Should we consider an October trip?

[ctl]

It's great that you have the option to pull the kids out of school. I would take advantage of the time now, as when they are older it will get harder and harder to pull them out. My DS and DD where at Montessori so we could pull them out until high school, but then Catholic school and no chance of getting out whatsoever. I would go now and enjoy the Fall weather. How lucky for them to have such a fun trip. Best Wishes.

[raraavis]

Originally Posted by Gollom

Can I check this? I thought we had to have a ticket for the daytime too?

Thanks

in years past, you have been allowed entry to MK at 4pm using the MNSSHP ticket. reports from this year's first party (sept. 11) have trickled in, and people have confirmed park entry at 4pm using only the MNSSHP ticket. you do not have to use a regular ticket to enter at 4. however, if you want to go earlier than 4, you will need a regular ticket to get into MK. on our party day (oct. 25th), we are going to use our base ticket to go to DHS and then our MNSSHP ticket to enter MK at 4.

[Gollom]

Originally Posted by raraavis

in years past, you have been allowed entry to MK at 4pm using the MNSSHP ticket. reports from this year's first party (sept. 11) have trickled in, and people have confirmed park entry at 4pm using only the MNSSHP ticket. you do not have to use a regular ticket to enter at 4. however, if you want to go earlier than 4, you will need a regular ticket to get into MK. on our party day (oct. 25th), we are going to use our base ticket to go to DHS and then our MNSSHP ticket to enter MK at 4.

Thanks for the reply. I'd really appreciate confirmation from anybody else that we can get in with the MNSSHP ticket from 4pm onwards as that fits in exactly with what we want to do!

Cheers!

[tracyz]

Originally Posted by Gollom

Thanks for the reply. I'd really appreciate confirmation from anybody else that we can get in with the MNSSHP ticket from 4pm onwards as that fits in exactly with what we want to do!

Cheers!

We did this when we went 2 years ago. It worked out perfectly, as 4-midnight was plenty of time in the park!

[ZoZo]

I've been six times in October. Here's my input!

Good things about October
Lower crowds.
Food and Wine Festival.
Halloween party.
Weather can be very pleasant (but see below ...)
Resort rooms can cost less.
Possible free dining opportunity.


Bad things about October
Weather can be brutally hot and humid (mid-90s my last trip!)
Hurricane season - can be quite rainy (or you can get an actual hurricane!).
Shorter park hours.
It could bee too cool for pool or waterpark.


So, for me the "goods" outweigh the "bads". I've been to WDW during a hurricane (Wilma in 2005) and even that wasn't bad!

And FYI, I was there for Columbus Day in 2009 and didn't see an impact on crowds. Most folks don't get enough time off school at Columbus Day to make a vacation feasible (our kids in Tacoma don't even get the day off school for Columbus Day.). It's a fairly minor holiday for many schools and businesses.

[dragonfly08]

I've been to Disney in March, April, June, July, August, September, October and December.

Weather-wise, October and late March/early April were my favorite times. Lower crowds, too. If it didn't mean taking my kids out of school, I'd definitely travel then but we're past the time where I am comfortable doing that.

[NLD]

Thanks for the reply. I'd really appreciate confirmation from anybody else that we can get in with the MNSSHP ticket from 4pm onwards as that fits in exactly with what we want to do!

Cheers!

Did it last year (2011) with zero problems. I was in Orlando for a work conference so the ONLY Disney I did was MNSSHP one night. Specifically chose MNSSHP because the ticket cost less than a one-day park ticket and still gave me 8 hours of park time (4 pm - 12 midnight).

--

OP, October is a lovely time for Disney. However, please be aware that the crowds around Columbus Day will be there. It's not going to be empty parks.

As for pulling out of school.... my daughter has been twice now, and both times we pulled her out. And we're looking at a (non-Disney) Florida trip this January, pulling her out again. I don't regret any of it. We've pulled her out in kindergarten, second grade, and this year will be third grade. Totally worth it for the lower crowds and prices. (September and January for us.)

The one thing I'll say though is: CHECK your school's policies around this. Our district allows the kids to miss five days for educational trips--and they specifically say family vacations can be considered education trips. But any more than five days, and it counts as an unexcused absence--and there are serious potential consequences for unexcused absences, in our district. So while I'd love to take a longer trip someday, for us, there is no way she can miss more than five days of school.

EVERY school is different, though. Read your school's handbook so you know what policy is, and what the procedure is for taking them out.

Have fun!

[Gollom]

Originally Posted by Gollom

Thanks for the reply. I'd really appreciate confirmation from anybody else that we can get in with the MNSSHP ticket from 4pm onwards as that fits in exactly with what we want to do!

Cheers!

Anybody else managed to get in from 4pm this year?

Ta!

[photofreak]

We love October-November weather... We think it's the best time to visit Disney!!

[suzimar57]

almost all of our trips have been in october

the food & wine festival, manageable crowds, good weather

only wish i could go for the entire month!