All-Star Too Small A Venue

[5-6-7-8]

Coming to the west coast would be easier for the international teams coming from Australia / Asia though, right?

 

[Aussiekat]

Coming to the west coast would be easier for the international teams coming from Australia / Asia though, right?

Yes! About $5-800 cheaper. I think my ticket cost $1200 return from Melbourne to LA, and then the additional from LA to Orlando return. Granted I booked late because I only found out I was going about a month out, but still, that additional bit counts. Also the 6 hour domestic flight was actually WORSE than the 14 hour flight both on the way to Orlando and the way back.

 

[lucyemma]

I wasn't talking about flights alone..I have been to various places and I found disney to be cheaper/safer/easier transport than anywhere else I had been.

 

[BlueCat]

As I was paying $1000's to fly over from the UK to watch worlds I bought my worlds ticket months in advance as I figured they would stop selling tickets when they go above the crowd limit and I didn't want to pay $1000's and not have a ticket..when I arrived and saw that all saturday & sunday they were selling tickets at the front desk I was in shock after seeing the over crowding there! I 100% believe that a parent should get to see their child perform and I didn't like that the VIP section was so large with empty seats and the parent section so small. I think that the worlds layout could have been way better.

I think some people here are forgetting that it is an international competition. I was a "fan" but went to see the worlds teams from the UK as international families can't afford to pay over $5000 for a family of 3 to fly to worlds for 2/3 days! Had their fans not been there, there wasn't too much support from the general crowd (US parents/athletes/fans) form where I was standing which I wouldn't expect them to be as excited as watching sm sr/lg sr. Letting just parents have priority tickets and then only allow what is left (which won't be much) for the rest of the supporters simply wouldn't work for the majority of international teams as they'd be performing to a crowd who has maybe 100 people clapping along to their dance.

International flights aren't too regular going to TX, CA, GA..they are maybe okay for NY but very expensive. International teams also can't just fly there for the 3 days of worlds as flights aren't that regular so teams are there 1/2/3 weeks over the worlds period! I personally don't care too much for disney itself but the competition would need to be held in a city with lots of things to do around worlds as I don't see sitting in a hotel room as an option. I also spoke with a few people around me..when they were asking people to leave and not letting parents in..I could have pointed out maybe 100 empty seats when you'relooking at the stage on your left. I was in disbelief that there were so many seats in the VIP section and empty seats in the general section but they weren't letting people (esp. parents in)!

I totally agree that more/bigger venues are needed but I also think that people need to look at the bigger picture that this isn't cheersport or NCA where it need to be easy for the east/west coast to get to..it is the world championships and should accomodate people from around the world and not just the USA! Oh and putting LG sr. LG coed & SM sr back to back was NOT a good idea! Don't bite..just giving a perspective from the outside which I think is easy to forget!

Florida is closer to the European teams than the West Coast, but the exact same arguments apply the opposite way for teams from Australia & Asia. That kinds of makes it a wash to me.

 

[BlueCat]

I wasn't talking about flights alone..I have been to various places and I found disney to be cheaper/safer/easier transport than anywhere else I had been.

Disney can afford to make the "transport" part cheaper because they make so much money off of the hotels and the park hopper passes (that are part of the package.) They get your money one way or another.

 

[King]

Disney can afford to make the "transport" part cheaper because they make so much money off of the hotels and the park hopper passes (that are part of the package.) They get your money one way or another.

Yep... soda's at the park. #notcheap

 

[lucyemma]

Disney can afford to make the "transport" part cheaper because they make so much money off of the hotels and the park hopper passes (that are part of the package.) They get your money one way or another.

I disagree. I went to worlds last year and stayed off disney..and this year I stayed on disney property..this year I spent at last $500 less staying ON disney property. My disney hotel was cheaper and I didn't have to get taxis everywhere.

