NEVER again in early Dec!

[C.Ann]

There is no free dining right now. I wish there was, we leave Friday, but alas there is not!

Allyson

--------------------------------

Then that will be a GOOD thing.. Really.. If it lessens the crowds and cuts down on the time you have to wait for your food, you're all the better off for it..

 

[MomofCKJ]

True true! I do hope we have a better week than it sounds last week was!
Allyson

 

[scubamouse]

We were there from 11/30 to 12/9 and while it was much more crowded than last year we were able to do everything we wanted using TGM. We were at the rope drop every day and left mid/late afternoon. We saw lots of cheer/football players at MK on 12/8 but they weren't unpleasant. Just lots of them.

We booked for 8/25-9/2 next year with free dining. We're hoping that's a lower crowd time with more chance to do some pool time too.

 

[WedWay72]

My son is a CM and I plan Disney Trips....and give you this advice:

Do not go to the parks when they have late exit....as their attendance will increase by 20,000 quite often.

Try to stay at a Deluxe, if at all possible. The Pop Warner's and especially those obnoxious cheers will be with you at the moderates and especially the values. One year we walked the lagoon at C.Beach to the cheers of girls at 10 PM! Not very magical. What's with these chaperones, anyway?

Expect crowds the first week of December as you're competing with the kids. The 2nd week isn't so bad and another nice option is the week AFTER Thanksgiving, which proved excellent for us this year.

To avoid crowds, go in January. But: odds are temps in the upper 60's to mid-70's at best. Occasionally you'll hit the 80's.

Unfortunately the park's guests now reflect society's behavior.

Wedway72

 

[jenkh]

When are the cheerleaders/sports scheduled for next year?

The Pop Warner always happens about the first week of December. Their "official hotels" (they have to stay at these... although this doesn't stop family members from staying somewhere else, and the kids crashing there)

All Star Sports and All Star Music with spillover into All Star Movies They also can come over into Pop Century, but this is just for spillover. They also have Port Orleans Frech Quarter with spillover at Riverside.

So Coronado, CBR and deluxes are all fine. And during the first few weeks of december you can usually utilize codes to stay at at mod for almost the same price as a value if cost is a main concern. We got Coronado for only 200 more then a stay at Pop.

 

[Makua]

Honestly, I'm not trying to but it cracks me up that people who are in the parks on the same days at the same times have such varying stories! Some say they walked right on all the rides and some say they couldn't get near the rides!

 

[C.Ann]

My son is a CM and I plan Disney Trips....and give you this advice:

To avoid crowds, go in January. But: odds are temps in the upper 60's to mid-70's at best. Occasionally you'll hit the 80's.

Unfortunately the park's guests now reflect society's behavior.

Wedway72

---------------------------------------

I am heading down to Florida on Jaunary 16th - to spend the winter with my sister who lives a bit northwest of Orlando.. I was thinking of booking 5 days or so - beginning the day I arrive (the 16th) and having my sister meet me down there.. Any events going on that week?

I can deal with cooler temps - just not downright COLD - and windy.. LOL

 

[TigerKat]

Honestly, I'm not trying to but it cracks me up that people who are in the parks on the same days at the same times have such varying stories! Some say they walked right on all the rides and some say they couldn't get near the rides!

You should see my notepad where I have my tentative dates - GO - DON'T GO - GO - DON'T GO!!

 

[lovehoney]

We just came back last night and never had a problem with the Pop Warner players or the Cheerleaders

We went to MVMCP on Friday Dec. 1st and the crowd didn't seem to be as bad as last year when we went on a Sunday.

Highlight of our trip was a tour of Kennedy Space Center and the launch of Shuttle Discovery !

boohooo!! We tried to see the launch in September but after 9 days we couldn't stay any longer to wait. You are soooo lucky!

We were at CBR last Dec 6-13 during pop warner. no problems whatsoever. We saw a couple of chearleader groups in the parks but they were nice. The crowds were very low. i didn't see any pop warner kids at CBR.

 

[C.Ann]

Honestly, I'm not trying to but it cracks me up that people who are in the parks on the same days at the same times have such varying stories! Some say they walked right on all the rides and some say they couldn't get near the rides!

----------------------------

It all depends on what time you arrive - and what time you leave.. Some folks arrive at opening - stay till early afternoon - and then head back to their hotels.. Others arrive at noon - stay till closing - and then head back to their hotels..

Makes a big difference..

 

[G8RFAN]

We went for just 3 days/2nights Dec 8, 9, & 10. It started out a little scary, as I could not find a single room on site 3 weeks ago. Then a room opened up on the 9th at AS Sports two weeks prior, and 4 days before our trip, a room opened up on the 8th. I was "warned" by the CRO CM that Pop Warner was the reason why; however, that the crowds should be thinning out by Saturday. Since Fri night we did MVMCP, I saw very few Pop Warner kids there. Earlier that day, we did see a few but we did not experience any of the rowdyness as previous posters mentioned. Maybe it was the cold temps that day. The closest thing to "rowdy" was a group of cheerleaders singing Christmas carols on the tram ride in to MK. Sat was an AK day and once again, there were few Pop Warner kids around. Sat night was DTD and DQ, and we stayed till nearly midnight with absolutely no rowdy kids. (We even got to see the shuttle launch from PI) Sun at Epcot was great. TT was only a 30 min standby wait and FP's were still available at 2:30 for later that evening for Soarin. It sounds like it was a lot worse earlier in the week, so I probably would plan any Dec trips the last weekend of Pop Warner thru the following week if you don't like vacationing with Pop Warner events going on.

