1st Week of November - Very Crowded- Where did we go wrong?

[J'Adore Disney]

My family and I live 3 hours away from WDW. We frequent Disney 2-3 times a year. We think we know the best times to go (or so we thought). The 1st week of November has always been one of our favorite times of the year to do Disney, past experience has proved parks are less crowded and the weather is cooler in Central Florida.

We recently returned from a 4 day Disney trip (11/1 through 11/4). Stayed at The Yacht Club. Resort was not at all crowded, the pool and restaurants were doable.

However, Magic Kingdom and Epcot were super crowded, worse than during the first week of August (our 2nd visit of this year); and Mother’s Day weekend (our 1st visit of this year)

In Florida, school is still in session during November, there are no Fall season breaks and yet I couldn’t believe the amount of kids I saw in the parks.

Although we had fast passes, getting from one ride to another was a challenge due to the amount of people (thank God I know short cuts around the park) But I couldn’t believe it, and I’m still wondering, besides the F&WF, what the heck was going on

Could it be that less crowded days at Disney are a thing of the past?

 

[Mikie]

I keep hearing people toss around the phrase that "there are no more slow times at Disney!", so possibly that's true. Perhaps early Nov and January were among the last slow times left and people have all heard that as well, deciding to start going in those weeks now. . . Darn discussion boards and social media!!

 

[Heidi Lou]

That stinks....I am glad people are able to go bc I think everyone should experience Disney at least once,,,JUST NOT WHILE IM THERE! we get in next Thursday and I keep telling myself it wont be THAT bad....now I feel like yeah right! it will be that bad and probably worse. It just sucks that the easiest time for people to go is all at the same time haha

 

[Dis703]

When we went the first week of November 5 years ago we found it much too crowded for us. That's Jersey week where we have 4 day weekend in our schools so a lot of people take the whole week and travel. Many to FL it seems. It's actually the busiest time of year we've gone (aside from one day we went to MK over Christmas many years ago). Disney also excluded that week from free dining which usually indicates that it's not a slow time.

We've been mostly going April/May since then and haven't noticed a change in the crowds this time of year.

 

[alliecat523]

With so many school systems operating on different schedules, it's impossible to tell when it will actually be a slow time. Add to that families who are willing to take their kids out of school to visit..... You just can't tell anymore.

 

[phillymummer]

I was there Nov 4-6 and i thought the crowds were very manageable. I was expecting worse! We were in MK on the 4th and while there were a lot of people in the park, the lines were not that bad. The line wait times were grossly wrong. The wait time for BTMRR said 45 minutes- we waited about 20-25. The time for splash was 50 minutes... we waited 15 minutes. The wait time for HM was 30 minutes. We waited 15-20. At one point in the day, 7DMT had a 45 minute posted wait time. And this was in the middle of the afternoon! I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

 

[tlmadden73]

It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. No one wants to pay as much as you do for a Disney vacation and it be crowded.

Sites like this one (and all the touring websites with crowd calendars) tell us what the "slow" times are ... so thus people naturally schedule during those times (even to the point of scheduling which park on which days). Each year when someone experiences a small crowd during a "slow" time .. they recommend that same time frame to friends and family .. etc. etc.
Throw in the parties, free dining, Food and Wine, better weather and discounts on resort stays .... It is not shocking that Disney is crowded during traditionally "slow" times.

The fact that you feel it is more crowded now than early August and Mid-May is crazy though. I wonder as more people are scared off by heat and crowds (and higher prices for resorts) if going in the summer IS less crowded now than these fall times.

I know I went last October (early) 2014 and it was more crowded by far than the last week of August 2015 - simply based on how crowded it was just around the FantasyLand area and wait times for "minor" rides. But .. even though it was less crowded, we had to "suffer" through high humidity and a rain storm EVERY day of the trip (for at least 2-3 hours). A risk we knew we had to take and for us .. it was worth it. I would go back again in late August/Early September again ..

See what I just did there? anyone reading this is going to want to go that time next year ... making it more crowded .

 

[aprincessatlast]

In Florida, school is still in session during November, there are no Fall season breaks and yet I couldn’t believe the amount of kids I saw in the parks.

Although we had fast passes, getting from one ride to another was a challenge due to the amount of people (thank God I know short cuts around the park) But I couldn’t believe it, and I’m still wondering, besides the F&WF, what the heck was going on

Could it be that less crowded days at Disney are a thing of the past?

Sorry it was so crowded for you. This statement just seems odd to me though. It is an amusement park for kids and the kids at heart. It is difficult to assume anything would be not crowded in todays world with all the home schooling and national/international travelers. I used to always look at kids in stores today and wonder what school district was off that day. I no longer do that as there are so so many virtual schooled/home schooled kids today. There are always loads of kids all ages in Target nowadays at any given time of the day. Also more people with kids vacation year round now and do not adhere to a school schedule.

