Pop Warner...I'm scared!!

[mommyof3princess27]

We are at POFQ for the entire week that Pop Warner is going on (Dec 3 - 10) and are keeping our fingers crossed.

We are going to be there only a few days that week so I dont think we will have trouble as we are going to MK first when we get there

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

We've been the last 3 years at Pop Warner week. The first year at POP & we didn't even know they were around. I'd never heard of them.

The next two years we were at POR. I found out about them real quick. The first year the only problem we had was at check-in. The whole place is geared towards the Pop Warner group & check-in lines are all marked Pop Warner. You are kind of an after thought if you aren't in that group. It took ages to get our room. We waited to like 1 a.m. or later & before they could finally get a King room in the mansions clean & check us in. Other than that that time we had no problems with the group. We didn't eat in the food court & are gone to the parks most of the time though.

Last year check-in was worse. They kept saying we'll need to take away your King room if you want the mansion area. Finally they found us a room in the Bayou area. I think the check-in folks are just worn out from dealing with problems & they get kind of short & snappy. [ The next morning I went to the check-in & a very nice person nicely switched us to the mansions that day]

This time we noticed way more cheerleaders hanging out in the lobby area. You could barely walk though the area at times. And the buses ran odd this time. If the Pop group was going to AK or whereever we found lots of those buses ran & it'd be ages before the bus we'd need would come.

This year we changed resorts..to CSR & are going a week later. I loved POR but I hated their check-in due to Pop Warner.

 

[Missytara]

we are going to be there nov 30th - dec6th and i'm a little worried about the mass amount of people too.. we are staying at pofq- i'm hoping there is no over flow there - and that the parks are not crazy busy :/

They don't officially arrive until Saturday, the 3rd; they are arriving as I am leaving.

They spend the first few days practicing before the championships start; so they are fairly busy. Once teams start getting eliminated mid-week, you will see more of them in the parks.

 

[panixx]

I was the one who posted about the CM saying POFQ woudl probably not be used. I dont believe it's any more upscale than the other moderates but I would expect them to not use it just to cut down on the wear and tear of a newly refurbed resort......at least I am hoping that is the case because I am scheduled to be there for that week as well LOL.

 

[Missytara]

I was the one who posted about the CM saying POFQ woudl probably not be used. I dont believe it's any more upscale than the other moderates but I would expect them to not use it just to cut down on the wear and tear of a newly refurbed resort......at least I am hoping that is the case because I am scheduled to be there for that week as well LOL.

Look at it the other way; with POR going through a major refurb, with one building down at a time, they may be forced to definately use POFQ for overflow.

 

[marinahendrix]

Eek! This makes me nervous! We have the option going for a four day weekend either December 8-12 or December 15-19. I've heard the big christmas crowds arrive in the parks around December 17th so we had originally decided on December 8-12 but we have our hearts set on POR.

I don't know which is worse, a resort overrun with kids or busier parks? Plus free dining is offered the second set of dates which would be nice, but would that make the parks THAT much more crowded?

Which would you do?

 

[TPCShauna]

Eek! This makes me nervous! We have the option going for a four day weekend either December 8-12 or December 15-19. I've heard the big christmas crowds arrive in the parks around December 17th so we had originally decided on December 8-12 but we have our hearts set on POR.

I don't know which is worse, a resort overrun with kids or busier parks? Plus free dining is offered the second set of dates which would be nice, but would that make the parks THAT much more crowded?

Which would you do?

It depends on your touring strategy. If you are a Park Commando, then I would want the weekend with lower Park crowds. If you spend time at your resort, or need your resort time to recharge your batteries, I would do the quieter resort weekend.

Honestly, we've done Dec. 16 to Dec. 23 or thereabouts several times, and the crowds the first few days weren't that bad. For what it's worth, www.touringplans.com is listing your second set of dates as a Level 2, 3, 4, 2 and 5 out of 10. That, plus Free Dining would have me leaning that direction if I were in your shoes. Yes, the first weekend you listed are all 2s or 3s, but I wouldn't want the noisy resort.

Just my $0.02. You'll have a great time regardless.

 

[panixx]

Look at it the other way; with POR going through a major refurb, with one building down at a time, they may be forced to definately use POFQ for overflow.

Gee thanks for making feel better about my trip

I already tried rebooking to CSR but it was full except for junior suites.

 

[westonkamom]

Hi! I'm the OP...just to relieve myself of the stress of wondering if PW will have an effect on our vacation, I just bit the bullet and upgraded to Animal Kingdom Lodge. I've always wanted to stay there and although it is a huge increase in price, at least now I can relax about this silly issue and plan the vacation! I'm actually going to surprise DH, DS (10), and DD (5) with the change when we get there....they will be so excited!! Hope I made a good choice...I already feel less stress. Ahhhhh.....onto planning, lol.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Hi! I'm the OP...just to relieve myself of the stress of wondering if PW will have an effect on our vacation, I just bit the bullet and upgraded to Animal Kingdom Lodge. I've always wanted to stay there and although it is a huge increase in price, at least now I can relax about this silly issue and plan the vacation! I'm actually going to surprise DH, DS (10), and DD (5) with the change when we get there....they will be so excited!! Hope I made a good choice...I already feel less stress. Ahhhhh.....onto planning, lol.

Great idea!!!!! have fun!

