PDA

View Full Version : Pop Warner Week



WDWPRO533
08-17-2006, 10:54 PM
Can anyone share their past experiences of Pop Warner week? My wife and I are going from December 1st - 9th, which is the exact dates of the Pop Warner Cheerleading and Football event at WWOS. Are the parks extremely crowded with long wait times for attractions? We like to go during value season, but we are starting to get very concerned that the parks will be overcrowded during this week. Any help would be appreciated.

Disney_pups2
08-18-2006, 04:26 AM
We went last year for a day trip on December 11th I think it was and it was smooth sailing. I too thought it would be crowded but it wasn't. I would however suggest that you avoid the Value resorts and large room hotels in DTD. We went one year and several classes from overseas of younger kids were there and they were all at the Values... UGH!!! I don't think that it will be that crowded. If you get parkhopper option, then you could always switch parks if one is loaded down. Epcot seems to be the best for crowds and very rarely have crowds. I hope this helps.

lindique
08-18-2006, 09:32 AM
Pop Warner kids are generally not in the Parks during the day. They are at the Sports complex for the competitions. You may notice them at the Parks in the evenings, but they will generally be in small groups with parents. They will take over Disney-MGM Studios one evening at the end of the competition - I believe that Park is kept open late for them.

Most of the problems with the Pop Warner kids occur at the Resorts, not at the Parks.

WDWCP Spring99
08-18-2006, 10:10 AM
I was at the World during Pop Warner week last year and I was REALLY glad that I had a hotel swap planned for the middle of my trip. I stayed at POR for the first half of my trip. I didn't expect that many kids to be staying at a moderate (I hate to think about how it was at the Values...) They were loud, rolling past your door with those sneakers with the wheel's in them and then they were roaming the parks in large groups "cheering". And the food court was always really busy. I was really glad that I moved over to the Boardwalk.

Unless I am staying at a deluxe...I will not go back down during Pop Warner week again.

midlifemagic
08-18-2006, 10:27 AM
It's not really a parks issue,it's a resorts issue. The values, with the overflow going to the moderates. (CBR & POR) We were at POR this past December during Pop week. We couldn't get near the pool in the evenings and it was very noisy after dark when we were trying to rest. The food court was also very crowed and chaotic but the most troublesome part by far was departure day. Airport check-in and bag check at POR took us 2 1/2 hours departure morning. Then, ME wasn't prepared for the sheer number of passengers departing for the airport, causing many frayed nerves and nearly missed flights. Really bad ending to our stay.
I recommend upgrading to a premium resort if it's in your budget.

mia_minnie04
08-18-2006, 01:55 PM
Its funny how everyone is so worried about the kids with POP Warner when I have seen kids with the PARENTS act worse then these kids do in these groups maybe if we parent our kids better when we are with us then they wouldnt act RUDE, NASTY, MESSY, or OBNOXIUOS, LOUD, when they are away from us ...just a thought its always a handful that make the whole group look bad but cut them some slack we were all once young ... :twocents:

mia_minnie04
08-18-2006, 02:09 PM
Im not knocking anyones parenting skills. I use these things as a way to show my DD & DS how NOT :nono: to act when you are with friends. I for one cant stand to see young adults acting out like they do no matter where we are. I always point it out to mine and tell them, I hope you never act like that when you are out with friends. Look how bad it looks :ack: and How people respond to you like you are obnoxious,rude, nasty, kids....you want to be treated like "adult" or "young adult" then act like it when you are on your own with friends....sorry I didnt want anyone to take what I said in the wrong way ;)

WDWPRO533
08-18-2006, 02:57 PM
I was worried about the resort issue as well. Sounds like we may have to consider changing resorts. We were planning on staying at Pop Century, but is sounds like that may not be a good idea. My wife and I enjoy seeing the smiles on the childrens faces and the magic that Walt Disney World brings into their life. However, it is the rude and obnoxious teenagers that often time get us angry because they are just acting out trying to look cool in front of their friends. It also sounds like we will be unable to enjoy the pool and food court at the resort as well. Geez! Wish we could afford the Beach Club again...

