October 2012 Planning.. Anyone else?

[readytogotodisney]

Just booked the HoJo for our stay in October! Got to love that entertainment rate!
Now all I need to buy is park tickets. I'm thinking I should buy those sooner rather then later. My guess is that they will up the cost of park tickets soon due to the opening of Cars land in June.
Plus we will get 5% back on our new Premium Disney reward card until April. Those Disney rewards really add up!

 

[Sally_fan]

Trip is finalized as I just purchased our plane tickets!!! We have changed our dates & are going to be in the parks from Oct.27-Nov.4 & we are staying at the HoJo (retro rate! ). We are planning to go to the Halloween night party. This will be our 3rd Halloween-time trip but we have never been right over Halloween before. Can't wait!!!!!

 

[stubby]

We had such a great time in October 2 years ago that we are going back in 2012. We will be in the park from the 5th thru the 11th. Can't wait! This time we will have an extra person(middle dd is bringing a friend) and will be doing one of the Halloween Parties!

 

[mrsw94]

Just got a call from my FIL this morning, we are booked to stay in the Villas at the Grand Californian Oct 13-19!!!
I am beyond excited!!!

We've never stayed on property so are really looking forward to it!

Anyone heard any speculation on when they will raise ticket prices?

We are booked for Sat-Fri, but weren't planning on doing the parks 'till Sun, however we want to see both F! & the Fireworks. We will have a 4 year old and 10 year old with us, so I don't think they can handle both in one night. In the past they've only done them on weekends in Oct, so I'm guessing we'd need to do Sat & Sun. We need to decide if we want 5, 6 or 7 day Hoppers. I was going to wait 'till the entertainment schedule came out, but now I'm worried about them raising ticket prices. Sigh...

 

[readytogotodisney]

Just got a call from my FIL this morning, we are booked to stay in the Villas at the Grand Californian Oct 13-19!!!
I am beyond excited!!!

We've never stayed on property so are really looking forward to it!

Anyone heard any speculation on when they will raise ticket prices?

Yay for the villas! We were thinking about staying there for our trip as well, but the points weren't there. We need them all for our big trip for DW in January.

For the ticket prices, I have read (and think it makes sense) that they will raise prices sometime late April/early May. Just in time for Cars Land to open. Just in case we went ahead an bought our tickets yesterday.

Now we've got plane tickets booked
hotel room booked
and now park tickets paid for

I'm ready for DL!

 

[readytogotodisney]

.

 

[jfugina]

We've never been to DL before (WDW vets here), and we hope to be able to go this October. We're DVC, and the only way we can afford the trip is to stay DVC and be left with just airfare. But there was no availability at our 7 month window for VGC.

So we're waitlisted, and I'm hoping it comes through. If so, I'll be adding myself permanently to the October 2012 thread. We're looking forward to seeing DL for the first time, but the real draw is Cars Land. Come on, waitlist!

 

[Virgoinab]

We are booked!

Flights, room at DLH, and bought our Premium annual passes

Will be in Cali from Oct 6 to the 14, first three days in San Francisco, and then off to DL from Oct 8 to the 14!

 

[Gina]

SO excited -- we're going to Disneyland!! Just for a long weekend, but I'll take it! My brother who lives in SoCal has been trying to get me (a diehard WDW vet) to go visit "where it all started" for like 10 years. I've resisted because A) I have limited funds for trips and B) no Epcot!!! But I had a little money fall from the sky, and I miss my brother like crazy, so I decided to not only surprise him, but my 16yr old son with a little trip to DLR.

I've only been once when I was 5, and DS has never been. My SIL is going to just convince my bro to spend a couple days at DL, but not tell him we're going.

We're going the 5th through the 8th -- DS has Monday the 8th off anyway, and by some miracle the 5th is the only Friday of the whole marching season where there's no football game, so we won't have to worry about the band director having a stroke because my son isn't there. I call it fate.

Southwest Vacations had a great deal on a package out of Houston Hobby, and I got a few bucks more off going through the Entertainment link. We're staying at the Best Western Plus Pavilions.

I've already ordered the DLR "guts" for my Passporter binder, and can't wait to do research on rides I've never heard of before now. The hardest part for me is going to be keeping the secret from my son -- I've already nearly spilled the beans accidentally about a dozen times!! I suck at secrets, lol. And I have NO idea how I'm going to secretly get him packed! Ah well, should be a fun challenge.

Can't wait!!


-gina-

 

[mrsw94]

I've already ordered the DLR "guts" for my Passporter binder, and can't wait to do research on rides I've never heard of before now. The hardest part for me is going to be keeping the secret from my son -- I've already nearly spilled the beans accidentally about a dozen times!! I suck at secrets, lol. And I have NO idea how I'm going to secretly get him packed! Ah well, should be a fun challenge.

