☆☆ The Official October 2016 Thread ☆☆

[ckrisie]

9/24-10/3 so excited ! We will be stay off site with a group for friends! They said I can plan as much as I want!!! Muwhahaha they have no idea what they have agreed too.

 

[Eoywin]

My ticker says that I have one year and 2 weeks to go!

As it becomes more and more fall like here in NC, I get more excited. I'll be even more excited when it's officially less than a year away!

 

[vrajewski10513]

I'm 12 days from my one year mark!!

 

[angierae]

We're having to adjust our trip to a January Universal-only trip, so I will say goodbye to all the lovely October 2016 people! I hope you all have amazing trips!

 

[GraceMonica]

I'm planning on being in the World October 22-28 2016! I haven't booked YET (going to be renting points so I can afford to stay deluxe, hoping monorail resort) BUT I'm determined to get back to Disney in the fall so I can swoon over the fall decor!

My baby sister turns 21 next July and she wants the whole family to go down next October to celebrate. I'm the only one doing any planning because the others think its too far out. They're not as addicted as I am, I guess.

 

[Eoywin]

GraceMonica - It's never too early to plan!

I've honestly been planning this trip on the drive home from our last trip in 2013 :lol:

 

[patches07]

GraceMonica - It's never too early to plan!

I've honestly been planning this trip on the drive home from our last trip in 2013 :lol:

I also have been planning since the drive home from our last trip in November of 2014

 

[Grandma G]

I'm planning on being in the World October 22-28 2016! I haven't booked YET (going to be renting points so I can afford to stay deluxe, hoping monorail resort) BUT I'm determined to get back to Disney in the fall so I can swoon over the fall decor!

My baby sister turns 21 next July and she wants the whole family to go down next October to celebrate. I'm the only one doing any planning because the others think its too far out. They're not as addicted as I am, I guess.

Here's to Addiction! The Disney-Planning variety of that much-maligned behavior, that is.

We've been planning our next trip to The World since we handed back the keys to our Fort Wilderness cabin and golf cart in January of ... 2003. And we are now, finally, within less than a month - of being within less than a year - away from our arrival at The Beach Club. So, to celebrate that momentous milestone, a few days ago I dusted off the PassPorter for that absolutely wonderful, long-ago, trip . Because I was curious. Would the plans for our - very different in several pretty basic ways - 2016 trip look at all like those for that very favorite one? Would they look like as much ... fun?

The 2003 stay was truly a splurge for us (my daughter, granddaughter, grandson and me). We had never before been in the Parks during the Christmas - New Year Holiday. We had never before stayed at The Grand Floridian. And we certainly had never before booked a Platinum Plan. And, though The Grand Floridian became The Fort Wilderness Cabins, those nine days were everything we had dreamed they would be. And more. However, unless we were able to spend two or more weeks at Disney, I would never book the plan again. We simply couldn't manage to sample, in little more than one week, all (or even most) of the goodies that it offered up on its precious-metal platter. But, we did have such a great time ... trying! For instance, that is me (just below). High above a very frosty Bay Lake on the afternoon of New Year's Eve, 2003-2004.

October of 2016 will be another sort of visit. From its beginnings.

My son-in-law will be with us. And, in my son-in-law's case, that is a good thing ... But, unlike 2003 (when we all drove down), three of us (the two guys and my granddaughter) will fly into Orlando (from different airports). My daughter and I will drive. We've booked a two-bedroom suite. So, we'll have a bit more room. But no kitchen to go unused … again. And instead of our golf cart, we’ll have access to The BoardWalk’s delightful pedal-pushers. We’ll walk into Epcot. But drive, rather than boat, to The Magic Kingdom and the Monorail Resorts.

Because CL comes with the room, we’ll be able to grab breakfast in a WDW Club Lounge for the first time since we stayed at The Polynesian in the eighties. But we won’t have a WDW Dining Plan for the first time … ever. And that’s because I sometimes prefer an appetizer as entrée. And sometimes we all prefer a nightcap rather than a dessert. But, going plan-bare into a Disney vacation is a little scary. So, we’re budgeting the cost of a Deluxe Dining Plan for our meals. And keeping our fingers crossed.

But, you know, having distilled the 2003 PassPorter and our planning for 2016 into the outlines that follow (I don’t do spreadsheets because I don’t have the faintest idea of how to do a spreadsheet) and looked at them for a day or so – side by side – I’ve discovered that I am just as happily excited – and impatient - for the new fun to happen as I was in 2002.

Notes:

I’m not certain that we’ll do the Specialty Party on our first evening. I want to do something that night to celebrate our first trip to Disney World in over a decade. I just don’t yet know what. And I haven’t given up on The Boathouse vs Raglan Road. But I am still outnumbered four-to-one.

We’ve constructed our daily schedules and chosen our FastPass+ selections (on a rainy day at the beach last month). I’ve submitted our room requests and tentative ADR list to the Itinerary Planning staff at The Beach Club. And I’ve begun to look for those juicy discounts that I’m told should appear at any moment now.

