Advice about crowds - "Jersey Week" vs. Pop Warner Week

[anniemae]

We have been there with pop warner, and had absolutely no issues and low crowds.

 

[swummyh20]

We did the same this year. I thought I read Jersey week was the first week in Nov. So I booked the second week. Last year I thought the crowds were bad during JW. We have decided to skip MK while on this trip.

Hmmmmmmm. I did my FP+ this morning (on the west coast so up at 4am!!) and I was pretty much able to get everything I wanted. I am concerned because of how sold out the hotels are, and the big draw ADRs are pretty much gone too. I guess I'm leaving it how it is and hoping my plans are good enough to combat any type of serious crowd build up.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Hmmmmmmm. I did my FP+ this morning (on the west coast so up at 4am!!) and I was pretty much able to get everything I wanted. I am concerned because of how sold out the hotels are, and the big draw ADRs are pretty much gone too. I guess I'm leaving it how it is and hoping my plans are good enough to combat any type of serious crowd build up.

I did FP yesterday and could not get the rides and times we want for MK so we will skip it...I can't do long lines and we leave the parks before 3pm.. I did ADRs awhile back and no problem. I should consider us lucky for the military discount at the BC...I see it is sold out our week and the week before.

 

[disneyseniors]

You all have me so paranoid!! We booked not realizing Jersey week was going on. Should we think about moving up our trip? We would lose out on our 60 day mark, and I probably can't get all the same ADRs, but now I'm super freaked out it is going to be so crowded!! Advice? It is just my mom and me.

swummyh20, please don't be freaked out by these reports on the board. We have gone during "Jersey Week" several times, and never noticed it being more crowded than any other time. So I wouldn't worry. Disney is busy most of the time anyway.
Honestly, we didn't know there was such a thing as Jersey Week til we heard about it on the board, and realized we've been going at that time of year and never noticed anything. We've also gone the first 2 weeks of December, but never managed to be there with PW. We like both times.
Whatever you decide, you will have a great time, just try not to let all the info on the boards scare you away.

 

[dkrauss]

I did our FP's for Jersey week the other day. For 6........and we had no trouble getting any of the popular rides. I was a little shocked actually.

Doug

 

[DisneyMom111]

The NJ teacher convention is Nov 10th and 11th this year, I'm looking at my son's school calender now. So NJ week would be aprox. the 5th thru the 12th.

 

[swummyh20]

swummyh20, please don't be freaked out by these reports on the board. We have gone during "Jersey Week" several times, and never noticed it being more crowded than any other time. So I wouldn't worry. Disney is busy most of the time anyway.
Honestly, we didn't know there was such a thing as Jersey Week til we heard about it on the board, and realized we've been going at that time of year and never noticed anything. We've also gone the first 2 weeks of December, but never managed to be there with PW. We like both times.
Whatever you decide, you will have a great time, just try not to let all the info on the boards scare you away.

I guess because it has been so long since I have planned a trip to WDW, I feel out of the loop! I still am not 100% I scheduled the FP the "right" way. Oh well! We like to have some flexibility so I didn't want to over plan! Thanks for your kind words!!

 

[swummyh20]

I did FP yesterday and could not get the rides and times we want for MK so we will skip it...I can't do long lines and we leave the parks before 3pm.. I did ADRs awhile back and no problem. I should consider us lucky for the military discount at the BC...I see it is sold out our week and the week before.

Yes, I am not a line wait-er. I am a Disneyland pro, so I never feel nervous about going even if it is busy. I guess because its WDW and a much bigger commitment, I don't want to miss out on anything!!

 

[imthemamahere]

When did the convention move to Saturday and Sunday?

Sorry, it's on the 10th and 11th this year. I googled it because I didn't have my son's school calendar handy and trusted the result without confirming. My bad!

 

[imthemamahere]

so when exactly is it considered to be Jersey week? We are going Nov 12th - 20th. I'm thinking Jersey week is the week before but not sure, lol.

Since I had it wrong before, I just looked it up on my son's school calendar. The NJEA convention is the 10th and 11th this year. So I'd imagine most of the NJ "crowd" will be heading home as you start your trip.

 

[Minniekins]

@imthemamahere Thank you very much, I appreciate you checking on that! Sounds good to me if they are heading home, just so it'll be less crowded!

