Late October Touring Plan

[cruzstitch]

We're going to WDW the last week of October into the first week of November and I'm so excited! Since we weren't able to score free dining , we won't be able to go to MNSSHP. We'd like to hit MK once at the beginning of the trip to see the Fall decorations and once at the end to (hopefully) see the Christmas decorations. They're not having MNSSHP on 10/29, so I was thinking of hitting MK that day, but then I thought we might make out better with crowd levels being low on a day when they are having the party if we arrive at rope drop. Then we can just wait until the end of the week to see the parade and Wishes. Thoughts? Experiences?

 

[goldie09]

We're also going to be there at the end of October! I am also planning on being in MK on Oct 29 since it's the only day of our stay that doesn't have MNSSHP, but I'm also VERY worried it'll be mobbed because of the party nights surrounding this one day. We don't know what time we'll land October 26 (the only other day during our stay that doesn't have MNSSHP) so we don't want to plan on that being our one day in MK. Like OP, I would also appreciate any advice!

 

[CarolynFH]

I know that Josh at EasyWDW recommends avoiding MK on non-party days, unless you specifically want to see the nighttime parade and fireworks. Crowds are lower on party days and higher on non-party days for exactly the reasons you give.

 

[RachaelA]

MK is always more crowded on non party days. Nighttime in the hub/Mainstreet will be slammed for MSEP and fireworks.

That being said we will be there on the 29th too! It's my oldest's 5th birthday so she picked BBB, CRT and MK

 

[Heidi K]

This is kind of funny. We'll be there on the 29th, too. Some members of our group want to see the nighttime entertainment and we don't have Hoppers, so what can you do?

I'm expecting it to be pretty crowded. Our second MK day is a party day, so hopefully less crowded.

I would love any advice or experiences as well!

 

[SM1992]

In Oct. 2014, we were there the third week of the month and wanted to see the nighttime entertainment. (no hoppers) We visited on a non party day (Wed. if I remember correctly) and it was mobbed! Wait times I remember were 50 min. for HM, 60 min for BTM even 35 for astro orbiter. I was tough just getting from one ride to the next!

 

[seashell996]

We will be there too !!! We land on OCT 29 thru Nov 5 we will be doing MNSSHP on OCT 31

 

[Mikie]

It will be very crowded on a non party day in MK. Disproportionately so for the time of year due to many people wanting to be in MK on a day that doesn't close so early. If you have hoppers, an excellent use of them is to go to MK on a party day (very good crowd levels) and hop to a park with later hours for the evening. Alternately, if you really want to see MKs night entertainment, spend your day elsewhere and hop to MK for fireworks.

In party season, I pick MK on party days because I'm very crowd-averse and I'm okay with just seeing Fantasmic or illuminations and not seeing fireworks every day. I use base tickets and only do party days in mind (but don't actually go to the party!). My extended family thought I was nuts when they realized I planned only "short" days in MK, but after we went from rope drop through 7 pm, they were quite happy to head out for a Chef Mickey ADR and be done for the day. The next day, they were really convinced it had been a good plan when using MDE to view wait times in MK (long!!)

If you really want to see Wishes or other things to do in MK and that's the day that works for you, you can still manage it - just be mentally prepared for higher crowds and follow a good plan like EasyWDWs cheat sheets to help you avoid the worst lines.

 

[Ambear]

I'm going to be at wdw the last week of October into November too and it's the first I've ever gone during an event like the Halloween stuff. So I'm using easywdw crowd calendars and probably gonna go to MK on the 31 and maybe buy a party ticket too... It sounds like it would be best to go to MK for low crowds on a party day and then see the shows in November. Based on easywdw it looks like Nov 2, 3, and 4 are good MK days. But I think the November calendar is still changing.

 

[DiannaVM]

As a pp said, I've been during MNSSHP time. The one day without a party the week we went, we decided to do MK to see MSEP and Wishes. I regretted that pretty soon after park opening. The only reason we stayed was because we don't usually get hoppers and I was dead set on seeing MSEP (which is actually in hindsight pretty lack-luster compared to Spectromagic). I vowed to never again go to MK on a non-party night.

This year what we are doing is we are going to MK on the 28th and staying for the MNSSHP and then our second MK day will be Nov. 2nd. I think going on the 1st of November will still be a bad idea, but I've never been to MK after Halloween so I can't tell. Touring calendars have the 2nd as a good MK day though, so there is hope.

 

[cruzstitch]

Thanks for all the replies! I apparently didn't subscribe to watch the thread, so I missed them all until now (duh!). Anyway, I settled on doing rope drop on the 28th, which is a party day. It's an EMH day, which will give us a good 11 hours in the park. Perfect for the first day there! Now my question is this: for EMH days, do they do the Welcome Show at MK at the EMH time? We've never gotten there early enough for it and I'd really like to see it once!

We'll do AK on the 29th, also EMH. I'm so excited!

 

[Delirium]

When we go in October, we always get hoppers for this very reason. Party days at MK and hop to Epcot (and now possibly AK). Non-party days at the other parks and hop to MK for the nighttime.

 

[absolutmey]

Thanks for all the replies! I apparently didn't subscribe to watch the thread, so I missed them all until now (duh!). Anyway, I settled on doing rope drop on the 28th, which is a party day. It's an EMH day, which will give us a good 11 hours in the park. Perfect for the first day there! Now my question is this: for EMH days, do they do the Welcome Show at MK at the EMH time? We've never gotten there early enough for it and I'd really like to see it once!

We'll do AK on the 29th, also EMH. I'm so excited!

I think this is a good plan. We're also doing RD on 10/28 to take advantage of EMH and it being a party day. We'll see how the family reacts to being told that I want them up and at 'em for a 7:30am arrival!

 

[jv3cv1]

Well now I'm second guessing our plans we will also be there in late Oct 23-Nov 8. Had planned MK on the 29th also. But we are doing MNSSHP on Oct 31st.

 

[cruzstitch]

I wanted to be sure to get one day in with the Fall decorations and (hopefully) on day with the Christmas decorations. We're going to also make MK the last park day, which will be November 3.

 

[cruzstitch]

I think this is a good plan. We're also doing RD on 10/28 to take advantage of EMH and it being a party day. We'll see how the family reacts to being told that I want them up and at 'em for a 7:30am arrival!

Right?! Us, too and we're staying at CBR, which means a really early departure from what I've been reading.

 

[Disneymom1126]

Thanks for all the replies! I apparently didn't subscribe to watch the thread, so I missed them all until now (duh!). Anyway, I settled on doing rope drop on the 28th, which is a party day. It's an EMH day, which will give us a good 11 hours in the park. Perfect for the first day there! Now my question is this: for EMH days, do they do the Welcome Show at MK at the EMH time? We've never gotten there early enough for it and I'd really like to see it once!

We'll do AK on the 29th, also EMH. I'm so excited!

I'm pretty sure the welcome show will happen at around 7:40 on a morning EMH day!