 

[anniemae]

I am one who really believes there is no slow time anymore, just really crowded and REALLY crowded. I had heard reports that this November has been slow. I think people are more willing to take kids out of school and the F&W has been getting more and more popular. Also, if there was free dining, that increases crowds as well.

Disney has become a master of filling the parks and having all kinds of deals, promotions, specials, discounts, parties etc. to entice people to go during the slow times. They are trying to even out the crowds I think, so it's always a steady busy, not super busy one month and dead the next.

 

[anniemae]

Sorry it was so crowded for you. This statement just seems odd to me though. It is an amusement park for kids and the kids at heart. I would never assume anything would be not crowded in todays world with all the home schooling and national/international travelers. I used to always look at kids in stores today and wonder what school district was off that day. I no longer do that as there are so so many virtual schooled/home schooled kids today. There are always loads of kids all ages in Target nowadays at any given time of the day. Also more people with kids vacation year round now and do not adhere to a school schedule.

This is so true. So many homeschool and lots of schools go year round now so they have breaks at "odd" times.

 

[Accident]

Although we had fast passes, getting from one ride to another was a challenge due to the amount of people (thank God I know short cuts around the park) But I couldn’t believe it, and I’m still wondering, besides the F&WF, what the heck was going on

Last time osbourne lights will be around, mk holida party just started, f&w still happening, best discounts I've ever seen this year, record attendance for last couple years? There is no slow time of the year anymore and even if it's less crowded, it only lasts a day or two.

 

[momimouse27]

When we went the first week of November 5 years ago we found it much too crowded for us. That's Jersey week where we have 4 day weekend in our schools so a lot of people take the whole week and travel. Many to FL it seems. It's actually the busiest time of year we've gone (aside from one day we went to MK over Christmas many years ago). Disney also excluded that week from free dining which usually indicates that it's not a slow time.

We've been mostly going April/May since then and haven't noticed a change in the crowds this time of year.

When I read the OP, the first thing I thought was "isn't that Jersey week?" We went during that week several years ago. At that time my hubby had a national sales meeting-same thing we're having this year but next week instead-and I noticed it being very busy. The F&W was the worse(lots of drunk business people) but I had just realized before we left that it was Jersey Week. That being said, it was crowded but not unmanageable. I wouldn't pick that week on purpose but busier than normal.

 

[lovethattink]

There were several days we went to parks in October and the crowds felt like Christmas week. Halloween week seemed especially crowded. We're a homeschool family and tend to go on a weekday instead of a weekend.

 

[anniemae]

OH, I forgot about the Osborn Lights! I have seen so many posts on these and other boards about people taking "one last trip to see the lights." So many people planned trips for Nov and Dec that would otherwise not have gone.

 

[MomofKatie]

It was Jersey Week.

 

[Love Tink]

Although we had fast passes, getting from one ride to another was a challenge due to the amount of people (thank God I know short cuts around the park)

This is the worst way to assess crowds at Disney World. If the parks "feel crowded," it is usually because people aren't bottled up in queues. Often it feels the most crowded when the lines are actually the shortest (with the exceptions of Christmas/Easter, when it is both actually crowded and feels crowded).

This is why you often get posts (not the OP, but many times) where people say, "It was so crowded! But we never waited more than 15 minutes for anything."

 

[Feralpeg]

There was a marathon last weekend. We are locals. We were going to go to Food & Wine last Saturday. They had closed the Epcot parking lots and sending all traffic to TTC. It was extremely crowded.

I think it was a combination of Food & Wine, the marathon, the last year for the Osborne Lights and the Christmas parade taping this week.

 

[mshanson3121]

This is so true. So many homeschool and lots of schools go year round now so they have breaks at "odd" times.

Yes. We homeschool, and it's nice to be able to just pick up and go. Unfortunately, DH is a teacher, so we're still stuck following his vacation. But Disney also is catering to homeschoolers as they offer Student Seminars for homeschooled students. They're run at different times in the year - typically one in the fall (and I'm almost thinking it was recently) and one at the end of January, and they are a huge draw for homeschooling families, because you get a significant discount on your tickets.

 

[nkereina]

Agree with PPs. Jersey Week, Osborne Lights, Food & Wine half marathon, one of the last weekends of Food & Wine. More events than usual during you dates which probably accounts for the crowded feel.

 

[Hopefully]

Easywdw & Touring Plans are both reporting higher than expected crowds all fall. Disney reported a 15% increase last week to Wall Street. It is real & no one knows if it will change