early November crowds

[jliucci]

We went last November the 11th to the 17th and it was HOT! One cast member told us it was hotter than normal for November so I would bring different clothing options. Crowd wise i don't think it was bad. We enjoyed seeing the xmas decorations!

 

[KyleAfterAWhile]

Jersey week. So you have those people. Veterans Day. Holidays always impact crowds. And then, with the opening of SWGE, I would expect a larger impact. Plus, a lot of the Christmas day taping happens in November, so those crowds are there as well.

 

[ErinsMommy]

we went for Jersey Week last year and crowds were definitely higher than we were used to, but temperature was FANTASTIC.

 

[TavieP]

Been visiting for 36 years and have never been in November! But my BFF and I just booked a trip for Nov 17-24 2019, week before Thanksgiving. Not sure what to expect, crowd and temperature-wise... hoping for the best. I think we're getting tail end of F&W so we're planning to do Epcot weekdays (not Friday!) and I guess XMas decor will be up by then, which will be fun.

Not sure what to expect from Studios at that point, in my mind it's just going to be nothing but Star Wars crowds for the next year and a half but I may be over-anticipating that. Heh.

I get very stuck in memories of old crowd patterns and the concept of "slow times" which were definitely A Thing even 10 years ago and are not, from my experience, A Thing anymore. At all.

 

[cinderaimee]

I've been the week between Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving and the temps were warm enough for shorts but not too hot. During the week, the crowds were fine but the Friday & Saturday before Thanksgiving, the parks got really crowded.

 

[mco65]

Been visiting for 36 years and have never been in November! But my BFF and I just booked a trip for Nov 17-24 2019, week before Thanksgiving. Not sure what to expect, crowd and temperature-wise... hoping for the best. I think we're getting tail end of F&W so we're planning to do Epcot weekdays (not Friday!) and I guess XMas decor will be up by then, which will be fun.

Not sure what to expect from Studios at that point, in my mind it's just going to be nothing but Star Wars crowds for the next year and a half but I may be over-anticipating that. Heh.

I get very stuck in memories of old crowd patterns and the concept of "slow times" which were definitely A Thing even 10 years ago and are not, from my experience, A Thing anymore. At all.

The one time we went the week before Thanksgiving was the slowest week ever (for us) at WDW... loved it.. Those days are long gone though and with Star Wars Galaxy Edge, there is simply no telling what it might be like this year.... but it will certainly be slower that week than the week before Christmas..

 

[TavieP]

The one time we went the week before Thanksgiving was the slowest week ever (for us) at WDW... loved it.. Those days are long gone though and with Star Wars Galaxy Edge, there is simply no telling what it might be like this year.... but it will certainly be slower that week than the week before Christmas..

You're right about that! I'll remain hopeful but prepare for all eventualities, I guess (clothing wise and crowd wise!)

The one time I went during the holiday season, the week between Christmas and New Year's in 2009, was by far the busiest I have ever seen the parks, including the many July 4ths I've experienced there. If it's better than THAT, I can handle it!

 

[mco65]

You're right about that! I'll remain hopeful but prepare for all eventualities, I guess (clothing wise and crowd wise!)

The one time I went during the holiday season, the week between Christmas and New Year's in 2009, was by far the busiest I have ever seen the parks, including the many July 4ths I've experienced there. If it's better than THAT, I can handle it!

WE went the week between Christmas and New Years a few years back... never again.. just unbearably crowded. I thought i was being smart when we went the first week of the year the following year... not much different.. ARGH! Live and learn i guess.

 

[Chickinvic]

WE went the week between Christmas and New Years a few years back... never again.. just unbearably crowded. I thought i was being smart when we went the first week of the year the following year... not much different.. ARGH! Live and learn i guess.

If school break was still on, I expect it would be still crowded. Sometimes schools go back Jan 2, but sometimes it is the week after.

 

[karrit2000]

I've been going the first to weeks of November almost every year for many years now. Over the years the crowds have gotten downright ridiculous. Years ago pretty much every ride was a walk on. Disney has managed to schedule events to coincide with what used to be extremely slow times to the point that there really is no slow time anymore. With Schools in different parts of the country being closed at different times the school breaks tend to be more spread out. And the foreign travelers all have different times that are their peak travel times that are totally different than ours adding to crowds you wouldn't expect. I also can't seem to find a time to visit that doesn't coincide with either a marathon or a cheer leading competition. The first couple of years the November weather was great. For at least the past 10 years the weather has seemed to get hotter & hotter while we've been there. Unfortunately it's a crap shoot. Last year the two weeks before we went were abnormally cool to cold according to reports. And of course after we returned home it cooled down again.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

What dates in early November?? We went last November 14–18 to avoid Jersey week and thanksgiving crowds. IMO that was the sweet spot. Busy but not as busy as the first full week. I can’t recall the exact dates for jersey week but when you find that out just avoid those dates. Our weather was nice. Our warmest day was 82 and coolest was 75. Low humidity but too chilly for us to swim since the evenings got cold around 50’s. The weather is a toss up so you just have to wear layers and check the forecast before you go.

 

[sethschroeder]

Looking at historical data is not be a good marker beginning in September and for the next few years to follow. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is going to be a game-changer; at least for a while.

I do not agree because while it will be busier in general every day of the year it will likely remain roughly the same percentage of busy. I don't think visit habits will change when people can go because the reason there are spikes and valleys to attendance has to do with holidays, school periods, and special events.

Having Star Wars is not going to make the week before Thanksgiving and week of Thanksgiving all of a sudden switch for popularity to visit. The first two weeks of December won't overtake Christmas. Early October likely won't outshine Jersey Week. Ect

 

[Alison S]

We went for Veterans Day long weekend last year and it was the busiest I’ve ever seen it! It was the end of Food and Wine, Jersey Week, and a holiday, which I think compounded into crazy crowds. We found it busier than Christmas. The weather was great - hot! We had pool time every day.

Oh wow, really? It was my first time ever going and I found it busy but was expecting the worst. It quietened right down the Tuesday after the long weekend, in case anyone is worried about this year. And I found the weekend completely manageable with a plan.

 

[armerida]

Oh wow, really? It was my first time ever going and I found it busy but was expecting the worst. It quietened right down the Tuesday after the long weekend, in case anyone is worried about this year. And I found the weekend completely manageable with a plan.

Maybe I should be more specific...Epcot World Showcase was the busiest I've ever seen it, a mass of humanity. Could barely move - much easier to navigate during Festival of the Holidays at Christmas. And the bus lines to/from Pop were incredibly long, spilling way out of the queue both to and from parks. But we still had a blast!

 

[kathy884]

The last time I did November (after Jersey week and before Thanksgiving) crowd predictions were that crowds would be moderate. Actual crowd levels though were heavy (8s rather than 6s), similar to spring break. This may have been a fluke though. Lots of the visitors were people who rebooked canceled trips due to Hurricane Irma.