 

[panixx]

Nice! I'd love to stay at AKL, but this trip we're stuck at POFQ.
I doubt we will be at the resort much anyway so hopefully it wont be too bad.
I have ADR every day in the parks so wont be spending much time in the food court either.

 

[westonkamom]

Nice! I'd love to stay at AKL, but this trip we're stuck at POFQ.
I doubt we will be at the resort much anyway so hopefully it wont be too bad.
I have ADR every day in the parks so wont be spending much time in the food court either.

We stayed at Pop Century last December and absolutely LOVED it! Maybe if you really want to switch, go down to that value instead of up. Only reason we're doing deluxe is b/c my DH doesn't know, lol...let's hope my garage sale this week does as well as it usually does so I can pay off the difference!!! Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I am just a little crazy when it comes to the unknown and planning...it would have driven me insane to wonder for the next 2 months (when Pop Warner will release their choices to the teams) if they would be at POFQ. I'm sure your trip will be wonderful regardless.

 

[panixx]

Main reason I chose POFQ was the queen sized beds. I would be in a value otherwise probably LOL.

 

[mom2princesses2]

Eek! This makes me nervous! We have the option going for a four day weekend either December 8-12 or December 15-19. I've heard the big christmas crowds arrive in the parks around December 17th so we had originally decided on December 8-12 but we have our hearts set on POR.

I don't know which is worse, a resort overrun with kids or busier parks? Plus free dining is offered the second set of dates which would be nice, but would that make the parks THAT much more crowded?

Which would you do?

We've gone that week before Christmas and crowds were not a problem.

 

[Madisonsmom45]

Stays at the moderates too. The last time we were down to Disney in Dec there was a loud obnoxious mob of them.....And believe me the chaperons weren't doing anything to help control them. It's one of the reasons we quit going during that time of year. Good Luck

 

[aubriee]

They don't usually release the information until about three weeks before, because they don't know how many teams will be participating, depending on who won their division.

There will always be a choice of one value and one moderate.

One year, that I happened to be there by accident, they had already moved me over to CSR; I insisted on staying since I consider POR my home resort.

And boy, was I sorry. By Tuesday, I took them up on their offer - too late, by then, anyone who could get out of POR had already taken them up on it and I was out of luck.

From some of your previous posts about Pop Warner I'm pretty sure we were at POFQ that same year during that time. That year they used the All Stars and PORS as their designated resort, with the overflow going to POFQ. It was absolutely horrible. Kids, parents, and so called chaperones all totally out of control (pushing, shoving, taking over the food court, pool, and hot tub, screaming and banging on doors all all hours of the night, etc). CMs we spoke to said they were always bad, but that particular group was the absolute worst they'd ever seen.

This CM was full of it. If POFQ isn't going to be used, it's because it's the smallest moderate and this is a large convention. Once the POR refurb is done, and they're already done with one building, all of the mods except CBR will have queen beds so that doesn't even make sense. Resorts in the same category are comparable, not "more upscale" than other ones

CSR is more upscale than the other moderates and costs just a tad more a night too. It's a convention resort that has junior suites, club rooms, a spa, beauty salon, convention center, an adults only lounge after certain hours, serves food at the pool, has the biggest hot tub on property, and is the only moderate to have pillow top queen beds. I've stayed at both CSR and POFQ since the rehab and the queen size beds at POFQ are nothing like the ones at CSR. (No where near as comfortable.) I agree though, POFQ while very nice is nowhere near nice enough to be considered upscale.

 

[WantToGoNow]

and is the only moderate to have pillow top queen beds. I've stayed at both CSR and POFQ since the rehab and the queen size beds at POFQ are nothing like the ones at CSR. (No where near as comfortable.)

This is wonderful news. I was worried about staying at CSR because the rooms just don't have the "Disney look" that the other mods and values have. But I'll take a more comfortable bed anyday.

 

[sarahbug79]

I am still really worried about pop warner. We are booked November 30 for 7 nights at POR. We are a family of 5 so we are limited on where we stay. I havent booked flights yet so I could move it. But these are the most ideal days. I figure if I pull my kids out of school when they get back they only have a 2 day week and then time to recover. I could go MOn~Mon which wouldnt overlap as much. I really dont know that I want to go after POP its just so close to Christmas. What to do?

 

[Missytara]

I am still really worried about pop warner. We are booked November 30 for 7 nights at POR. We are a family of 5 so we are limited on where we stay. I havent booked flights yet so I could move it. But these are the most ideal days. I figure if I pull my kids out of school when they get back they only have a 2 day week and then time to recover. I could go MOn~Mon which wouldnt overlap as much. I really dont know that I want to go after POP its just so close to Christmas. What to do?

They really don't start arriving until Saturday, officially; some do arrive on Friday.

The first few days, they are busy practicing for their competitions and all the teams are tied up the first few days. It doesn't really get bad until they start getting eliminated and tend to hang around the resort more; you will be fine by the time you leave.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

No worries. We have stayed at All Star Movies during Pop Warner week and it was no big deal. Food Court in the mornings was busy but that was it. Enjoy your trip!

I heard nightmares leading up to the trip and was nervous but it was smooth sailing for us. Just be aware.

I have yet to have a bad Disney vacation. Keep an open mind and just go with it. I like to prepare for the worst and hope for the best that way I'm always pleasantly surprised.