disneydrmr
08-18-2006, 03:46 PM
I'm confused. :confused: I had my travel agent check with the Disney people since I'm going from Dec 3 - 10 and staying at a value - and they told her they have NO RECORD of any group staying on site.... just to be safe I did ask her to put in a request for a room FAR away from the pools...

kakn7294
08-18-2006, 04:01 PM
I don't think that the Pop Warner people have made any ressies yet since they haven't even kicked off the season yet. Last year, they stayed in the All-Star resorts (I think Sports and Music, but I could be wrong) and PO Riverside. A check of their website just yesterday did not list any info about the SuperBowl week yet except the dates.

WDWPRO533
08-18-2006, 05:26 PM
December 2nd - 10th is blacked out for all discounts at all Value Resorts, Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside. We were told by Disney that this is because the Pop Warner group stays at these resorts. We are pretty bummed that we cant get any discounts just because of their large group. Right now we are half tempted to upgrade just so we can avoid the large crowds at the resort, and save some money on either a Moderate or Deluxe resort.

DizneeProfitEar
08-18-2006, 09:21 PM
The Pop Warner week is really a non-issue except for the hotel arrangements on-site.

We were at MGM last year when they all were at that park on the same day. Nothing bad at all. They corralled everyone from Pop Warner to the far left side of Fantasmic! It was all cheerleaders. Nothing annoying happened, no one got in the way. In fact, the cheerleaders were entertaining the crowd while we waited an extra long time for the show to begin due to rain.

There is a great discussion on Pop Warner week at this thread:
http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=81908

If you can't find a reasonable hotel rate on-site, I highly recommend going to a value hotel off property. Rates are pretty good in December if you know where to look. Yes, you will not have the benefit of being at a Disney hotel and you will need a rental car, but it's not as bad as some die-hard Disney fans would make you believe.

I'm a huge proponent of having your own rental car whether you stay on-site or not. It gives you absolute freedom and speed to get around where you want to go (i.e., no waiting for those darn buses!) Plus, you can go off-site and get some great meals for much cheaper and shop anywhere you want.

For a past discussion on parking/rental benefits, here's another thread link:

http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=59492

Do your homework and see what's available. Sometimes the expenses you pay for staying off-site even up and come out cheaper to what you would pay on-site.

tinkerbell0902
10-25-2007, 11:00 PM
We stayed at POR during the POP Warner week in 2006. At times it wasn't bad but there were times when it was downright annoying. It was loud when they were practicing or at night when they were all coming back. The heelie shoes were in abundance and parents were crabby. The busses were difficult from late afternoon through park closing. I think we stood on every bus we took. In 2008 we are going again partway through their competition but are staying at the POP. Mostly because they didn't have any rooms available at POR for our dates but now that I've been reading these posts I'm glad we are. It sounds like we won't encounter as many cheerleaders

ryca1dreams
10-26-2007, 09:33 AM
We went in December 2005 and will never go back again. You say the parks are not an issue but I disagree. Maybe we went on days when there were no competitions. There were many groups of kids (football teams, cheerleaders) and what seemed to be associated groups of relatives everywhere. MK was extremely crowded and I have video to back it up. I keep checking to make sure I wasn't mistaken, but it's true.

We stayed off resort, so I can't comment on the Disney hotels.

A Mouse Fan
10-26-2007, 04:23 PM
We went last year during Pop Warner and although we stayed at the WL(thankfully no cheerleaders) we saw plenty of them in the parks and they flooded Downtown Disney. We made the decision (if we go back in December) to go the second week of December to miss Pop Warner. It wasn't horrible it's just not something I really want to deal with. I think it makes the parks much more crowded because even though the cheerleaders are practicing all their moms, dads, brothers, aunts (you get the idea) that have come with them are in the parks. If you decide to go do make sure you have ADR otherwise you can forget at eating at some of the more popular restaurants! Good Luck!

