It might only be summer, but in New Jersey, we’re always thinking about Jersey Week at Disney.
The term is fairly well known in the Disney community and among those of us from the Garden State, but it might sound foreign to some.
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New Jersey residents flock to Disney World every November at the start of the month for an unofficial holiday – Jersey Week.
But what exactly is Jersey Week and when is it going to happen in 2026? I’m here with everything you need to know before you go.
What is Jersey Week?
Jersey Week is a name given to the first week(ish) of November by the internet and Disney lovers. While it is not an official holiday or week recognized by Disney World, anyone from N.J. considers it a big deal.
Jersey Week is when the NJEA Convention takes place in New Jersey, which is an annual teacher’s convention in Atlantic City.
There are Reddit threads, Disney Blogs and Facebook pages talking about Jersey Week. In fact, some Disney blogs recommend not traveling to Disney during Jersey Week. But what is it?
It’s simple: Jersey Week is the time of year when many students get off of school and go to Disney World.
The NJEA convention takes place from November 5-6, 2026. New Jersey schools will be closed on both days, so many Jersey families take advantage of this and book a trip over the 4-day weekend.
This convention also falls near Veterans Day (November 11), another date when some students get off from school. Some school districts even give children off the entire week and call it fall break. It sounds like we’ve got some Disney adults in New Jersey public school administration!
Jersey might be obsessed with Disney World, but I’d argue that the feeling is mutual. There’s a laundry list of things at Disney with callbacks to New Jersey. For starters, Disney’s BoardWalk gives old school Atlantic City boardwalk vibes. There’s a deli right on the BoardWalk with an NJ crumb cake on the menu. But that’s not all! There’s a restaurant called Cape May Cafe, a miniature Lucy the Elephant and the guy who designed the Swan & Dolphin was a Princeton professor!
When is Jersey Week?
The NJEA convention takes place from November 5-6, 2026 this year. New Jersey schools are closed on both days, so many Jersey families will take advantage of this and book over that 4-day weekend. Since the convention is also close to Veterans Day (November 11), a number of families extend the holiday.
That means that Jersey Week 2026 is in that timeframe between November 4 and November 12, with heavy park attendance expected between November 5-8.
| Events Happening in November | Dates |
|---|---|
| Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (at Magic Kingdom) | Starting Nov. 7 through Dec. 22 (Select Dates) |
| Disney Jollywood Nights (at Hollywood Studios) | Starting Nov. 8 through Jan. 5 (Select Dates) |
| EPCOT Food & Wine Festival | August 27 to Nov. 21 |
| Holiday decorations at Walt Disney World Resort | Not yet announced, expected mid-November |
| EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays | Starting Nov. 27 through Dec. 30 |
Disney just announced that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will kick off on November 8 in Magic Kingdom and Jollywood Nights will return to Hollywood Studios on November 7. N.J. residents looking to take advantage of time off school and holiday party dates will certainly have Nov. 5 through Nov. 8 as their priority dates for being in Disney.
However, some families book their trip for the beginning of the week that the convention falls in, while others travel during the following week to line up with Veterans Day. So, you could hear a lot more Jersey accents in Disney as early as Monday, November 2 until Friday, November 13.
Last year, a lot of folks in our comments on social media said they went either way when booking, whatever was cheaper of the two weeks. So, it’s becoming almost a Jersey Month, not just a week.
3 ways to save money at Disney World during Jersey Week
November is a fairly busy time at Disney World and when the crowds begin to increase, so do the costs.
There are a few ways you can save money during a normally expensive time of year. Here’s three ways to save at Disney World if you’re traveling for Jersey Week:
- You can book a deluxe Disney resort for up to 60% off when you book with David’s Vacation Club Rentals. You can read my full review of DVCR here! Booking with David’s Vacation Club Rentals is renting DVC points
- You can snag discounted Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party or Jollywood Nights ticket from Undercover Tourist. Undercover Tourist also offers discounted Disney World park tickets available for purchase
- You can stock up on discounted Disney gift cards at Sam’s Club and Target. Target Circle card holders get 5% off all purchases, including gift cards
My No. 1 Disney pro tip: For the gift cards, you can use them in your My Disney Experience app to pay for things at Disney World or you can use them ahead of your trip to pay for your vacation. I personally stock up on discounted gift cards in the months leading up to my trip, so I don’t have many out of pocket expenses while I’m there.