Can't wait!!


-gina-

How Fun! I think the surprise trips are the post fun!

So what is a 'Passporter Binder'? I've never heard of it, but it sounds like something more I can drive my family nutso with!

 

[Gina]

How Fun! I think the surprise trips are the post fun!

So what is a 'Passporter Binder'? I've never heard of it, but it sounds like something more I can drive my family nutso with!

Oh, it is a wondrous, wonderful thing... It's a trip planner, receipt keeper, journal, and more, that makes you feel like THE most organized person in the world. With the Deluxe binder, which I have had for a bunch of years, you just buy the "guts" for each new trip. (New PassPockets, all the text, protective covers, labels.) I my PassPorter!!!

This is the deluxe:
http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587711044.aspx

 

[chttyangel]

Just got hubby to commit to heading down in October for 3 or 4 days so we can enjoy all the Halloween fun!! I have done Universal during Halloween but never Disney. AND I am a HALLOWEEN NUT!!

Can't really start buying tickets are planning too much yet because I am actually going with my youngest DS and DD in 3 weeks!! BUT when I get back I will start in on planning for the whole family. Besides...we usually fly SWA and the DING specials are still for April so a little early. One thing for sure thou; thinking I will stay onsite this time. Have'nt stay at DL Hotel since 2001! The prices for the spring trip were over 300 per night. I figure Fall will be better rates.

 

[jennabennabofenna]

I would love to go to Disneyland during Halloween time!

We are normally very busy during that time of year. We host an annual halloween party at our house (mainly for toddlers), and that alone takes up a big chunk of money.. along with other events and 3 of our friends kids birthdays are in october too.

But, id be more then happy to clear my schedule for a few days in Disney

Iv heard of the mickeys halloween party before... what is that exactly?

 

[chttyangel]

I would love to go to Disneyland during Halloween time!

We are normally very busy during that time of year. We host an annual halloween party at our house (mainly for toddlers), and that alone takes up a big chunk of money.. along with other events and 3 of our friends kids birthdays are in october too.

But, id be more then happy to clear my schedule for a few days in Disney

Iv heard of the mickeys halloween party before... what is that exactly?

From what I have heard; the park really gets decked out for the holidays. HM gets a Nightmare overlay; which I actually saw in Nov. The villains are out. At the Halloween Party (special ticket) they have trick or treating and adults/kids can wear costumes. They have special treats, ears and stuff for the holiday too!

 

[roxychip]

I also have a trip planned for early october have visited twice before but am really looking forward to visiting cars land can't wait

 

[pasofan]

Looks like our trip this October is a go! My DH is currently a middle school principal, as well as bus driver, computer tech for the entire school district, among other things! He said both schedules the superintendent will be submitting for a vote have a full week off for fall break!

I have a question though. Others have asked about booking on-site at full price and having an applicable discount applied later, if one comes out The current special offers on the DL website say they are not good toward existing reservations. The offers for last fall also had the same caveat on the website--stalking the offers to know what might be available for 2012

Are existing reservations able to apply discounts--even though the website says they are not? Or does Disney just put that on the website hoping you won't try to get a lower rate if already booked? Or do people make a new reservation under the offer and cancel the previous rack rate reservation? Or am I missing something completely?

 

[nicolispicoli]

pasofan, I am bumping because I am wondering the same thing. I definitely think there will be fall discounts out that are better than the AP discount disney is currently offering. I know I have heard several people on here mention that they have applied them later to existing reservations. I am hoping your question gets answered on here, but it may get overlooked since it's in a October travel thread and people who might normally see it under another thread title won't see it here. I think I may even call to see what they say, but you can and will always get conflicting answers when calling them.

 

[mouseymommy]

My DH and I are taking our oldest, DS10, for his birthday in October. Hopefully we will be able to bring our nephew along too! We'll be staying at the DI&S for the first time. Does anybody know if the Halloween Party would be fun for a boy turning 11?

 

[nicolispicoli]

Okay, so to update. I did call and the CM was clear that you can indeed apply any discount up until 5 days out on a room ressie. I figured that was the case. He mentioned if you wanted, you could even cancel and rebook using the discount if for some reason it didn't apply, but as far as he knew and in his everyday work, he's always applied them for people. He thought the wording was strange too and wasn't reflective of how they operate with discounts. But like you said before, they maybe do it to dissuade people from doing it.

 

[nicolispicoli]

My DH and I are taking our oldest, DS10, for his birthday in October. Hopefully we will be able to bring our nephew along too! We'll be staying at the DI&S for the first time. Does anybody know if the Halloween Party would be fun for a boy turning 11?

I think it would be fun for anyone, I know 11 year olds still love to collect candy. Maybe he might want to skip the character interactions which take up a big chunk of time, but everyone loves candy and fireworks!!