Melanie
10-26-2007, 05:52 PM
Pop Warner week is definitely a timeframe we will avoid in the future. We were at PO Riverside with them a few years back, and many of the things listed above happened to us - crowded pools and food court, and they were loud in common areas. We also witnessed practicing of cheers on the busses to the parks.

It didn't ruin our vacation, but it was annoying enough to not plan another trip during that week ever again.

LCPZA
10-26-2007, 10:09 PM
I made the mistake to go a few years ago during that week (before we purchase the DVC) adn stayed at the ALL Star Movie resort. DISNEY COULD NOT GIVE ME A FREE VACATION THAT WEEK AGAIN. The pools at night are like teenagers gone wild.LOUD!!!! The parks had its moments. The parents were just down right rude. ( I am sure the kids just made them that way) TOOOOOO many young kids and not enough supervision at the hotels and the resort did not do to much to control the area. If you don't have a rental car the buses will be packed in like a can of sardines. We had a rental car but the first 2 days we did not use it to go between the parks and lets say we waited at times 3-4 and 5 buses before we could get on one. If I had the option I would upgrade or change my vacation dates.

DisneyTwirler13!
10-26-2007, 10:32 PM
I, personally, just can't understand why parents don't teach their kids how to act when they're on vacation/at a competition. Even if it's at Disney World, it doesn't mean that you are the only ones there! We used to go to TwirlMania! at the WWOS every February, and the only times that we were off by ourselves where when we were A.) going to the bathroom, B.) performing/competing, C.) practicing out of everyone elses way and if we were in eyesight of one of our parents or our coach, and D.) if we were swimming in the pools with other girls from our team. Some of the older girls would go and hang around the lobby of Pop Century, but they were very well behaved and weren't causing any trouble. But there were other people who were there for the competition that were acting like they owned the world or something!!! One kid actually hit an older man in the head with her baton, then blamed him for getting in her way! Unbelievable! I hope that kids aren't going around and throwing footballs at senior citizens, and waving their pom-poms in everybody's faces, but they could at least tone it down, and act civilized. It's a hotel, with other people in it, trying to relax and enjoy their stay. :mad:
I realize that I ranted, and I'm sorry, but something must be done about kids these days when they are at competitions with their friends. There is nothing that you can do here that you can't do at home!

JPL
10-27-2007, 02:47 PM
The only issues I had with Pop Warner week last December was at the airport not at WDW. I think the entire trip we saw on group of a bout 12 cheerleaders in the MK and they past us by doign a cheer and that was the last we saw of them. However the airport was a mess when I was leaving on Sunday. Every flight coming back to NJ was overbooked and full of Pop Warner kids carrying these trophies that were bigger than they were. No wonder all these parents think their 9 year olds are going to the NFL :shake: The people working for the airlines were actually begging people to give up their seats and there was lots of arguing and confusion at the gate.

GrmGrninGost
10-27-2007, 04:34 PM
We were there the entire Pop Warner week in 2006. I have to beg the differ with those who say it's a resort issue and not a park issue. We had been lead to believe that the first week of December was a great week to visit WDW. We were told the crowds were low and the weather was great! I think maybe someone was a few years behind on that! The parks were the most crowded I've ever seen them! We had no real problems other than large crowds and cold weather, but it was not what we expected. I plan on a return trip in Dec. somewhere in the future. I will try the second week of December.

LoriMistress
10-27-2007, 08:30 PM
If you plan well, there will be no issues with encountering with the Pop Warner crowds. If you're staying at any of the value/moderate resorts, then you may be around them. I know we'll only be encountering Pop Warner and Mousefest crowds for only 2-3 days. (On our arrival we'll be at DTD during the evening, so I'm sure we'll see a ton of Pop Warner crowds.) But we'll be doing more adult activities like seeing Cirque du Soleil and eating at The Dining Room at Wolfgang Puck's. So I'm sure we'll be okay. :D This will be our first trip in December (from 12/8 to 12/19), and we're expecting it to be a bit busy during the first three days of our vacation and the last three days of our vacation.

