Pop Warner Week

[Jezzup]

Planning a trip Dec 7-11. I understand Pop Warner week begins Dec 4. Can anyone tell me what this is and how it impacts crowds? Thanks.

[minnie04]

It’s all about Football & Cheerleading; it won’t affect you unless you are staying at a Value resort. Sometimes they spill over into the moderates, but not too bad. The food courts and grounds are a little more crowded at the hotel, but for the most part the kids are gone all day and have curfews at night. We have been a couple times during this week and it wasn’t too bad. The theme parks aren’t too bad either. With playing sports all day they sometimes don’t make it to the theme parks, but if they do you will know they are there (at least the cheering girls) they are sometimes loud and obnoxious, but nothing you can’t handle...

[TexansInNY]

Was there once and never noticed it - was there during Feb cheerleading and never noticed it. I honestly thought that other than MGM it was a positive - they were all at their events meaning less people in the parks at an already slow time of year.

This is one of those things though where the next person down the list could have had an absolute horrible experience. As I always say, we are easy going folks so maybe it is just us.

[iceicebritney]

We were at a value twice and moderate once with pop Warner groups at our resort. It was very busy during most meals at the resort and the pools were packed at night.

They tended to be in the parks at night, and we'd see a lot of the same groups throughout our trip.

It didn't bother us, but we were always on the go and not doing the same things that the pop Warner kids were doing. If you think it may be an issue that would infringe on your vacation, maybe you can ask wdw travel reservations if they are booked at your resort? Like a previous poster said, they primarily are at values.

[Jezzup]

Thanks to everyone for the info. We are staying off site so the Value resort crowds are not an issue. This is gonna be more of a Universal trip than Disney. Taking 2 teenagers and a 6 year old. None have been to Universal since Potter World opened. We only have 3 full days and plan to spend 2 at Universal and the other at MK.

[minnie04]

Oh then you should be just fine. They leave on the 10th so maybe do MK on that day. They get free tickets to the Disney parks, so I would wait until the day they are gone to go. This way you wont have any problems with crowds.. Trust me we have left many times form the sports event (baseball) and never had the time to use our tickets. Its a shame, but they are kept very busy with sports..

[Jezzup]

Thanks minnie04. I was planning to hit MK on Friday to avoid the local crowds on Saturday.

Whats the better option, Friday with Pop Warner or Saturday with locals? Do they play all week or do they get a free day before going home which in this case would be Friday?

[Dopeysgal]

I was concerned about this too. I was wondering why our week 12/4-12/11 was exempt from free dining and I found out it's Pop Warner. From everything I've read the impact on crowds will be negligible other than the foodcourt in the mornings at PopC.

[TexansInNY]

I always think that way Dopeysgal - it isn't like the rooms wouldn't be taken anyway - guess some folks just have bad encounters but we have went once here and once during cheer time and never had issues.

[Aurora]

We went this week a couple of years ago and it didn't impact crowds at all except for the random group of girls walking down the pathways doing cheer chants. (It seems they can't stop. ) They didn't bother us -- just another group of excited teens.

[sdjess]

I think Saturday would be the better day to visit MK. For many it is a travel day and does not seem to have the crowds. The other thing to consider is I believe MVMCP is on Friday night and unless you have a seperate ticket the park will be closing early.

[MushuGrl]

We went during Pop Warner week in 2008 and only saw one team in the parks during that week. You're good.

Are they allowed back at POP? While we were there, we were told the teams weren't allowed to stay there anymore due to something happening the year before. There were no teams at POP.