So, am I ahead? Or behind?

gg​

 

[Elevationist]

I changed my resort, and my dates (slightly)! Now going Oct. 21-28, but now staying at the Beach Club!

 

[Grandma G]

I changed my resort! Still going Oct. 22-28, but now staying at the Beach Club!

And that makes three ...

 

[GraceMonica]

Here's to Addiction! The Disney-Planning variety of that much-maligned behavior, that is.

We've been planning our next trip to The World since we handed back the keys to our Fort Wilderness cabin and golf cart in January of ... 2003. And we are now, finally, within less than a month - of being within less than a year - away from our arrival at The Beach Club. So, to celebrate that momentous milestone, a few days ago I dusted off the PassPorter for that absolutely wonderful, long-ago, trip . Because I was curious. Would the plans for our - very different in several pretty basic ways - 2016 trip look at all like those for that very favorite one? Would they look like as much ... fun?

The 2003 stay was truly a splurge for us (my daughter, granddaughter, grandson and me). We had never before been in the Parks during the Christmas - New Year Holiday. We had never before stayed at The Grand Floridian. And we certainly had never before booked a Platinum Plan. And, though The Grand Floridian became The Fort Wilderness Cabins, those nine days were everything we had dreamed they would be. And more. However, unless we were able to spend two or more weeks at Disney, I would never book the plan again. We simply couldn't manage to sample, in little more than one week, all (or even most) of the goodies that it offered up on its precious-metal platter. But, we did have such a great time ... trying! For instance, that is me (just below). High above a very frosty Bay Lake on the afternoon of New Year's Eve, 2003-2004.

October of 2016 will be another sort of visit. From its beginnings.

My son-in-law will be with us. And, in my son-in-law's case, that is a good thing ... But, unlike 2003 (when we all drove down), three of us (the two guys and my granddaughter) will fly into Orlando (from different airports). My daughter and I will drive. We've booked a two-bedroom suite. So, we'll have a bit more room. But no kitchen to go unused … again. And instead of our golf cart, we’ll have access to The BoardWalk’s delightful pedal-pushers. We’ll walk into Epcot. But drive, rather than boat, to The Magic Kingdom and the Monorail Resorts.

Because CL comes with the room, we’ll be able to grab breakfast in a WDW Club Lounge for the first time since we stayed at The Polynesian in the eighties. But we won’t have a WDW Dining Plan for the first time … ever. And that’s because I sometimes prefer an appetizer as entrée. And sometimes we all prefer a nightcap rather than a dessert. But, going plan-bare into a Disney vacation is a little scary. So, we’re budgeting the cost of a Deluxe Dining Plan for our meals. And keeping our fingers crossed.

But, you know, having distilled the 2003 PassPorter and our planning for 2016 into the outlines that follow (I don’t do spreadsheets because I don’t have the faintest idea of how to do a spreadsheet) and looked at them for a day or so – side by side – I’ve discovered that I am just as happily excited – and impatient - for the new fun to happen as I was in 2002.

Notes:

I’m not certain that we’ll do the Specialty Party on our first evening. I want to do something that night to celebrate our first trip to Disney World in over a decade. I just don’t yet know what. And I haven’t given up on The Boathouse vs Raglan Road. But I am still outnumbered four-to-one.

We’ve constructed our daily schedules and chosen our FastPass+ selections (on a rainy day at the beach last month). I’ve submitted our room requests and tentative ADR list to the Itinerary Planning staff at The Beach Club. And I’ve begun to look for those juicy discounts that I’m told should appear at any moment now.

So, am I ahead? Or behind?

gg​

1. I've stayed at BC CL back in 2013. It was so lovely! Great choice because they recently upgraded the lounge area. Perhaps one day I'll talk DH into letting me stay there again. (I'm on a quest to stay in all the resorts at least once, so staying in BC again would be counterproductive!)
2. I don't like the dining plan. I've used it once and while I enjoyed not having to worry about the price of my meal, I just didn't enjoy being tied to a reservation every single day. So this time around I'm just going to budget around $1000. It's more than we would spend on the regular dining plan but less than the deluxe dining plan. I love desserts...but about an hour after dinner. So this should be perfect for me!
3. I love your plans outline! I wish I was that far along with my plans! I'm planning on renting points and won't know which resort I'm staying at until 11 months out at the earliest! The beach club villas is one of my alternatives, so maybe it'll be a big dis gathering the week of the 22nd!

 

[Grandma G]

1. I've stayed at BC CL back in 2013. It was so lovely! Great choice because they recently upgraded the lounge area. Perhaps one day I'll talk DH into letting me stay there again. (I'm on a quest to stay in all the resorts at least once, so staying in BC again would be counterproductive!)

