When to go...need help

[disneylove69]

I have a DCL set for 10-23 and then a week at the parks. I planned this time to be there for Halloween but now I am thinking I should go in September for free dinning, food/festival, and cruise. Is September a good time? I am not afraid of the rain. Is Halloween a do not miss? I will be going solo.

[aggielawyer]

It seems like there are a few factors for your decision.

1) I don't think free dining extends to 10/23, or in your case 1 week before. I want to say it ends around 10/3, but double check that.

2) I believe they start decorating for Halloween in early September and there are Sept MNSSHP dates, so you wouldn't miss any of that by going earlier.

3) Weather--for me, I don't care so much about rain, but I'd rather avoid the heat.

So, if I'm correct on my assumptions, I'd keep my week at WDW for after the cruise.

[Amysita]

I was in DLand (I know...not the same) mid Sept. 07 and Halloween decorations were already up and Halloween nites available (about one nite per week)...I would think the two parks, altho far apart, would mirror when they start their Halloween nites.

[Dolce27]

I was at WDW in Sept 06 and the first Halloween Party that year, Sept 15, began durning my trip. The pro's of moving your trip up to Sept are that you can get the free dining and still do the Halloween party. The con's are: it's a lot hotter in Sept than it is in late Oct, am I thinking correctly when I say that you have more of a worry about hurricanes in Sept than in late Oct? and you'll miss out on EPCOT's Food/Wine Festival which will be in Oct.

I would go to one of the Halloween parties, regardless if it's in Sept or Oct - a lot of fun and I went to the Sept 06 party solo. Just decide if you'd rather have a sit-down meal per day on Disney. Do you eat that much food? If so, the free dining is a great deal. If not, if you're not that big of a eater and don't want to schedule a lot of ADR's - I'd go for your original plan of late Oct where it is a little cooler and you can experience the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT. I'm planning a late Oct 2010 for that very reason.

[disneylove69]

Got best of all worlds. Going on DCL 9/12-19 and WDW the following week. Ill be at Epcot day the festival opens up.

[Floydian]

Got best of all worlds. Going on DCL 9/12-19 and WDW the following week. Ill be at Epcot day the festival opens up.

Excellent! I wish I had seen this earlier, or I would have suggested late Sept too. You should get pretty much everything at that time! :cool2: