Pop Warner Week - NEVER AGAIN. Anyone Feel The Same???

[KevinM]

We went to WDW in December '03 during the Pop Warner Football Competitions. We stayed at POR along with some of the participants. Although the food court was crowded some mornings, we generally did not have a problem with large groups of roming teenagers. We decided to book the same time this year because crowds were low, etc..

This year was a completely different story. I don't know if it was just a case of my family being in the wrong place at the wrong time over and over again, but those cheerleaders were AWFUL. Again, I cannot speak for all of the competitors; just the ones I encountered (and that was a lot).

Some kids at that age tend to be annoying anyway, but my God, I have never experienced a more obnoxious group of people. It was bad enough that they would stop in the middle of a walkway and break into a cheer, but they were very ill-behaved in line, and especially on busses. Apparently they all have hearing problems because they have to SCREAM to each other even though they are sitting 3 feet apart. I saw one poor couple get on the bus with a small child who was sound asleep. A group of those girls in the back literally SCREAMED thier conversations..." IT'S LIKE, I TOLD HIM, LIKE, I'M ON LIKE, A DIET BECAUSE I'M LIKE, IN A LIKE, BIG COMPETITION IN LIKE FLORIDA..." Well, the poor little thing was awake crying within 20 seconds.

THANK GOD we stayed at the Dolphin this year. I couldn't imagine having to stay in the same resort with that lot.

The football players were generally well behaved, but they seemed to have more supervision.

It didn't ruin my vacation, not by a longshot. But I will not be returning that week in the future. Probably the week before or after.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

 

[n2mm]

No, you're not alone.

 

[cindym]

I am considering taking my 74 year old mother down next year to see the decorations. What week are the cheerleading and football competitions? We will be staying in either the BWI or the Poly so the noise at the hotel will not bother us. We are veteran of WDW but usually come during the summer. Thanks!

 

[DebbieB]

It's usually the first full week of December.

I was there that week the past 3 or 4 years, including Dec 4 to 10 this year. Although they did get on my nerves a little, I wouldn't change my plans because of it. We sayed at Boardwalk, so the resort was not an issue. I only remember seeing a couple groups of football players in the parks, it was more the cheerleaders.

I was on ToT in the middle row, there was a group of 5 cheerleaders behind me. One girl started screaming at the top of her lungs as soon as the doors closed. She kept screaming "what's happening". One of her friends even said "nothing's happening yet" (I think she was getting on her nerves too!). When the car went across the floor, she went hysterical. I can understand being scared but I think she was being intentionally overdramatic.

We went to Plant Hollywood on Wednesday night. They were there in big groups, both players & cheerleaders. When we came out, there was a group of about 10 girls at the bottom of the stairs and "Hey Mickey" was playing over the PA. Well they were screaming the songs at the top of their lungs.

One group was doing a group cheer while they were riding one of the bikes on the boardwalk.

Next year we're going a week earlier because our AP's expire 12/4. So maybe we will miss them next year.

 

[Happy2BGrumpy]

We were there 12/5 - 12/10 and to be honest, didn't notice them at all! It was moderately crowded, but nothing stuck out relating to the players or cheerleaders. Yes there were small groups that appeared to be with the competition, but they blended in, were well behaved, etc. You have to get used to the fact that there will always be something going on at WDW that will
seem disruptive or overbearing, but that is the trend. And a moneymaker for
Disney as well. JMO

 

[Calcio]

My wife and I had the pleasure of sharing our December 12 flight back to Boston with a group of cheerleaders and their moms. The cheerleaders were your typical bores (lots of yelling and bouncing around, but thankfully only one brief cheer), but the Mom's were completely over the top. Mom "A" screaming the entire time, and while simultaneously trying to place her carry on in the overhead and balance her drink, well the bag came down a bit, and the drink came down on an entire row of seats. Her reaction ? Hoot, yuk, "I need a smoke," etc.

Mom "B" takes the cake. She berates the flight attendant, because she "has" to sit by her daughter. This goes back and forth, the FA trying to be patient, the Mom getting nastier and nastier. As we listen to this, we discover the facts:

1. The person sitting next to daughter is a member of the same traveling party.
2. The person sitting next to daughter is another cheerleader.
3. The person sitting next to daughter refuses to move.
4. The person sitting next to daughter has in her possession a ticket and boarding pass for the seat next to daughter.

Amazingly it took the FA a few tries to point out to Mom that everyone on the plane was going to arrive at the same destination at the same time. Unless, of course, Mom fails to sit down, in which case either none of us take off for Boston, or Orlando Police come on board and escort mom to Orlando jail. My wife and I were pulling hard for the jail alternative.

