AoA/WDW end of april/may 2024? Cheerleading competitions and crowds? Is it really an issue?

[shandisney45]

Hey first post. Hope I'm in the right place.

Okay but help lol. So we've booked for 22nd April 2024-6th May. In Art of Animation. I thought I was in a decent spot avoiding spring break and Easter. But turns out people are telling me that this is one of the worst/busiest times to go with the Cheer Competitions? Someone actually said "it ruined the disney magic never again" Really?

Someone please give me an honest opinion of what it's like. Should I rebook? I don't even know when to rebook to if I did. We've already out it back once due to a death in the family and weve paid over £7000. I'm reading Disney springs is packed and awful and that soooo many cheerleaders will be everywhere. Would art of animation be a hub for the squads? I've seen conflicting advice on this.

My 9 year old cheers so I get it. No hate to the cheerleaders either. But still if anyone can give me the deal with this I'd appreciate it. I need advice from people who actually know their stuff, and I do not. Thank you

 

[LeighM]

I've stayed at Coronado Springs during a cheerleading competition, as did a good friend of mine (which is the main convention hotel where many are housed). Both of our situations were really similar. First, I called the reservation line and asked the rep to put a notation on my resort stay to put me in a room furthest away from where they were putting the cheerleaders. They honored that request and I never heard them. Two, because the cheerleaders are usually busy with competition and training, they aren't really packing the buses to the theme parks and they aren't necessarily adding to the crowds there either (at least they weren't during either of our stays). However, the resort dining and main pool were busy at the times you would expect them to be busy. My last observation about staying at Coronado with the cheerleaders is that the cheerleaders were never the ones I had an issue with them. But I had a couple of nasty interactions with some of their entitled, narcissistic mothers! They were some of the worst LOL. It seems like Disney tries to keep the cheerleading groups confined in the same general area of whatever resorts they are staying. I don't know how many are traveling in your group, but if you are concerned then you can look into other hotels like Port Orleans French Quarter that usually doesn't house most of the cheerleaders because of the small size of the resort.

 

[IanDLBZF]

The Deluxe Resorts are usually a good option, as the cheerleaders are never usually there, depending on your budget that is.

 

[shandisney45]

Oh dear. We can't change hotel. Deluxe are not an option either. We've paid £8k already, for disney and tickets only. I'd be totally priced out for anything else. Art of animation is our only hotel. I'm honestly a bit gutted and if it wasn't for the kids I'd just cancel the lot

 

[JIMINYCR]

I gave this response to the similar post before you. The Cheer comps and other similar events that draw in massive kids groups and their families does increase the crowds but you can work around them. Overall they arent too disruptive because they are at their competitions for most of the day. They slam the parks later in the afternoons and evenings, thats when you will mostly notice and feel the difference. Weve never had any issues with poor behavior in the parks. The bus waits at the end of the night will be longer. Depending on which resorts they are booked at, this will make it possibly noisier and kid crowded at the pools, hot tubs, food courts for you. Every time weve vacationed during an event weve noticed at our resort at night the kids run wild in the evenings and although they are supposed to be chaperoned and monitored, its never the case. Bring ear plugs to help cancel the noise. Dont expect complaints to the front desk to get you results.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I don't know how many are traveling in your group, but if you are concerned then you can look into other hotels like Port Orleans French Quarter that usually doesn't house most of the cheerleaders because of their small size.

Our last interaction with obnoxious behavior from loads of unruly, unchaperoned cheerleaders was at POFQ. Contacting the front desk with complaints went without action.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

They tend to travel in clusters. See if you can suss out their schedule ahead of time, you can often find them posted online. If they have a big after hours event at Hollywood Studios one night, don't go to Hollywood Studios that day.