I'm really looking forward to being at The Beach Club again. We (my daughter, all three of my grandchildren and I) were last there twenty years ago (during the same week of October) in a first-floor room opening to the Quiet Pool. We've also stayed at BoardWalk Villas (my son-in-law's favorite). And I love the whole resort area's casual, fun and genuinely care-free atmosphere. It is, I think, a very happy place to be. I'm also really looking forward to the great help that the CL staff promises to be. It has been so long since we've been in WDW, we are, I'm sure, going to rely on them a great deal. I'm particularly looking forward to the new FP+ (texting) service. I'm a bit kiosk-challenged. And, according to the CL Castmembers I've spoken with, the service should still be available when we arrive in 2016.

But, because we usually take afternoon breaks in the Parks (with pretty leisurely table-service lunches) and schedule late (after-closing) dinners, other than during the early mornings we probably won't be able to spend much time in the lounge. But I keep looking at the pictures of those so-tempting afternoon and evening offerings and trying to find a way to be in two places at once.

I'm fascinated by your quest. How far along are you? I'm afraid I'm not quite so ambitious (or adventurous). I do want to stay at The Polynesian again. And my daughter would love to stay at The Contemporary. And both of us want to finally (it's a long story) spend at least one visit at The Grand Floridian. But, we are going to be able to spend one day and night at Animal Kingdom Lodge at the end of next year's trip. We've had dinner at Jiko and I could spend a very contented day just sitting in that lobby.

Then, of course, there is Wilderness Lodge (and the lobby thing, again). So, maybe I'm more ambitious than I thought.

2. I don't like the dining plan. I've used it once and while I enjoyed not having to worry about the price of my meal, I just didn't enjoy being tied to a reservation every single day. So this time around I'm just going to budget around $1000. It's more than we would spend on the regular dining plan but less than the deluxe dining plan. I love desserts...but about an hour after dinner. So this should be perfect for me!

Yes, it should! Do you suppose I could get Stone Harbor to box one plate of appetizers (for me) and four desserts (for the rest of the family) and leave them at our door each evening? With wine? ...

I don't mind reservations. As my grandmother said (frequently), I tend to lollygag. Reservations keep me moving. Too, I've also enjoyed not having to worry about the price of my meals. But, we have always managed to waste so much of the dining plans' benefit that we're going to try doing it on our own this time. After making certain that the credit cards have lots of breathing room.

3. I love your plans outline! I wish I was that far along with my plans! I'm planning on renting points and won't know which resort I'm staying at until 11 months out at the earliest! The beach club villas is one of my alternatives, so maybe it'll be a big dis gathering the week of the 22nd!

I'm sure that our plans will change a bit before next year. For instance, I thought that we'd be doing at least one or two of the Food and Wine Festival events. But my son-in-law is a very back-to-basics diner. As in, meat and potatoes. Literally. So it's very hard to convince him to show up for he-knows-not-what-on-a-plate. And I refuse to pay above and beyond the price of admission for the dubious privilege of standing about (no matter how exclusive the space) to eat and drink. Chairs are not without their reason for existence. But, with any luck, The Rockin' Burger Block Party will return next year (with a date in late October). And you just can't get much more basic (or comfy) than with a burger ... and chairs.

Speaking of existence ...

Until I began to read the threads here, I had no idea that the possiblity of renting Vacation Club points existed. And while I wish you the best of luck with your choices, a big dis gathering would be nice. With you and krsb09 booked at The Beach Club Villas, we'd be at five. And counting ...

 

[cwojchik]

Just new to this thread and just decided to go to Disney with family October 2016 I see mention of discounts for early spring of 2016. Does anyone know of an anticipated date and/or discount for October 2016? Recommend a specific thread that might alert me to upcoming Oct 2016 discounts? On a budget so need anything I can get!

 

[hsmamainva]

Tentatively joining along! Planning a short MNSSHP trip for September / October of next year! Me and the hubby and our 4 kids. 2 of them are in college so I have to wait until their Fall class schedules come out before I can pick any firm dates! Determined to do this before our 3rd heads off to college in 2017! Oh...and will be staying in one of the AOA family suites.

 

[vrajewski10513]

One year!!!!

 

[hsmamainva]

Decided to just go for it! October 20th - 25th! Art of Animation Lion King Family Suite

Realized that if I went with the latest week we were looking at in October, I wouldn't have to make our ADRs until late April -- plenty of time to see what the college class schedules look like!

And October feels more "Halloween-y" than September. LOL

 

[izzy25]

Nothing booked yet, but we are looking at 10/28-11/5. Still trying to decide on a resort, will most likely rent DVC, AK, BC or BW

We were there this time last year and can't wait to get back!!!

 

[absolutmey]

Update: Please change our dates to 10/29-11/6 and we've decided to sty at Ft. Wilderness Cabins

 

[Grandma G]

Update: Please change our dates to 10/29-11/6 and we've decided to sty at Ft. Wilderness Cabins

How nice! Our happiest family trip to WDW to date was spent at The Cabins. I hope you and your family will enjoy your time there as much as we did.

Have you stayed in Fort Wilderness before? Will you have a car with you? Because, for me, parking at our front door was pure pixie dust ...

 

[Eoywin]

365 days until I'm back at my favorite place in the world!!!