It's not the concept of which airports are closer to which countires as whether you're coming from Norway or Australia-Orlando is one of the most popular worldwide tourist destinations which makes for competitive, regular, cheap prices for flights & hotel packages from travel agents. e.g. virgin atlantic fly to Orlando 15 times a week so they will sell those last tickets cheap. They would only fly to CA maybe 1/2 per week just because it is not as much of a tourist destination (yes I do know it is still popular but not as). Imagine the UK bringing over 10 teams for the same weekend (which they did this year about)..they would struggle to get enough seats on the plane. To give you an idea, even though TX isn't a lifetime away from FL, it would cost me more for a flight to TX than the entire FL hotel & flight & park hopper package because not as many international flights would go there. I have been all over the world and Orlando is cheaper to fly to sometimes than other countries in europe from the uk. It isn't about distance and idc about an extra 5 hours on a plane when im already travelling 10 hours..its about what is cheapest and orlando will always be way cheaper no matter where you're flying from than other US destintions because of its popularity. I think its easy to see the simple picture of "international teams will have that problem which ever side of the us it is on" but if Orlando was on the west coast it would still be cheaper for me to fly there than to NY. Sorry for the long post but this is just from my own personal experience of traveling to the USA multiple times.

 

[annie32]

Cutting down the number of teams in attendance won't do anything to help with the crowds. It got packed beyond packed for large senior and STAYED packed because small senior was right after and nobody was willing to give up their seats and risk missing the amazing teams in that division. When the less well-know teams were competing on Saturday and mid-Sunday, the milkhouse was practically empty. So the number of teams really isn't the issue, just the growing popularity of a few of the teams.

I understand why they would want to have it at Disney. It's fun, it has plenty of hotel space, transportation, the ties with ESPN - everything that's been said here. My family went to Magic Kingdom on Friday, as did many other families. That was a cool added bonus but our main focus was obviously the competition. Friday is the day that most of the teams that wouldn't be coming if they were to cut down numbers would be going. And Friday was certainly not when they had capacity issues.

What baffles me is during the HOUR we waited for small senior to start, they kept saying "Just Cheer parents are still outside and want to get in to see their kids..." Awesome I understand you came all the way to Florida for this and obviously want to see your child. But any cheer parent should know that if the big 3 in large senior compete that early and that soon to your child, you need to be in there at the crack of dawn if you want to guarantee yourself a seat.

I have no ties to anyone that competed but I flew down there, stayed in a hotel, and paid my $25 just the same as any parent did. The difference is that I was in line at 7:00 waiting to get in and I did not move out of my (awesome) seat to even go to the bathroom until after cheetahs. What were some of these parents doing early that morning? I don't understand how they couldn't know it would be packed unless they were true newcomers to the sport and thought worlds would just be like any ol' competition. I didn't feel like moral obligation to give up my seat to a parent that did not plan well whereas I did everything I needed to in order to make sure I'd have somewhere to sit in the milkhouse, making my entire trip worth it.

In fact I'm in saturday detention as I type this because between competitions, concussions, and missing 2 days of school for worlds, I'm way over on absences whichhh put me in danger of not graduating unless I make up the time here. So yeah, I wasn't getting up out of that seat for anything. It was so worth a few Saturday detentions to get to see my favorite teams up close.

However I am on the winning side of this battle. I can imagine how infuriated those people outside the milkhouse were and despite all the benefits from having this competition at Disney, there is nothing that is going to console the parents that only got to watch their child's team after being ushered into the priority standing area, then thrown back out into that Florida heat to watch some random team in Jostens. Just move the competition!!!

 

[yojaehs]

I disagree. I went to worlds last year and stayed off disney..and this year I stayed on disney property..this year I spent at last $500 less staying ON disney property. My disney hotel was cheaper and I didn't have to get taxis everywhere.

It's not the concept of which airports are closer to which countires as whether you're coming from Norway or Australia-Orlando is one of the most popular worldwide tourist destinations which makes for competitive, regular, cheap prices for flights & hotel packages from travel agents. e.g. virgin atlantic fly to Orlando 15 times a week so they will sell those last tickets cheap. They would only fly to CA maybe 1/2 per week just because it is not as much of a tourist destination (yes I do know it is still popular but not as). Imagine the UK bringing over 10 teams for the same weekend (which they did this year about)..they would struggle to get enough seats on the plane. To give you an idea, even though TX isn't a lifetime away from FL, it would cost me more for a flight to TX than the entire FL hotel & flight & park hopper package because not as many international flights would go there. I have been all over the world and Orlando is cheaper to fly to sometimes than other countries in europe from the uk. It isn't about distance and idc about an extra 5 hours on a plane when im already travelling 10 hours..its about what is cheapest and orlando will always be way cheaper no matter where you're flying from than other US destintions because of its popularity. I think its easy to see the simple picture of "international teams will have that problem which ever side of the us it is on" but if Orlando was on the west coast it would still be cheaper for me to fly there than to NY. Sorry for the long post but this is just from my own personal experience of traveling to the USA multiple times.

