Jersy Week crowds....

[nosy parker]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but what are the crowds like during that time?

I had never heard of this until a few weeks back and really wasn't too concerned about it but now I've just been told by a CM that, and I quote "Oh, that's because of what we unofficially call 'Jersey Week'. That's when the whole state of New Jersey comes to Disney". Now of course I realize that's a bit of an exaggeration, I'm sure (right?), but how bad is it? I had originally thought to myself that although it would be a good time for those considering travel, not every family in New Jersey can afford/take time to go to Disney that week.

And here I am pulling my kids out of school for our first Disney trip and I'm so disappointed that I've ended up picking this week. I had done so in order to be at MNSSHP on Oct 31st. Are we going to be in major crowds? I'm bummed now.........

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but what are the crowds like during that time?

I had never heard of this until a few weeks back and really wasn't too concerned about it but now I've just been told by a CM that, and I quote "Oh, that's because of what we unofficially call 'Jersey Week'. That's when the whole state of New Jersey comes to Disney". Now of course I realize that's a bit of an exaggeration, I'm sure (right?), but how bad is it? I had originally thought to myself that although it would be a good time for those considering travel, not every family in New Jersey can afford/take time to go to Disney that week.

And here I am pulling my kids out of school for our first Disney trip and I'm so disappointed that I've ended up picking this week. I had done so in order to be at MNSSHP on Oct 31st. Are we going to be in major crowds? I'm bummed now.........

I don't know your exact dates or how long you are staying, but on the UG crowd calender doesn't have Jersey week starting until Thursday, November 6, which is 6 days after Halloween. It shows the week following halloween to be medium crowds and then on that Thursday it shoots up to higher crowds for the next few days. So, most of your week should be medium crowds and the last few days will probably we more crowded (if that's the time frame you will be there).

 

[nosy parker]

I don't know your exact dates or how long you are staying, but on the UG crowd calender doesn't have Jersey week starting until Thursday, November 6, which is 6 days after Halloween. It shows the week following halloween to be medium crowds and then on that Thursday it shoots up to higher crowds for the next few days. So, most of your week should be medium crowds and the last few days will probably we more crowded (if that's the time frame you will be there).

Thank you. We will be there 10/30 - 11/07. I believe the schools are closed on the 6th & 7th, as well as the 4th (for election apparently). So I assume that parents would select that week, no? But of course the following Tuesday (the 11th) is also a holiday (Veteran's day). So now I'm even more confused?

 

[3mickeys&me]

Jersey week is officially the first full week in November. Our schools are closed that entire week, some schools here locally are just off Thurs and Friday of that week but take off the entire week to go to Disney.
We have gone to Disney during Jersey week several times. It hasn't seemed any more crowded than any other time we have been. We love going that week, the weather is beautiful (much better than Jersey )
I would go every year during Jersey week if I could! Have a great time

 

[wendyinaustin]

Our girls were both born on Nov 10th (lucky us!) so we decided to make it a yearly celebration. We were clueless about the Jersey week. We went in 2006 I have to say it was pretty crowded. With the Food and Wine Festival and Soap Weekend going on at that time, it can be crazy busy. However, the weather was absolutely perfect, the Food and Wine Festival was great, we were there when the Christmas decorations were just turned on, and we just rolled with it and had a great time. Plus, we met some of the NICEST people from New Jersey! Don't worry - you will have a great time! We found it was better to stay out of the park with the extra magic hours because it seemed like it was busier on those days. Have a great vacation!

 

[brenda1966]

I've been during Jersey week and was suprised by the crowds as we were expecting really light crowds. That said, the crowds are still very tolerable, it is not a peak time. You will have a great time! Just don't expect the parks to be empty. They never are.

 

[eliza61]

We went last year and found the crowds mid level, we never so wait times more than 30 minutes. I think once Soarin was 40 minutes posted but we actually got on in 30 minutes. I think the crowds have been creeping up because that is also the Food & wine festival which is starting to bring in more and more people.

 

[nosy parker]

Our schools are closed that entire week, some schools here locally are just off Thurs and Friday of that week but take off the entire week to go to Disney.

Do you mean entire schools go to Disney? I see you have gone twice in November. When you say no more crowded than any other time, which time are you comparing to?

