I think having a DIS parent get together for cheer parents is a wonderful suggestion. Me, DH, DD 18 and DD 12 will be arriving on 3/10 and leaving on 3/16. My daughters compete for a gym out of Carrollton Texas, it will be my oldest DD 4th time to compete at UCA and my youngest DD 2nd time to compete. Our gym does not take all of our teams, because of cost, we take travel teams(or we did it this way for the first time last year, we did take all the older teams 3 years ago). After everyone pays thier entry fees they put together teams by age and skill. Last year we just had one team. If was a lot of fun and the team did well to have practiced for 2 weeks. (we took parts from several teams routinues, so the girls were familar with alot of what they had to learn). UCA is my favorite competetion, what can I say I love any chance to go to WDW. I have to say Cheersport in Atlanta runs a close second.
I think for the families arriving the week before the competition the crowds will be noticibly less than the week after the competition. The week after the competition seems to be when alot of spring breaks start. Not too many spring breaks the first week. I don't care which week I get to go as long as I have time at WDW.
I just have to say how impressed I am with the Stringrays. I saw them last year in Atlanta and Dallas and each team was simply amazing. I am guessing they will be even better this year. Our gym is doing Cheersport this year but not NCA, but my DD's and I plan to go to NCA on Sunday to watch all the Senior teams compete.
We have annual passes and have run in to the dilemma of what to do about packages. I have to buy the packages for my daughters so they can ride the event buses with the teams. I e-mailed UCA and asked if I could just buy bus passes. I then book another room for my husband and I. Last year I sold the park hopper passes to a friend who didn't want to buy the package for her entire family. I gave her a good deal on the park hoppers and I wasn't out as much money.
Sorry this post seems to ramble from paragraph to paragraph. I am running reports at work as I type.
