Cheerleaders

[wendybird]

I have read on this site that LARGE groups of cheerleaders invade the All stars in early December. Now I am hearing that they also come in late April. Anyone have more details? We are coming for 8 night on April 24th and I am considering changing from ASM to POFQ if they will be there, too.

[Gregandmel]

We will be there the same time frame as you and will be staying at POFQ. There are several different cheerleading events happening the weekend we will arrive and they will be doing their thing at both Epcot and Disney Studios. They are only supposed to be there the 24/25/26 so hopefully it isn't going to pack in the crowds during that time. I didn't realize this when we booked our trip - I thought late April would be a good time to go, but we'll see. It's also Grad NIght that weekend (Friday & Saturday night) at the Magic Kingdom, as well as the next weekend.

[wendybird]

Oh No- DH not happy to hear that. Maybe we should move up or back on week . . . .

[ransam]

we went during december and hardly notice them. there were a few groups here and there.
for the most part they are competing during the day. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[PixieMagic]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about the cheerleaders in the parks...just the hotel....and I would rethink the time frame b/c grad nights are the worst!!!!!! The couple times we went during them, the parks closing earlier wasn't a huge deal but the crowds of teenagers in lines was....a couple would be in front of you and suddenly 15 of their friends would join them....:mad:

[Gregandmel]

From what I"ve read (I googled cheer competition disney world and also grad night disney world) to see what info I could find. The cheerleaders/dance competitors will be in the World Showcase at Epcot and may be using the stage that Indian Jones Stunt Spectacular uses at HOllywood Studios (as well as the Disney Wide World of Sports). Grad nights are set to be at Magic Kingdom both Friday night & Saturday night the 23rd & 24th of April, as well as April 30th & May 1st. From what I could tell, they are allowed in the parks around 6pm and from 10:00pm - 4:00am I think the park is all theirs. Plan accordingly.

[wendybird]

Thanks for the heads up on dates. I am not so concerned about those groups in the parks, but I have heard that they can be a nightmare at your hotel (up super late, loud, unsupervised, and even caused pool closures). I think I will definately move our arrival to either April 16th or May 1st. Are the crowds or weather that much different in either of those weeks? Easter is April 4th so hopefully the 16th is late enough to avoid those crowds. Not sure about May . . . . Advice????

[Gregandmel]

The first 3 weeks in May are listed as good times to visit and the weather is supposed to be nice (according to these boards). I'd imagine the later into May, the warmer it will become. The East Coast still has Spring Breaks going on the 3rd week in April....just an FYI.

[MNNHFLTX]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about the cheerleaders in the parks...just the hotel....and I would rethink the time frame b/c grad nights are the worst!!!!!! I have to say that I agree with this statement. Grad nights can really make the Magic Kingdom a nightmare. And it can be a bit hairy at the resorts they are staying at too.

[Jeffybob]

We have been there when both events are happening and it was not pretty. Packs of cheerleading girls moving through the parks with no regard for anyone in their path and it did not seem to matter where you were, because they were everywhere.

I would move the trip to the beginning of May if you can.

As for Grad nights, with graduations happening from mid-May though June, that is a bit more difficult to gauge. The parks do not seem to be as much of an issue as the hotels are; that is a totally different story. As an earlier poster pointed out, these kids loud, unsupervised and out of control. :mickey:

[Gregandmel]

If the cheerleaders are supposed to be there the Sat/Sun/Mon only - does anyone know if they usually stay at the Values? Are they there ALL week, or just the days they are competing? This is right when we are supposed to be coming in and I am simply not interested in being surrounded by a gazillion cheerleaders. Anyone know? :confused:

[Going2HeavenRU]

I have been when the cheerleaders were at WDW and I will never go again.

As was stated above, they have no regard for anyone and about ran us over yelling the entire time. They were obnoxious and appeared to be unsupervised (if they were supervised, the adults should have been shot for allowing the kids to be so rude).

They tended to stay at the All Star Sports hotel and were cheering and yelling late in to the night.

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE!

[1EeyoreFan]

I know they had some type of cheerleader or dance thing when we were there for my b-day in Feb. We were staying at CBR. They were leaving the day after we arrived so we did not see much of them.

They must have had some type of event for them at the CBR though because they had a tent set up outside for them.

[momof3+twins]

Not knowing for sure when they will be there, they are large groups of girls that cheer in the pool, by the pool, and take up space in line for the bus. If this bothers you, I would switch resorts. I bothers me!!:secret:

[johnO]

We used to go to WDW in early February when the international cheer / Dance competition takes place. DS surely liked it and we never had a problem until the last time we went in February.

It was Pop Century and after midnight. A Cheer team arrived to the resort and were bringing in their bags shouting carrying on etc. I went outside and had words with the 'coach'. Despite the fact that it was after midnight and her girls were cheering and making a ton of noise, I was the person being 'unreasonable'. Needless to say the conversation degenerated. I called the front desk but it didn't help.

[Tez]

Let me just say that we try to avoid this like the plague!

We got on the bus and it just so happened that a bunch of girls from some South American country invaded our bus! Our bus sounded like a giant hornet buzzing down the road!

I don't mean to offend anyone that is into that but when you are not around it or used to it...WOWZERS!

[IloveDisney71]

I don't know the exact dates but a friend of mine will be heading to WDW around Feb. 13 & 14th for a cheerleading competition of some sort.

[Carolanne]

I am considering changing from ASM to POFQ if they will be there, too.

From what I see on WDW Wide World of Sports site, the Cheerleading & Dance World Championships will be taking place 4/23 - 4/25/10.

If you're looking to avoid them completely, there isn't a guarantee that they won't be at POFQ, too. I have stayed at POFQ while cheer/dance competitions were taking place and the participants were staying there as well. The last time we went to WDW during a cheer competition, we had some issues & tried moving to another resort and the CM that tried to help us said that the participants don't stay at any one resort and advised us against making any change.

All of the participants aren't bad--it takes just a few baddies (there's always a few in most groups) to ruin the rep of everyone involved. I've had a few run-ins with some baddies, and the last one I had involved a cheerleader showing off for her friends on a POFQ bus. We were all standing & I had my back towards her. This girl kept bumping into me (I felt purposely, since the bus was far from crowded) & then would laugh about it with her friends. When I finally turned around & asked if there was a problem, she & her friends looked totally embarrassed, immediately apologized, and stopped the bumping. I think when they only saw me from the back, maybe they thought I was closer to their age given my size & ponytail, lol.