Pop Warner Week...

[k10vodka]

my friend had a horrible experience last year with pop warmer at POP resort. Her, her husband, their 4 kids (8,6,3 and 6 months) and her cousin, her husband and thier 2 girls were all there and they said it was horrible. the pools were insane and she had her 6 month old in the pool and these boys from pop warner jumped in and started throwing a football right over their heads and she started flipping out and the parents there said nothing to them. the lifeguard had to get them out of the pool because they were endangering the other little kids that were in it. they had an inncodent in HS in line for RnRC and the pop warner kids were jumping the wall and cutting everyone in line, both boys and girls. Someone in front of her and her family said something to the kids and the kids went after them and got in their face cursing and screaming and threatening them, she then told them to knock it off since she had 5 kids on line with her by herself and told them they shouldnt be speaking that way and they girls went after her. the Orlando Police were called in and they talked to them and NOTHING was done. My friend and her family got an appology from the police and disney security but the kids were told that they can stay in the parks and nothing happened. she said there were no parents there either with them. she ended up taking her family and leaving the park for the day because her kids were scared to be in the park with those kids. she ended up writing a letter and complaining to disney and talked to someone on the phone about the inncodent and ended up getting a bunch of free park tickets to 'make up for it' but she said that she would never go back again during pop warner week.

we all know that not all of them are bad and she said she knew that there were inner city kids from a bad neighborhood and probobly didnt know how to act towards people properly. it is hard to not judge all of them when you have something like that happen to you. i am sure 90% of them are fine and well behaved for the most part but there is that other percentage of them that act like animals that escaped from the zoo...those were the ones that she had to encounter and deal with.

i hope no one has to experience what she did next week!

 

[dqpowell]

We were at Disney during Pop Warner week last year, and didn't have any problems with the groups at all. The paranoia and rumors about them are just ridiculous here.

We saw a group of football players in Animal Kingdom one day, and they behaved just fine. We saw a small group at the Garden Grill a couple days later, and again -- no behavior problems.

On the other hand, much of the bad behavior described by others earlier in this thread is not due to the Pop Warner kids... it's due to Florida school field trip outings and the like. Whomever was talking about the group from this past weekend? No way it was a Pop Warner group... they can't even book Pop Warner packages (due to Disney contract restrictions with the Pop Warner organization) outside of the pre-defined Pop Warner week.

David

 

[Minniemouse07]

I find this very odd because the Pop Warner teams were only at the All Star and Port Orleans resorts last year.

In fact I don't think they have ever stayed at Pop Century.

I stayed at POR w/ all the cheerleaders ALL week (we were there Saturday to Sunday...they were there Saturday to Saturday) and all we saw were groups of girls dressed a like. I didn't hear a cheer all week...and I know they had to be practicing somewhere!

We took dd to the pool three different times and although it was busy, it wasn't crazy at all.

The food court was busy some mornings, but we always found a seat.

I spoke to a number of families on the buses going back and forth to the parks but they were all really nice and VERY proud of their daughters. Apparently it is a HUGE deal (at least for the cheerleaders) for them to be good enough to attend the championships at WDW.

All I saw the week we were there last December were well behaved middle school children and their proud families.

.... I should add I saw very small groups in the parks every now and then but it was rare. The kids are competing during the day so they are generally only in the parks in the evenings and the one night that WDW closes down DHS for the private Pop Warner "party."

 

[dqpowell]

my friend had a horrible experience last year with pop warmer at POP resort.

As somebody else already pointed out, the Pop Warner kids were not at Pop Century last year (or any other year that I am aware of). I was at Pop Century last year during Pop Warner week and never saw a single Pop Warner kid there.

David

 

[k10vodka]

im sorry they werent at pop, they were at all stars last year...i wasn typing POP cause of pop warner...LOL...sorry for the confussion there

 

[k10vodka]

i think they were staying at the all stars movie to be exact...they said they had no problems in any of the other parks the whole 10 days they were there (they were even stuck there because of a nasty snow storm we had here and all the flights were cancelled and the airline couldnt get them on a plane until 3 days later) they said the girls were fine at the resort but it was the boys that were very rough and they didnt seem to see them in any other park but DHS

 

[bytheblood]

I find this very odd because the Pop Warner teams were only at the All Star and Port Orleans resorts last year.

In fact I don't think they have ever stayed at Pop Century.

Sorry, but that is not correct. Their contract with Disney for special rates is at the AllStars and POR. Pop and POFQ are used as run-over resorts when the others are at capacity.

The parents can book at any resort on Disney property they wish (and they do), it is just that the ones named are contractual for rates.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Sorry, but that is not correct. Their contract with Disney for special rates is at the AllStars and POR. Pop and POFQ are used as run-over resorts when the others are at capacity.

The parents can book at any resort on Disney property they wish (and they do), it is just that the ones named are contractual for rates.

Well there were ONLY cheerleaders at POR last year..no football players.

