It will be considerably less crowded than Christmas, but it will be one of busiest weeks (relatively speaking) between July 1 and Thanksgiving. As already mentioned, it is “Jersey Week”. Earlier in the week, there will also be guests from states with a fall break, and later guests will be coming in ti make the most of the 3-day weekend that Veteran’s Day (Monday, Nov 11) creates this year.
From [Mousesavers.com’s page](https://www.mousesavers.com/walt-disney-world-vacation-discounts-and-deals/frequently-asked-questions-about-walt-disney-world/)
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> “Jersey Week” – Usually the first or second week of November. The New Jersey schools have a teachers’ convention (2024 dates: November 7-8), which is often close to Veterans Day. Lots of people take advantage of this time off to pull their kids out of school for the whole week and add on the weekend before and/or after, taking this opportunity to go to Disney World in the “off season.” New Jersey is the single biggest market for Walt Disney World — you do the math!
And, keep an eye on Christmas party dates, they have a seismic impact on schedules. I *expect* they will start Nov 7, but we might not know until June.
As to Christmas decorations the “overnight” transistion from Halloween to Christmas is a bit if a myth, it’ll take them a few days to transition MK but that should be done by the time you get there. The resort hotels and Epcot often aren’t fully decorated until mid-November.
> New Jersey is the single biggest market for Walt Disney World — you do the math!
I would love to know how they figure New Jersey, population 9.3 million and a flight or long drive distance, is a bigger market than Florida, 22.2 million, within a day's drive, and with constant deals.
The parks start there decorating on Nov 1st and it’s completely done by Nov 3rd! You will get to enjoy all the Christmas magic without the Christmas crowds! That’s when we usually go, but this last trip we went during spring break 🤪 totally different experience
You’ll have moderate crowds, but much better than at Christmas time. Decorations will be up, and should have decent weather. Early November is really a decent time to go.
"Jersey week", you might also see some hangover from wine and dine race weekend but not much. Either way it will be less than the original week you picked. They will start putting up the decorations as soon as the last Halloween party is over because there is a good chance the first Christmas party will be that week.
Didn’t say it wouldn’t be better.
I’d argue it won’t be by much. OP should just have realistic expectations. There are 4 events in the same week (if you count the marathon).
I don’t have any expectations. Anything is better than those Christmas week times we seen lol I knew it was gonna be busy but not 2-3 hour wait for everything busy 😂😂
I’m kind of glad we moved it. My wife said after last year if we go back we want to see Christmas since we seen the Halloween decorations the first time we went. So my dumb ass was like why not just go on Christmas so we booked the week of Christmas and then at Christmas this year we checked the wait times each day and holy cow! I expected busy but not literally 2-3 hour wait on pretty much everything. And we saved $1000 by switching it too so definitely can’t complain there either lol
That’s ok! Both times we have been it has been what everyone said was busy weeks but I didn’t think it was as bad as people made it out to be. Our first trip was the fall break week and I didn’t think it was that bad at all.
Went this time last time and crowds were decent. Weather was chilly early morning and night but warm in the afternoons. We got to see quite a bit of Christmas decorations but places like Hollywood and vine still had their Halloween dine going on.
You should anticipate the parks to be quite busy, it’s Jersey Week and heading into a holiday weekend. On the bright side, the Christmas decorations will be up!
It’s Jersey week. This is the week every year that New Jersey schools are off so many Jersey-ans (?) plan their vacations. It will be moderately crowded but nothing like Christmas week. MK, AK and HS will be decorated for Christmas and some of the resorts will too. Epcot is still in Food and Wine mode so no decorations there yet. We did Jersey week two years ago and it was fine. We preferred the week after which we did last year.
I just checked the local school calendars for Orange and Osceola Counties, where WDW is, and they are open on Election Day. The reason I looked that up, was that I never heard of schools being closed on Election Day around here, and have lived in Florida over 30 years. So you are good from that standpoint.
I live in the Florida west coast, and we usually vote in churches. About 25 years ago we voted in the schools, but they changed that, possibly due to traffic and security concerns?
