Jersey Week?

[jdd]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but how bad is Jersey Week?? We were planning a trip for Nov 1st through 6th. I've read that the Jersey schools are off the 8th and 9th - will our dates be really crowded? Or do most people do the later weekend (10th and 11th)?

We're really only doing this trip because of a pin code I received, but if it's going to be really crowded, maybe I'll just wait until another time???

We went in mid-November 2005, and the parks were practically empty. We were back in late-April this year, and it was pretty crowded - more than we expected since it was a couple of weeks past Easter.

Any input? Thanks!!

 

[Bob P]

The Jersey week legend has taken on a life of its own! It has become a myth that far surpasses the reality!

It might be a little more crowded that week, but it's still a school week for almost all of the country. So while it might be a little more crowded than the week before or the week after, the crowds are still quite manageable!

 

[jdd]

Thanks! I've read very different posts - from "you won't even notice it" to "I'd never go there again that week - it was a madhouse". Maybe it depends on your expectations?

 

[MinnieGi]

For those who do not know it is Jersey Week, the crowds can be quite shocking!! We scheduled that week thinking it would be very low attendance. This was when early Nov. was still value season. Boy were we shocked when we arrived at Philly airport to find out the entire plane is filled with people from NJ going to WDW! I wish TGM's website had been around then b/c we could definetly have used some advice on which parks to hit when. The two days we did venture into MK it was like a summer crowd and we've been in summer so we know what the crowds look like. The other parks were more crowded but much more doable it seemed than MK that week. Again, don't know if we just hit it wrong or if it was like that the whole week. The cm's while boarding rides would even ask what part of NJ we were from.

The pro side to that week is that even if you do run into large crowds at least you will not be in the summer heat and humididity!

 

[qman]

We have been to WDW during two Jersey Week's (2003 & 2005). The parks were not quiet but they were far from packed. We moved around freely and had no problems getting onto rides, etc. During our last trip we did see a notable increase in crowds as the three day Vet's Day weekend began. Even then the crowds were quite managable.

I would recommend that week/time of year to anyone.

The only reason our next trip will not be during that timeframe is because our kids are older (14 & 11) and we do not want to pull them out of school.

 

[las3888]

For those who do not know it is Jersey Week, the crowds can be quite shocking!! We scheduled that week thinking it would be very low attendance. This was when early Nov. was still value season. Boy were we shocked when we arrived at Philly airport to find out the entire plane is filled with people from NJ going to WDW! I wish TGM's website had been around then b/c we could definetly have used some advice on which parks to hit when. The two days we did venture into MK it was like a summer crowd and we've been in summer so we know what the crowds look like. The other parks were more crowded but much more doable it seemed than MK that week. Again, don't know if we just hit it wrong or if it was like that the whole week. The cm's while boarding rides would even ask what part of NJ we were from.

The pro side to that week is that even if you do run into large crowds at least you will not be in the summer heat and humididity!

I agree with PP. We were not at all prepared for that type of crowd and had gone in Sep/Oct many times and enjoyed the "slow season" we expected even slower. We were really surprised at the crowds. We now take our trips the week after Jersey week. I wouldn't let it stop me, just expect it and you probably won't be too disappointed....

 

[ebbie1081]

I went in November 2005 for two weeks...the first week was "Jersey Week" and I was quite surprised at how crowded it was! I actually remember remarking to a CM about it and they said "All the schools in New Jersey are off." The second leg of my stay, everyone had left and there was literally NO WAIT for anything...we could just walk right on all the rides!

 

[paintnolish]

We unknowingly went during Jersey Week a few years ago. It was definitely more crowded than expected, but still manageable.

 

[danjoan14]

What are the actual dates for Jersey week? We'll be at WDW from November 10th to the 18th. A few years ago, we went the week of Columbus Day. That was a mistake. We fell right into the middle of the southern school's fall break. Yikes, the parks were pretty crowded.

 

[ryrysmom14]

We are from NJ and we are going for Jersey week again this year. It isn't technically a week, it is really only 2 weekdays that the kids have to have off (for a teacher's convention), but lotsa families take their kids out the extra 3 days or maybe some schools give off extra days. The 2 actual days off are always a Thurs and Fri, this year 11/8 and 11/9. If people, like us, take their kids out, Jersey "week" is from Sat, 11/3- Sun, 11/11. We take our kids out b/c in our school district, the preceeding 3 days are parent/teacher conferences and are all 1/2 days with subs. The parks are lighter earlier in the week and then really pick up and are quite crowded the Thurs-Sun. I was quite surprised last yr at how crowded it was, but def manageable. We went for Spring Break in April and it made Nov look like we were the only ones in the park!

