Pop Warner People? I'm a little afraid it might ruin....

[pkitty]

I there another Cheer competion in Februray because I've stayed at the All stars and there always seems to be something like that going on? We've generally found that if you've got a group of teens together it's like gasoline waiting to have a match thrown on it to begin with! Now add lack of supervision, sugary liquids and Disney euphoria and voila!....a raging tire fire! I generally don't mind teens....I work in retail and the vast majority of my employees are teens so I have a high threshold of tolerance for their additudes, it's the parents I can't handle. Let's put it this way the apple doesn't fall far from the tree so to speak. My dd is a competitive equestrian rider and is not "in your face" about it. She recognizes that riding is a privilege and a very indiviual accomplishment but when she's at a competition she's not zooming around on her horse trying to draw attention to herself because that would be deemed inappropriate by fellow riders not to mention dangerous,annoying and irresponsible. I like cheerleaders and admire their energy and enthusiasm but there is a time and a place for everything. WDW is probably as good a place as any, maybe the bus isn't, or the resturant where other people are trying to enjoy there meal or in line where your in close quarters and impatient to begin with. If POP Warner insists on having their cheer competitions at WDW maybe they need to explain to the participants that there additudes and actions are a direct reflection on the entire competition itself. Obviously this is not happen from the number of negetive posts I've just read. This may be a good place to start...just a thought!

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

We were at All Star Music Dec 10 to 19th in 2003 and at All Star Sports this year from Dec 5 to 10th. The Pop Warner groups were there and while because of the sheer numbers the pool was full (and loud!) as was the food court we encountered very few problems. Maybe I would have felt differently if we had used the pool (we don't). We did give up a couple of times at the food court because there was quite a bit of "saving" a place for people. You would be in a 4 person line and suddenly there would be a couple of people joining the ones standing there. Once we started 4 people back and when we left the line there were 9 people ahead of us!
We never heard a sound during the evenings though - I am a fairly light sleeper and was worried about this but for the most part the evenings were peaceful for us.

I guess I saw some behavior issues - but I have witnessed those everytime we have been at WDW over the past 20 years
The busses were more crowded, as were the pools and food court but in general we didn't think our trip was made worse by the presence of this group. I don't know anyone involved in it but the people I talked to were friendly and kind.

I would go again during the Pop Warner week if that was what worked into my schedule best. I wouldn't plan my trip around them.

 

[musicmom3]

I was at ASMu during Pop Warner Week and I got bumped, side-swiped, and rammed, in three separate incidents, by strollers. I think we need a thread about stroller people!

 

[dolphindan1]

thats been discussed many times too....that is defiantely an issue...some people think thet have right away just because they are pushing a child....Now I am always on the look out for children trying not to run over them as you never know what that child 3 people ahead of you is gonna do....she may stop, weave, fall, but some not all people with strollers are like people in the left lane on I-95....CRAZY....the bad thing is these people are not there for one week its every week....so you cannot plan to avoid them....LOL

 

[scrump]

We were there 12/3/03 -12/10/03. We didn't notice the PW presence in the parks, but we sure did notice them at the hotel (Sports). While we didn't have terrible experiences, we will try and avoid this period if at all possible.

 

[jaysmom4285]

We were at WDW 12/5-11 during Pop Warner. We stayed at CBR so we didn't encounter them at the resort, and we didn't happen to be in any parks when large swarms of them were there. I know that others had vastly different experiences, but, as they say, your mileage will vary. I think if you stay at a resort where they are not, their impact on your vacation will be minimal. I think I heard it said that you can obtain a schedule of their activities for the week, so that you could be fairly certain when they're tied up with practices and competitions and when they might be out and about. Personally, I wouldn't change my plans, except to be sure that I was staying at a different resort from the Pop Warner folks.

 

[cobbler]

I was right in the thick of it during PW week and at All Star Sports to boot. Well lets just say I am glad I wasn't staying in a bldg anywhere near them or I may have been a lot more angry.

Didn't see them during the day (of course we left on the 7th so . . . ) but they were def in the resorts at night. They were noisy but being kids and at the pool they were the same. Nothing totally horrific stands out in my mind. I would try to avoid staying where they are staying because the CM's just seemed more grumpy, almost tired of putting up with them, which I don't blame them for. The CM's weren't grumpy to anyone, you could just tell they were more annoyed. Plus it was just soooo busy that it took forever to get any food at the food court.

I guess the thing that bothered me most was the parents or "chaperones" (and I use the term loosely) or at least the ones I encountered. They were more concerned with "getting their drink on" and not being a responsible adult.

 

[WDWorBUST]

Okay - yes I will say that there are crazy people that think having a stroller gives them the right of way. And I was very irritated by them. However now that I am pushing a stroller I am amazed at the number of people who will cut you off.....I mean look and see you and the stroller and still walk right in front of you. There were a couple I wanted to intentionally ram. In fact there was one woman at Epcot waiting on the monorail. We were at the end of the ramp going up and there was a lady standing beside the stroller. She had put herself there. She turned to move and bumped the stroller - just a bump no big deal - then had the audacity to roll her eyes, huff and walk off. It's a good thing too - because momma instinct jumped up about 10 notches and I was about ready to knock her block off at that point. Sorry....to have gone off on something else - this was Pop Warner week too - although I would NEVER EVER go that week and stay at a value - and it's unlikely I'd stay at a moderate - I might stay at a deluxed. My plan of action is to go the week before - and if you have the flexibility I don't think you will regret moving it - but you might regret NOT moving it.

 

[Texan]

Okay guys, let me add my two cents. When we went on our first trip to WDW in Feb 03, there were a LARGE number of cheerleaders at AS Sports, and I don't mind teenagers, I have one of my own, but to be kept up all night long due to their running, loudness, screaming, cheering, way into the morning (I'm talking 2:00 or 3:00 a.m.) is when it bothers me. Thank goodness it only lasted 2 days. And my question is, where are the chaperones? My son is in band, has been on trips before for competitions, and the chaperones are right there in the hotels with them and we even tape their doors. They have consequences of being kicked out of band for the rest of the year if ANY rules are broken. And the Pop Warner cheerleaders were left out all night to roam? And yes, the food courts were very crowded due to the Pop. The only time we can go on vacation is during Feb, so we will deal with it accordingly, but this time we are staying at a Moderate so I hope it is better, but if not, that's okay, we are in WDW!!!!