Your opinion on October Please!!

[Ergens2]

We are looking to go in Oct but can't decide between Oct 1-9 or 29- Nov. 6. We want to go for food and wine and MNSSHP, but don't want it to be too busy. What do you all think?
Thanks in Advance!!
Shelley :wave:

 

[diddy_mouse]

hmm...this Columbus Day holiday concerns me a bit. then again, i've done the crowded season (visited in the middle of july...shudder). i'm hoping the crowd traffic will die down a little during the week. we arrive on the 9th of Oct. and are staying for 8 days.

when we visited in late may the crowds weren't bad at all...except for the weekend when the local schools visited for "end-of-the-year-field-trips"

oh well...we see what happens.

 

[AkiraRaptor]

I totally forgot about that holiday when planning our trip!! Is it REALLY crazy on that weekend? We are planning on spending our first day in one of the parks on Sunday Oct 9. We will be there (WDW) for 5 days. We also want to do MNSSHP but haven't seen dates posted yet.
It would be a pain, but we can change it to the week before....would that be the best thing to do?

From the times of our visits, it was Saturday that was always the worst, and it was MK. All the other parks were busy, but nothing that was real bothersome.

It was MK that was filled. I remember 1+ hour lines for the 3 mountains, wall to wall people, and having to snake through the crowds to get anywhere.

It was the exact same way the following year. I asked around after the second time and found out that it is one of the top busiest days to visit. Schools closed (on Monday), first school break of the year, nice weather.

Like I said before, we go at this time, but we skip that weekend and arrive on Monday (which is a madhouse for checking in/out), but the parks are back to normal durning the week. And it's really MK thats busy. Epcot's so big, it eats up the extra visitors along with AK. And I have no idea what MGM is like, we never did it on that weekend.

Stay away from MK and do Epcot on Sunday and you'll be fine.

 

[swordsman_24]

Oct is Great

My wife and I have been a couple of times in early October over the last few years. The weather is always great, and except for the Fri - Mon around Columbus day the crowds are very light. You are also still in the Value season if you go early enough in October. If you wait until later in the month you will be paying regular season rates for a hotel. This year the Value season ends on Oct 4th. If I remember correctly, if you check in before the 4th you get the value season rate for your whole stay. Not 100% sure about that, but I'm sure others will correct me if I'm wrong. Have a great trip. I'm about to post for some help with a trip for early June and I hope I get as much advise as you have.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Good Point Swordsman....
We have done the early October time so often, that I'd forgotten that we always get the value rates. Always a good thing to consider.

 

[Ergens2]

Thanks so much gang!! :hammer: I thought we were set with the end of the month but now ya had to go throw in the $ factor!! (which is a big thing with the old hubby) ARGH :brick: Oh well. Guess I will have to wait until the rates come out to see what is avail. for AP.
Shelley :wave:

 

[mowsluver]

We are going the weekend of Columbus holiday but will take the advice and hit AK or Epcot on our first day-Sunday-and will save MK for later in the week.
Because of the size/ages in our group, we will be staying offsite at a Days Inn suite. The price can't be beat! And it will save $$ on food as we will be able to cook there.
I have asked around and the few people who have stayed there said it is an older place, but pretty nice. It is near Old Town.

 

[ncbyrne]

Our trip is planned for Oct. 15-23. We definitely wanted to plan this trip during the Food and Wine Festival, but DH cannot take vacation in November, so the third week looked like the best option for staying clear of the holidays.
So far, all we have booked is the airfare (free with AMEX Skymiles) and now trying to decide on which resort and whether or not to go with a package to include the dining option.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Our trip is planned for Oct. 15-23. We definitely wanted to plan this trip during the Food and Wine Festival, but DH cannot take vacation in November, so the third week looked like the best option for staying clear of the holidays.
So far, all we have booked is the airfare (free with AMEX Skymiles) and now trying to decide on which resort and whether or not to go with a package to include the dining option.

which resort is always a tough question as it is strictly personal preference. I have stayed at the lower two levels of Disney hotels and am comfortable at either one. The Moderates have more amenities to select from, more pools, and more intensive theming that the Values but both are clean, comfortable and secure. As a young lady staying alone ( on some trips) that is always an important factor for me
As far as the dining package, it is a pretty good deal, but the restaurants specifically at EPCOT are EXTREMELY limited. If that is not a concern I would say go for it!!! Belle

 

[ncbyrne]

Any other time of year, the lack of Epcot restaurants on the plan would have a big impact on our decision. But, since we specifically want to eat our way around the lake at the Wine and Cheese Festival booths, we won't be eating at any sit down restaurants on WS this trip anyway.