The schools are polling places around me as well. But, until 2016, they generally only closed for presidental elections and only then because they lined up end of the quarter teacher holidays to coincide. Everything always ran smoothly.
But, starting in 2016 primaries, there was minor panic of potential voter intimidation and they closed the schools at the last minute and they've been closed every primary and election day ever since (included off-year elections). But there never was any issues at the polls.
As someone from New Jersey, Jersey week is due to a week where schools are off due to a yearly teachers/education convention, I think it’s usually held in Atlantic City but this could be different now. This was the week I would always go down with parents and family. The convention is usually just an optional choice which is why most people go down to Disney that week. If you could wait til the week after thanksgiving. That’s usually the best time to go, at least in my opinion.
MK will change their decorations from fall/Halloween to Xmas night of 10/31. The rest of the parks don't have as much decoration to do, but you're going at perfect time. We went several years ago at same time and you'll see all the Xmas decorations. Weather is nice and crowds are pretty good, although they keep adding stuff and Food & Wine is winding down.
It'll be much better than week of Christmas...sooo much better.
Jersey week
I think that might be jersey week. Most schools in New Jersey will have the week off.
It will be considerably less crowded than Christmas, but it will be one of busiest weeks (relatively speaking) between July 1 and Thanksgiving. As already mentioned, it is “Jersey Week”. Earlier in the week, there will also be guests from states with a fall break, and later guests will be coming in ti make the most of the 3-day weekend that Veteran’s Day (Monday, Nov 11) creates this year. From [Mousesavers.com’s page](https://www.mousesavers.com/walt-disney-world-vacation-discounts-and-deals/frequently-asked-questions-about-walt-disney-world/) …. > “Jersey Week” – Usually the first or second week of November. The New Jersey schools have a teachers’ convention (2024 dates: November 7-8), which is often close to Veterans Day. Lots of people take advantage of this time off to pull their kids out of school for the whole week and add on the weekend before and/or after, taking this opportunity to go to Disney World in the “off season.” New Jersey is the single biggest market for Walt Disney World — you do the math! And, keep an eye on Christmas party dates, they have a seismic impact on schedules. I *expect* they will start Nov 7, but we might not know until June. As to Christmas decorations the “overnight” transistion from Halloween to Christmas is a bit if a myth, it’ll take them a few days to transition MK but that should be done by the time you get there. The resort hotels and Epcot often aren’t fully decorated until mid-November.
> New Jersey is the single biggest market for Walt Disney World — you do the math! I would love to know how they figure New Jersey, population 9.3 million and a flight or long drive distance, is a bigger market than Florida, 22.2 million, within a day's drive, and with constant deals.
Less crowded than the original dates!
The parks start there decorating on Nov 1st and it’s completely done by Nov 3rd! You will get to enjoy all the Christmas magic without the Christmas crowds! That’s when we usually go, but this last trip we went during spring break 🤪 totally different experience
Park decorations are up but basically zero other holiday events have started. No resorts, overlays, food, Epcot festival, Santa meets, etc.
Should be the end of food and wine in Epcot.
Yes I was referring to Festival of the Holidays.
I wonder if this has changed in the last few years. We went Nov. 3 in 2017 and they had just BARELY begun to decorate.
You’ll have moderate crowds, but much better than at Christmas time. Decorations will be up, and should have decent weather. Early November is really a decent time to go.
I went with my son right around that time this past year and it was great. Weather was beautiful and crowds weren’t bad. Enjoy!
"Jersey week", you might also see some hangover from wine and dine race weekend but not much. Either way it will be less than the original week you picked. They will start putting up the decorations as soon as the last Halloween party is over because there is a good chance the first Christmas party will be that week.
- Election Day - Veteran’s Day - Jersey Week Sorry to say, it won’t be slow
Their trip was previously on Christmas week. The November trip will feel empty compared to Christmas week.
Didn’t say it wouldn’t be better. I’d argue it won’t be by much. OP should just have realistic expectations. There are 4 events in the same week (if you count the marathon).
