What to Expect at a Disney Cheer Competition Weekend

We’re officially heading to UCA All Star National Championship in Orlando this weekend, and if you’re reading this, chances are you’re gearing up for the same adventure (or bracing yourself for impact). This is Laurel’s second year competing at UCA, but it’s the first time our entire family of five is coming along for the ride. So, if you want the inside scoop on what to expect (and how to survive), stick with me.

Arriving & Settling In

Even though the event officially starts Friday, we are flying into Orlando on Thursday. My crew is full of slow starters who do better when they aren’t rushed, so we opted to come one day early to settle in. Our first night, we are using points to stay free in a non-Disney hotel (more details coming tomorrow!). On Friday, we will check into the Disney All-Star Music Resort while Laurel stays with her team at the All-Star Sports Resort. For competition weekends, All-Star Sports basically turns into a high-energy, cheer-themed frat house—but with way more bling and hairspray. If you’re traveling with a team, you’re probably staying at one of Disney’s value resorts (All-Star Sports, Music, or Movies). Expect tons of excited athletes, team hoodies as far as the eye can see, and a general atmosphere of barely controlled chaos. 

One of the best perks of staying at a Disney resort for this comp? Free transportation to the ESPN center, where the competition actually happens. The downside? The buses will be packed and noisy. If you want to get anywhere without a mild panic attack, plan ahead and expect to wait. If you’re driving, check parking details for ESPN Wide World of Sports and factor in extra time because, trust me, you don’t want to be running through the massive complex in flip-flops trying to make warm-ups (ya know, hypothetically speaking…).

Practice, Competition & The Chaos in Between

On Friday afternoon, all of the teams from our daughter’s gym take over a patch of grass at the All-Star Sports Resort for an outdoor practice, along with what feels like every other all star cheer team in the country. If you’ve never experienced resort practices before, imagine a highly competitive block party where every inch of sidewalk, parking lot, and vaguely flat surface is fair game for stunts. It’s part high-energy warm-up, part impromptu performance, and part “is this even safe?” moment. It’s loud, chaotic, and honestly one of my favorite parts of the weekend. If you’re attending, bring your camera, enjoy the spectacle, and be prepared for some jaw-dropping skills happening right in front of you.

Saturday and Sunday are competition days, aka the Hunger Games of cheer. The ESPN Wide World of Sports complex is massive, with multiple performance venues, which means you’re about to walk more in a weekend than you have all year. Between warm-ups, performances, and awards, you’ll easily hit your step count before noon.

Pro tip: Pack snacks and water. Concession lines are long, the food is expensive, and nothing adds to competition stress like a hangry athlete. Also, bring a charger and external battery because you’ll be recording routines, taking team photos, and constantly checking the competition schedule.

Managing Younger Siblings at a Cheer Competition

This year is different for us because my husband and our  two boys are joining us. Both boys are retired cheerleaders: they each competed 1 season on a Tiny Novice team before starting their careers as gymnasts (I kept both of their uniforms because they were literally the cutest things I’ve ever seen). While they’re excited to support their sister, I know keeping them entertained all weekend will be an Olympic-level parenting challenge for my husband and me. Here’s my survival plan for the non-competing siblings:

• Activities for downtime – Coloring books, small toys, video games, and downloaded shows for the inevitable long waits between performances.

• Escape plans – If we have long gaps, we will probably head back to the resort to swim or just get a change of scenery.

• Make them feel included – Matching shirts and hyping them up as “honorary cheer supporters” so they don’t feel like they’ve been dragged along for nothing.

Beyond the Competition: Disney Without Park Tickets

Since we’re all about the cheer this trip, we are spending only one day hitting the parks, but that doesn’t mean we’re losing out on the Disney magic completely. If you’re passing on the parks (either by choice or because your wallet is crying), here are some fun alternatives:

• Resort hopping – Disney resorts have fantastic theming, and it’s totally free to explore. Bonus: The monorail resorts (Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary) have some of the best quick-service food and snacks.

• Animal Kingdom Lodge – We’re planning lunch here on Friday so the kids can watch giraffes and zebras roam the savanna, no park ticket required.

• Disney Springs – Great for grabbing a meal, doing some last-minute souvenir shopping, and letting the kids run around while you escape the cheer bubble for a bit.

Final Thoughts

A Disney cheer competition weekend is exhausting, exhilarating, and slightly unhinged—in the best way. Whether it’s your first year or your fifth, going in with a plan will make the whole experience much smoother (and slightly less expensive). I’ll be sharing updates all weekend, so stay tuned for behind-the-scenes looks at UCA!

And if you want to actually keep track of what you’re spending (instead of crying about it later), check out our Cheer Budget Workbook—designed specifically for cheer families who want to stay on top of competition costs. Grab it here before the spending spree begins!

Are you heading to UCA this weekend? Let me know in the comments what you’re most excited (or mildly terrified) about!

Cheers-

Lexie