How crowded is the 3rd week in October ?

[BABYJOSIE98]

Crowds seem too build at Epcot in the evening with Food and wine....Weekends being worse, but start early and take your time and you will be fine...We have always enjoyed our Oct trips and I will be there again on Oct 14th this year for MNSSHP and F&W...The Halloween party is the best!!!!

 

[maryj11]

Crowds seem too build at Epcot in the evening with Food and wine....Weekends being worse, but start early and take your time and you will be fine...We have always enjoyed our Oct trips and I will be there again on Oct 14th this year for MNSSHP and F&W...The Halloween party is the best!!!!

We plan on going to Epcot at opening and leaving around 4:30. We may be at the MNSSHP on the 14th too

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

We plan on going to Epcot at opening and leaving around 4:30. We may be at the MNSSHP on the 14th too

We will just be getting off the Disney Dream on the 14th and I just purchased tickets today for the 14th MNSSHP....I can not wait...Then on Monday we are attending Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. Hoping the weekend crowds will have died down....Fall is my favorite time at Disney!!!!!

 

[maryj11]

We will just be getting off the Disney Dream on the 14th and I just purchased tickets today for the 14th MNSSHP....I can not wait...Then on Monday we are attending Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. Hoping the weekend crowds will have died down....Fall is my favorite time at Disney!!!!!

We are going to Epcot on Monday too

 

[Queen-Bee]

We will be there the 8th til the 22nd of Oct and I don't care about the crowds I just can't wait to be there!

same time as us!! i cant wait to be there either!

 

[PaigeDad]

Okay, this thread has me seriously confused.

I have reservations (off site) for both Oct 14-20 and 21-27, with the plan to cancel one as we get closer.

After reading this thread I am thoroughly confused as to which week will be more packed. I thought the 21-27 would be lighter but now I'm not so sure. We went last year in the first week of October and the crowds weren't bad but the heat was.

I also got the advice to do MNSSHP during the week on a day you don't go to the park, just show up when the party starts and only do the MNSSHP & Save on the park ticket price.

I could potentially move the trip to Nov 3-10, but we'd miss the MNSSHP, but maybe more would be open in the New FantasyLand.

So just wondering again - which week is expected to be lighter: Oct 14-20 or 21-27? thanks. whew...

 

[smitch425]

Okay, this thread has me seriously confused.

I have reservations (off site) for both Oct 14-20 and 21-27, with the plan to cancel one as we get closer.

After reading this thread I am thoroughly confused as to which week will be more packed. I thought the 21-27 would be lighter but now I'm not so sure. We went last year in the first week of October and the crowds weren't bad but the heat was.

I also got the advice to do MNSSHP during the week on a day you don't go to the park, just show up when the party starts and only do the MNSSHP & Save on the park ticket price.

I could potentially move the trip to Nov 3-10, but we'd miss the MNSSHP, but maybe more would be open in the New FantasyLand.

So just wondering again - which week is expected to be lighter: Oct 14-20 or 21-27? thanks. whew...

Crowd-wise, they will be very similar. The new Fantasyland will not open until Nov. 19, so I would not pick the Nov. dates. Free dining is going on during the second set of Oct. dates. Not sure if you knew that or not, but it may be cheaper to stay on site with free dining depending upon how many people are in your party.

 

[PaigeDad]

Thanks Smitch for the advice. I'll probably stick with one of the weeks in October.

I don't want to hijack the thread but I managed to book a "suite" offsite for around $115 a night. It's only me, the wife, and the toddler so I'm not sure the dining package would pay off. We don't go to the park everyday, usually a day or so at the pool - what do you think about off-site vs onsite dining plan?

It's possible that my inlaws might come along - would the dining plan cover 4 adults and one child?

thanks again.

 

[smitch425]

Thanks Smitch for the advice. I'll probably stick with one of the weeks in October.

I don't want to hijack the thread but I managed to book a "suite" offsite for around $115 a night. It's only me, the wife, and the toddler so I'm not sure the dining package would pay off. We don't go to the park everyday, usually a day or so at the pool - what do you think about off-site vs onsite dining plan?

It's possible that my inlaws might come along - would the dining plan cover 4 adults and one child?

thanks again.

The dining plan covers everyone on the reservation ages 3 and up. How old is your toddler? You can get a value room for about the same price per night, but depending on what and how you like to eat, it may not be worth it for you. Would your in-laws be sharing your suite or getting their own? I am partial to staying onsite for the use of Disney transportation and the feeling of being immersed in the magic 24/7, but staying offsite has its own advantages, as well. It is a personal decision, but you might want to look into the cost of doing it both ways just so you can compare the two.

 

[modmama]

We are going to Epcot on Monday too

Us too! It's gonna be a BIG day at Epcot! Yayyyyy!