We took the car everywhere that weekend, so I have no idea what the bus transportation was like.

 

[Gerweniel]

We were at CBR last Dec 6-13 during pop warner. no problems whatsoever. We saw a couple of chearleader groups in the parks but they were nice. The crowds were very low. i didn't see any pop warner kids at CBR.

We were also at CBR last Dec 3-11 and had a terrific time. We "heard" rather than saw many of the cheerleaders. We found our early March 2004 trip had more Cheerleaders than December and they were all over the off site hotel we stayed at. Taking over the hot tub and being loud at night etc.

What I am curious about is the comment the OP made

"For instance, after we finished DTD, we planned on popping into AK for a bit. Simple...hop onto the AKL bus, then take a bus into the park from there. Easy! Well...it took TWO hours to get to AKL! Getting from the Contemporary to MGM only took 90 min".

I can't imagine it taking 2 hours go get to anywhere on the property! YIKES. We found the bus/monorails/boats excellent during our last trip. Sorry that you had such hassles.

 

[Olaf]

We just got back and found AK and MK to be very crowded. Epcot and MGM were much better. I've been during the first week of December before, and it was definitely more crowded this go around. I talked to several old-hand DVC members who agreed with me. We won't be going during the first week of December ever again.

We gave up on the bus system years ago, and have rented a car ever since. We did notice that traffic was much worse than previous early December trips. I think many people are just getting fed up with the buses and renting their own transport.

 

[maddhatir]

I havent read all of the posts here b/c I am pretty sure I can go back to LAST December POP Warner complaint thread and copy and paste all of the complaints onto this years thread!

I have been to Disney 2 times during POP- last year DH and I took our at the time 4yr old niece Dec 5/12th- we were in line for our bus to the ASMo and 2 of the cheerleaders started verbally fighting. Out came the *%$! and the you are a $%@#! in front of the whole line--

Of course it always drama with them so why would you expect anything less!
Look at ME I am a CHEERLEADER who cant act like a HUMAN being- I like to cheer and get on everyones nerves!! and the Chaparones are just as bad--- blah blah

Anywho-- lesson learned- for our trip this year- I was sure to check the WW of Sports calander to see when the little monsters were going to be there- just so that I can avoid them!

We chose Nov 27th To Dec2- I figure I can get out of town just in time!

The beginning of the week was nice and quiet- but maybe Thursday and Friday I noticed the hotel (POP Century) started getting a bit more crowded- not saying they were for PW- but it was a bit more crowded) Wait times at the park were .....ok......between a 5 to 20 minute wait- it is all according to what you want to ride-- DH walked right on ToT one day and it wasnt even morning!

So I would suggest the day after Thanksgiving up until the little terrors- er eh- cheerleaders and football players arrive-

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER- CHECK THE WW OF SPORTS SITE TO SEE WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO BE THERE ANYTIME DURING THE YEAR! It will save a lot of wondering!

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

I was planning on going ealy Dec 07 but now I dobut it. I can't afford to stay at a deluxe resort and I can't spend all this money to have my trip ruined by a bunch of BRATS! There I said it! Disney doesn't care becasue it is a lot of money. Pop warner isn't going to care either. We are screwed. I don't know when to go now? I was also thinking late Sept if free dining is offered but I am worried about hurricanes.

 

[maddhatir]

I was planning on going ealy Dec 07 but now I dobut it. I can't afford to stay at a deluxe resort and I can't spend all this money to have my trip ruined by a bunch of BRATS! There I said it! Disney doesn't care becasue it is a lot of money. Pop warner isn't going to care either. We are screwed. I don't know when to go now? I was also thinking late Sept if free dining is offered but I am worried about hurricanes.

Just put it this way-- a hurricane lasts MAYBE a day or 2-- and I have heard its not too bad being stuck in Disney during one- and- you do have a chance that there wont be one.....but the cheerleadrers on the other hand........

mmmmmm- I would take a chance with mother nature!

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

----------------------------

It all depends on what time you arrive - and what time you leave.. Some folks arrive at opening - stay till early afternoon - and then head back to their hotels.. Others arrive at noon - stay till closing - and then head back to their hotels..

Makes a big difference..

and who they are traveling with too! some are commandos and run from ride to ride, some go with a rhythm to the park layout, some are travelling with kids, some without , some with younger kids (like me) some with older kids, its all affected.

but i can say that Sunday Dec 3 was PACKED at the MK (even CM's were saying how busy it was) and Wed Dec 6 was PACKED at AK (even CM's were saying how busy IT was!) Tuesday Dec 5 wasn't too bad at MGM, not packed, not slow, Epcot same on Monday Dec 4th. We seemed to be at the park that the Cheerleaders were at for the day with their families. The worst for that tho was AK on the Wed. Every few minutes there was a CM sayingn/yelling "yea cheerleaders" or something of the like.

 

[Olaf]

Sunday, Dec 3, AK was a "zoo" as well. At 10:00 am, Everest was issuing fast passes for 3:00 pm.

 

[jerry557]

From what I have been told, the week before Christmas week is best time to go in the month of December. The worst time to go is the first week and the last week of December.

The best time of year where it is least crowded is anytime in September.

 

[k5thbeatle]

...AND ALWAYS REMEMBER- CHECK THE WW OF SPORTS SITE TO SEE WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO BE THERE ANYTIME DURING THE YEAR! It will save a lot of wondering!

Can you please be a little more specific on where to look this up or give a link? Thanks