HTH!
Lorraine

 

[Troop o' Goofs]

We are from NJ and we are going for Jersey week again this year. It isn't technically a week, it is really only 2 weekdays that the kids have to have off (for a teacher's convention), but lotsa families take their kids out the extra 3 days or maybe some schools give off extra days. The 2 actual days off are always a Thurs and Fri, this year 11/8 and 11/9. If people, like us, take their kids out, Jersey "week" is from Sat, 11/3- Sun, 11/11. We take our kids out b/c in our school district, the preceeding 3 days are parent/teacher conferences and are all 1/2 days with subs. The parks are lighter earlier in the week and then really pick up and are quite crowded the Thurs-Sun. I was quite surprised last yr at how crowded it was, but def manageable. We went for Spring Break in April and it made Nov look like we were the only ones in the park!

HTH!
Lorraine

Depends on the district. We have off from Nov. 5th to the 12th. Most districts have only the 8th and 9th off for Teacher's Convention in AC.
We will be in Disney from Oct. 31st to the 7th so we have a couple of days off to relax when we get back.

 

[ElizabethB]

In our experience, it most definitely is not a myth. We went three or four years running during Jersey Week. We wondered why it was so crowded. Then, I started reading these boards and learned about "Jersey Week". After that, we tried the week after and were stunned by the difference. Jersey Week is very crowded and we won't go during that time again.

 

[micmacmissy]

According to the touring plans website, which has a GREAT crowd calendar if you pay a $7.95 subscription fee, the crowd levels for those days are as follows (10 being peak wait times of 95 minutes or more, 1 being peak wait times of 14 minutes or less):

Nov.1- 6
Nov. 2- 4
Nov. 3- 5
Nov. 4- 6
Nov. 5- 7
Nov. 6- 6
Nov. 7- 7
Nov. 8- 8
Nov. 9- 8
Nov. 10- 7
Nov. 11- 5
Nov. 12- 5

 

[eliza61]

In our experience, it most definitely is not a myth. We went three or four years running during Jersey Week. We wondered why it was so crowded. Then, I started reading these boards and learned about "Jersey Week". After that, we tried the week after and were stunned by the difference. Jersey Week is very crowded and we won't go during that time again.

No where near as crowded as the summer season though. Last year the longest wait was at EE and it was only 35 minutes at 1:00 pm. We're headed down again from 11/6-11/11

 

[eliza61]

Nov.1- 6
Nov. 2- 4
Nov. 3- 5
Nov. 4- 6
Nov. 5- 7
Nov. 6- 6
Nov. 7- 7
Nov. 8- 8
Nov. 9- 8
Nov. 10- 7
Nov. 11- 5
Nov. 12- 5

I know you paid for these information but would you mind telling us what a 6 and a 7 are?

 

[jdd]

According to the touring plans website, which has a GREAT crowd calendar if you pay a $7.95 subscription fee, the crowd levels for those days are as follows (10 being peak wait times of 95 minutes or more, 1 being peak wait times of 14 minutes or less):

Nov.1- 6
Nov. 2- 4
Nov. 3- 5
Nov. 4- 6
Nov. 5- 7
Nov. 6- 6
Nov. 7- 7
Nov. 8- 8
Nov. 9- 8
Nov. 10- 7
Nov. 11- 5
Nov. 12- 5

These are very similar numbers to what we saw when we went in April (I think one day we were there was an 8, the rest 5's and 6's). We were actually pretty surprised at how crowded it was. It wasn't the ride lines - we used fast pass and were at the parks early and late (not midday), but we couldn't get a spot to see SpectroMagic either night. The parade route was jammed.

The touring plans website also has a recommendation for which parks are best to attend on any given day, and we found that VERY helpful. In fact, we did go to the "park to avoid" one day, and it was packed! I will listen in the future

 

[Rustysmom]

Has there always been Jersey week? The only times we've ever gone to WDW before was for weeks starting 11/8 (our anniversary) and the parks were never crowded. I'm talking 15 years ago and 10 years ago though.