Anyone just back?

[DISFANSHAN]

We will be going this week next year. It is a short school week in NJ for teacher's convention. Just wondering about crowds and weather.

Thanks!!!!

 

[bubba73]

MY Dad just got back from taking his brother (my Uncle) on his first trip to WDW. I haven't had a chance to talk to him about all of the details but I am hoping to be able to either today or tomorrow. I know they both had a great time. I'm just not sure about how the crowds were. I will try to get back to you as soon as I find out more.

 

[minijeanie]

Back Yesterday. Weather beautiful all week. Sunny and high of 82 with a breeze.

As far as crowds, much more crowded than in the past. have gone Jersey week 2x and this week was very very crowded.

My last trip was in June and I felt crowds were approximately the same. Although Monday in MK ws easy, not much trouble and believe it or not, extra hours nite in MK was perfect. Normally I stay away from the park with extra hours in morning or evening. But we took a chance, headed over to MK at around 10:00 pm(when wishes was over) and we had a ball.

Just remember to make your ADR's in advance and utilize FP and you should be fine.

 

[teacher2001]

Weather was great.

Crowds were huge. Summer-like huge.

Met a lot of nice people from NJ but will pick a different week next time.

Brought our nephew for his first trip; unfortunately the long lines kind of soured him on the experience. We knew Jersey Week would be busy, but had no idea it was this busy.

Still had a good time thanks to tips learned here on the boards!

 

[ZuZugal]

Just back......big big crowds!! Still better than summer because it is not as hot and doesn't rain every day.

My kids' school was out for vet's day, and the 2 days previous for parent/teacher conferences. So, we pulled them out for the only 2 days they would have been in school this past week.

I have heard the best time to go is right after the Thanksgiving crowds are gone, like the first week of December.

 

[disneymagic02]

Got back last weekend and we had crowds on only one day(waits were over 2 hrs, we used Fast Pass) all other days our wait was an average of 10mins. We were there 10/29-11-4. We also went to MNSSHP, I would go to that, it was wonderful.

 

[anewvance]

Got home yesterday.... I'm sorry to say but it was PACKED, I mean like PACKEDDD! But maybe it was because it was the last weekend of the food and wine fest and super soap weekend... would be interested to hear about crowds this coming week.

 

[Park Hopper]

Weekends have been packed at Epcot for the Food & Wine Festival but the crowds in the park during the week weren't bad at all. We went 15 times during F&W and the only horrible crowds we encountered were on the weekends.

 

[qman]

I thought it was crowded than past Novembers but not too bad. The crowds got bigger as the week went on; it was definately the busiest on Vets Day. I would suspect the bigger crowds were due to locals in attendance. Earlier in our visits the people pulled out of crowds to participate in shows (Lion King, Indiana Jones, etc) were from out of state (or from oversees), on Friday almost all of the participants were from Florida.

As far as weather there was no rain and temps were in the 80's. Our last trip (November 2003) was about the same.

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

We noticed the crowds, but barely waited in any lines all week (using tourguidemike.com plans).

 

[Luv2Roam]

Last night at MK was very crowded. But we still walked onto Pirates. It was difficult to walk around most anywhere.
Much of the holiday decor is up. We thought it too early. But I am sure many vacationers are happy for that.

 

[tiki23]

Oh boy, we're arriving in the World next year on Thursday night of Jersey Week; we'll have to plan for crowds Friday and Saturday! Looks like our first stop Friday morning will be Epcot to beat the I'm assuming that it will have cleared out by Sunday?

 

[SWVA BGSU Fan]

We were there November 4-11. The weather was perfect, but I agree with everyone else that it was crowded. We thought Friday, Nov. 11 was the worst, and I guess that was because of the area schools being closed for Veterans Day. We chose that week because our schools were closed for Election Day. We used FPs wherever we could. On Saturday morning, Nov. 5, we were surprised at how light the crowds were at Epcot. We were there when the park opened and quickly made our way to Soarin' to get FPs. Then, we crossed the park and were able to ride TT 2 times in a row with no waiting and MS with no waiting. Have a great time!

 

[Luv2Roam]

I don't know what local schools were closed Friday. On my drive to work Friday, the schools I pass were operating as usual. Maybe some were closed. But I know not all area schools were closed. Maybe another county besides Orange?

 

[fabumouse]

I agree with everyone who said there were bigger crowds than expected. By Monday, Nov 7th, the crowds were wearing us down and on the 9th, rumor had it that there was a 3 hour wait for Soarin'.

 

[tanmar]

We noticed the crowds, but barely waited in any lines all week (using tourguidemike.com plans).

So you found tourguidemike.com to be useful? / worth it?

Let me know, haven't heard about it until now but now I am intrigued.

Anyone else used this?

 

[buccikulju]

We were there 11/6-11/11. We (me, dh, ds 12, dd10) are not from New Jersey and took our kids out from school to go. It was very very crowded. Long lines for many things and yes, by 11 a.m. on the day we went to EPCOT, Soarin' fastpasses were sold out and there was a 3 hour wait. Never did get to see it, but we enjoyed everything else we wanted to by using fastpasses, going to attractions early or late, and seeing other things that people were passing by. With the right attitude even huge crowds are not an impediment to enjoying Disney. Go easy, relax, take in things you thought you might bypass, and take advantage of fastpasses and Extra Magic Hours. You'll have a great time.

 

[deltabayou]

We were at WDW from Nov 5 through Nov 11. It was packed. I told dh that if the summers were much worse than that, I would NEVER go in the summer. Next time we go, we are picking a better week. Maybe the week after Thanksgiving or in Feb/March. Our waitress at Boatwrights said that September was really slow (but then you have to deal with heat, thunderstorms, and possible hurricanes).

Kathleen

 

[DURANFAN2]

Just got back from 10days.
First I have been going to WDW since it opened, I'm a Florida charter member annual passholder.
The crowds were HUGE HUGE HUGE! Full of rude people too which makes things worse. Thank gawd we live in FL and hitting all the rides isn't important to us. We even went to the special hotel extra hour thing and they had major crowds for that.
EPCOT is one place that rarely 'looks' packed to me but even world showcase was wall to wall people. I think the food & wine festival plays a part in this which is funny coz you would end up better money wise having dinner in an epcot restaraunt.
Yes, the lines for SOARIN were unreal. During my times at EPCOT the standby line was never less than 70 minutes even the LAND boat ride thingy was a 30-40 stand by line. I got our fast pass for SOARIN at 10 am and our return time wasn't until like 3:30pm, so basically I would think if you didn't get a fast past for SOARIN by 11-12 you wouldn't get one.
The weather was GORGEOUS but the parks were horrible. We basically hung out at the lake and pool and relaxed.
The summers can be worse believe it or not, plus imagine the heat/humidity factor in the summer. If we go to disney in the summer we only do epcot at night. I think alot of families are trying to beat summer crowds by going during the fall. I bet there was at least 50,000 young school aged kids playing hooky from school.

 

[fabumouse]

Great to hear it from a longtime WDW traveler and Florida resident - it really is started to feel like there are no slow times at the World. =(