“ANOTHER observation about "Jersey Week”

[tardin1964]

Those of us going the first week of November have probably read and participated in some of the numerous threads regarding “Jersey Week”. This will be our first visit to WDW during November trying to take advantage of the lower crowd levels. We are arriving on Sunday Nov. 2nd departing Saturday Nov. 8th and are staying at the WL.

I just logged into to www.waltdisneyworld.com to check room availability for the week we are there to try and get a feel for what the crowd levels will be like. Here is what I determined:

I entered in an arrival date of Sunday Nov. 2nd with a departure date of Wednesday Nov. 5th. There are rooms available in EVERY deluxe resort….in EVERY moderate resort and every All-Star resort except Pop Century (not sure if this one is open yet) for ALL three nights.

If I enter in an arrival date of Wednesday Nov. 5th with a departure date Friday Nov. 7th ALL Deluxe and ALL Moderates are booked solid. Two of the All-Stars have rooms available.

Now I know that I am not able to get a complete sample of room availability just by checking this website. I do think, however, that it is pretty clear the beginning of “Jersey Week” looks like it will start off with low crowd levels. Starting Wednesday and continuing into Super Soaps Weekend it looks as though crowd levels will pick up significantly.

Wow....it's pretty sad I have nothing better to do on a Friday night.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Personally, I think the whole concept of Jersey week is overstated. I almost think it is a plot by some citizens of New Jersey to get the rest of us to stay away . Just kidding. Anyway, we almost always go the first week in November and I have never seen it where I thought WDW was overly crowded or overrun with people from New Jersey or anywhere else for that matter. If an attraction or a park seems overly crowded, we just go somewhere else!

 

[lilkitty819]

Hi all

I too always go the first or second week of Nov....There was only one time I went and it was crowded, that was the millineum celebration...I can only remember standing in line for an hour once, and that was for splash mountian on a very hot day. All the other time's have been less then fifteen minutes.

 

[Baileymouse]

Jersey Represent! LOL, ok, I'm from Jersey and I have to tell you, I avoid Jersey Week. You can't get a cheap flight from Newark and the hotels are always booked. Super Soap adds to it.

I love to go in the fall so I go the week before or the week after. Last year we did go during Jersey week and I thought it was too crowded. It was also funny to hear people complain "I couldn't get near (fill in the blank). All those rude Jersey people were on the line!"

You can always tell the Jersey week people - they're the ones with the "Horn Broken - Watch for Finger" bumper sticker.

The crowds aren't as bad as summer crowds but there is a huge attendance spike.

Good luck!

 

[AspiringCindy]

Originally posted by tardin1964

I entered in an arrival date of Sunday Nov. 2nd with a departure date of Wednesday Nov. 5th. There are rooms available in EVERY deluxe resort….in EVERY moderate resort and every All-Star resort except Pop Century (not sure if this one is open yet) for ALL three nights.

If I enter in an arrival date of Wednesday Nov. 5th with a departure date Friday Nov. 7th ALL Deluxe and ALL Moderates are booked solid. Two of the All-Stars have rooms available.

Now I know that I am not able to get a complete sample of room availability just by checking this website. I do think, however, that it is pretty clear the beginning of “Jersey Week” looks like it will start off with low crowd levels. Starting Wednesday and continuing into Super Soaps Weekend it looks as though crowd levels will pick up significantly.

Wow....it's pretty sad I have nothing better to do on a Friday night.

_________________________________________

The reason for the availability for the beginning of the week is:
Jersey Week is not exactly a week! It is the 1st Thurs. and Friday of Nov. I guess some people take off Wed. to fly out early!

 

[>>^..^<<]

Does any other state have a "Disney Week"?

You know.... like "Ohio week"?

Anyone know how Jersey week got started, I think that is kind of interesting.

>>^..^<<

 

[ljfkgf]

Originally posted by >>^..^<<
Does any other state have a "Disney Week"?

You know.... like "Ohio week"?

Anyone know how Jersey week got started, I think that is kind of interesting.

>>^..^<<

The first Thursday and Friday of November is the New Jersey State Teacher's Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Seems that the teachers go to Disney instead. We decided to take advantage of the time the kids are out of school for a long week-end visit, probably just like everyone else. Linda

 

[froglady]

When I was growing up in RI, (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth) we had something called "Teacher's Institue." It was a Thurs and Fri during the last week of Oct or first week of Nov. The teachers went to a training conference, so school was closed.

I suspect that a lot of families figure if they leave home on Tues or Weds, the children only miss two days of school, and they have a chance to visit WDW during a cooler, less expensive, and less crowded (at least when people first started doing this) time. This year, it appears that election day is the next Tues (many schools are closed because they're used as polling places), so many people are starting their trip on Weds or Thurs, and "skipping" school on Mon.

As more and more people started taking advantage of this, the crowds increased.

 

[tardin1964]

Originally posted by AspiringCindy
_________________________________________

The reason for the availability for the beginning of the week is:
Jersey Week is not exactly a week! It is the 1st Thurs. and Friday of Nov. I guess some people take off Wed. to fly out early!

Hi AspiringCindy

I hope to have that WL VET tag soon also

We are from Old Bridge and this year the school district closed the schools for the WHOLE week. They are having other meetings, etc. Monday through Wed. So for us...it is the whole week . There are some other districts in NJ that now close the whole week also.

Anyway...I do care about some crowds as long as it is not like the other busiest times of the year.