Anybody else ever think its funny that this doesn't happen with any other plces around the country?

 

[Lisa F]

I have gone during jersey week many times since it is also near the end of the F&W festival.
Although it does get busier, I've never found it do be much of an issue at all.
What I really like about that time is you typically have the crossover from the Halloween decorations to the Christmas decorations depending on the timing.
Also being at the end of F&W much of the merch that is left is on clearance - usually 50% off so that is also a bonus.
Yes - Epcot is very busy on the weekends - really nothing to do with Jersey Week - it is F&W - during F&W it is busy every weekend - just do Epoct during the week and take advantage of the F&W festival.


As for pop warner - or any other cheer\dance\band\sports week or large group of "supervised" teens - I'd avoid it like the plague - nothing more annoying than waiting in line with a bunch of people doing the same cheers over and over again. there are plenty of threads on this so I'd look through them.

Ill pick a bunch of family's from any state over this type of group event every time.

as for pop warner - every person I've ever seen who has been there that week hasn't even known that they were there. I would not worry about it. They are at wild world of sports all day long for the competitions and they do come out at night but I have not heard a single person complain about them except maybe people who stayed at the same hotel... but in the parks, zero impact.

 

[tony67]

as for pop warner - every person I've ever seen who has been there that week hasn't even known that they were there. I would not worry about it. They are at wild world of sports all day long for the competitions and they do come out at night but I have not heard a single person complain about them except maybe people who stayed at the same hotel... but in the parks, zero impact.

Well...I disagree.

Maybe Disney has cracked down on them...but last time I went during that week I got really tired very quickly of hearing all the chants in line - or the groups of kids holding hand and pushing they way through people like they owned the place.

Easy enough search for the threads on this, but Ill never go during that again - more availability for you I guess.

BTW - they don't only stay at the All stars - they do for the most part - but they have also been at the CBR and CSR and they were at the Dolphin the last time I was there during that week. At the Dolphin security took care of them very quickly.

This was in 60 seconds of searching:
" really ruined for my family a perfectly great vacation doing everything from running around w/ no tops on, trash throwing everywhere, setting garbarge cans on fire (trash in the can), the screaming, yelling all night to the point that even Security gave up. " - from DisBoards 2009

"We stayed at the Coronado Springs in cabana 8a and all was brilliant for the first few days until the pop warner cheerleaders turned up. It turned the place into butlins, all night long was shouting, screaming, banging doors etc." - from Trip Advisor 2012

"My biggest issue is this: why do they insist on breaking into cheer in the middle of a crowded line? " - Dis 2009

 

[Lisa F]

Well...I disagree.

Maybe Disney has cracked down on them...but last time I went during that week I got really tired very quickly of hearing all the chants in line - or the groups of kids holding hand and pushing they way through people like they owned the place.

Easy enough search for the threads on this, but Ill never go during that again - more availability for you I guess.

BTW - they don't only stay at the All stars - they do for the most part - but they have also been at the CBR and CSR and they were at the Dolphin the last time I was there during that week. At the Dolphin security took care of them very quickly.

This was in 60 seconds of searching:
" really ruined for my family a perfectly great vacation doing everything from running around w/ no tops on, trash throwing everywhere, setting garbarge cans on fire (trash in the can), the screaming, yelling all night to the point that even Security gave up. " - from DisBoards 2009

"We stayed at the Coronado Springs in cabana 8a and all was brilliant for the first few days until the pop warner cheerleaders turned up. It turned the place into butlins, all night long was shouting, screaming, banging doors etc." - from Trip Advisor 2012

"My biggest issue is this: why do they insist on breaking into cheer in the middle of a crowded line? " - Dis 2009

There is one person who heard cheering in line and the rest are issues at the resorts where they are staying. I am staying in DVC resorts so not really concerned about what is going on at values/moderates. Also those reviews are quite old. 7 years ago is a long time. Unless I am seeing a ton of recent reviews from 2014-2015 that it was miserable I'm not going to worry about it. I still would not stay at one of the resorts where they are staying though, but I have read plenty of recent reviews from people who go during that time period who did not stay at those resorts and didn't even know it was going on.

I do remember around that same time period (7-10+ years ago) all of the complaints about the Brazilian tour groups and similar... big crowds joining lines and making a ruckus. I haven't heard about that recently either. Maybe Disney has become more explicit about the way groups are told to behave themselves.