TammiMcMan
10-28-2007, 10:57 PM
In terms of Disney crowds in general, there has definitely been an increase every year. While there used to be "slow" seasons scattered over the year, they are now few and far between. If you are travelling over the holiday's, the first week of December is still one of the best in terms of crowds. As you get closer to Christmas, it only picks up.

For Pop Warner specifically, the dates are December 2nd - 8th. The resorts that are part of their package include the Allstar Sports, Allstar Music and Port Orleans. Competitors must be booked into one of these resorts, however family members can choose whichever one they want. Their party is on Wednesday, December 5th, after hours at MGM.

If anyone is booked into a resort where this group will be staying and cannot or do not want to move, simply note a request for "quiet area" on your reservation. They do try to keep all the competitors in one area of the resort. You'll still notice large groups at the food court and possibly bus stops (depending on the time of day).

TexansInNY
01-18-2008, 05:08 PM
With regard to the parks themselves it is actually, in my opinion, a better time to go. As mentioned earlier, they are at the games during the day (thinnning a little as some teams lose) - but those rooms they occupy would be normally occupied regardless so let's say there are 1,000 rooms and they take up 300 - that actually leaves only 700 rooms worth of guests (vs 1,000 during a normal time) in the parks. As you can see, we will be attending this year during that week - I look forward to it.

LONESTAR
01-18-2008, 05:21 PM
We stay at FW so there is no pop warner people there. Park crowds are not that bad. My best advice is if a bunch of the cheerleaders come up behind you in line let them and a few other people go by. When the line is long they start doing cheers its loud and gets old quick.

Magic Smiles
01-18-2008, 07:46 PM
With regard to the parks themselves it is actually, in my opinion, a better time to go. As mentioned earlier, they are at the games during the day (thinnning a little as some teams lose) - but those rooms they occupy would be normally occupied regardless so let's say there are 1,000 rooms and they take up 300 - that actually leaves only 700 rooms worth of guests (vs 1,000 during a normal time) in the parks. As you can see, we will be attending this year during that week - I look forward to it.

We had been under a similiar impression. How wrong were we.The Pop Warner group is so large now a days, they are overflowing into MANY of the resorts. Not only do the cheerleaders come, many siblings and family relatives seem to be there as well. I know that there were still groups around after the weekend that Pop Warner competition had ended. We arrived on 5 Dec and too many cheerleaders were still there 9 Dec and still some groups even the following week. Once they are eliminated from the competition, they still stay, but then go to the parks. The parks were VERY BUSY during that first week of Dec 07. We usually go to WDW during Apr/May time period. These crowds were double the crowds of Apr/May.
We never encountered them cheering, just their rude and unruly behaviour. As mentioned in another thread, I did not once see a chaperone say anything to any of the cheerleaders. I did see them spoken to in the Adventurers Club by the CMs, but not with much success. I recommend that you do a search on Pop Warner on these boards.

diz_girl
01-22-2008, 02:16 PM
Dec 2-8, 2008! You're kidding me! They're overlapping weeks! When was the last time that they did that? It must have been before 1999. Are they trying to inconvenience as many people as possible? I just booked my trip on Friday for a Nov 30-Dec 6, 2008 trip in order to avoid Pop Warner week. Now I'll have to change it to the following week, since the Pop Warner event will only coincide with only two days of my vacation and not five.

I've tried looking on the Pop Warner Website and I can't find any dates. I know that you can't put external links on the boards, but can someone tell me where on the Website it is listed. Thanks.

diz_girl
01-22-2008, 03:19 PM
Oh, and one more thing to the OP, if you do go during Pop Warner week, you are right in thinking to stay away from the values and POR and POFQ. Especially because of the fight that broke out at ASMu between three teams last month.

