(This page is one of a series explicating Walt Disney World lingo, abbreviations, and FAQ for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World.)
JERSEY WEEK AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
“Jersey Week” is a partly mythical, partly real crowding phenomenon in early November at Walt Disney World.
Each year, the New Jersey Educational Association holds a convention that includes a Thursday and a Friday, typically the Thursday and Friday that end the first full week of November.
New Jersey public schools are closed those two days; many families in response head to Walt Disney World for either that long weekend, or for the entire week.
Consequently, Walt Disney World is more crowded during Jersey Week than it is the weeks before and after. (This is the “real” part.)
In 2015, the convention is November 5 and 6.
(Over time, dates for the convention for future years will be published on this page. Thanks to Lori for pointing me to this page, and reminding me that Jersey Week is not always the first Thursday and Friday of November.)
Jersey Week will be the weeks beginning
- November 1, 2015
This noted, the impact on the parks is not disastrous–Jersey Week is nothing like Easter or Christmas weeks. This is the “mythical” part.
As terribly important as the great state of New Jersey is, it just ain’t big enough to really move the meter.
New Jersey visitors account for 3 to 5 percent* of Walt Disney World visitors.
Thus, even if they came at a rate five times higher than normal, they’d increase crowds only by 15-25% or so. This would be a big deal at other times of the year, but early November crowds start so low that this increase is not an insuperable problem.
That said, if you can avoid Jersey Week, do so–especially the days of the conventions themselves and the weekend that follows them. The weeks on either side of it are great times to go to Walt Disney World!
*Data like this is not available from WDW; I base it on the fact that 3.5% of the visits to this site come from New Jersey…
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41 Comments on "Jersey Week at Walt Disney World"
Dave,
My wife and i are scheduled to arrive at disney world on wed Nov 12th. Any thoughts on if “jersey week” spills over into that week or are we looking to be in the clear. I booked the vacation figuring the time between Halloween and thanksgiving is a great time to go.
Could be, Mark. On the other hand, my forecasts reflect that since Vets day is not an “always Monday” holiday, most people don’t think to plan vacations around it, and hardly anybody actually gets it off–only 21% of US companies give Veterans Day off–so most parents don’t view it as a particularly ripe time to go compared to the prior week. I suspect that Monday and Tuesday will be just fine, and that such is why Disney has a 7p close at MK on Monday and 9p on Tuesday…
the part you are missing about Jersey Week is it also fits into Veterans Day which is a school closure so kids only miss a day or two of school. So whats unique about it for 2014 is veterans day is the following week which makes jerseu week run Thurs – Tues
[…] 11/1/14. “Jersey Week”—teacher meetings in New Jersey, leading to a massive temporary immigration of New Jersey […]
Hi Chris, and thanks!!
First, that time of year which park you go to which day really matter a lot-=see the seocnd half of this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/2012/04/30/crowds-and-walt-disney-world/
Second, for what to see and what to avoid at that age, see this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/2011/03/09/the-comprehensive-guide-to-walt-disney-world-rides-and-attractions/
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