 

[oceanmarina]

swummyh20, please don't be freaked out by these reports on the board. We have gone during "Jersey Week" several times, and never noticed it being more crowded than any other time. So I wouldn't worry. Disney is busy most of the time anyway.
Honestly, we didn't know there was such a thing as Jersey Week til we heard about it on the board, and realized we've been going at that time of year and never noticed anything. We've also gone the first 2 weeks of December, but never managed to be there with PW. We like both times.
Whatever you decide, you will have a great time, just try not to let all the info on the boards scare you away.

Hi I've never heard of jersey week, and am so curious! Can anyone tell me what jersey week is and when it is?

- marina

 

[tony67]

I do remember around that same time period (7-10+ years ago) all of the complaints about the Brazilian tour groups and similar... big crowds joining lines and making a ruckus. I haven't heard about that recently either. Maybe Disney has become more explicit about the way groups are told to behave themselves.

There are still threads on that...but because of their economy there just are not as many - but we really don.t want to introduce that topic as it will send this thread off the rails IMO.

personally I'll take my chances with family's from NJ - I doubt they will be starting fires or banging on doors constantly - that was in 2012 - and not so long in Disney years IMO

BTW - I have heard the cheering in line many times - it is torture

 

[tony67]

Hi I've never heard of jersey week, and am so curious! Can anyone tell me what jersey week is and when it is?

- marina

basically The New Jersey schools have a teachers' convention for two days around a weekend - so a lot of people head to Disney for the week and it does increase the crowds a bit - but nothing like the truly busy times at Disney

 

[Lisa F]

There are still threads on that...but because of their economy there just are not as many - but we really don.t want to introduce that topic as it will send this thread off the rails IMO.

personally I'll take my chances with family's from NJ - I doubt they will be starting fires or banging on doors constantly - that was in 2012 - and not so long in Disney years IMO

BTW - I have heard the cheering in line many times - it is torture

Well like I said. I'd avoid any HOTEL that is hosting the hoards of kids. But I would not avoid WDW all together because of it. I have gone many times over the years that week and honestly this year is the first I've even heard of it... last time I went that week was 2009 when two of those reviews are from and I had no idea it was even going on.... But I stayed at Bay Lake Tower. But there was zero trace of it in the parks for me back then and other people have had the same experience as I have. It is THE most popular week for DVCers to stay also so it can't be that bad... first two weeks of December at DVC book very fast (popular resorts and room categories go right at 11 months out, even calling right at 7am 11 months out won't get you the room) and by 7 months out pretty much every DVC room is booked. It can't be all that horrible if the yearly disney fans consider it prime time to go. Crowds are low and christmas activites are in full swing.

 

[tony67]

Well like I said. I'd avoid any HOTEL that is hosting the hoards of kids. But I would not avoid WDW all together because of it. I have gone many times over the years that week and honestly this year is the first I've even heard of it... last time I went that week was 2009 when two of those reviews are from and I had no idea it was even going on.... But I stayed at Bay Lake Tower. But there was zero trace of it in the parks for me back then and other people have had the same experience as I have. It is THE most popular week for DVCers to stay also so it can't be that bad... first two weeks of December at DVC book very fast (popular resorts and room categories go right at 11 months out, even calling right at 7am 11 months out won't get you the room) and by 7 months out pretty much every DVC room is booked. It can't be all that horrible if the yearly disney fans consider it prime time to go. Crowds are low and christmas activites are in full swing.

Problem is Disney wont tell you if they are staying at your particular mod or not - and it really just needs to be one team to be an issue.
Our experiences are very different and of course you will never see them at DVC.
It is quite possible Disney has them under better control in the parks - but again I'm not going to risk my time off and money to find out.

 

[DisneyMom111]

Well...I disagree.

Maybe Disney has cracked down on them...but last time I went during that week I got really tired very quickly of hearing all the chants in line - or the groups of kids holding hand and pushing they way through people like they owned the place.

It's been a while since I went that week, mainly because of the constant cheering through the parks. We left that year saying...never again during this week! We felt like no matter which park we were at, there they were. It really got annoying. Like you said, maybe they have put a stop to it since we have experienced this, but I know it did happen for us.