Anyone who says Jersey week isn't more crowded....

[JohnNJ]

The crowds were due to :

Halloween
Food & Wine Festival
Jersey Week
Displaced hurricane vacationers
School holidays in England & Spain
Super Soap Weekend the following week

The crowds may not have bothered you and you may have been able to get on all the rides you wanted with little or no wait but the crowds were there.

When the November hours were first posted, Magic Kingdom was closing at 9pm on 11/6. That was changed to 10pm before my trip started. It was later changed to 11pm during the week.

Disney doesn't do that unless they expect crowds.

For anyone that was not able to avoid the long lines, I would recommend you check out TourGuideMike.com for some great info before your next trip.

John-NJ

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by JohnNJ
The crowds were due to :

School holidays in England & Spain

When the November hours were first posted, Magic Kingdom was closing at 9pm on 11/6. That was changed to 10pm before my trip started. It was later changed to 11pm during the week.

Disney doesn't do that unless they expect crowds.

Oh yes, I saw many many English and Spanish people!!! I figured something was up. I also saw many school groups with the same uniform or shirts.

Also, when we went to MK Sunday, November 7, I couldn't believe the sign said it closed at 9:00p! On a Sunday?? That's when I knew it would be crowded and it was.

 

[anne60]

but what the heck is YMMV???

My daughter and I went during Jersey week of 2001....the effects of September 11 made it not so crowded, but everybody kept asking me if we were from Jersey. It wasn't until the third day of our visit that I asked why, up to then I had no idea what "Jersey week" was!

 

[WDWDennis]

I'm with Laceemouse on this one. The last few years, I've noticed that the crowds are getting worse in the off season. Especially Sept-Nov. I guess with the internet and all these guide books out, people ARE avoiding the high prices and crowds of the peak season. October was always my favorite month to go, but anymore, its just plain CROWDED!!!

 

[gjerseygirl]

Originally posted by Luigi's Girl
maybe because i'm from jersey i have a different opinion of "jersey week". i just spent 10/30 thru 11/7 at VWL (my filthy conversion van with jersey plates was in the lodge parking lot). i have been there numerous times during this particular week and i can't understand how people say never again because of the crowds. maybe it's because they're used to going at slower times or maybe they don't have much experience going to the parks and it's a little harder to manage. we were at the parks when they opened even on some EE days (15 of us) we rode and saw everything in every park some multiple times and if any ride had a wait of 30 minutes or more we used fast pass so we never had any waits at all. the only rides we ever had to use fast pass for were TT in epcot (i was there on 11/3 when it broke down too) we walked right on Mission Space, Rockin Rollercoaster and TOT one time before getting a fast pass later in the day, and after riding SM on 10/31 we got a FP for that ride later in the day. i really believe if you plan your day and have a system the crowds(which IMHO were non existent) won't bother you. all day everyday all my family kept saying was "wow i can't believe how it's not crowded here". GO FIGURE!

Hey Luigi's girl: What Disney World were you at!!! (Don't worry folks...I know her!) I was at the one in Orlando....FL......United States....on the Planet Earth...... Sorry....but NEVER AGAIN. And beautiful weather?????? Who in their right mind thinks 90 is beautiful weather??? Yikes!!! And Fastpass???? Who wants to keep walking from one side of the park to another for fastpass in the burning 90 degree sun dripping with sweat walking shoulder to shoulder with strangers and trying to maneuver around those monstros double strollers with kids screaming Mommy, daddy, mommy, daddy, mommy, daddy. Oh yeah, and some kid pooped in the polys pool!! I can't tell you how many rides I missed because of the 90 minute waits. Jeez, I'd rather go Easter Week....No wait...Christmas week...well, whatever their busiest week is...I'd rather go that week!!!!

 

[Gaiusrex]

Originally posted by anne60
but what the heck is YMMV???

Your
Mileage
May
Vary

 

[Cantw8]

OP back...Glad to know that I wasn't the only one who had trouble with the crowds. I also am an experienced WD'er and know all the tricks to manage the crowds and wait times. However, I just had no idea that it would have been that crowded. I also forgot to mention the weather. Absolutely gorgeous days but HOT, HOT, HOT.

Like I said, it didn't ruin my vacation, I just wish it could have been less crowded for my "first time" friend. I usually go in Sept or early Nov and have never had a wait time.

The strange thing is, when we checked into the Dolphin we were given an upgrade to club level without asking. When I asked the CM what I did to deserve the upgrade, she said that the Dolphin was so "dead" that it would be no problem. BTW, I turned down the upgrade in favor of a room with a balcony view of MGM. I had only booked a standard room!!!!!

