Tell me your Pop Warner horror stories...

[Kaitysmom]

before I book my December trip. I don't want to stir up any angry debates, just really appreciate some honest opinions/stories on the matter. I chose to disregard warning regarding another group and lived to regret it. I am sure not everyone will agree, but just be glad that a bunch of "old sour pusses" don't spoil Pop Warner's fun by going when they go.

 

[PCFriar80]

We were there 12/5 - 12/10, I believe the same time as Pop Warner and never noticed a thing! We also stayed at BCV and will be doing the same this year, 12/4 -12/9. That said, I would not worry about this group at WDW. We flew out of BDL with one of the teams from CT and the kids behaved better than
some of the parents!!

 

[AJKMOM]

Use the search thread at the top. It seems people fear the cheerleaders the most.

 

[Kaitysmom]

I did a search but didn't find much except that you want to avoid the value resorts. Seems like there is such a fuss over avoiding them, there must be a reason.

 

[goofy4tink]

In Dec '03 I was there the same time as the cheerleaders/football players. We stayed at AllStarMusic. And yes, the kids were in evidence. But, I can honestly say that the kids we were around were for the most part very well behaved. I did ask for a room on the top floor, on the back-side of the bldg..away from the pools and common walkways. But even in the food court and the buses I didn't encounter too much rowdiness.

I can't imagine that if you are staying at an Epcot resort you will be impacted at all. There was one night that MGM was close early for a private function with the kids, but there wasn't much interaction with them at other times in the parks. You should be fine.

 

[tigereye]

I did a search but didn't find much except that you want to avoid the value resorts. Seems like there is such a fuss over avoiding them, there must be a reason.

From what I've gathered, the actual park impact is limited due to all of the planned activities that they've got going on during that week.

I think the reasoning behind avoiding the values is that they mostly stay there. When you get any group of kids together in one place, they're likely to be loud in the pools, food court, etc. I've also read some issues with cheerleaders practicing in the courtyards at odd hours.

I was originally planning my trip for the pop warner week, and had come to the conclusion that they wouldn't really bother affect me that much.

Mike

 

[SnackyStacky]

Everytime I see a thread titled similar to this one, it makes my heart skip a beat.

PLEASE keep everything civil.

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

Use the search thread at the top. It seems people fear the cheerleaders the most.

There is no reason to fear cheerleaders!!! I live with four of them, I KNOW!!!

Seriously, I have been and my DD's have participated during the "OH SO DREADED POP WARNER WEEK"!! Maybe I'm immune to cheerleaders, but they aren't SWARMING the parks. My girls didn't even see their teammates at the parks unless we were traveling with them on that particular day. The parks are WONDERFUL this time of year, there are next to no waits!

We did, however, have some problems with the football players "stalking" some of the girls, even trying to follow them back to their rooms. If I wasn't a parent of a participant(s), I would NOT stay at a value resort during this time. It is very crowded although very enjoyable to see all the other teams (IF YOU ARE A PARTICIPANT!) I hope to be there for the PW Nat'l Cheer Championships this December!!

Unfortunately, my girls didn't qualify to participate in 2004, I heard some of the parents/children were way out of control and unsupervised. Obviously NOT a good thing.

One person was whining that a cheerleader stepped on his foot, WOW!!! A little cheerleader stepped on a man's foot, PLEASE. These are the types of complaints you will read . . . given the opportunity, some people will complain about EVERYTHING/ANYTHING and actually try to find things to complain about. I'm sure you will get some negative responses to your question.

FACTS: The parks are not crowded during this week (the children are competing and playing football all week afterall!); stay at a moderate or deluxe and you probably won't run into them at your hotel. (SOME do take the opportunity to stay at a moderate, in the past CBR and POR have been offered.) I'm sure if you call Disney, they will be able to tell you which Moderate is being offered this year because PW reserves blocks of rooms for this event.)

Finally, sorry for the long response; I am very passionate about this organization because I have coached for five years and have four daughters involved. I can only speak for the organization we are a part of, but the behavior people complain about on these boards would never be tolorated by our participants!! Good luck with your decision!!