When we took DME from MCO they dropped all the cheerleaders off at a large tent in the POFQ parking lot. About half the cheerleaders and families on the bus were staying at POR and the other half at POFQ.

Additionally, when we took the boat to DTD we saw groups of cheerleaders walking around at POFQ when we passed by (they theoretically could have walked down from POR) from the Sassagoula.

From what I understand...the teams are only given the options to stay at All Stars and the PO resorts...families can stay anywhere.

 

[Captain Nick]

We were at an off site resort this time last year and there were alot Pop Warner kids staying there. Most of our time was spent at the parks so it wasn't really an issue. Most of them have a curfew at night so the only time we would see them would be briefly in the morning.

 

[girli565]

I'm a teacher and I got a letter handed to me yesterday from one of my students about going to Pop Warner next week. He's missing a whole week of school and the letter asked for work so he could do it at the special "lab" they set up for them at the resorts.

I must admit that this particular student is far from well behaved, he's down right malicious, rude and disrespectul towards authority, and if the rest of his team is anything like him, run the other way!! I would not go to Disney during this time! Disney couldn't even give me a free vacation, because I'd have to say no. The thought of tons of children like my student running around just makes my skin crawl!

 

[Brian_WDW74]

Here's what it said in the 2007 Pop Warner Manual. I've retained the manual's formatting:

Specially-priced Hotel Packages have been created for the 2007 Pop Warner National Championship Week.
In order to compete, all football teams and cheer/dance squads must purchase the Pop Warner National Championship Week Hotel Package and stay at a select Walt Disney World® Resort for the duration of their trip.

As for the resorts included in the packages, the manual stated:

The Pop Warner National Championship Week Hotel Package includes the following:

• Three or more nights stay at Disney’s All-Star Resort (Sports or Music), or Disney’s Port Orleans Resort (Riverside or French Quarter). All participants/coaches must book a package through Disney Sports Travel and stay at one of the above mentioned resorts.

Spectators and families of participants were (and still are) free to stay in whichever resorts they choose.

Interestingly enough, the 2008 manual has the same wording as above, except it no longer lists POFQ as one of the package resorts.

 

[CDizney]

We were at Disney during Pop Warner week last year, and didn't have any problems with the groups at all. The paranoia and rumors about them are just ridiculous here.

We saw a group of football players in Animal Kingdom one day, and they behaved just fine. We saw a small group at the Garden Grill a couple days later, and again -- no behavior problems.

On the other hand, much of the bad behavior described by others earlier in this thread is not due to the Pop Warner kids... it's due to Florida school field trip outings and the like. Whomever was talking about the group from this past weekend? No way it was a Pop Warner group... they can't even book Pop Warner packages (due to Disney contract restrictions with the Pop Warner organization) outside of the pre-defined Pop Warner week.

David

Your comment that the paranoia and rumors are just ridiculous is unfortunate but you are entitled to that view. As far as my story is concerned I did experience what I experienced which is truth and yes, I am paranoid in dealing with this group ever again after I experienced the activity I did and video taped. Do you think that Disney refunded most of my vacation if I didn't have proof?

I like to think that I experienced a random thing but after talking to various Disney Security reps and CM's involved in my case from 4/08, they told me plain as day that this happens every year at the resorts and it just gets worse each year at the resorts where they stay which is all the value resorts and sometimes also a moderate or two. I know that other people have stated no issues incurred during their visits which is good to hear but sad for me I didn't so I have chosen to avoid these competitions altogether and not chance it again.

 

[girli565]

Your comment that the paranoia and rumors are just ridiculous is unfortunate but you are entitled to that view. As far as my story is concerned I did experience what I experienced which is truth and yes, I am paranoid in dealing with this group ever again after I experienced the activity I did and video taped. Do you think that Disney refunded most of my vacation if I didn't have proof?

I like to think that I experienced a random thing but after talking to various Disney Security reps and CM's involved in my case from 4/08, they told me plain as day that this happens every year at the resorts and it just gets worse each year at the resorts where they stay which is all the value resorts and sometimes also a moderate or two. I know that other people have stated no issues incurred during their visits which is good to hear but sad for me I didn't so I have chosen to avoid these competitions altogether and not chance it again.

Now I'm curious, what happened?

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

I've heard from a friend, whose son will be down there for POP, that they and the cheerleaders will have an after hours event at Universal from 7Pm until ? on Saturday the 13th of December. That night, at the very least, should be somewhat tame at the WDW parks.

 

[dqpowell]

I like to think that I experienced a random thing but after talking to various Disney Security reps and CM's involved in my case from 4/08,

Pop Warner week is in December, not April. Am I misunderstanding what 4/08 means?

they told me plain as day that this happens every year at the resorts and it just gets worse each year at the resorts where they stay which is all the value resorts and sometimes also a moderate or two.

1.) They were sympathizing with you. I do not accept hearsay as evidence of rampant problems.

