Is the Orlando Airport mobbed on Pop Warner arrival day?

[crazy4wdw]

The last time I went to WDW in December, about five years ago, I arrived on the day when all of the Pop Warner cheerleaders and football players were arriving for the sporting event. The line for Magical Express was halfway through the airport and the wait to get on a bus was over an hour.

I just made a ressie for 12/2014 and my arrival day is Saturday, 12/6, which is most likely the start of Pop Warner.

Anyone had any recent experiences?

 

[boBQuincy]

We arrived 12/7 this year (around 1:00 pm) and you wouldn't know there was any special event at all. There were maybe 2 people ahead of us to scan their MagicBands and we were in the line for the bus in less than a minute.

Several years ago we saw a long line at the service desk but the actual line to get to ME was still not much. Ymmv...

 

[njmom47]

Not everyone competes every day all week. Different levels compete on different days, so everyone probably won't fly down on the same day. That's not to say people won't fly down on Saturday (as you experienced). My dd was a Midget (older) and didn't compete till Fri but we went down on Monday for extra time in the park and to have a couple of days with the team (I believe you had to be there by Wed).
This is the 2013 schedule so you can see that there is a different level competing every day. HTH!

http://www.popwarnersb.com/13superbowl/schedule.asp

 

[goofy4tink]

A few years ago, my friend and I arrived into MCO on a Saturday. It was the first official day of PW stuff. That place was a mob scene. My friend got into the DME line (back when you had to go to the counter), which was back past the car rental counters! I found a nice pole and plopped down against it, to wait. I was really surprised when she came out about 20 mins later...we were on a bus and on our way within about 10 mins! Totally surprised.
It does seem that the majority of people attending PW arrive that day. Yes, they compete on different days, but most compete early in the week and those that are eliminated can then do what they want. I found that there were a ton more people around after Saturday afternoon this year. I just got back on Monday, and was very happy to be leaving so soon after the start of PW's week.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Thanks for everyone's responses. The last time I flew to WDW in December, you had to check in at the ME desk before boarding the bus. Hopefully now that you can bypass the desk, I will not have the same experience.

 

[dsneygirl]

We arrived 12/7 this year (around 1:00 pm) and you wouldn't know there was any special event at all. There were maybe 2 people ahead of us to scan their MagicBands and we were in the line for the bus in less than a minute.

Several years ago we saw a long line at the service desk but the actual line to get to ME was still not much. Ymmv...

We arrived the same day. Half our bus was cheerleaders (dropped of at CBR) but the line was not any longer/busier than I have experienced before. And I got to overhear "there are cheerbows in that bag it CANNOT go underneath the bus" which made me laugh.

 

[goofy4tink]

We arrived the same day. Half our bus was cheerleaders (dropped of at CBR) but the line was not any longer/busier than I have experienced before. And I got to overhear "there are cheerbows in that bag it CANNOT go underneath the bus" which made me laugh.

I have horrific flashbacks when I see those large, oversized hair vows now! So many Dec trips to WDW during PW time has left it's mark!!! I hate those bows.

 

[dsneygirl]

I have horrific flashbacks when I see those large, oversized hair vows now! So many Dec trips to WDW during PW time has left it's mark!!! I hate those bows.

I only have boys so gigantic boys are very foreign to me, lol.