PS: MGM closes early (7:00???) the Friday night during this week for a Pop Warner Party.


Cheers!!! Jackie

 

[TR Denise]

We were at OKW Dec 5- 10th 2004. We had no problems great weather and the crowds were not to bad so I'd vote to go this time again we never saw any cheerleaders or football players and we knew there were people from our town there we even looked for them. I think you have to be at the resorts they are staying at to even see them I would go this time of year again no problem

 

[Mom to Jordan]

No horror stories, lots of nice well behaved kids, most with adults. Only thing that sticks out in my mine were the horrible lines at the bus stops for all the value resorts. They did not seem to have added any extra buses and people were getting a little antsy. We were at WL and had no issues at all.


Jordans' mom

 

[mmorizio]

Same experience here. We were at the Beach Club Villas while the cheerleaders were in WDw in December 2004. Never saw any problems - just nice kids having a good time. They sure know how to scream on Tower of Terror though.

 

[crow11ad]

We were there from 12-4 - 12-10. We didn't really notice anything until we went to MGM on that Monday. There was a different squads doing there cheer as they went through MGM. Not too bad it was only realy noticable as you walk down Holleywood Blvd. Later that day when DW was taking a nap, I wanted to go back and ride TOT and RNR again. Now when I was leaving and trying to find the car...grrrrrrrrrrr that's another story...pop warner decided to do cartwheels down the aisle of the cars... Now we decided to resort hop one night and went to the all star sports and movies to take pictures. Big mistake at night. Nothing but cheers and it was loud. But hey it's all in fun and spirit.

 

[Mysteria]

I have been at All Star Music twice at the same time as them and have never had a problem. Matter of fact it was fun to watch them practice as we were coming and going. The comraderie and team spirit these young ladies demonstrated was inspiring. As with every large group, young and old and everyting in between, there will be a few bad apples. Don't let the stories of those few deter from going at the same time they are there.

Myst

 

[WaltD4Me]

Not to be a "sour puss," but personally I wouldn't go during Pop Warner week again. I don't have any real "horror" story, just several seperate, let's call them....annoyances and since I've heard Pop Warner is going to be quite a bit larger in 2006 and beyond, I wouldn't risk it again.

First let me say, we had a WONDERFUL time, our trip was not ruined by Pop Warner by any means, but they were noticeable to us as we were staying at Port Orleans French Quarter and had to share buses since large groups were staying at Riverside. I would imagine the impact of Pop Warner depends quite a bit on where you stay. Sharing buses and bus stops with them wasn't fun.
They were being excited kids and really that's fine, but SO MANY of them in a small space cheering and screaming to each other got to be a little waring.

We didn't notice them AT ALL at Epcot or Animal Kingdom, but large groups were always to be found at Magic Kingdom and MGM. Ride lines were still short and they didn't effect wait times I don't think, but you didn't want to be in a restaurant or counter service place when they took it over. One night DTD was full of Pop Warner groups and you could hardly move, especially since the groups seemed to love stopping to talk in the middle of the walkways.

I also didn't like being behind them in ride lines because their talk could get a little vulgar and sometimes nasty and I had my two younger nieces with me.

Don't count on Pop Warner only being at the Value resorts either, that is what I thought when went this year, but there ALOT at Riverside and a few groups at French Quarter with us. We had to leave the pool one night because they were climbing up on the bridge and jumping into the pool and I was afraid someone was going to land on one of the kids. (they got kicked out shortly after we left) -- one couple at FQ told us they had been at Riverside and asked to be moved because of Pop Warner kids constantly banging on the door to their room looking for their team mates.

I don't begrudge Pop Warner of their time at WDW, but in the future I'll be going at a different time.

Lisa


Lisa

 

[Kaitysmom]

Sounds like we'll be fine. Kids are kids - if that is all there is to it, no problems here. Thanks for your responses and for keeping the flames down

 

[elgerber]

We've been twice during Pop Warner time, once at the All Star Movies. Honestly, we never even saw them that year. We wouldn't have even known they were there. In 2003, we saw them in the parks, walking around and in lines for the rides, and they were no different than any one else. They were well behaved, didn't cut in front of people and just looked like kids having a good trip.