Our girls were both born on Nov 10th (lucky us!) so we decided to make it a yearly celebration. We were clueless about the Jersey week. We went in 2006 I have to say it was pretty crowded. With the Food and Wine Festival and Soap Weekend going on at that time, it can be crazy busy. However, the weather was absolutely perfect, the Food and Wine Festival was great, we were there when the Christmas decorations were just turned on, and we just rolled with it and had a great time. Plus, we met some of the NICEST people from New Jersey! Don't worry - you will have a great time! We found it was better to stay out of the park with the extra magic hours because it seemed like it was busier on those days. Have a great vacation!

Oh no, I was actually planning on going on days of EMH (I know against touring info) because I had assumed crowds would be light. Ooops..... At least it won't be Soap Weekend! How old are your girls?

I've been during Jersey week and was suprised by the crowds as we were expecting really light crowds. That said, the crowds are still very tolerable, it is not a peak time. You will have a great time! Just don't expect the parks to be empty. They never are.

So does that mean I shouldn't expect crowds like in summer? I have no idea how people do that, and I specifically chose the fall for that reason. I expected Thanksgiving to raise crowds, so I selected early November.

We went last year and found the crowds mid level, we never so wait times more than 30 minutes. I think once Soarin was 40 minutes posted but we actually got on in 30 minutes. I think the crowds have been creeping up because that is also the Food & wine festival which is starting to bring in more and more people.

Mid-level. Ok I can breathe. 30 minutes is tolerable. I still can't imagine my kids standing in a line that long for anything......... but that's another post


So thank you for your responses. I am sitting here hoping that I will not encounter the same type of crowds as summer. But now I am worried that I planned my whole week incorrectly because I didn't really take into consideration avoiding EMH days and stuff like that because I figured it wouldn't be an issue during this quiet time. Apparently I was wrong. If I post my itinerary for the week, would you guys mind taking a look and letting me know if I messed up pretty bad? I feel like I need to re-vamp the whole thing and that freaks me out. I spent so much time planning it all to fit everything in. And of course then there would be all those ADRs to switch.......... so stressful.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

We weren't aware of the "exact" dates of Jersey week even tho' we'd heard of it on the boards. We went one day last November when it was supposed to be a light day, according to the predictions. We arrived at our usual time at Epcot, before rope drop, and were amazed at the size of the crowd already there. Not just in the parking lot, but waiting to get in!
Believe me, we're going to keep it in mind this year.

 

[wendyinaustin]

Oh no, I was actually planning on going on days of EMH (I know against touring info) because I had assumed crowds would be light. Ooops..... At least it won't be Soap Weekend! How old are your girls?

My girls are 7 and 2. We are going in October to see what it's like that time of the year and more importantly, to get one more "free" trip in for the little disney rugrat before she turns 3. We will probably do the birthday thing again in Nov '09.

 

[kimbac3]

Hello! Checking in from Jersey and NOT going Jersey week. I homeschool so our dates are much more flexible!!

However my in-laws including my 2 little sisters-in-law are going that week. My cousin and her family go that week....I could name a dozen more probably!!

According to those that go it's not summer bad, but it's not empty either.

Go with a plan, use fast pass when you can and have a great time!! We Jersey people aren't really that bad!!

Kimba

 

[Nank]

We are going for Jersey week from11/3 - 11/7. We just moved school districts in NJ and this new school is NOT closed the whole week, but we are going anyway.

2 years ago we went to Universal for that week and walked on every single ride with no wait. I'm hoping for a little less crowded and beautiful weather!

 

[domiii]

Plus, we met some of the NICEST people from New Jersey!

Thank you!

 

[RustManFan]

The New Jersey Teachers Convention is always the first Thursday and Friday in November. Yes some families take the whole week off but our school system seriously (and I mean SERIOUSLY) frowns on people taking their kids out of school for vacation time...

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Kimbac 3--hello fellow homeschooler!! Do you ever post on the homeschool chat thread? Don't you love the flexibility of hsing!!? We can schedule a must needed break when WE really need it!! October is a good month because you KNOW you will only pack shorts--no coats/jeans/blankets!! We met lots of travelers from the UK on both of our Oct trips-so that was a lot of the crowd in our experience(first time in oct.) Second trip was school age kids-we didn't know about Jersey week at that time. Still it was good---loved the Halloween party!!

