Help Please!!!!

[snorgg]

We will be heading to WDW in Dec. My question is this We have already booked for Dec.3-Dec 10 well as we all know that is pop warner week, so i called wdw to change that to Nov 28 - Dec 5 and the wonderful cm told me it would be better not to because the crowds are so much larger that week and that the pop warner groups don't really have an impact in the parks. The catch to all of this is we will be staying at our favorite resort POR that is where the overflow from the values stay. HELP i don't know what to do an opionions are welcomed. Thanks

[NJRRK]

I think the CM might have thought that Thanksgiving is later than it is.

The CM probably looked and thought that your dates included Thanksgiving, but this year Thanksgiving is the 22nd.

[offwego]

I've been twice during pop warner week. I have to say that with so many of their events at the sports complex you really don't see them in the parks that much.

If the week prior is attached to the thanksgiving holiday the crowds will be heavier then.

You may want to stick with your orginal plan and just make sure you've planned for hitting rides that are more popular with the kids/teens earlier in the day when they will be at the events and plan for shows and such in the evenings when they have time to hit the parks. Enjoy your vacation.

[moe513]

We were there in 2005 during Pop warner and I thought the crowds were mod. We never waited more than 50 min for a ride and that was for soarin. I just noticed people nothing that made me see that they were pop warner instead of any other Disney guest.We did try one emh pm at mgm and it was packed so we left. I wouldnt want to stay at a value when they were there because a large group may be loud but the parks are okay. Im not sure about over flow to a por.That was our experience.

[Strmchsr]

The week after Thanksgiving has gotten a lot more crowded, and the Nov 30-Dec 2 time frame will be nuts due to the taping of the Christmas Parade. That said, the crowds aren't unbearable. I agree with NJRRK that the CM may have misunderstood when Thanksgiving Day is.

All of that said, don't worry. As you noted, POR is overflow. It is not the main resort. It doesn't see the impact from PW that the values do and the parks are not all that affected. Just relax and don't stress about. If I remember correctly, Pop Warner is Dec 2-8 so either way you'd deal with a couple of days during that week so you might as well not change.

[TammiMcMan]

Based on your dates, if you take Nov. 28th - Dec. 5th, then you are going to run into the taping of the Christmas day parade (no official news yet that I know of, but historically, the first weekend of December). A lot of people come in for that. If you're staying at POR, you will deal with Pop Warner from the 2nd - 5th (primarily at the food court). This was one of the resort options for the group last year, not an overflow. So, in terms of the resort, you'll either be dealing with the group at the beginning or end of your trip, but for the parks, by going early, you will experience some higher crowds and maybe a little bit of inconvenience with the taping. Unless that's something that you look forward to experiencing.

[Marilyn Michetti]

Pop Warner has a bad rep. You won't even notice them for the most part. As already said, they've got so many activities, and they're not all running around at the same time. I've never seen anything bad out of any of them. (Some folks say they have, but that could be anyone, anywhere).
Your plans sound fine. That's the week we usually go, and it couldn't be better.

[TammiMcMan]

Pop Warner has a bad rep.

I've been involved with Pop Warner and agree with this statement for the most part. Unfortunately, there have been a few situations where supervision was not handled very well and kids being a bit out of control. I realize this can happen at any time, with any group and I only single this out as the topic is Pop Warner. As with construction noise, group noise, etc. everyone is going to handle it differently. Some may have a very low tolerance for disruption, while others barely notice it. The facts are that for the most part, Pop Warner is just another group at Disney, but it is a very large group that can be termed disruptive to some people.

[Magic Fanatic]

Don't reschedule your vacation because of Pop Warner. We have been down for the same week as you for the last 3 years and will be there this year as well. These kids are on a pretty tight schedule and personally did not find them to be a problem at all. We have found over the years that the there really is no time between Thanksgiving and Christmas that the parks are "empty". This time of year has become very popular.

[Sunshine1010]

I've been there during the Pop Warner event --- and only saw a few groups of teenagers in the parks.

BUT - I've heard that if you are staying at a value or a mod (where they overflow), that it's pretty bad. ESPECIALLY at the values.

Please understand that this is what I've read on this site.

So....would it stop me from going or changing my dates. No --- just expect loud stuff going on at the resort.