A big thank you to the cheerleaders and cheer moms from Medford, Mass. Remember every time a group travels in public they are representatives of their town, school, whatever. This group made everyone in Medford look like morons. Congratulations.

 

[KevinM]

My APs expire on Dec. 6th so I'll miss them next year.

I would never tell anyone to change their plans because of Pop Warner, just wanted to warn those who, like me, did not expect the girls to be in the parks as much as they were. As I said in my post, I was there in Dec. 03 and they were fine. I just couldn't seem to avoid them this year.

If you have not made plans yet, just be advised of that particular week, that's all. Just as you would be made aware of any other large event (Jersey Week, Gay Day, Spring Break, etc..) that could affect attendance or the quality of your stay.

 

[jaysmom4285]

I had the same experience as Happy2BGrumpy - saw a few groups of cheerleaders in the parks on occasion, but nothing exceptional. We made it a point, however, to stay at CBR, where they were not staying, and it was very quiet there . I have always heard that the resorts where they are staying can be very noisy. I think that, as long as you stay at a different resort, you won't really notice them.

 

[picantel]

been there done that. on the maelstorm we had a bunch behind us in our boat and they screamed just to scream. by the end of the ride I wanted to throw them overboard.

 

[disneymania]

Yep, totally agree. We were there in Dec 2002 & the Pop Warner kids were supervised very well. Cheerleaders were another story. We were at POR with them & they were so rude in food lines, etc that I looked at days they were going to be there before I booked our next trip. Never again!!!

 

[tpdaniels]

We were also there 12/4 - 12/11, this being the third time during Pop Warner, 01, 03, 04 and I agree with Kevinm about the Cheerleaders this year. The last two times we didn’t really notice them very much, but this year was totally different. We always stay at the Poly and don't have the problem there, just at the parks.

 

[Muushka]

Last Friday we were taking the boat from Dixie (POR) to Downtown Disney. The boat was empty when we got on it. Then the captain said to us:
"I apologoze in advance for what is going to take place". Then on came about 25 bouncing cheerleaders and their screeming moms/coaches. Not sure which was worse. Lucky for us they were all gone by the next day.

 

[Luigi's Girl]

WOW! This thread reminds me of all the Jersey bashing that went on after Jersey Week! Some people have said it really wasn't a problem for them but boy some other posts are a little rough. Unlike Jersey Week I was not there during "Pop Warner Week" so I can't comment on my experience there, but I do have a teenage daughter who was a PW Cheerleader and now cheers for her Middle School so I have an idea what it's like to be around them. I'm sure they could have been at little "loud"(after all most cheerleaders are) at times and to some who don't have teenage girls maybe that might be seen as obnoxious behavoir, but remember where these kids were! They were not in school or in church they were at Disney World! Imagine yourselves being a young girl or boy on a trip with a large group of friends and how you might have acted at that age in their position. I'm not saying that gives them the right to purposely be rude or intentionally try to ruin other people's vacations but I'd bet that wasn't what they were doing. I'm sure they were just very excited children on a trip of a lifetime and didn't realize they might be disruptive to some people.
I don't mean to flame anybody but some posts were a little rough and some people need to lighten up. Remember these kids are usually 14 years old and younger. Again OP I don't mean to be rude to you but if your young one wants to cheer someday you might not want to let her or you'll be around alot of noise for many weekends through many football seasons. And yes , I know that at football games and cheering competitions that's where noise belongs but you can't expect to put a bunch of YOUNG CHEERLEADERS in DISNEY WORLD and expect them to be quiet! So in closing, I think it's fine to report on your experinces during "Pop Warner Week" however, I think you were a little rough on the girls.

 

[ilovedale3]

Never, ever, ever again will I stay at value or moderate resort during Pop Warner week.

My DH and I went this year 12/4 through 12/11. We knew that Pop Warner was going on that week, but had read so many assurances here on the boards that most of the kids stay at the All-Stars with the overflow going to POR, that we were not super concerned with it. We had heard that Pop Century was not "set up to accomodate large groups" like these kids, so we though our resort choice was safe. WRONG! We walked into the POP lobby to check in and it was like walking into a nightmare. HUGE groups of jumping, screaming, cheering, annoying girls (and their mothers) were packing the lobby, the gift shop, the food court, EVERYWHERE! Needless to say, we were not pleased at all. We even asked the CM who checked us into our room what had happened (with most of them staying at the All-Stars and POR). She told us that she wasn't sure, that the resort had never accepted big groups like this one, etc.