 

[pandamom]

We were there 10/31 to 11/7 and I didn't think the lines were bad at all -- especially after all the hype I'd heard about "Jersey Week". We did mnsshp 10/31, epcot 11/1, animal kingdom 11/2, mk 11/4 and mgm 11/5. My daughter even got to wake up Tink on 11/4 even though we stopped in 2 autograph lines and took our time getting to the shop. (Though apparently she is still having problems - - they had my dd hit the box about a dozen times before she woke up. Afterwards the clerk explained they were having problems getting it to work.)

 

[TiggerPiglet]

I was also there from the 3rd to the 7th, taking advantage of the time off.
I actually booked my trip spur of the moment, about three weeks before, and I was unable to get a deluxe room. I was told they were so crowded due to people who were rained out from the hurricanes, chosing to rebook in November. The person didn't even mention Jersey week. Now, granted I did meet a lot of people from New Jersey, but like others have said, the crowds couldn't be from just us. I really think there were other factors involved, like previous posters have stated. I think you're going to find the "slow" times at Disney will get smaller and smaller, due to Disney offering great deals at these times and people taking advantage of them, but I won't let that stop me from having a good time

 

[lkc0538]

We were there 10/29-11/7 and it was our first time in WDW. We went with the expectation that it would be crowded and that we'd have to wait in long lines, hoping the reality would be a bit better.

The only times we felt absolutely mobbed were at MNSSHP on 10/31 (however, there were no ride lines. We kept trying to figure this out-maybe they did halloween things, not rides?), and at AK on 11/6. We tried to wisely use fastpasses and had a maxium wait time of 20 minutes for one ride-that was Splash Mountain.

We even went over to Epcot one afternoon (11/1) at around 1 pm, and got right on test track with only about a 10 minute wait. Now, the advertised wait at the ride entrance said 25 minutes (one of the countless times the estimation wait clocks were way off) and fastpass returns being given out were for I think after 5 pm. Possibly we were just really lucky???

We had nothing to compare it to, but it certainly didn't seem "slow", but it also certainly didn't seem overwhelming.

We live in MD and my kids had 2 days of school off that week - it is why we went when we did. We went to HDDR on 11/1 and there were so many people from NJ there that the performers made it in to a joke.

Anyway, just my $.02!

 

[kilee]

I really think the hurricane's did help to impact the surge in crowds too. We did Jersey Week last year (10/30-11/8). Anyhow, we didn't see or feel the crowds. We never had to get FP as most rides were a 5-15 min wait. Like another poster said-- the only real crowds we felt were the sold out 10/31 MNSSHP. These were really only felt trying to move around-- not really on the rides.

 

[erinz]

Wow........I'm just remembering the good ole days when in 1987, we went to WDW for our honeymoon Nov 7th-14th. The parks were EMPTY.

No more......I'm just wondering how many more years it will be before there will be no more slow periods at all.....

HEY!!!! Don't you guys think this would be a great time for Disney to build another DisneyWorld? Like closer to the west coast......

I think I'm going to start a new thread about this!

 

[MomofKatie]

Here's my .02:

We arrived on 11/2 for a four night stay at POFQ. I was really worried about Jersey Week, after hearing about it on the DIS boards. We were locked in to this particular week because we were attending a wedding on the 6th. This was our first trip as a family, and DDs first trip at an age where she would remember it. I hoped we could do at least some of what we had planned, because of the crowds for Jersey Week.

Well, IMO, there was nothing to be worried about. Yes, there were quite a few people around and about in the parks. However, we only waited more than 20 minutes once- Kilimanjaro Safari was a 40 min wait at 1 pm on 11/4. We used Fastpass a few times, only for the biggest-ticket rides (SM, Splash Mtn, RNR, Test Track). We walked on to most things, or had minimal waits.

We got to the parks at opening, and got to do a lot during the first couple of hours. We did all of Fantasyland in an hour or so on 11/3.

Epcot did get pretty full in the WS section on Friday evening, but that was to be expected. It was still fun, and the crowds didn't impact strolling, shopping, etc., too much.

Overall, we got to do everything we had planned, and a few extras- DH and DD went to Typhoon Lagoon one afternoon because we finished MGM so much sooner than anticipated.

Only thing that was worse than we expected- it was HOT! Didn't expect the heat. Also, Biergarten for dinner PSs on Wednesday- the Dining line CM told us the show was on til at least 9:00, so we went at 8:40- the last show of the night ended just as we checked in at 8:30- what a bummer. I felt like the price of the buffet wasn't justified without the show.

I would go again during Jersey week with no problem- we met some very nice folks from New Jersey.

 

[tardin1964]

I think (like myself) people that always get to the parks when they open have a different perspective on the crowds.