 

[NelleBelle]

We've gone almost that exact week you're going a couple of years ago when there were cheerleaders. Granted, we stayed at YC, so we didn't encounter them at our resort, but they were in the parks. They were mainly in little "cliques" of 4-6 and never were an issue in the parks. As @JIMINYCR mentioned in another post, the Brazilian tour groups of past (maybe present/future, too) have been waaay worse!! Maybe plan to have breakfast elsewhere on property and get your pool time in earlier in the day so you can avoid the main pool later? I wouldn't worry too much what others have said to you about their experiences. It's all about attitude and how you can mitigate the situation. Who knows, you may not encounter them at your resort! Go and have a great time!

 

[LeighM]

Our last interaction with obnoxious behavior from loads of unruly, unchaperoned cheerleaders was at POFQ. Contacting the front desk with complaints went without action.

Wow, I'm surprised by that! What year was that because I never saw the large groups at FQ.

 

[LeighM]

We've gone almost that exact week you're going a couple of years ago when there were cheerleaders. Granted, we stayed at YC, so we didn't encounter them at our resort, but they were in the parks. They were mainly in little "cliques" of 4-6 and never were an issue in the parks. As @JIMINYCR mentioned in another post, the Brazilian tour groups of past (maybe present/future, too) have been waaay worse!! Maybe plan to have breakfast elsewhere on property and get your pool time in earlier in the day so you can avoid the main pool later? I wouldn't worry too much what others have said to you about their experiences. It's all about attitude and how you can mitigate the situation. Who knows, you may not encounter them at your resort! Go and have a great time!

We saw those Brazilian groups in action one trip and that was something else Luckily, they never impacted us directly but we definitely knew when they were in the area LOL.

 

[LeighM]

Oh dear. We can't change hotel. Deluxe are not an option either. We've paid £8k already, for disney and tickets only. I'd be totally priced out for anything else. Art of animation is our only hotel. I'm honestly a bit gutted and if it wasn't for the kids I'd just cancel the lot

I wouldn't think of cancelling the trip over it because, honestly, the crowds at WDW are always unpredictable and there is always something bringing crowds to the parks - festivals, conventions, competitions, Jersey Week, Mardi Gras, spring break, Pop Warner, federal and/or state holidays, runDisney events. If they are staying at AoA in 2024, it will mostly likely be the Little Mermaid rooms because they are the standard rooms and further away from the other areas. If that's where you're staying, then call the reservations number and ask them to make a notation on your reservation for a room furthest away from the cheerleaders. If you are in a suite, then ask for Cars or whatever section is further away and has it's own quiet pool in case the main pool is too packed with cheerleaders. When we were at Coronado, the pool was mostly packed with the family that traveled down with them so the bar area was packed with adults. Also, if you are paying for a suite, it wouldn't hurt to price compare with other moderate resorts or even the more affordable deluxes like Saratoga or Old Key West. And, if you are in a deluxe, you do have access to the parks after closing on select nights at select parks. That could be very beneficial if it doesn't add too much extra to your cost.

 

[shandisney45]

Thanks so much everyone. Appreciate all the replies I've been given. They've all be very helpful. We actually booked a little mermaid room and upgrading to suite is coming in at an extra £3700. Just can't factor that in. I already have a note on my booking about a top floor quiet LM room as I've an autistic kid who doesnt handle noise at night. (To be honest i dont either) Disney were helpful with that but still won't help much worst case.

So really we're stuck where there may be a load of noisy teens. Hmm, I need to have a think if I really want to risk it. I'm a bit gutted. I'm so annoyed at myself for not knowing about this. Skipping sring break and Easter and nit knowing about cheer season

 

[Weekendatparks6]

Oh dear. We can't change hotel. Deluxe are not an option either. We've paid £8k already, for disney and tickets only. I'd be totally priced out for anything else. Art of animation is our only hotel. I'm honestly a bit gutted and if it wasn't for the kids I'd just cancel the lot

You might want to try Port Orleans French Quarter. I have stayed their during the Cheerleading Competitions and will be staying their again May 1-8th. It is quiet and usually not busy. It is also cheaper than Art of Animation. There is a Spring Special bring the total per night to be 260. If you book through Disney you should be able to change resorts.

