1-day visit in mid-October - Help!

[a-mad]

Hey everybody - I haven't been on this site seeking advice for awhile... but an opportunity is presenting itself and I'm looking at all my options.

We are doing an adults trip down to St Augustine. We are flying from Utah and got killer roundtrip airfare into Jacksonville ($150!). We are staying over a long weekend (we arrive Thursday night Oct 15 and depart Tuesday morning Oct 20). We are considering doing one day at WDW and are trying to determine which day and which park.

I'm guessing given that current operating hours are the same for weekdays as weekends that probably Friday or Monday would be best? We are infrequent visitors to WDW, so we are seriously thinking of trying for DHS so we can try and get on ROTR and M&MRR. None in our party have ridden ROTR on the west coast, and we have no idea when the DLR will even open. We would be happy at any park, honestly... but this is our current thinking.

How far in advance would you recommend purchasing your ticket so you can get the park rez for DHS? Have they been selling out for weekends quite far in advance? I notice that the days around Labor Day weekend are all gone. Maybe we'll be safe on a Friday or Monday, but I don't want to miss out if given the opportunity.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Wild4Walt]

I'd purchase tickets as soon as possible as but before you purchase look at the calendar and see what park is available the day you purchase.

Our go to would be MK if we only had 1 day but that's because it's my husbands favorite. If you do go with HS, keep in mind wait times until the afternoon can be his for M&MRR and you want to try and get on the app for the 10a boarding pass. If there are other things at HS that you will do/see if you can't get on ROTR then I'd say go for that one.