I was there last year during Jersey week. When we went to the parks we were there when they opened. We were able to get a great deal accomplished before the parks started to get crowded around lunch time. Once the parks did get crowded we utilized fast pass along with going to the less popular attractions.

The parks absolutely got crowded in the afternoon, with some long waits for the popular attractions. So for those people that show up at a park in the afternoon I'm sure they would feel the place was packed. Those of us that had a couple of hours in the morning of no waits and little crowds definitely have a different experience at WDW.

I also think the popularity of these forums have a lot to do with the change in crowd patterns at WDW. The jump in membership and the increase in number of post these forums have daily since I started posting here a year ago is amazing.

 

[Luigi's Girl]

thanks for your 2 cents MomofKatie. and also for your comments tardin1964. i was beginning to think i must have been wearing rose colored glasses my whole trip!!!

 

[deanna2426]

I really am starting to think my vacation was a dream...we were there 11/1-11/9. We did not experience any of the crowds I am reading about. Our longest wait was 20 minutes (Splash Mountain and Kilamajaro Safari). I really do think the key is getting to the parks just before opening or later in the evening. I did wonder what people walking into MK at 11am on an EE day were thinking!!!

We went to MK on Tuesday 11/2. Got there for opening and did all of Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Haunted Mansion before 11am (some attractions more than once). We went to Epcot for F&W and didn't experience any real crowds.

Wednesday we went to MGM. We did Star Tours, TOT, Playhouse Disney Live! The Magic of Disney Animation, got some autographs and watched the parade. No lines for anything!

Thursday we went to MK for EE. We again did all of Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Splash Mountain, BTMRR, and got plenty of autographs, all before 11:30am. Thursday night was HoopDeeDoo.

Friday was DisneyQuest (empty) and then MK at night. Got there at 7:30pm and did Buzz, Pooh, TTA, Peter Pan and got on Dumbo just as Wishes was starting! Again, no real lines.

Saturday was AK. No lines for anything (except Kilamajaro Safari) and we walked into all the shows we wanted to see.

Sunday was EE at MK (longest wait was 10 minutes for Peter Pan) and then MGM in late afternoon for a few attractions and Fantasmic!

Monday was Epcot (15 minute wait for Test Track, but WS was dead) and Magical Fireworks Voyage at night.

Tuesday we went to Crystal Palace for breakfast, rode a few attractions and did the Family Magic Tour.

I don't know if I was just so happy to be in Disney that I didn't notice the crowds around me (although DH and DSs would have made sure I knew about it) or what. I just hope all these negative threads keep people away(lol) and we continue to enjoy this great time of year!

 

[insanedisneyfan]

I am so surprised to read all of these postings saying it was crowded. I have gone to WDW during Jersey week for the past 4 years and this was one of the less crowded times. We stayed at POP Century 11/3-8 and was totally surprised first of all because our room was ready upon check in! We were even able to pick where our room would be, I chose the 80's right by the pool and the buses, it was fantastic! The Magic Kingdom does tend to be more crowded than the other parks, but the longest we waited for any ride was maybe 20 minutes. We even got to see all of the characters at Mickey's Toontown. The wait for Mickey was 15 minutes and this was around 2pm!! In Epcot we walked twice onto Spaceship Earth. Test Track was the longest wait but it wasn't that bad and if you really want to ride it. So we did and then we had our whole day to go to the countries and enjoy the Food and Wine Festival! We came back later that night and walked onto Test Track at like 830pm!! Try it at night it is totally different. I also have to agree that I didn't meet or see anyone from New Jersey. I met a few people from Texas and Oklahoma besides tons of people from Europe.

At MGM we walked into Millionaire and I told our first timer that would be one of the longest waits and we didn't even have too. So I don't know why so many were upset about the crowds I didn't notice at all.

I can't wait for next year!!

 

[JohnNJ]

Originally posted by insanedisneyfan
I also have to agree that I didn't meet or see anyone from New Jersey.

Really, no offense, but you must truly be insane.

I was there from 10/29 to 11/7 and you couldn't spit without hitting someone from NJ. Maybe you expected us to look different, so you didn't notice? We do not wear funny hats.

 

[tardin1964]

I do think the real key is getting to the parks at opening. When you can do 6, 7, 8 or more attractions in the first couple of hours of the park opening, while utilizing fastpass for the busy ones it makes a big difference. Even if the park you're in gets packed you don't mind it as much because you've already done alot.

 

[mitros]

Holy smokes! So THAT'S why it was so unbelievably crowded when we went Nov. 6-7-8. EVERYTHING had an enormous line. OKW was at 100% capacity, the buses were ridiculous, the monorail had the feeling of a sardine can. The MK was loaded by 10AM. First week in November.... never again!