Pop Warner Week at Walt Disney World

THE MYTHS AND FACTS OF POP WARNER WEEK AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Like Jersey Week, Pop Warner week is more of a mythological problem than a real one.

Pop Warner week is the period–for the last thirteen years, the first full week of December–when Disney hosts Pop Warner football and cheer and dance championships at its ESPN complex.

In 2015, it will be from the 5th through the 12th, and in 2016, based on past practice, it will be from December 3rd through December 10th.

As a result

• Larger numbers than usual of loosely supervised adolescents loudly populate several of the resorts–typically the All-Star resorts, but also a moderate or two.
• Evening crowds in the theme parks are a tad higher than they otherwise would be (the kids and their families compete during the day)

HOW MUCH TO WORRY ABOUT POP WARNER

Pop Warner has no material effect on Disney World theme park crowds.

Resorts (particularly the All-Star resorts) that the kids are in can be louder–much louder–and more boisterous than otherwise.

If you have attended a high-school football game, and watched the crowds of kids walking around, you’ll get a sense of the level of noise and horseplay that can ensue.

The horseplay sometimes shifts into fights.  Parents of teenage boys playing contact sports will not be surprised by this.

The key for first-time family visitors in a value or moderate resort during Pop Warner week is to request a quiet room far from the pools.  Families that have success with this should not see much impact from Pop Warner on their trip.