Will POP Warner week in December ruin the magic?

[jeanico2000]

I just realized the 1st week of December is POP Warner week. Yikes! Where do these groups stay and how bad do things get?

 

[adamreisinger]

They usually stay at the All-Star Resorts, with some spill-over into the moderates. I was at the parks last year during Pop Warner week and honestly didn't notice at all inside the parks. You might notice more if you're sharing a resort with them (that was certainly my experience at CBR during a cheerleading event in March) but overall it shouldn't impact how you experience the magic too much.

 

[jeanico2000]

We will be staying at Art of Animation. Do any of the groups stay there?

 

[Thing 1]

We were there once when they were there and the parks did not really seemed to be impacted much but the bus lines back to the All Stars were horrible all week. We were at the WL that trip so we were not impacted at all.

 

[DebbieB]

We will be staying at Art of Animation. Do any of the groups stay there?

No, usually All Star, maybe Pop and then CBR or CSR.

I've been there many times that week and will be this year, it's never been a problem in the parks.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I was at All-Star Sports during Pop Warner week one year and the only thing I noticed was their practicing on the big football field at 6 a.m. Their presence in the parks was only a bit noticeable to me because the various squads were wearing matching t-shirts. Easy to avoid.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've been at this time of year almost every year for the past 10 yrs. Going again this year Does PW impact the parks? A little. As the week goes on, and teams are eliminated, the kids (and families) start hitting the parks. I've been at a resort with them a few times..the AllStars. Yes, the bus lines can get lengthy, but it's the food court that is a nightmare!!! If you can avoid the times these groups eat, you'll do much better!!!!

 

[MaC410]

I've been at this time of year almost every year for the past 10 yrs. Going again this year Does PW impact the parks? A little. As the week goes on, and teams are eliminated, the kids (and families) start hitting the parks. I've been at a resort with them a few times..the AllStars. Yes, the bus lines can get lengthy, but it's the food court that is a nightmare!!! If you can avoid the times these groups eat, you'll do much better!!!!

Do the pop warner groups go to MVMCP? I can't imagine that they would pay the extra money to go to the parties but I don't want to assume.

 

[wilkeliza]

Do the pop warner groups go to MVMCP? I can't imagine that they would pay the extra money to go to the parties but I don't want to assume.

Some do and some do not. The groups each get to decide on their own.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We hardly noticed them when we were there at the same time. We stayed at POP for one night and saw them in the lobby, that's it.

 

[Mal6586]

We stayed with them at All Star Music this past year, and while the food court could be hectic, they generally weren't too much of a pain. I will say though, that our Christmas party, which was on the Tuesday of that week, seemed CRAZY CROWDED, which was kind of mind boggling to me because I had a friend who went on the Sunday prior, and she said it was practically a ghost town during her party.

 

[wdw4rfam]

At AOA, you will be fine. You will notice in the parks, but its not horrible. If you were booked at the other values, or moderates, I'd change dates. We hit it at ASMO one year and it was HORRIBLE. Another year they were checking into POR as we were leaving- so they are there too.

 

[dkrauss]

We traveled during that time in 2015, staying at AoA. Little to No impact to us at all. As time wore on you started to see them in the parks..........but we didn't notice them at AoA (they don't usually stay there........because its mostly suites). Not on the transport...........and only a bit in the parks.

You'll be fine

Doug

 

[jeanico2000]

Thanks for all the replies! I am feeling a whole lot better now!

 

[DizneyLizzy]

We stayed at Pop during PW week 2013 and the only time we noticed anything was at the pool in the afternoon. I do have to say though, that particular situation was AWFUL. The 50's pool was completely overrun by unsupervised, unruly kids. I'm a parent of toddlers and a middle school teacher, so I have a pretty high tolerance for kid shenanigans, but this was a mess. I couldn't believe the lifeguards didn't kick some of the kids out that they were repeatedly reprimanding. The parents/coaches/chaperones couldn't be bothered to watch or discipline the kids at all. We couldn't have put a toe in the water had we wanted to...it was that crowded and rowdy. Luckily we hadn't planned on any other pool time that week. Other than that, didn't notice a thing! I wouldn't hesitate to go PW week again...but if using the pools was important to me, I wouldn't stay at a value or a moderate.

 

[Revan]

My daughter participated in the Pop Warner Cheer Championships from 2009-2012. The football teams mainly stay at All-Stars, some cheer teams do but many of them choose the moderates that are offered. Generally, it's one moderate per year. I can't speak for the football teams, we never stayed at All-Stars. This is just my experience over the 4 visits.

• The cheer teams are for girls 8th grade or younger.
• A parent must go with each child (I'm not sure that applies to the football teams).
• Park attendance is not automatically included with your package, many football teams do not purchase park tickets and are absent from the parks altogether
• Girls must be in their rooms by 10 pm and coaches make rounds knocking on doors (or are supposed to.)
• Most practices pre-competition happen at WWoS, but some teams do impromptu mini-practices or run-throughs on greenways at the resorts. It's always during the mid-morning or afternoon - prime park hours.
• Breakfast at the resort food court can be challenging
• Since the girls are generally young, there aren't many parents who let their kids alone at the parks. They may group together, but there is generally at least one parent chaperone.
• The parents tend to hang out at the pool bar or resort bar in the early evenings.
• I've seen more instances of bad behavior from non-cheering park visitors than from cheerleaders. Though they are excited to visit and will chant in the park - nothing like the Brazilian tour groups though - again the cheerleaders are between ages 8-14
• Disney reserves DHS on Thursday night for Pop Warner participants to visit, we've always stayed away
• Many teams leave the day after their final competition unless they are in the finals at the end of the week

Again, just my experiences as a Pop Warner Cheer dad, but Disney fanatic first.