Jersey week questions

[ammag]

I am looking at a possible 10/30-11/7/2015 trip. I just found out this is jersey week and I am wondering two things....first will plane tickets from nyc be more that time of year or not effected? And second I am seeing on some websites that specials like room discount or free dining might be blacked out that week. If I arrive on the 30th would I be able to get a special promotion for my trip even though it takes place during jersey week this year which is the 2-6th?

I have to keep budget down since we didn't plan to go until the next year but I would prefer Halloween time to Christmas season.

Any other info please share! Thanks!

 

[DavidNYC]

Plane tickets from NYC higher but not as bad as from EWR. Special deals are always speculative - wouldnt count on anything - record breaking attendance year - who knows what they'll do.

 

[laurenfratt]

I am looking at a possible 10/30-11/7/2015 trip. I just found out this is jersey week and I am wondering two things....first will plane tickets from nyc be more that time of year or not effected? And second I am seeing on some websites that specials like room discount or free dining might be blacked out that week. If I arrive on the 30th would I be able to get a special promotion for my trip even though it takes place during jersey week this year which is the 2-6th?

I have to keep budget down since we didn't plan to go until the next year but I would prefer Halloween time to Christmas season.

Any other info please share! Thanks!

Hello,

I went this same week last year, 11/1 to 11/9. I flew out from Boston and found the plane prices to be pretty cheap considering I had no layovers. As far as free dining, if you plan to check in during one of the days it is not blacked out, you can have it for your entire stay. We also did that last year. It ended on the 1st and we checked in on the first! Also you will probably get to see Halloween AND some Christmas decor! Magic Kingdom sets it up fairly fast for the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, the first Friday in November! Hope this helps!

 

[ammag]

Definitely not counting on a special but being hopeful. We had a big two week planned but then we booked a budget trip for this May. Then my husband lost his job and we cancelled it, but he got another one but of course cannot take vacation until the fall. So I am kind of throwing this together but keeping an eye on budget, our long term savings plan with three years between park visits is turning out to be too long for me lol. So two budget trips instead.

Great to know about the check in date being what is used for a promotion! Whoohoo!

 

[ammag]

Ps I have been reading about jersey week a bit and cracking up about people's accents..I live in queens so between jersey, brooklyn and Long Island I am surrounded and very comfortable with our local accent

 

[tinkerbella16]

Jersey Week is typically blacked out for free dining but the room discounts are more generous with dates/blackout dates than FD is. Last year FD was offered 10/26-11/1 and 11/9-11/20 so IF these dates were to be the same as last years for free dining you would have gotten it since you were checking in on 10/31 and would get it for the remainder of your stay. They are good at throwing curveballs though so there is no telling what the dates for free dining will be this year and what resorts will be excluded.. Last year both Port Orleans were surprisingly excluded to the general public but they were included if you had a pin code (that's how we got it for POFQ). Riverside has always been included in the past, while POFQ really wasn't included due to its size and filling rooms with no problems.

As for flights, I really don't know if that week matters because Jersey Week doesn't really affect crowds too much in wdw... you'll just find more people from NJ there that week more than other weeks. Airfare is really just a hit or miss. I bought my airfare weeks ago for my November 5-14 trip for $126 roundtrip! I alway check to see if the price goes up or down after I pay for mine and sure enough, my airfare now is $356 roundtrip! So glad I bought it when I did! I feel like I lucked out with the great price I paid.

 

[ammag]

They keep us on our toes! Of course cost people don't obsess over the pricing release dates lol.

One thing I wanted to add...that week works for us because we have no school for Election Day but the next week works as well because of no school on Columbus Day. My daughter is going to be in third grade and I know it's a harder year wiht the testing etc, only missing four days seems to be a good idea. I do prefer the Halloween festivities to Christmas I've seen both, but it sounds like that week we would see the changeover?

 

[tinkerbella16]

They keep us on our toes! Of course cost people don't obsess over the pricing release dates lol.

One thing I wanted to add...that week works for us because we have no school for Election Day but the next week works as well because of no school on Columbus Day. My daughter is going to be in third grade and I know it's a harder year wiht the testing etc, only missing four days seems to be a good idea. I do prefer the Halloween festivities to Christmas I've seen both, but it sounds like that week we would see the changeover?

The changeover happens gradually through out wdw right after Halloween. But in Magic Kingdom, it is literally overnight after Halloween! It is transformed over to christmas decor and I just love it! Not only do I go in November for the great weather, but also because of the xmas festivities and decorations, MVMCP.

 

[nobellybutton]

Jersey Week is typically blacked out for free dining but the room discounts are more generous with dates/blackout dates than FD is. Last year FD was offered 10/26-11/1 and 11/9-11/20 so IF these dates were to be the same as last years for free dining you would have gotten it since you were checking in on 10/31 and would get it for the remainder of your stay. They are good at throwing curveballs though so there is no telling what the dates for free dining will be this year and what resorts will be excluded.. Last year both Port Orleans were surprisingly excluded to the general public but they were included if you had a pin code (that's how we got it for POFQ). Riverside has always been included in the past, while POFQ really wasn't included due to its size and filling rooms with no problems.