 

[spiceycat]

they seem to like Epcot more than the MK.

Mk was fine.

get your fast pass early at Epcot - they were gone around lunch time.

now some NJ are really nice people - others seem to like to tell people how to do things - when not asked.....big rule followers (even if they are their own rules)

ex - when an counter service had two lines - and I went to the other one - you should have heard these people.

sorry did not mean any NJ here!!!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

The New Jersey Teachers Convention is always the first Thursday and Friday in November. Yes some families take the whole week off but our school system seriously (and I mean SERIOUSLY) frowns on people taking their kids out of school for vacation time...

Wow!
Come on over to Cherry Hill. We take about 2 trips/year that involve missing school and teachers always say, 'have a great trip!'
Of course, they still send work to make up or my younger ds has journals to write but otherwise it's not too bad. We get a lot done at the airport gate and on the plane.
Next year may be another story; ds will be in middle school.
eta:
to op- as far as crowds go it's not too bad until that Sat. I would def. avoid MK that Sat. This past Nov. we did AK that Fri and it was fine until around 1-2pm. Early in the day we had waited about 20 mins for EE. not bad. Later, we wanted one last ride on EE before leaving around 3pm. The sign said 250 minutes!! ack! couldn't do it; never saw that long of a wait in my life.

 

[nosy parker]

Wow!
to op- as far as crowds go it's not too bad until that Sat. I would def. avoid MK that Sat. This past Nov. we did AK that Fri and it was fine until around 1-2pm. Early in the day we had waited about 20 mins for EE. not bad. Later, we wanted one last ride on EE before leaving around 3pm. The sign said 250 minutes!! ack! couldn't do it; never saw that long of a wait in my life.

Well, that's good because we leave on Friday.



Do most people drive? Because if they do, I would think that we'd be ok for the beginning of the week. Especially since the following Tuesday is Veteran's day, and therefore off, maybe people will decide not to take the kids out at the beginning of the week and make it a looong weekend instead.

Either way, it sounds like although it will not be as quiet as I expected, the crowds should be manageable. Right? It's our first time so I don't know if I can trust my own ability to have a good plan in place.

So here's my itinerary. What do you think?

Thursday 10/30 arriving: Dinner at Le Cellier 6:25 Illuminations at 9:00

Friday 10/31: breakfast CM 9:15, Stay at MK Dinner CP 5:10, MNSSHP

Sat 11/01: sleep in a bit, Garden Grill lunch 11:35, Epcot day, Dinner CG 7:55 (Wishes from there @ 9:00). Can I make it to MK for Spectro @ 10:00?

Sun 11/02: Waterpark day (hopefully weather co-operates) CS meals there, Dinner kids @ Mouseketeer camp 5:30, me & DH Citricos at 6:00. EMH night @ MK is the plan 8-11.

Monday 11/03: Tusker House breakfast 9:25, AK day, Dinner at Coral Reef 6:40. Early night back at resort.

Tuesday 11/04: Scheduled full day at Discovery Cove, Dinner Narcoossee's 7:00.
Wednesday 11/05: Breakfast H&V 10:15, DHS day, Dinner BD 5:15, Fantasmic@ 8:00, EMH night @ DHS so stay until 11:00.

Thursday 11/06: Lilo & Stitch breakfast 9:30. This day is reserved for wherever the kids wish to return. MK would be great as we are close, but it's EMH morning. Dinner Mickey's backyard BBQ 6:30.

Friday 11/07: Breakfast Cape May 7:35. Departure for MCO right after, as our flight is at 12:30.

As you can see I haven't really factored in best touring days and parks to avoid because of EMH, because I thought it was a non-issue. How bad is this?

Thanks to everyone for answering! I can't believe how lucky I am that you are there to help. This board is amazing!!!

 

[izzys4]

We're going from Nov 3 till 9 and hoping it won't be too bad. We've been during the food and wine fest and we just walked around it, it was crowded but not anything major. I have my fingers crossed!!!!

 

[DeeCeeSW]

This year Super Soap Weekend will NOT coincide with Jersey Week. I was surprised as historically this is the case. Crowds will not be bad at all.