We then went to our assigned room... directly across from the bowling pin pool in the 50's section. The pool is open until midnight every night and the kids and parents took full advantage. We saw numerous parents just sitting around the pool with personal coolers (adult beverages maybe?) while the kids went haywire while other unsuspecting non-Pop Warner guests were trying to sleep.

The cheerleaders that we encountered were all incredibly rude, loud, and obnoxious and most of the parents were just as bad. I saw numerous parents behave rudely toward CM's (in the gift shop and food court... for example, I heard one mother ask the CM in front of her children "How long does it take to cook an f#@*ing pizza?) at the resort, using foul language, etc. And we wonder why the kids are obnoxious?

I know that not all of the cheerleaders and parents that are at WDW during Pop Warner week are awful (so please no flames!), but the ones we encountered were terrible. While the Pop Warner folks did not add much to the crowds at the parks, they certainly detracted from our enjoyment of our vacation. I told my husband that if I see another 12 year old cheerleader any time soon, I will scream!

If I were to go to WDW during Pop Warner Week again, I would save up to stay at a deluxe resort. We ate at the Whispering Canyon Cafe and at Boma during our stay and hardly any of the CMs or guests staying there even knew that Pop warner was going on.

 

[John Dobbertin]

WDW seems to not care what these obnoxious groups do to ruin WDW for families. Cheerleaders in December are absolutely nothing compared to cheerleaders in January. We were -- dumb us -- at AS twice with 7,000 cheerleaders (they bunk 4+ to-a-room). This goes on for most of January -- dancers & cheerleaders. Chaperones run away & hide. We were at Pop in early December. Pop allegedly was "not built to handle groups." I've posted before on this (Dec 6) and the groups were at Pop already this year. IOP they will take over Pop in January. If you are watching the budget, still stay at the values in January but (1) DO NOT eat there -- food courts will be bedlam; (2) Go to the parks early & DO NOT return mid-day because you will not be able to get a bus back out later (we have experienced total pm bus service collapse when these groups are at values); (3) Do not plan to buy anything in the mercantiles at the values in the pm's -- you will wait half-an-hour to pay a cashier.

 

[DebbieB]

Looks like there will be twirler and cheer events in February and March:

http://dwws.disney.go.com/wideworld...roupingindex?id=SPOROtherHomePageSporEvGrping

 

[kimbac3]

I'm planning on going the first full week of December next year and now I'm a little worried. My 12yr old DD - who will be 13 by then will die if she has to encounter too many "super duper happy cheerleaders". We are staying off site so I guess it's just the parks we have to worry about.

Kimba

 

[jultomzach]

I encountered a group at Universal on Saturday. "Imagine what you would have done when you were there age.." There is NO WAY, I would have been that inconsiderate. These girls were all about "look at me, look at me and look at me". It was not about sheer happiness, it was selfish, rude and inconsiderate of others. When asked to be quiet (as they were ruining the ride for everybody else), they got louder. I work part time in a middle school, and most kids are not that inconsiderate (and I know that not all cheerleaders are obnoxious). This group needed to be booted out of the park. They enjoyed all the attention and we avoided them as much as possible.

 

[John Dobbertin]

Looks like there will be twirler and cheer events in February and March:

http://dwws.disney.go.com/wideworld...roupingindex?id=SPOROtherHomePageSporEvGrping

Thanks for the website with the sports schedule. This is terrific news -- cheer&dance move to late Feb early March!! Hooray!! This is already a busier time at WDW & there will be more familes around to combat these nasties.

 

[WaltD4Me]

but you can't expect to put a bunch of YOUNG CHEERLEADERS in DISNEY WORLD and expect them to be quiet!

I was at POFQ during Pop Warner last week and I can honestly say I didn't expect them to be quiet...teenagers will be teenagers....but there is a BIG difference between "having fun with your friends" kind of noise and the screaming, yelling and loud cheers. I agree with others who say they will never again go during Pop Warner. We loved going in early December, but I will be sure to check Pop Warner's dates before booking early December again. If that is harsh, well, so be it. Going to Disney is a trip of a lifetime for alot of people, not just cheerleaders and I would much rather my trip not be with large groups of incredibly loud and obnoxious cheerleaders. (I didn't notice the football players at all.)

I'm SURE there were some very polite and considerate groups at Pop Warner, but many we saw didn't fall into this category. Of COURSE it's exciting for the kid's....but it was exciting for me too...I planned our trip for almost a year, but I wasn't screaming my head off in every ride I went on and we made sure our kid's were considerate to other guests.


Lisa