Jersey Week verses Thanks Giving week verses Pop Warner week

[CAL2]

Hi, we need some help, we are looking to book our 2018 holiday, it will be just myself and my DD.
We have narrowed our dates down to

November 5th - 14th November which clashes with Jersey week

November 11th - 20th which is getting close to Thanks Giving

November 26th -December 5th which runs into Pop Warner week

which of theses dates would you recommend for lower crowds and ride times.
thank you for any help and advice you can give us.

cal

 

[MissKIA]

I've been Jersey Week. It was no big deal. I've also been up to the weekend before American Thanksgiving and it was also no big deal. I would choose one of your first two choices. Avoid Pop Warner week.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would go with the week with the least parties in MK. We like to end some of our nights strolling around MK. One year we were looking at jersey week and out of the 7 days we wanted to go 4 nights had a party.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I've not been Thanksgiving week but I've been the other two.

Jersey week? I had no problems. Didn't really seem to affect crowds.

Pop Warner week? This also didn't seem to affect crowds in the theme parks. If you're planning on staying at one of the All Star resorts you might have a lot of minimally-supervised youths running around. The only problem I had in the theme parks was loud, obnoxious, squealing girls in some ride queues. It seemed if two girls are together, they're fine. But once you add a third one...

It was only an occasional problem. And when it happened, I just stood aside and let them and 50 or so other people pass me and it was fine.

 

[Accident]

I think the best time to come is when you can. I have to be honest, the difference between some known crowded week and a less crowded week has been really blurry lately. You talking will it be an 8 or 8.5 crowd difference.

The week just after thanksgiving I think has historically been one of the lowest crowd weeks, at least at the beginning of the week and slowly building up to that weekend. However, last year they actually offered discounts that week and it was normal for season crowd wise so no real difference.

Personally, I think the recommendation of look for fewest mk parties is a good one as that can really shift around crowds and what MK is like when it's not a party.

 

[agavegirl1]

I went during Jersey week and found it to be pleasant crowd-wise but too cool for the pool weather-wise. I'd go for either of your first two.

 

[anniemae]

I went during Jersey week. Not a big impact on crowds IMO. Crowds were low, weather is perfect. I would pick that week.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Oh, and I should have said that during Pop Warner week you also have the benefit of all the lovely Christmas decorations as well as the special Christmas events (Candlelight Processional and holiday storytellers in Epcot). This used to be my favorite week to go. Then I got hooked on the food & wine festival...

 

[CynBeth]

I would do the last week you mentioned to experience all of the holiday events.

 

[JennyDrake]

Having been during Jersey week AND Pop warner week the last 5 years, hands down Pop Warner week!! The people who say Jersey week didn't affect crowds...wowza! I don't know what to say....I would put the crowds at spring break level. Twice I've had WDW "regulars" travel with me and they left to go home early because it was so miserably crowded. Add in the usual half marathon and crowds plus F&W and you don't want to be NEAR Epcot on a weekend. Pop Warner is SO overstated--and I'm childless by choice and early 50's and grumpy. I've stayed at the SAME resort (values) as Pop for the past 11 years and I've never had an issue! I found the kids well chaperoned and polite. The Summit Cheer Week in April is a whole nutha story....

 

[patrickpiteo]

To me WDW is busy all year round excluding the holidays like July fourth NYE etc

 

[JerseyJanice]

IDK if you are flying to Florida, but if you are, start looking at the cost of airfare.

Flights to/from New Jersey around Teachers Convention can be pricey. Same for traveling on Thanksgiving weekend.

And agree with the others who suggested you look at the week with the fewest of MK parties.

Happy planning!

 

[margareton27]

We did your last week option last year. The parks were not too busy and most rides we wanted on had low wait times. Highest I can recall was FEA (when isn't that high) and 7DMT at about 70 minutes. We arrived on the Saturday following Thansgiving so that was the busiest day at the parks for the whole week.

The Pop Warner crowd started arriving on the Friday which made the resort busier. We were at CSR. We were able to see all of the Christmas decorations so that was fun. I would do that week again.

 

[100acreHiker]

We've gone all of those weeks. Last year the first week of December felt noticeably more crowded. This year and last year they offered a short free dining promo and I think it worked and people came. Same promo this year, too. November has higher likelihood of swimming. The week before Thanksgiving has the benefit of Christmas decorations and low crowds. Early December has a number of early park closures (one day MK closes at 4:30, for example, for a private party, and there are a bunch of parties that week, too).

 

[randumb0]

The week before Thanksgiving is pretty manageable

 

[ali2083]

I unknowingly went during Pop Warner week in 2014, stayed at Pop Century and didn't even notice it until 2 or 3 days in. No crowd issues. Only issues we ever had were a few groups jumping in with each other in the food lines.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Having been during Jersey week AND Pop warner week the last 5 years, hands down Pop Warner week!! The people who say Jersey week didn't affect crowds...wowza! I don't know what to say....I would put the crowds at spring break level. Twice I've had WDW "regulars" travel with me and they left to go home early because it was so miserably crowded. Add in the usual half marathon and crowds plus F&W and you don't want to be NEAR Epcot on a weekend. Pop Warner is SO overstated--and I'm childless by choice and early 50's and grumpy. I've stayed at the SAME resort (values) as Pop for the past 11 years and I've never had an issue! I found the kids well chaperoned and polite. The Summit Cheer Week in April is a whole nutha story....

I said I didn't see Jersey Week as bad but I won't go to Epcot on ANY weekend during F&W.

 

[CAL2]

Hi for all your replies, we have chosen to go 25th November to the 5th December .

cal