If you spent $500 less, you need to do way better research. There are at least 50 places within 5 miles of WWOS that are less than half of those Disney Property hotels. And most have shuttle service to Disney.

 

[BlueCat]

I disagree. I went to worlds last year and stayed off disney..and this year I stayed on disney property..this year I spent at last $500 less staying ON disney property. My disney hotel was cheaper and I didn't have to get taxis everywhere.

It's not the concept of which airports are closer to which countires as whether you're coming from Norway or Australia-Orlando is one of the most popular worldwide tourist destinations which makes for competitive, regular, cheap prices for flights & hotel packages from travel agents. e.g. virgin atlantic fly to Orlando 15 times a week so they will sell those last tickets cheap. They would only fly to CA maybe 1/2 per week just because it is not as much of a tourist destination (yes I do know it is still popular but not as). Imagine the UK bringing over 10 teams for the same weekend (which they did this year about)..they would struggle to get enough seats on the plane. To give you an idea, even though TX isn't a lifetime away from FL, it would cost me more for a flight to TX than the entire FL hotel & flight & park hopper package because not as many international flights would go there. I have been all over the world and Orlando is cheaper to fly to sometimes than other countries in europe from the uk. It isn't about distance and idc about an extra 5 hours on a plane when im already travelling 10 hours..its about what is cheapest and orlando will always be way cheaper no matter where you're flying from than other US destintions because of its popularity. I think its easy to see the simple picture of "international teams will have that problem which ever side of the us it is on" but if Orlando was on the west coast it would still be cheaper for me to fly there than to NY. Sorry for the long post but this is just from my own personal experience of traveling to the USA multiple times.

I get that it would be cheaper for YOU to go to Florida than California. My point was that it would be cheaper for athletes from Australia/Asia to go to Los Angeles/Las Vegas than it would to Florida. Also, I am guessing that there are many more international flights that land in Los Angeles than in Orlando.

 

[buffyyy]

I think switching it to Disneyland in California wouldn't be a bad idea!

 

[5-6-7-8]

I get that it would be cheaper for YOU to go to Florida than California. My point was that it would be cheaper for athletes from Australia/Asia to go to Los Angeles/Las Vegas than it would to Florida. Also, I am guessing that there are many more international flights that land in Los Angeles than in Orlando.

Exactly my point in bringing it up. If worlds were to alternate between coasts, it would kind if even out the travel (and yes it still isn't perfect.)

Based on my limited experience, flying into Las Vegas seems to be cheaper than flying to Los Angeles (at least from Europe...not sure if that is true about flying from Australia / Asia.)

As a side benefit, I wonder if having Worlds come to the west coast would up the participation in cheer. For most people I talk to, worlds is just this competition that shows up on TV once in a while.

 

[ACEDAD]

I think switching it to Disneyland in California wouldn't be a bad idea!

Does Disneyland have bigger venues on property than DisneyWorld? I don't believe so, but I'm not sure.

 

[5-6-7-8]

Does Disneyland have bigger venues on property than DisneyWorld? I don't believe so, but I'm not sure.

Anaheim Convention Center is adjacent to the parks, and has an arena that seats 7,500 plus 4-5 large conference halls (not sure on capacity, the website says 12,000 for some for theater capacity...can't picture it though). So again, there is the issue of having to plan the event to even out the crowd. (Someone can correct me if I am wrong, I am certainly no expert on the CC.)

Las Vegas may offer a better solution if a bigger venue is required. There are probably other venues in the LA area that could accommodate Worlds, but lack some of the other factors (closeness to anything else fun, already host an NBA / NHL team that could be in playoffs, ease of travel etc.) Especially if Worlds was held during the summer (I know...thinking WAY outside the box here), Vegas would be cheaper as it is their "lower" season.

 

[lucyemma]

If you spent $500 less, you need to do way better research. There are at least 50 places within 5 miles of WWOS that are less than half of those Disney Property hotels. And most have shuttle service to Disney.

I got flights & hotel for £650-better deal than every other person I know going from the UK. I've been to Orlando 5 times and that's the best I've ever seen. There are cheaper hotels but not cheaper package deals (flight & hotel together). A return flight to Orlando alone was £600 when without the hotel I booked my package deal. So in effect, I stayed in Disney for less than £50 ($70ish) for 7 nights.