WAG Meet input: City of Lights (Kissimmee, FL) & KPAC Cup (North Carolina)

[PureTalent]

Anyone been to either of these meets?

Which one is bigger that has more gymnasts participate?

We want to do go to one out of these two meets and not sure which one would be best. I'm assuming FL one will be more expensive if everyone decides to visit Disney or Universal.

Any input on any of these would greatly be appreciated.

While NC is drivable (longer than I'd like to be in a car), Id like to see if there's any cheap airfare I can get.

Thank you in advance.

 

[scanlri]

We went to KPAC Cup last year (drove there as well). Not a huge meet, but well run and nice. Headed to City of Lights this year, so I am anxious to hear about it as well.

 

[esor]

Our gym is doing City of Lights this year too, and this is a fly away meet for us as well. We hear it is becoming a bigger/up and coming meet. So if anyone has insights that would be awesome!

 

[bookworm]

Do not waste your time or money on the City of Lights meet...it is the absolute worst meet we ever went to...held in the host club's gym and still charged us 12 bucks a head to get in...and the only "participants" in the meet were our club and their club and 4 or 5 stragglers from other clubs...and of course, they won everything...our coach was convinced that this meet was the Sand Dollar and I kept saying "it's a small dinky meet".... and I was correct: there were about 110 in the meet and it was nothing like the Sand Dollar. I repeat, stay away from this meet....there are plenty of other decent meets in Florida if you want warm weather, but this isn't one of them...

 

[ascarter1]

We are going to KPAC this year, but it's the first time our gym has attended.

 

[Mama Duck]

Do not waste your time or money on the City of Lights meet...it is the absolute worst meet we ever went to...held in the host club's gym and still charged us 12 bucks a head to get in...and the only "participants" in the meet were our club and their club and 4 or 5 stragglers from other clubs...and of course, they won everything...our coach was convinced that this meet was the Sand Dollar and I kept saying "it's a small dinky meet".... and I was correct: there were about 110 in the meet and it was nothing like the Sand Dollar. I repeat, stay away from this meet....there are plenty of other decent meets in Florida if you want warm weather, but this isn't one of them...

So bummed to hear this as we are also going to that meet as it is a National Qualifier. The USAG site has the meet location listed as Osceola Heritage Park Exhibition Hall, Kissimmee, FL. I am hoping that means it is at least not going to be held in their gym. This really makes me wish we were going to the Vegas meet instead! The thought of spending lots of $$ to go to a bad meet does not make me happy.

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[bookworm]

For the last public info posted on the City of Lights meet, there were 274 gymnasts in 2015....and shocker, the host gym is the top score in Levels 7 and up , all the team titles....this is totally a "feel good" meet for the hosts....and had no competitors in levels 5 and below.....and from what I can find on the 2016 meet, there were about 12 level 10s and 20 level 9s....they must look kinda lost in an Exhibition Hall...

I do remember when we went back in the day, it was not originally scheduled to be in their gym but when they got a low turn out, they moved it to their gym .....and didn't inform us until the week of by sending the gym an "address update" for the meet, which was the address of their gym! I remember one of their parent organization people saying it didn't make financial sense to take it out of their gym for under 700 competitors, which is true , but it was a total bait and switch...

 

[wallflower]

My daughter went one year (it was an elite qualifier that year as well) and it was a great experience. The hall where it was held was nice. The way the viewing area was above the competition floor gave it an arena feel. The competition was good since many of the gyms who had elites also brought their JO teams.

We enjoyed watching the elite qualifier, there were a lot of college coaches there. We ended up spending the whole day there after her meet watching the 10's and elites. Great memories and I'd definitely go again.

 

[wallflower]

I went and looked it up on mymeetscores and the year we went there were about 500 JO gymnasts and 90+ level 10's. As I said it was an elite qualifier that year.

 

[bookworm]

I went and looked it up on mymeetscores and the year we went there were about 500 JO gymnasts and 90+ level 10's. As I said it was an elite qualifier that year.

I looked on my meet scores for that meet and didn't see any #s like you describe...I see a low of 78 and a high of 293 and two years with no stats ...is the meet listed as something else? I actually hope it has more competitors for the sake of those going and the qualifier probably draws in clubs that might not ordinarily go.

 

[bookworm]

I went and looked it up on mymeetscores and the year we went there were about 500 JO gymnasts and 90+ level 10's. As I said it was an elite qualifier that year.

There was a high of around 500 competitors a few years ago but the numbers have trended back down in the past couple years to around 300 competitors ..maybe adding an elite qualifier will bring more people in to the meet. I still don't think it's one of the better Florida meets available but if you have to go for the qualifier, the weather is nice.

The Sand Dollar (same host gym) has over 2000 competitors....that just seems more bang for your buck.

 

[wallflower]

I looked on my meet scores for that meet and didn't see any #s like you describe...I see a low of 78 and a high of 293 and two years with no stats ...is the meet listed as something else? I actually hope it has more competitors for the sake of those going and the qualifier probably draws in clubs that might not ordinarily go.

City of Lights 2013

 

[wallflower]

There was a high of around 500 competitors a few years ago but the numbers have trended back down in the past couple years to around 300 competitors ..maybe adding an elite qualifier will bring more people in to the meet. I still don't think it's one of the better Florida meets available but if you have to go for the qualifier, the weather is nice.

The Sand Dollar (same host gym) has over 2000 competitors....that just seems more bang for your buck.

I've noticed that a lot of smaller meets get a boost by being an elite qualifier. I imagine this is a small, crappy meet when it's a stand alone. Since it is an elite qualifier this year again, I would imagine the numbers and experience will be closer to what I experienced when we went. A lot of gyms will take their JO teams to offset costs for their elites.

A lot of my favorite meets don't tend to be the "bang for your buck" Sand Dollar type of meets. Some of the smaller ones are my favorite and this was one of those.

I found the judging to be great as well.

 

[wallflower]

http://www.mymeetscores.com/meet.pl?meetid=45078&gymnastid=99940