As for flights, I really don't know if that week matters because Jersey Week doesn't really affect crowds too much in wdw... you'll just find more people from NJ there that week more than other weeks. Airfare is really just a hit or miss. I bought my airfare weeks ago for my November 5-14 trip for $126 roundtrip! I alway check to see if the price goes up or down after I pay for mine and sure enough, my airfare now is $356 roundtrip! So glad I bought it when I did! I feel like I lucked out with the great price I paid.

I was pricing flights from NJ/NYC from OCT 31-Nov 5 and everything is above $350?? Who did you find those prices with? Hoping I can get around the $200-$225 range.

 

[Dis703]

We traveled from NJ in Nov a couple times, once during that week and once ended up being the week after because flight prices were so much higher. I think the week we traveled during that week we went Monday to Monday. The flights Weds through Sun both times were insane. I was mostly checking EWR but I do normally look at surrounding airports which include NYC and they weren't much better. Because of this we week the second week instead the year before last. We flew round trip the second week of Nov for $200 while they started at $350 Jersey week.

 

[DCbride]

We have gone Jersey Week every years or the past 8 years. Not only is it Jersey Week, it is also usually the last weekend of Wine and Dine (2015, it is extended one more week) and the Disney W&D half marathon weekend. So yes, it is a busy weekend. But we have found that the few days before and the few days after the crowds are better. If you plan to go to MNSDHP be sure to buy tickets early as Halloween will sell out.

The FD is often offered right before and right after. So the earlier you can travel the better, Oct 29, might be a better start date for possible FD and cheaper flights. We usually go Easter Week, 2-3 week of August and Jersey week. Each time of the year has pros and cons. The decorations and weather is usually what makes the Nov trip one of our favorites.

 

[njpyro]

Just bought flights for November 4-8. We are off school thursday and friday, so we were aiming for afterschool on wednesday to sunday night, which is of course much more expensive. Flights at times that worked for us out of Newark were over $800 per person! By going out of Laguardia and returning to JFK, flights went down to $250 roundtrip. Flights are much cheaper for days before and after the dates I mentioned, so if you are able to even go tuesday to monday, there would be a significant savings. We are both teachers and can not take off the day before or after a break, so we are stuck with expensive airfare, different airports or no disney.
With the Food and Wine festival and the marathon weekend falling on our break, we just had to go.

 

[amberlina29307]

I have read on many calendars that attendance is more during Jersey week. (I booked my rooms months ago before I realized about Jersey week). But as I have read on here and other sites the crowds arent more just more are from Jersey, which I dont care about. so I guess my question is, are the crowds worse or ok during this time?

 

[DizDaD7]

As DCBride stated, 1 day earlier may be beneficial...We did our 3rd Jersey week this past Nov.1- 8th.... Usually FD ends on that Thursday or Friday prior. So If you can get in on that night, you'll be good to go for FD the whole time you're there.

This IMHO is the absolute best time of the year, because you get Halloween, and Xmas all in that same week..Not to mention F&W as ammag stated. ( Just avoid on the Friday or Saturday ). Also 1 more thing..Usually Osbornes Spectacle of lights show will open the Friday b4 you leave usually...A sight not to be missed for sure...

Also about the flights from the 3 airports in the area, JFK is typically always the cheapest by far...
We lurked and lurked until the JetBlue flights came out, and found out at around noon time 5 months prior to check in, and scored great seats, & times....Literally $946 for 4 of us, and we had the 1st flight out of JFK at 6:00, and a 7:50 p.m. flight returning..The best of both worlds....

Enjoy your trip!

 

[DisneyGirl421]

My family is flying down from Jersey on 10/30. And yes, the prices are insanely high. They priced Newark, Philly, AC, and JFK, and found JFK to be the cheapest but not by much. Since my mom is a school nurse, they have come down to visit me numerous times during Jersey Week. It's never that bad crowd-wise. Last year was worse, as Wine & Dine coincided with the weekend they were here.

 

[ariane37]

This won't help if you're in south Jersey, but you can always check Westchester county airport, too. We're in Dutchess county, NY so we check 5 airports- JFK, LGA, Newark, Westchester and Newburgh/Stewart airport and usually find JFK or Westchester the lowest priced ( which stinks since Newburgh is 15 min away). Our friends in Mahwah often fly out of Westchester as its not far for them at all and prices are generally so good; they've even used Newburgh before on the rare occasion their fares are the best.
Not Jersey week but we're flying out of Westchester 11/20 and returning the Saturday after Thanksgiving for $219 pp, Jetblue.