Crowd effect of Soap Weekend/Food & Wine Festival

[44disney]

We are thinking of a trip in Nov, and I noticed that MGM's Soap Weekend is Nov. 12 and 13, and that Nov. 13 (Sunday) is also the last day of the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. We might plan our trip for Nov. 5-12, or 12-19.

Any thoughts on whether this will greatly impact the crowd levels either the week before or the week after these events? I know that MGM will obviously be more crowded that weekend, but any other info would help a lot.

Thanks!

 

[Cookie Princess]

We have been there this time for the last 2 or 3 years and it wasn't a problem. The wait for rides isn't bad at MGM during Soap Weekend because all the "soapers" have flocked to meet or listen to the soap stars so they aren't waiting to ride the attractions. It was actually fun. Riding the bus back to the hotel with the "soapers" was great because they were all really excited and were telling us about their adventures that day!

 

[n2mm]

The weekend of the 11th, 12th, and 13th is also the Veterans day weekend, PLUS this is the beginning of Jersey week. I think Jersey week will begin on the 11th and run the whole week after. I'm sure some will be doing the week before also. This will be a busy time. I would choose the week earlier. I choose my week based on some of this information. We are going Oct. 26 thru Nov. 6. I figured I'll be able to catch food and wine, plus MNSSHP too. The weekends at EPCOT during food and wine are when EPCOT is the most busy.

You should check out a few of the "jersey week" threads to get a feel for this group of disney fans.

 

[Bill From PA]

We were there in 2002 when Soap Weekend came at the beginning of the last week of F&W AND the dreaded Jersey Week. We went to MGM that Sat., always our first park to hit, and at rope drop the 'crowd' was fewer than 10 deep. We walked on most rides all morning, it was the EE park, had little trouble with the soap fans, they were in cattle pen lines to see the 'stars'. I'd go again in a minute, need a guide?

Bill From PA

 

[jkfreeman33]

We did that week 2 years ago and found it to be fine. We even went to MGM on the Saturday when we arrived around Noon. The only problem with going to MGM was some of the rides were closed due to the soap stars setting up their booths at the attraction. It really wasn't a big deal. The attractions were empty because everyone was in line to see the soap stars.
The Food & Wine Festival is one of my favorite times to visit WDW.
We just came back and found the crowds in over President's Day to be terrible compared to October/November and early December. We are going back to our off season time.
We did have a great time at the Daytona 500, so it was worth the crowds.

 

[rigsby25]

We went last year Nov. 11 - 14th and I don't think I'll ever want to go again for this weekend. I thought Epcot was super crowded with long lines for all the food and wine booths. There was a super long line of cars waiting to get in to MGM on that Soap Opera Saturday. We stayed at the CBR and the pool was always crowded. The weather was so-so. It was nice and warm, but it was cloudy with brief periods of sun, but very humid. It might have had something to do with people waiting out the hurricanes to go last year though.

 

[funcinderella]

Actually, I am from NJ, and we are planning our trip for "Jersey week". My mom and brother both drive school buses, and they said it's Nov. 7-11 for Jersey week (I hope they're right, because we're all booked!) I believe this is how it works. Jersey week is the week that contains election day, which is followed by the NJ Teachers convention on Thursday and Friday of the same week. Election day is the first Tuesday in Nov., followed by the first Monday in Nov. So Election day won't be Nov 1, it will be Nov. 8 this year. Anyhow, I think that's right.

 

[QuickGold]

SSW usually only affects SSW related events. Other attractions at MGM should be running near normal.

 

[cthetulips]

We have only been to WDW in April or November and last year we were there at that exact weekend. Saturday at both EPCOT and MK were ridiculously crowded compared to what we are used to. This may be normal for summertime crowd level though. For instance, Test Track fast passes were sold out by 11:00 am, and even POTC had a one hour wait time in late afternoon. Some lines at the carts for the Food and Wine Festival had waits upwards of 15 minutes. So, my guess is that you should be prepared for crowds that Saturday. The other days (Tues. through Fri. before that Saturday) were o.k. though. Also, because of Super Soap Weekend, I heard the resorts were sold out. We had booked very early so it wasn't a problem for us. We did manage fairly well on Saturday however and saw/rode on most of what we wanted to do. It just took some extra finesse and patience. We wouldn't NOT go because of this...it's Disney World!

 

[44disney]

Thanks for so much for all of the help. I had not even considered that Friday is Veterans' Day, and I did not know about Jersey Week. I still haven't decided when to go but it's good to get all of this information.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

Last year we got there the Monday after this weekend. Castmembers at both AKL and YC said it was very crowded and nuts.
YC said that a lot of the Soap stars stay there so that may be why it was so crazy there.
We did hear quite a few people say that we did better coming the week after.

 

[heathriel]

Every other year, my yearly trip happens in November. Two years ago it was during the Festival of the Masters, Food and Wine Festival, and Super Soap Weekend and it wasn't bad at all.

LAST year, however, it was horrible. The weekend days were packed. Lines at the food booths were 20+ people long. The Standby line at Test Track took 90 minutes. It was not fun.