 

[Riviera Rita]

It depends on how well the chaperones do their job. To be honest I've found the school groups worse as the teachers chaperoning them behave like the kids and discipline or, if you prefer, watching their behaviour, is non existent. I've stayed during Pop Warner and although the resorts are busier, the kids tend to be very well behaved and the adults with them are very responsible and never really a problem.

 

[Riviera Rita]

We saw those Brazilian groups in action one trip and that was something else Luckily, they never impacted us directly but we definitely knew when they were in the area LOL.

Oh boy, first thing in the morning at a park trying to get a premium ride paper FP and finding yourself behind the person with 40 park tickets to feed into the machine.

 

[NelleBelle]

Oh boy, first thing in the morning at a park trying to get a premium ride paper FP and finding yourself behind the person with 40 park tickets to feed into the machine.

Boy, those were the days I DON’T miss!

 

[LeighM]

Thanks so much everyone. Appreciate all the replies I've been given. They've all be very helpful. We actually booked a little mermaid room and upgrading to suite is coming in at an extra £3700. Just can't factor that in. I already have a note on my booking about a top floor quiet LM room as I've an autistic kid who doesnt handle noise at night. (To be honest i dont either) Disney were helpful with that but still won't help much worst case.

So really we're stuck where there may be a load of noisy teens. Hmm, I need to have a think if I really want to risk it. I'm a bit gutted. I'm so annoyed at myself for not knowing about this. Skipping sring break and Easter and nit knowing about cheer season

I think the cheer and dance competitions are over a month long because of the different divisions and championships. It's really hard to avoid them if you're going in the spring because they're scheduled after Easter/spring breaks and the end of the typical school year. Pay attention to the calendar on Disney's Wide World of Sports website. You'll be able to find the link to the championships for the weeks you're there and you can see what resorts/rooms the families have to choose from. That will give you more info to make a better decision. And more room discounts might be offered for UK residents (which I'm assuming you are) for next year. I wouldn't worry about it too much right now. Once you know for sure where the groups are staying you can try calling reservations again and explain the situation with your autistic child and your concerns about the cheerleaders. They might be able to move you to another resort.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Wow, I'm surprised by that! What year was that because I never saw the large groups at FQ.

It was the year just before Covid shut everything down. We were in building 4 and the kids were running all around the resort buildings. Noise was incredible.
The next morning I had to do something at the front desks and the hostess asked me if I saw the kids naked in the hot tub the night before.
Yeah … no chaperones in charge.

Oh boy, first thing in the morning at a park trying to get a premium ride paper FP and finding yourself behind the person with 40 park tickets to feed into the machine.

That was the most frustrating thing about the paper FP kiosks. We got hung up on Soarin the longest.

 

[LeighM]

It was the year just before Covid shut everything down. We were in building 4 and the kids were running all around the resort buildings. Noise was incredible.
The next morning I had to do something at the front desks and the hostess asked me if I saw the kids naked in the hot tub the night before.
Yeah … no chaperones in charge.

I'm so surprised they put large groups there. And the cheerleaders had gotten naked in the hot tub? Wonder if they had been drinking, as well. When I was at CSR with them one trip (either 2018 or 2019), there was a mother sitting by us drunk at the main pool and, based on the conversations she was having on the phone, she would've been one of the types of parents that allowed her child to act that way.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I'm so surprised they put large groups there. And the cheerleaders had gotten naked in the hot tub? Wonder if they had been drinking, as well. When I was at CSR with them one trip (either 2018 or 2019), there was a mother sitting by us drunk at the main pool and, based on the conversations she was having on the phone, she would've been one of the types of parents that allowed her child to act that way.

I had never seen any sign of alcohol with the kids and none of them showed signs of inebriation. I wasn’t at the hot tub , just heard from the CM that it had gone on.