"Jersey Week" - 1st week in November

[Schmiv]

I was looking for some info about the crowds the first week in November. We will be a family of 5 going for 8 days and are planning a trip for that week. I know that it is known as "Jersey Week" for that time in November as we have Teachers Convention and school is closed. Thanks for the info.

[Daisy'sMom]

I have always found this is a great time to visit. Not to busy. Have never heard of "Jersey Week" so I might be wrong.

[Donald]

We were there Dec 6-10th and we met a lot of people from "Jersey". Is it always the same week?

[Schmiv]

We were there Dec 6-10th and we met a lot of people from "Jersey". Is it always the same week?

The first week in November the New Jersey schools are all closed the Thursday and Friday of that week. This is for the NJEA (New Jersey Education Association) convention. There is a very large Teachers Convention down in Atlantic City, NJ. It is the same week every year. Up in North Jersey, where we live, the schools are also closed that first Tuesday for Election Day thus making it the perfect time to take a family vacation.

[Tinkerfreak]

When is Jersey week this year? We are booked for Nov. 1sth through nov. 8th. I hope it is not too crowded. We usually go at the end of Oct. over Halloween into the first few days of Nov. and it is usually lower crowds. This year Halloween is on a Friday night so we decided to go the next day after Halloween instead. We thought if we went after the Halloween parties but before the Christmas parties we might hit a really slow week.

[Schmiv]

When is Jersey week this year? We are booked for Nov. 1sth through nov. 8th.

Looks like you are hitting "Jersey Week". Jersey schools are closed Nov. 7th & 8th.

[scootch713]

It is also Presidential Election and from what I have read on other boards, some states take that day off, so it "could" potentially be a busy week. Thanksgiving is super late this year, so I think November is going to be a guessing game no matter what week you pick.

[tinksmom02]

Just to clarify, the NJ schools are closed Thursday and Friday, November 6 and 7. The convention itself runs Nov 6-8.

For 2009, the dates are November 5, 6, 7.
For 2010 (for those of you planning THAT far in advance LOL) the dates are November 4, 5, 6.

[JohnnyJayhawk]

We were there the first week of November last year and while the crowds weren't bad, neither were the parks empty. Standby waits for rides ranged from 15 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on the ride. We met lots of folks from Jersey, so the label for the week is appropriate.

Don't forget that the Food and Wine Festival is going on still, so that will add to crowds a bit.

[JerseyDad]

....yes...Jersey week IS the first full week of Nov this year and the schools will be closed the 6th and 7th....and very likely the 4th which is Election Day.

We were at WDW for the last Presidential Election day and the crowds were not any heavier that any other Jersey Week that we had experienced since. The 7th, 8th and 9th will have heavier crowds because of both weekend day trippers and the Food & Wine (and BEER!) festival at EPCOT. But...those greater crowds are generally confined to EPCOT and as such, the crowds in other parks tend to be a little lighter those evenings.

...of course...any heavy crowds...filled with a majority of "Jerseyites"....will be a great time!! So don't fret.....(or we'll break you're knee-caps!!)

[lockedoutlogic]

It's not "jersey week" that causes large crowds....it's when the afforementioned NJEA convention falls on the SECOND weekend of November (which is does something like 5 out of every 7 years)....

Practical example: our wedding was in EPCOT on November 5, 2004....the friday of that "jersey week" and the crowds were not bad at all....

But in 05, 06, and 07....the jersey week fell around the 10-15 of the month...which is also the last weekend of Food and Wine Festival (which draws large amounts of Florida Residents on the Final Weeked)...Festival of the Masters at Downtown Disney...and SuperSoap Weekend at MGM...which packs the place for 3 days....

That is 3 major events coinciding in 1 four day span....something that doesn't happen that often there (once a year...to be precise) combined with the joisey crowds that make it somewhat uncomfortable.

The good news is that 08 is an early year for the said teacher convention...so it should be more pleasant....

just don't try to book a flight out of Newark, Laguardia, JFK, Philly, Atlantic City, Lehigh Valley.......Teterboro....the helipad ontop of Johnson and Johnson's corporate headquaters.......etc.

[A Mouse Fan]

Hate to add to the potential for large crowds November 6-10 but the National Association of Realtor conference is also in town those dates and some of them (like myself) are staying in Disney Hotels. It looks to be busier than normal!

[lockedoutlogic]

Hate to add to the potential for large crowds November 6-10 but the National Association of Realtor conference is also in town those dates and some of them (like myself) are staying in Disney Hotels. It looks to be busier than normal!

there are conventions constantly on property at WDW.....no biggie there....if it isn't you....somebody else would be meeting there at that time

[Tinkerfreak]

I am considering changing our dates to the last week of october. Leaving on nov. 1st instead of arriving nov. 1st. The kids kind of wanted to be home for Halloween this year but if the crowds will be lighter I think they would rather have that. I'm just confused.

[MNNHFLTX]

I am considering changing our dates to the last week of october. Leaving on nov. 1st instead of arriving nov. 1st. The kids kind of wanted to be home for Halloween this year but if the crowds will be lighter I think they would rather have that. I'm just confused.

I wouldn't change your plans. Based on my experiences, October has become a fairly crowded month itself, with lots of convention traffic and such. We have gone to WDW many times in the first half of November and never noted to be extremely crowded. In fact, I never even knew there was anything called a "Jersey Week" until a few years ago.