Just to be brief - it looks like A LOT of players broke curfew and wound up starting a fight around midnight and one kid went to the hospital. It's possible that at least one parent was involved in the fight too. And it's been reported that dozens of players participated in the fight, so a melee is a better word. Everyone connected with those three teams (players, cheerleaders, coaches, parents, children - including toddlers and infants) were ejected from the resort at 3am, basically given 20 minutes to clear out or else the police would help them leave. There is a zero tolerance policy for violence and everyone on the reservation is ejected. The Pop Warner teams were notified of this policy before the championship week. As a parent of an infant, I feel very bad for the babies (the main innocent bystanders) and their parents. As a resort guest, I'd side with Disney, as more fights could have broken out between midnight and morning.

So you might want to try Coronado Springs...

wedway76
01-22-2008, 03:29 PM
Its funny how everyone is so worried about the kids with POP Warner when I have seen kids with the PARENTS act worse then these kids do in these groups maybe if we parent our kids better when we are with us then they wouldnt act RUDE, NASTY, MESSY, or OBNOXIUOS, LOUD, when they are away from us ...just a thought its always a handful that make the whole group look bad but cut them some slack we were all once young ... :twocents:

That was our experience exactly. We were at the AS Sports during Pop Warner week. There were more than one group of loud obnoxious parents (men and women) that would hang out by the Surf’s Up pool with coolers of beer and liquor, getting tanked up every day, and often at night. I guess they were preparing for the games. We spent very little time at the hotel that week.

kdsjjb
01-22-2008, 04:27 PM
For Pop Warner specifically, the dates are December 2nd - 8th. The resorts that are part of their package include the Allstar Sports, Allstar Music and Port Orleans. Competitors must be booked into one of these resorts, however family members can choose whichever one they want. Their party is on Wednesday, December 5th, after hours at MGM.

I think you're looking at the 2007 schedule.

Pop Warner's 2008 schedule has not been released yet, but the National Championship's have historically begun the weekend AFTER Thanksgiving weekend. That's about 8 or 9 days after the holiday, depending on when folks start showing up.

Due to the fact that Thanksgiving is late this year, the latest speculation is that Pop Warner week will be Dec 6 - 13.

If anyone has any definitive dates, please pass them along.

Bringonthemouse!
01-23-2008, 09:47 AM
I was worried about the resort issue as well. Sounds like we may have to consider changing resorts. We were planning on staying at Pop Century, but is sounds like that may not be a good idea. ...

We arrived at Pop Century during Pop Warner week last year and there was absolutely no evidence of the group at our resort. Our problems were in the Parks with line hopping, showboating, foul language etc. I don't think you need to swap resorts, as stated, I believe they stay at the All Stars.

TexansInNY
01-24-2008, 04:38 PM
The Pop Warner website does have their 2008 calendar posted under "Forms" - It has been there for a few weeks now. The dates are -Dec. 7 - 13.

lindique
01-24-2008, 06:03 PM
The Pop Warner website does have their 2008 calendar posted under "Forms" - It has been there for a few weeks now. The dates are -Dec. 7 - 13.
That doesn't seem logical - Disney is advertising that week as one of the "Wonderful Weeks of Disney" and, from what I read, people are receiving 40% off discounts for that week. Since Pop Warner takes up most of the Value Hotels and Port Orleans, something doesn't add up here.:confused:

kdsjjb
01-25-2008, 10:39 AM
The Pop Warner website does have their 2008 calendar posted under "Forms" - It has been there for a few weeks now. The dates are -Dec. 7 - 13.

Thank you. I have been looking at the schedule, and the schedule that is posted is still last years. I didn't even see the forms tab.

diz_girl
01-25-2008, 11:25 AM
I just checked the Pop Warner Website and the championships are posted as Dec 7-13, 2008. Yeay! We're going home on the 6th, so I'll miss Pop Warner week. Woohoo!