This is somebody's idea of revenge--I am the sort of person who will go out of her way to avoid groups of kids, including cheerleaders, while planning my WDW trips, and now my daugher is one of those cheerleaders! We will be at All Star Movies on Wednesday. I am trying to be enthusiastic about this...but I have heard such mixed reviews about this resort--cramped rooms and noise and out-of-control kids up all night and long check-in lines and a mobbed food court and needing ear plugs to get to sleep.... I can't even make any room requests since I am on the Pop Warner Cheerleader Package and we will go in whatever building that the team is assigned to...which we won't know until we arrive on Wednesday. Maybe it's the snow and the stress of everything happening too fast, but I find myself not even wanting to go at this point.... This is scary, because I am a dyed-in-the-wool Disney-er, and I would hate for the creeping negativity to ruin my trip! Maybe it is because I typically am a very quiet person and have never really bonded with the large icons that I am feeling negative.... or maybe it is because I am such a Planner that I feel out of control on this package arrangement. I AM looking forward to the one night at the Contemporary that I booked at the end of the trip to celebrate with my daughters the fact that my little one made Nationals. I hate to focus on the one night, though, at the expense of the other five!

Has anybody ever felt like this before...a little bit negative about going to the most magical place on earth?

Also, can anybody tell me something good about All Star Movies? Are there any building-specific tips I shoudl know? Help!!! This is not like me at all!!!!!

 

[sue1013]

Can't tell you anything good about All Stars because I don't like them. But I think you cannot think of this trip as a usual WDW vacation this is something you are doing for your daughter. Think of it this way its the same as if the competition were in any number of cities in the US. You would not have the knowledge you have of WDW and would just have to go with whatever arrangements have been made for the team. While I would not stay at All Stars for my vacation if when my son played Pop Warner football and had made it to WDW I would be so thrilled to share in his excitement I wouldn't care where I stayed.

 

[CamColt]

Ive never felt that way before a trip, but I have stayed at ASMO 3x and love it! We have even had 3 adults & 2 kids in a room(1 was under 3, so it was legal), and had no problem with space. No, it wasnt as big as the deluxes, and we didnt have a ton of extra space, but we werent cramped at all either.
We have also never had any excess noise in our room, but we have always been on the back side of the building. I dont know if that has anything to do with it, but if you can "suggest" that, it may help.
As for the huge icons...think DISNEY!!!! YOu cant get more Disney than the theming at ASMO. From the borders in the rooms, to the bedspread, you get Disney.
All Stars definitely arent for everyone, but we really enjoy them.
Good luck and be sure to let us know how it goes.

 

[claudia]

I have stayed a couple of times at the All Star Movies and have loved it. When I travel with only my youngest son this is the place that he likes to stay. Yes, the rooms are on the small side, but the beds are very comfortable and the rooms were very neat and clean. I don't recall hearing any noise that was disturbing to us, and we had a room on the bottom floor, next to the main pool on both trips. There were many families, lots of little kids, but when we closed the door the room was nice and quiet. When we travel with any of the older kids and my husband we will usually stay at either the Beach Club, Boardwalk or GF....and to be honest, I enjoy staying at the All Stars just as much!!! It's Disney no matter where you stay.....go and have a fantastic time.

 

[chewooki]

MusicMom3-
My best advice...RELAX. I have been staying at the Movies for the last 4 years, when the cheerleaders are there. (no affiliation with them at all). Here is my advice (and I don't have children - but I do love them)

1. RELAX - as much as you think this is your trip...its not. (Sorry) Your schedule will be filled with activities for your girls with some free time mixed in. (I was in the laundry room with alot of parents!) As busy as they said they were...they all had a blast. They said it was hectic and they knew if they won, there would be more money to raise and trips to take.....but in the end, it was an experiance they wouldn't trade for the world.

2. Your girls are going to have a blast!!!! Besides, its cute to see them all running around with those funky curler things in their hair.

3. Yes, the food court gets mobbed. BUT.....it is Disney and they do what they can...it's not so much the lines, but lack of seating. If it is a nice day....sit outside by the pool.

4. I LOVE the movies.....the room size if fine, just realize its not a suite and you won't be spending much time there anyway. We fit 3 adults, all their stuff, a cot and a wheelchair and it really wasn't that bad. If I had my choice, I would rather stay at All-Stars than the Contemporary. (but thats me) I also never noticed the noise, kids are kids - eventually - they have to sleep!

5. As for the feeling of dread....you will get over it. I was having sorta the same feeling for the last couple of weeks. My mom and I go every December and we ALWAYS stay at Movies in the Buzz Lightyear building. (so she can see buzz when she gets up in the AM) This year, she booked POP Century....I have to say, I was a little disappointed at first. (don't get me wrong, I love to do and see new things....but I am also a sucker for nostalgia and NOT staying at Movies, was like breaking tradition!) Last week, I started getting the scoop on the Pop Century and now, thanks to Tyler - I am SSOOOOOO excited about staying there, I can't wait to go!

6. Yes, there may be a line at check in....from what I could see there are certain times of the day that there seems to be busier check in than others. Maybe this has to do with flight schedules and bus schedule. I can honestly say that I have never waited more than 10-15 minutes to get checked in.

7. As for feeling out of control.....I would say...for this trip. Get used to it because from what I understand....your schedule will change depending on how your kids do. You are not going to be able to plan anything and it all will revolve around your girls. (This would drive me NUTS also!!!)

8. Keep smiling....You are going to live an experiance that I will never have the chance to have. YOU are the lucky one!

 

[*Fantasia*]

...It's all good!! Once you get to Disney...the negative thoughts will disapear... You will have a magical trip!

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by chewooki

6. Yes, there may be a line at check in....from what I could see there are certain times of the day that there seems to be busier check in than others. Maybe this has to do with flight schedules and bus schedule. I can honestly say that I have never waited more than 10-15 minutes to get checked in.

This is true, and I would guess it could be true anywhere. Once we walked right in and up to the counter, once we had a minimal wait, maybe 5 minutes, and once we had an hour wait. But, the reason was because we arrived just after 2 big tour buses. Had we been 5 minutes earlier we would have beat them and probably only had a few minute wait again. We definitely couldnt blame the wait on the All Stars, since the counter was full with CMS all working hard. It was just our bad timing. It could have happened anywhere(and would have, LOL!).

 

[musicmom3]

What wise advice! It's NOT my trip, it is for my kids. I really, really, REALLY needed to hear that. I think I was off balance because I kept swinging between being the Captain of the trip (as I usually am), and being the Passenger, which is a new experience for me. And you are so right, Chewooki, I am the lucky one this time around. How could I have forgotten that?

It helps a lot to hear that people love ASMo. Can you tell I am cheering up? Can you tell I am beginning to look forward to Wednesday? Suddenly the sun is brighter...thanks to all of you!!!!!!! I'll let everybody know how things turned out when I return!