WHAT is Pop Warner and does it affect park crowds?

[SarahD]

Can someone help me??? Also, do they stay at All Stars usually - or Pop, too?

 

[VeroBeach]

Youth football league and cheerleaders. Early December is their Super Bowl.

http://www.popwarner.com/
http://www.popwarner.com/11superbowl/pop.asp

I've been during their visits a few times and have never seen it affect park crowds.

Mostly All-Stars, and some go to Port Orleans.

 

[SarahD]

Thank you!!!

 

[ckdisneyfan]

We stayed at all stars on 09 when they were there (didn't realize it when we booked) and will never do it again.

There were waves of unruly, unsupervised teens. I expect kids to be everywhere (it is Disney world) and for them to be fairly loud, but they were constantly running through the buildings, knocking chairs and tables over in the food court and pool area, running into people, and cursing very loudly. One group even knocked over my daughters stroller while we were standing beside it -thankfully she wasn't in it at the time.

Later on in the week it got a little better when Disney started having several security guards patrol at all hours.

To me, it takes away from the Disney magic when you have to deal with this kind of behavior.

--We didn't notice them much at the parks, but did at DTD and the hotel.

 

[WaltD4Me]

We were there the same time as Pop Warner in 2005 and would never do it again either. We were staying at POFQ and did not see them in the parks hardly at all during the day, but at night DTD was wall to wall packed and so were the buses...ALOT were staying at POR, so we shared buses with them and it wasn't fun. We had some overflow at POFQ too and the pool at night was awful. A POP group even got kicked out of the resort. They did not ruin our trip, but having experienced time with them, I would not plan a trip at the same time again.

 

[Cindabella's Mom]

Is it usually All-Stars only or do they stay at Pop Century too? I wasn't sure if it was all the value resorts or not. Thanks!

 

[ILoveWD]

We went during Pop week several years ago. I did not know it was Pop week until we had booked our trip.

We stayed at the GF and did not go to DTD that trip. We did not notice any increase or unruly kids in the parks.

Maybe that means you can still plan a trip but pick other resorts.

 

[Jenny Wren]

I was there last December during Pop Warner week. We stayed at Pop Century. No problem at all. In fact, we have been to Disney in January before and the lines during Pop Warner week were less than in January. We are planning on going in Sept 2012. Whats the weather this time of the year? We froze both times we went in Dec and Jan.

 

[kerplop]

I was there last December during Pop Warner week. We stayed at Pop Century. No problem at all. In fact, we have been to Disney in January before and the lines during Pop Warner week were less than in January. We are planning on going in Sept 2012. Whats the weather this time of the year? We froze both times we went in Dec and Jan.

It will still be pretty hot. That area is like where I live and we don't get cool fall-like temps until late October/early November.

 

[Mail2artist]

I was there last December during Pop Warner week. We stayed at Pop Century. No problem at all. In fact, we have been to Disney in January before and the lines during Pop Warner week were less than in January. We are planning on going in Sept 2012. Whats the weather this time of the year? We froze both times we went in Dec and Jan.

September is still very hot. And usually you get lots of rain.
One warning so maybe add a couple days to your trip (just in case) is Hurricanes! We had to re-book our honeymoon because of one hitting and then the few weeks later when we finally arrived, another one hit dead on in Orlando.
Took 2 days away from our already short trip.

However. I loved the hot weather and when it rained, it was so warm it felt like a shower. So lots of fun to play in.
But I swore I wouldn't risk that again so I will always avoid Hurricane season.

We're going for our first family trip and first time staying on-site this December. Of course during Pop Warner week AND being booked at POFQ.
But figure it's going to be magical no matter what and I won't let the stress of Pop warner get to me. I know I'm taking a chance but have heard so many different reviews, some being absolutely horrible (mainly at the All Stars resorts and DTD) and some of people saying it didn't bother them at all. So we're just dealing with it. Nothing else is really offered for us to change, unless we go Deluxe and I can't justify that price right now.

I have heard that the families to observe stay at Pop and sometimes CBS & CSR will have a few of the teams. Although the "main" hotels in the past have been All Stars and POR.
Maybe it could change this year on where they're staying?

But here's a little magic to help everyone cope.

And a little rah rah rah to get us in the mood.

But

 

[Karlzmom]

It will still be pretty hot. That area is like where I live and we don't get cool fall-like temps until late October/early November.

We went in late September 2009...two words NEVER AGAIN! I can instantly recall how badly the heat and humidity sapped my will to even leave the hotel each morning....it was brutal. Absolutely cured me of ever considering a non-winter visit again.

 

[MadiWI]

We were there last year and barely noticed them. I was worried from what I had read on here, and we changed our hotel to avoid them - but otherwise we just saw a few groups in parks. It was FREEZING last winter (40°F cold!) in early December - so we won't be going at that time again for a very long time! I'd rather be hot (and I have been in FL)...I live in cold.

 

[Luv2Roam]

More than the parks, I would not want to stay at a resort they are at the same time.

 

[THEJOEL]

We were there last year and barely noticed them. I was worried from what I had read on here, and we changed our hotel to avoid them - but otherwise we just saw a few groups in parks. It was FREEZING last winter (40°F cold!) in early December - so we won't be going at that time again for a very long time! I'd rather be hot (and I have been in FL)...I live in cold.

Yea it was COLD last year but in all honesty it wan't that bad. I got away with wearing a long sleeved Under Armour cold weather shirt under my clothes and a heavy pullover hoodie on top that went into my backpack in the afternoon. I preferred it a little cold because cold for FL standards is a lot better than HOT for FL standards. The last morning it was so cold we had MK practically to ourselves until well after lunch. The Tangled meet and greet, Space Mountain, the teacups and even Dumbo had almost zero wait. It was GREAT!
We were there during POP Warner at POR. Only saw the kids on the buses and food court. The buses only affected our last day and din't have any problems with the kids. They were well behaved

 

[SarahD]

We went late January/early February the last two years and hit cold snaps both times. We're taking our chances with early December. I'm hoping for shorts, but would be happy with jeans and no jackets.

 

[raven69david]

Here is my experience with the Pop Warner crowd in 2008, taken from an older post:

We got caught in the Pop Warner dates last December since they moved up a week from their traditional 1st week in December and it appears that Sunday and Monday are good. Starting on Tuesday once most teams, I guess, have been eliminated the kids start to come out in full force - primarily in the evenings. MK is the worst, but since they generally travel in herds you can avoid them for the most part. We avoided them by being there early at MK and then doing evenings (after Tuesday) at Epcot or DHS. It's totally doable so don't let PW discourage you as crowd levels aren't that bad as others knowing that they will be there tend to make reservations around their dates (like myself) which leads to lower crowd levels. Heck, I may start booking during PW events just to avoid the other crowds.