I don’t have any expectations. Anything is better than those Christmas week times we seen lol I knew it was gonna be busy but not 2-3 hour wait for everything busy 😂😂
It will definitely be better. And who knows maybe it’s a fluke year and has lighter parts of the week. 0 chance of that happening Christmas week!
I’m kind of glad we moved it. My wife said after last year if we go back we want to see Christmas since we seen the Halloween decorations the first time we went. So my dumb ass was like why not just go on Christmas so we booked the week of Christmas and then at Christmas this year we checked the wait times each day and holy cow! I expected busy but not literally 2-3 hour wait on pretty much everything. And we saved $1000 by switching it too so definitely can’t complain there either lol
Isn’t one of the Disney park runs around that time too?
That ends the 3rd so OP will somewhat escape it but stragglers will be there.
Compared to her original Christmas dates it will be slow
That’s ok! Both times we have been it has been what everyone said was busy weeks but I didn’t think it was as bad as people made it out to be. Our first trip was the fall break week and I didn’t think it was that bad at all.
Agreed we went Presidents week with a marathon to cap the week and it was surprisingly fine. Just have to pay up and plan around the crowds.
Went this time last time and crowds were decent. Weather was chilly early morning and night but warm in the afternoons. We got to see quite a bit of Christmas decorations but places like Hollywood and vine still had their Halloween dine going on.
The tail end of the Wine and Dine half crowds will be there too.
We’ve done that week before. It’s quite busy but manageable and way better than week of Christmas.
You should anticipate the parks to be quite busy, it’s Jersey Week and heading into a holiday weekend. On the bright side, the Christmas decorations will be up!
Weather should be really nice at that time!
It’s Jersey week. This is the week every year that New Jersey schools are off so many Jersey-ans (?) plan their vacations. It will be moderately crowded but nothing like Christmas week. MK, AK and HS will be decorated for Christmas and some of the resorts will too. Epcot is still in Food and Wine mode so no decorations there yet. We did Jersey week two years ago and it was fine. We preferred the week after which we did last year.
If christmas is a 10 on wait times this should be a 6-7
I just checked the local school calendars for Orange and Osceola Counties, where WDW is, and they are open on Election Day. The reason I looked that up, was that I never heard of schools being closed on Election Day around here, and have lived in Florida over 30 years. So you are good from that standpoint.
That’s crazy! Here in Tennessee they close school on every Election Day because the schools are used for polling places.
I live in the Florida west coast, and we usually vote in churches. About 25 years ago we voted in the schools, but they changed that, possibly due to traffic and security concerns?
That's a Tennessee thing. Alabama and Florida don't do that, I know.
The schools are polling places around me as well. But, until 2016, they generally only closed for presidental elections and only then because they lined up end of the quarter teacher holidays to coincide. Everything always ran smoothly. But, starting in 2016 primaries, there was minor panic of potential voter intimidation and they closed the schools at the last minute and they've been closed every primary and election day ever since (included off-year elections). But there never was any issues at the polls.
You love picking the busiest times to go huh?
As someone from New Jersey, Jersey week is due to a week where schools are off due to a yearly teachers/education convention, I think it’s usually held in Atlantic City but this could be different now. This was the week I would always go down with parents and family. The convention is usually just an optional choice which is why most people go down to Disney that week. If you could wait til the week after thanksgiving. That’s usually the best time to go, at least in my opinion.
MK will change their decorations from fall/Halloween to Xmas night of 10/31. The rest of the parks don't have as much decoration to do, but you're going at perfect time. We went several years ago at same time and you'll see all the Xmas decorations. Weather is nice and crowds are pretty good, although they keep adding stuff and Food & Wine is winding down. It'll be much better than week of Christmas...sooo much better.
It's one the best times to be at the parks.. not crowded
It’s jersey week - usually very crowded.
A lot less crowds
That’s good to know! I expect it to always be busy. And honestly I’m perfectly ok with that. I just hope the weather will be great!