2.) They do not stay at "all the value resorts." The Pop Warner contract specifically limits them to All Star Sports and Music, among the value resorts and Port Orleans in the moderates. I know because my son's Pop Warner team made the regional playoffs this year and I read the contract, in anticipation of them maybe making it to Disney. (FWIW, they lost one game short of the regional championship.)

I know that other people have stated no issues incurred during their visits which is good to hear but sad for me I didn't so I have chosen to avoid these competitions altogether and not chance it again.

I never said that what happened to you was false. Only that the problems are magnified in discussions here and made to seem much more common than they really are.

David

 

[dolphindan1]

I know the group you're talking about....I don't believe they're POP Warner though. There were three colors that I saw.....blue, yellow and red.....and all the shirts had the same school logo and said something Middle School. The adults that are with them (wearing the same shirts) are doing little to even try to control them.

We were in American Pavillion taking a few photos of the gingerbread house. The little alcove where the house is was empty, I lined my girls up for a photo and stepped back to take it....the door to the food court opens and in comes at least a dozen of the blue colored shirts, three of them rush over to the house and literally shouldered my girls out of the way. And then started trying to lean over all the way like they wanted to break off a piece of the gingerbread house. Snapping photos with their cell phones. I glanced around to find someone in charge of them, to see the only adult in the same shirt following the rest of the group that were literally running to the food lines weaving in between tables/chairs instead of logically going up the aisle.....empty chairs were shoved out of the way as they went. The adult woman did nothing....didn't call out for them to slow down, didn't push the chairs back in place, nothing. Just meandered after them. The three at the house finally finished their cell photos and left in the same rush as they arrived.

As we were leaving a little bit later, I opened the door just as a lady with a cane was pushing the door as well....I stopped to let her come in first....and little blue shirt kid literally pushed and squeezed his way past my two daughters behind me and myself to get out the door instead of waiting. Even if I hadn't waited for the lady to come in, we'd have not been out that door ourselves before he shoved past. My daughter calls out "Excuse YOU"....he turned around and flipped her off.

Saw the red group later climbing over the rope at the Japanese temple and going up the stairs shouting and pushing each other. Adult was standing at the bottom with arms crossed looking out over the lagoon....doing nothing to stop them.

Saw the yellow group but they were behaving at the moment, lol.

Yep....so glad my middle school age daughters don't attend these fine quality public institutions (we homeschool). I promise to stay off my soapbox about the lack of character, discipline and common courtesy being taught.

Not sure what they were at Disney for, but seemed obviously it was some school related trip because they all had on the matching Tshirts. I was annoyed but brushed it aside. Now seeing others complaining I'm thinking next time I see them, I'll make better note of the school name......and maybe call the principal and see whether they care about their kids' behavior. Might be an interesting call, lol. The adult "supervision" was completely useless.....I can only hope that it was parents that were in over their head and didn't know how to deal with a group of pre-teens and not the teachers who ought to know better!

I sure would have said something to these kids....but thats just me

 

[dolphindan1]

As I said before one bad apple spoils the bunch...

I can only comment from my 4 experiences during POP week...we never had an issue...We stayed at ALL-star Sports and Movies each time and although there were noticeable in the food court it did not affect us at the parks one it. We saw groups here and there but never an issue....we did go to MGM one day and after lunch it was packed with all POP kids and after closing buses were lining up dropping them off...I guess they had a special event there that night...it was on a Friday

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

On the other hand, much of the bad behavior described by others earlier in this thread is not due to the Pop Warner kids... it's due to Florida school field trip outings and the like. Whomever was talking about the group from this past weekend? No way it was a Pop Warner group... they can't even book Pop Warner packages (due to Disney contract restrictions with the Pop Warner organization) outside of the pre-defined Pop Warner week.

David

Don't blame the FLORIDA schools for field trips as most of the field trips in Florida have been cancelled due to budget constraints. Prior to the budget cuts most of our local schools usually save Disney field trips to the end of the school year. There are many, many out of state school groups that plan trips to WDW so it's not just Florida........................

As far as the POP Warner trouble from last year you can search any of the local TV stations or newspapers in the Orlando area and see all the trouble some of the teams caused at the AllStar resorts and how they were evicted (along with their entire families) last year. It got alot of local TV coverage down here.

As far as the spring competitions referring to the Cheerleaders there is a huge competition held in the Spring each year and from our family experience at POR one year it was miserable. That's another reason before I make resort reservations I do alot of research to see if there are any sporting competitions going on and where they're planning to stay. I've been at CBR during National soccer competitions and never had the experiences I did during the cheerleading competition.

 

[bsbrady]

We have been to WDW the last 2 years during Pop Warner, and I honestly didnt even know it while I was there

 

[Uncleromulus]

You guys should hear what some of the CM's have to say (privately, of course) about these Cheerleaders and Pop Warner groups...