[MsMin]

I've only gone the week after that so I can't comment but I know that WDW can really absorb a crowd, as mentioned!
We had to deal w/ some horrible out of control kids that were singing w/ the CP 2 yrs ago... it can happen anywhere at anytime. I'm not a big Food court person so I guess I don't notice some things that others may in the F/C. I agree though, just wanted to say, relax and enjoy your planning and have a great stay. I love WDW at Christmas time... wish I were going

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Pop Warner impacts the resorts, but not much the parks.
2) In fact, in the parks, they seem "relatively" well behaved.
3) However, at the resorts, they can be holy terrors.
. . . they can cause a lot of damage
. . . they make a lot of noise late into the night
. . . the food courts are busy AND VERY LOUD
4) If you avoid ASSp, POP and POFQ, you will be OK.
5) Sure, it is the kids, but the chaperons are to blame.
6) When asked, one said it wasn't her job to "babysit".
7) She said she was there to make sure arrangements/connections were met.

NOTE: I have nothing against kids having fun and being kids, but the chaperons let them get away with too much. AS we all know from our own childhood, you give a lot, and the kids take even more. Unfortunately, Disney doesn't do much. It was explained to me by a Duty Manager that they bring in too much money. Besides the fees for Wild World of Sports, the groups eat and stay at Disney. In fact, by contract, if they stay off-site without special permission from WDW (which is seldom given), they CANNOT participate in the tourney.

[Sunshine1010]

I agree with Rusty.

Like I said before....they are pretty 'tame' at the parks. But, I've ready story after story after story. And I've talked to people who were staying at the value and some mod (mostly the New Orleans ones) resorts, and EVERYTHING points to the fact that I'll NEVER stay at a resort where they are.

And for the record --- I used to be a cheerleader. Girls love to 'show off' and that is what they do by singing out loud and stuff. They want to be noticed. At the resorts, ....it's like a slumber part for hundreds of girls.

Soooooo.......go, but stay somewhere else besides a value or a mod.

[Belle1217]

I would not worry at all. We were there last year during pop warner week. We even stayed at the All Star Sports. They were fine. We hardly saw them at all. In the morning a little bit. And we were with them on the bus once at night going back to the resort. The kids were very nice. They all made sure that my family got on the bus and had seats before they did even though a few kids were on line before us.
So I would not worry enjoy your trip. This is a great time of year with all of the decorations to look at.

[Belle1217]

Also the girls were not loud at all. The adults that were with them were very good at keeping everything under control. If there is a problem all you have to do is notify the front desk they will take care of it right away. I was also very concerned when I found out about pop week. But like I said before we had no problems.

[TammiMcMan]

I think it's really helpful to hear first hand accounts, but it also starts to show a general theme and that's "your mileage may vary". Everyone needs to decide for themselves what their overall tolerance level is. Some noise, some crowding at the food courts may be fine for many. I know people who avoid certain times of the year because of foreign tour groups. Chances are pretty good that there will only be some minimal disruption, but it's good to hear both the good and the bad and make a choice that will be best for your family.

[Sunshine1010]

Well said Tammy......

[WonderlandsMostWanted]

You know, I'm already booked for the same week you are. (Dec 1-10) I wouldn't consider rescheduling because of Pop Warner. I've stayed at an All Star at the same time as them. The cheerleaders can be noticable, because as stated above, they're excited to be there, and they can be a bit spirited and feel the need to share that spirit. You probably aren't going on vacation just to hang out in the food courts and on the busses, which is where they'd be a concern the most, so your intereaction with them will be pretty minimal. If on the off chance you wind up in a room that happens to be too close to a particularly loud set of kids, you can always speak to the CM's at the resort and let them know abou the noise and posibly move to a different room if need be, but that's probably an unlikely scenario.

It's your vacation, and it's when you want to go. Don't let a bunch of "what ifs" detract you from making your trip all that you want it to be.

PS, I'll be your neighbor over at POFQ that week! See you there!

[lockedoutlogic]

The pop warner crowd isn't really that bad....sure they can be loud and a little rowdy....

but what time of the year is there not a rowdy group of some sort at WDW?

The only times when there aren't youth or international groups are probably October and February...when the business conventions tend to be heavy.

Pop is not that hard to handle...I've had experience with most of the larger conventions....cheerleading championships are far worse to deal with....

OF course...the best was the accountant intern convention of a certain large accounting group at the GF in '00....
the place was almost destroyed...a cross between Girls Gone Wild and Animal House....

don't be in fear of pee wee football...

[TammiMcMan]

OF course...the best was the accountant intern convention of a certain large accounting group at the GF in '00....
the place was almost destroyed...a cross between Girls Gone Wild and Animal House....

Sorry, but I have to laugh at this one. For some reason, I can't even form a mental image in my head. Accountants going wild... sounds like an oxymoron .