Columbus Day crowds

[Pooh For Presid]

We are going Oct 5- 10 and are staying at the Swan. (Thanks Steve for setting up the great rate with the Swean and Dolphin). However I was thinking about changing to the POP partially to avoid the cost and hassle of having to get transportation from and to the Airport. Even if I get a rental car I then have to pay for parking.

I just went to look and everything is booked. Almost everything in every category. I went and check touringplans.com and it still estimates a crowd around 5 or out of 10. WHAT IS GOING ON?

I know Columbus day is busier, but this looks like summer crowds. Am I missing something? Is there some other event going on? Anyone know something I do not?

 

[MouseearsDeb]

It may be more trouble than it's worth, but can you walk over to EPCOT and catch the monorail to MK? or take it to the TTC and then catch a bus to AK or MGM?

We will also be down the first week of Oct. and I have seen a lot of activity in regards to ADR's and people having trouble reserving a room. I had and still hope that it is low crowds. In all honesty, I'll be happy for the temp. to be below 100 this trip.

 

[landauh]

Disney buses to all the parks and DTD pick up and drop off at both the Swan and Dolphin. They operate on the same schedule as the other WDW resorts.

The cost of parking at the Swan and Dolphin is included in the room rate, so you do not pay extra (you use your room keycard to get into the lots).

 

[xcrashx15]

Last time I stayed at the Dolphin, we had to pay an additional parking charge that was not included in the room rate, I think it was $7/night. Transportation to/from the parks wasn't a problem but I think transportation to/from the airport was at least $50 each way with the hotel transportation or a taxi. Not bad if you're splitting it between people, but I'm going again in a few weeks this time we decided to rent a car for $14 a day through Thrifty, it's much cheaper.

 

[orangewarrior]

We were there for Columbus Day 2003. Very busy on the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, but we expected that. But it was arrival day of our first trip to WDW in quite some time, so we still went to MK and had a great time. Its been awhile, but if I recall we waited about 45 minutes for Small World (pre-rehab) that day, couldn't get a Fast Pass to Jungle Cruise they were sold out, watched the afternoon parade in four-five deep rows, had to wait a full show to see Tiki Birds, had my daughter's first meet and greet with Goofy, and had an absolutely wonderful time.

We also waited about an hour to an hour and half or so to check in at AS-Movies.

The next day at MGM, we rode the Great Movie Ride at park opening to the tune of about a 15 minute wait, had to wait a full show at Playhouse Disney and the Little Mermaid, but really enjoyed Beauty and the Beast later in the day. We actually pretty much walked onto Rock N Roller Coaster late in the day, probably after Fantasmic had begun.

The crowds slowed down for much of the rest of the week, Tuesday there were still noticeably more people than other times, but it got better.

We have been there two times since, (late Oct/early Nov and Early June) and I would say those crowds were nothing like what we experienced those first few days over the Columbus Day holiday.

I've always thought that touringplans does a good job with those crowd estimate pages, but 5 seems awful light for that weekend. As I said we were there in early June last year, and touringplans had estimates of 7 & 8's all week, maybe even a 9 on one weekend day, and those crowds were thin compared to that Columbus Day weekend.

 

[ljs1691]

I know Columbus day is busier, but this looks like summer crowds. Am I missing something? Is there some other event going on? Anyone know something I do not?

Just to add a little info to everything already covered....many schools in the southeast have gone to a year-round or modified year-round schedule. This means many of the school systems have a fall break during the first couple weeks of October. It appears this has become a very popular time for families that prefer WDW during fall break over spring break (for obvious attendance reasons).

I recall Pop being completely sold out during the week we were there in October 2004. It was busy but we still totally enjoyed our time.

 

[pacochran]

We went for a week which overlapped the Columbus Day weekend in 2004 and found it to be crowded. My comparison was the First week in October 2002, and found it more crowded compared to that, but my wife said that she has been there at the real busy seasons and didn't think it was as crowded. But in future planning we were going to avoid that weekend. But my job changed and we couldn't go in October, which we loved, ended up going begining of December and loved it.

My guess is that it will be crowded but not as crowded as the busy seasons.

 

[hardcard]

seems the 'booked out' part of the october time frame is the first week of october, into that sunday morning (before columbus day) after that, the resorts loosen up quite a bit