 

[Slinky Dog]

I don't know if there is a school holiday around Haloween. When I went to school there never was.

I don't have kids, so I'd only notice any holiday if the morning traffic to work is not clogged up with people on the school run.

Barnum, it's the half term holiday in the last or second to last week of October. Back when I was at school (a long time ago now), we used to go in this week all of the time and it was never crowded, it is quite a popular time for Brits to visit, hence the hike in flight prices around that time.

When we've gone in very early October, we have got caught up in hurricanes once or twice, but I believe it is more unusual than usual for hurricane season to encroach too much into October?

 

[evanssc]

I will be down the Oct 23-29. This will be our first visit during the Food and Wine Festival. What are the crowds like ar EPCOT during that time? Any certain events or meals at the festival that are a must?

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Its a no loose time of year. The weekend of your trip will probably be crowded in the MK with MNSSHP (which is fun to experience if you haven't).
Many of the special dinners are nice, like anything, pick the one that most appeals to you. If you enjoy beer and wine, there are some free and moderate cost seminars on tasting and comparing. Also, if you like to experiment with cooking yourself, there are hands on seminars in kitchens of some of the hotels. Check this July for the specifics of what will be offered.

There are some other threads, one recent about the festival, check for that too.

 

[Ergens2]

I will be down the Oct 23-29. This will be our first visit during the Food and Wine Festival. What are the crowds like ar EPCOT during that time? Any certain events or meals at the festival that are a must?

You will see mod. crowds for your week. The golf classic is the 20-23 and that always brings in a crowd. Expect it to be busiest at Epcot over that weekend as most who are visiting the world for the golf classic will be spending time at Food & Wine.
Shelley :wave:

 

[ncbyrne]

Took the plunge and booked a pkg. thru AAA for Coronado Springs Oct 15-23 and included the dining option. We were told that there were no double bed rooms available so we took a king. Do you think that the golfers will be staying at CS, or spread out thru the resorts? When do they normally arrive and for how long? Just wondering how their presence will effect our trip.

 

[DisneyWood]

We went last October. We were there from the 16th to the 24th. It was supposed to be light crowds, but that wasn't the case. I think a lot of people rebooked their trips (that were cancelled due to the Hurricanes) for that exact same time.

I would go later in the month, so you can go to MNSSHP. We had a blast. The food & wine festival should still be going on at Epcot, so you wouldn't really miss out. Well, as long as you are going, you can really go wrong.

 

[ncbyrne]

Actually, it's because of MNSSHP that we booked earlier to avoid it.

 

[Lauriebar]

Actually, it's because of MNSSHP that we booked earlier to avoid it.

I'm confused...as far as I know MNSSHP runs pretty much the whole month of October on select days. On our trip last Oct. we attended on the 8th and this was not the first MNSSHP. Do you mean you wish to avoid the MNSSHP on Halloween?

 

[AkiraRaptor]

I think October has been more crowded the last two years because of the two discounts they did. They both were pay for X amount of days, get X amount free. They were big money savers, and alot of people jumped at the discounts.

Plus the industry seems to be getting back on to it's feet again. Also more and more schools are having off in October.

All of this adds up to more crowds. But it's still not like the peak times of the year.

Also, I'd think MNSSHP would only effect MK crowds. And every time I've visited, after the "special" fireworks, everybody leaves, and the park is pretty much empty from 10-Midnight.

 

[DisneyWood]

I think October has been more crowded the last two years because of the two discounts they did. They both were pay for X amount of days, get X amount free. They were big money savers, and alot of people jumped at the discounts.

Plus the industry seems to be getting back on to it's feet again. Also more and more schools are having off in October.

All of this adds up to more crowds. But it's still not like the peak times of the year.

Also, I'd think MNSSHP would only effect MK crowds. And every time I've visited, after the "special" fireworks, everybody leaves, and the park is pretty much empty from 10-Midnight.

Are these discounts for everyone? Or for AP & Florida residents?

 

[AkiraRaptor]

Are these discounts for everyone? Or for AP & Florida residents?

They were for everyone.

The 2003 codes were available in May for the July to Nov discounts (7 days for the price of 4). The 2004 package was available in May as well for July to Nov discount (7 days for the price of 5).

They did have Disney Club only and Disney Visa only as well that were available a few days eairlier than the general public, but both were open to the public, and in the case of 2003, they even extended it.

Check out MouseSavers.com , this has the history of discount codes, and can help determin when Disney generally gives them out.