Should I avoid MGM during Cheerleader Competition?

[ECU Pirates]

My DD's (13 and 12) and myself will be taking a brief trip to WDW March 10-12 to celebrate their birthdays.

We had planned on going to MGM on Saturday the 11th to take advantage of EE and then jump to MK.

On the 11th the national cheerleading championships will be held at MGM in the Indy theater. According to the Varsity Cheerleading Website the competition starts at 8:00am.

Will it be crowded at MGM that morning? Should we skip MGM and just spend the entire day at the MK?

Any advice will be appreciated.

 

[goofyernmost]

If EE is Expedition Everest it will be tough to see that at MGM. It is at Animal Kingdom. If it is something else that isn't coming to me, I apologize.

If I recall the cheer leading competition, at one time, was held in the Indiana Jones area but I think, I'm not sure, it is held at the Wide World of Sports area now.

 

[goofyernmost]

Oops! Just realized that EE was Early Entry. So Sorry! Forget what I said.

 

[Blue Eeyore]

We made a short weekend trip in March a few years ago and there were Cheerleaders EVERYWHERE! At our hotel, at MGM and the other parks, all over! But... I don't recall lines being extra long or the parks being too crowded. I know the pool at the ASM was a little crowded in the evening and all the Moms were hitting the pool bar! I thought they were cute and fun to watch with their little curls and stuff. I wouldn't worry about it, but that's my opinion. It was held at the Indy theater when we were there.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We were in MGM one time during the competitions and while there were lots of people, the wait times weren't bad for the rides. Most of the time the cheerleaders are busy getting ready for their shows and don't have that much free time around the park. We would go back again without any hesitation.

 

[slp87]

I agree. We were there 2 years ago at MGM during the competition and I think they're so busy with the competition that they're not enjoying the park.

 

[Quinn222]

There's a fairly extensive thread on the obnoxious behaviour of cheerleaders in the parks on www.stupidguesttricks.com. You might want to check it out.

 

[amylevan]

Half of the teams will be competing on the Indy stage, and half at WWOS. There will be people everywhere, but they won't necessarily be in line for attractions because they are there to compete. The teams also have hopper passes, so before/after they are done competing or practicing or meeting with their teams, they are free to travel to any of the parks, so you won't necessarily avoid them by avoiding MGM. They will just be in a higher concentration at MGM while they await their scheduled times.

And my guess is that any of the teams that do not have an early time slot will not be at MGM that early. Try getting a team of girls in their make-up, uniform, hair done all the a park at 8am. Yeah right. I'm lucky if I get my girls to arrive an hour before their competition times.

 

[QuickGold]

I wouldn't say you should avoid the park on that day but you may consider doing it after the competition is over with since some of the theaters will be closed to guests for the competitions

 

[princessarielle]

I have one rule: Avoid Cheerleaders At All Cost. There is probably a good chance that when the competition is done that they will hit the rides since they will be there.

Lori

 

[Pasty Irish]

Uhhhhh.... No. Especially if they are UCLA Cheerleaders.

 

[tink4ever]

First of all I will start out by saying that everyone is allowed to their opinion so I will be kind. My DD has been a cheerleader for 11 years now and we have been to Disney for 3 National competitions and they never bothered anyone. They were always very well behaved and are lovely girls. I do not think they added to much of the crowds in the parks because in March it is college spring break so I think that helps add to the crowds plus there are a lot of states that have their spring break in March. We were there last March and the crowds were moderately heavy. But if you go into the parks early you will get everything done.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I also avoid cheerleaders at all costs, but since you are planning to go to MGM for EE, that probably wouldn't be too bad, if the cheerleading starts at 8am they will probably be busy in the morning, getting signed in and set up and everything. You could probably get some rides in before they invade.

 

[Cmbar]

I would be more worried about where they are on their "Free" day. We just went and had the pleasure of having them invade our resort (CBR)

I politely asked while waiting in the lines for the toaster if they were competing that day and she smiled and said "no we have a free day today". I said Oh where are you going? She said MK, so we avoided MK that day. The next day at the bus stop I saw two women who said they had to leave the MK the day before because it was awful.

So you might want to find out where they are on their day off!

 

[granmanh603]

Sorry but have been there the last 5 years durn this period and AVOID it. MGM on sat is a mad house. They free them after they compete and yikes they are reved up. All week groups screaming and cheering. I guess if you are into it you don't notice it. i like to go in March to get away from the cold in the north and can't figure out how to avoid them.....Sorry.

 

[amylevan]

Every team competes twice, once on Saturday and once on Sunday, once at each location. So there will be teams at MGM both days. Monday is the day to visit a park of their choice. But this is not a "school" competition like in February, this is all-stars, which means teams may or may not hang around for Monday, and may or may not even stay longer. Friday night (3/10) is "UCA night" at the MK after the park closes to the public.

 

[granmanh603]

Oh they are there Monday and before the competition too

 

[PixiPwr]

We, too, are just back. I really don't think the cheerleaders contributed much to the crowds at the parks. The only place we really noticed them in lines were while waiting for food.

I would like to add, however, that I was truly appalled at the dress, language, and attitudes of many of these girls. I normally refer to females of this age as young ladies, but it just doesn't fit the bill here. I am sure that their respective high schools and school boards would truly have been embarrassed to see the behavior of their representatives. So much so, that I intend to write a letter to one high school in particular to let them know just how their particular "team" presented themselves.

Just my opinions here. And for the record, we also encountered a couple of well mannered teams as well.

 

[dbm20th]

I don't want to pile on here and make you feel bad about the time you are going but...bring earplugs