 

[modmama]

Okay, this thread has me seriously confused.

So just wondering again - which week is expected to be lighter: Oct 14-20 or 21-27? thanks. whew...

It's my impression that the 14-20 will be a much heavier week - both from what people have said about this week in previous years and what people are saying about school breaks this year. Plus, free dining is not offered the 14-20 week because they don't need to fill the rooms. I'm wishing we had been able to choose the later week!

Good luck either way!

 

[PaigeDad]

The dining plan covers everyone on the reservation ages 3 and up. How old is your toddler? You can get a value room for about the same price per night, but depending on what and how you like to eat, it may not be worth it for you. Would your in-laws be sharing your suite or getting their own? I am partial to staying onsite for the use of Disney transportation and the feeling of being immersed in the magic 24/7, but staying offsite has its own advantages, as well. It is a personal decision, but you might want to look into the cost of doing it both ways just so you can compare the two.

Smitch,

My toddler is just under 3 (free admission yeah!), and normally my in-laws stay in the same suite on either the pull-out or other queen if we don't get the king. The hotel has a hot breakfast (and dinner some nights although we rarely take advantage). Plus we normally do the walmart on turkey creek and use the microwave on nights we're not at the park. Inside the park we normally eat two meals and my daughter eats off my wife's plate. thanks again for the great advice. I'll have to think about the cost comparison.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

I know the OP was looking for info about the 3rd week but I thought I'd chime in for those that were thinking about the 4th week. I don't think you will see it get any better. All of Wisconsin schools are off on the 25th and 26th of Oct. Just like Minnesota the week before. We will be there with tons of others from our state. Last year the CMs were joking with us in one line that there "Must not be anyone left in Wisconsin". I have been trying to add a day to our BCV ressie but no luck.

As for ADRs, just for giggles I tried to book what we have and for many places nothing was available for the entire night. Between the deals and the events it gets harder and harder to find discounts where you want to stay or eat and not have to settle for something else.

 

[AndreaA]

It's my impression that the 14-20 will be a much heavier week - both from what people have said about this week in previous years and what people are saying about school breaks this year. Plus, free dining is not offered the 14-20 week because they don't need to fill the rooms. I'm wishing we had been able to choose the later week!

Good luck either way!

I don't think this is necessarily true. I booked a WL Villa for the earlier week and there was no availability the week of the 21st. Overall, availability was much more limited that week. I think people are taking advantage of the free dining and going that week instead of earlier.

In any event, the various touring plan sites still have the earlier week as being a light crowd week, relatively speaking. And just today I checked wait times for the rides and they were not bad anywhere and today is supposed to be a '5'.

 

[Stitch407]

LOL I was there the third week last year, from the 16 to the 22nd, and I thought it was busy, but that depends on what park youre in and what time youre there. It also depends on your opinion of busy, as anything above the level 2 crowds in January I consider busy LOL

It's not anywhere as bad as NYE, which I have been in the parks for, which I consider fun, because youre so hyped up for the celebrations, you don't care that you waited in the Peter Pan line for two hours. Plus, it's cold and that makes a big difference in my opinion in terms of the conditions youre in being tolerable.

It's inbetween I guess. Go to less crowded parks, earlier in the day, and you'll do fine.

 

[Chelley00]

It's my impression that the 14-20 will be a much heavier week - both from what people have said about this week in previous years and what people are saying about school breaks this year. Plus, free dining is not offered the 14-20 week because they don't need to fill the rooms. I'm wishing we had been able to choose the later week!

Good luck either way!

But now that they've offered free dining for the other week, it will be busy the second week because now those rooms are full. I have a feeling both weeks are going to be busier than usual. Lots of Indiana schools have 2 weeks off, we'll be there both weeks.

 

[dizneydiva2005]

The week of Oct 21- 28th is still almost booked solid. A few resorts have any rooms left. Cabins and the Value resorts. Looks like a busy week!

 

[Legendteri]

The week of Oct 21- 28th is still almost booked solid. A few resorts have any rooms left. Cabins and the Value resorts. Looks like a busy week!

Unless 2012 is the year that a lot of states are giving breaks in Oct for the first time, I wouldn't worry too much and would trust proven crowd calendars.

Also the Gartner Symposium will be having their conference Oct 21st-25th at several Disney hotels. This is a conference for IT professionals and the conference doesn't really affect the parks, only some hotels, boardwalk area and possibly the World Showcase at night.

For more info

http://www.gartner.com/technology/symposium/orlando/hotel.jsp

Easywdw actually did a post on how much crowd fluctuation the MK can see in Oct due to the halloween party. It was pretty interesting and explains why he always suggests going to the MK during the day when when it hosts the halloween party at night.

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorized/a-tale-of-two-magic-kingdoms-october-22nd-versus-october-23rd/