Dan

 

[TDC Nala]

I am not from New Jersey and I don't like soap operas, but I usually get a 4 day weekend over Veterans Day so I've been in WDW over the last three Jersey weekends. (This year will be no exception). The only crazy crowds I've seen are on Saturday at the Magic Kingdom and food booth lines at the World Showcase for the food and wine festival (these are long on weekends, but once the weekend is over, poof, disappearing crowds and no lines). I haven't tried the Studios during super soap weekend but I understand that only takes place at the Studios, and if you're not interested in seeing soap stars you ought to be able to see the usual attractions pretty easily.

I plan to avoid Saturday, November 8 at the Magic Kingdom like the plague... there is a showing of Spectro and Wishes on Tuesday, November 11 (Veterans Day) and that's the one I'm going to.

 

[froglady]

Originally posted by froglady
When I was growing up in RI, (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth) we had something called "Teacher's Institue." It was a Thurs and Fri during the last week of Oct or first week of Nov. The teachers went to a training conference, so school was closed.

I suspect that a lot of families figure if they leave home on Tues or Weds, the children only miss two days of school, and they have a chance to visit WDW during a cooler, less expensive, and less crowded (at least when people first started doing this) time. This year, it appears that election day is the next Tues (many schools are closed because they're used as polling places), so many people are starting their trip on Weds or Thurs, and "skipping" school on Mon.

As more and more people started taking advantage of this, the crowds increased.

My brain isn't in gear! It isn't election day, but Veteran's Day! The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month...how could I forget!

It's not a school or business holiday here; only government offices are closed. It tends to get overlooked. ~sigh~

 

[MinnieGi]

We were there last year during Jersey Week and I have to agree with the pattern of crowds the op found in her resort sampling. The beginning of the week was much lower in attendance than the last part. I'm sure the Soap weekend contributes to this crowd also plus the Food and Wine Festival is still on. The parks were doable but for us by the end of the week is was too crowded for us. We're used to walk-on levels or 5 minute waits!

We live in DE and I think we were the only non-NJ people on our plane. I think lots of people take the whole week even if their kids are not out of school the whole week. Although some districts are off the whole week. We had several cm's ask us if we were from NJ... I guess we sounded like we were from NJ?? We met loads of NJ people at the parks.

I actually wish Delaware had a statewide teachers convention for several days during a value season time and then we could start DE Week!!! And since DE is so small we wouldn't affect the crowd levels much at all!!!

 

[Donnainnj]

Just an example of how many will be there for Jersey week, We live in a town with 12 grammer schools, my children attend 1st and 5th grade in one of those schools. My 1st grader knows of at least 2 others in her class (one of 4 classes for the 1st grade) that are doing Disney then, my fifth grader knows 2 others going in her school run flute lesson, the lesson includes a total of 4 children. If that is an accurate sample for even 1/4 of the Jersey schools that is a lot of people. I think the soap people help fill some of the rooms at the deluxe resorts the end of the week, just them and thier people probably fill quite a few. Then the fans. This year the Festival of the Masters(?) is also that weekend at Downtown Disney, adding that many more. I'm just glad we will be there for 11 nights (kids only miss 2 days of school) so we can take it slow. I wonder how the offsite occupancy is? We know we can have a good time anyway, we always have before and we have gone 2 times around Easter.

 

[JESW]

I live in MA and during the month of November our kids have teacher conferences where they get two half-days off. This year I had to decide if we wanted to take Veteran's Day week off where they had two FULL days off, or the next week where they have two HALF days off. I would have preferred the two full days, but I knew there would be more people at Disney then so we picked the next week - 11/15 - 23. Some years our conference week is the same as Jersey week - but I'm glad when it's not. We arrive the last day of the food & wine festival but that's ok with us.

Jill

 

[Baileymouse]

Jersey week differs from district to district. For most, it's the Thursday and Friday teachers convention, and then Veterans Day. For some others, it starts the Tuesday before which is election day. Some districts give the entire week off. Since NJ has lots of districts, it varies widely. Suffice to say that the bulk is definitely going to be Wednesday -Monday, with some arriving earlier and some arriving later.

 

[Poohbear123]

Let me get this straight! You Jersey people get from Nov. 5th to Nov. 14 OFF from School? Wish I had lived in NJ growing up! Oh, and how come the teachers don't attend the Convention, its not mandatory?

 

[sue1013]

All public schools in NJ are closed 2 days for teachers convention. This year it is the 6 & 7th. Some districts close longer but the majority are only closed those 2 days. No it is not mandatory for the teachers to attend the convention. I know quite a few teachers including my daughter and son in law they have never attended the convention.

 

[AspiringCindy]

Originally posted by sue1013
All public schools in NJ are closed 2 days for teachers convention. This year it is the 6 & 7th. Some districts close longer but the majority are only closed those 2 days. No it is not mandatory for the teachers to attend the convention. I know quite a few teachers including my daughter and son in law they have never attended the convention.

_____________________________________
True! ALL PUBLIC schools in NJ are closed Nov. 6th and 7th. Some districts in NJ are also giving Nov. 4th and Nov 11th off due to Election Day and Veterans Day. Better yet, some districts are giving an entire week off and saying In-Service week. I am a teacher and have been to the Convention in AC atleast once!...and personally, it stinks! They do offer some good workshops, but they are so overcrowded, you never get in! So, many families and teachers opt for Disney to have some fun and good weather. It still is not nearly as crowded in WDW as summer, X-mas and Easter breaks! For all those non-Jerseyans making the trip to WDW...don't worry, we don't bite!

 

[Poohbear123]

And wear your limegreen Ribbons!

 

[BamaTigger]

So what exact dates are this "Jersey Week".....

was preparing to call and make some ressies for Nov 7-11, but I dont want to go when it is overwhelmingly crowded. I really need some R&R "Disney Style".