1st Week of November

[DisneyStarWisher]

As I posted on another thread, I may have to move my WDW trip from the 1st week of October to the 1st week of November due to work conflicts. I have never been in November. Right now, the plan is to maybe fly down late the night of October 31 (a Tuesday) and fly back the night of November 5 (a Sunday). On this trip, we will have only two park days due to NE tickets, which is fine because we love the resorts as much as the parks.

I want to do the Food and Wine Festival both days. I've heard to avoid the weekends, so my thinking was to do Epcot on Wednesday night and Friday morning. I want to see the regular MK fireworks too, and from looking at past schedules, I don't think there will be any MNSSHPs or MVMCPs going on during this time. Is that safe to say???

I know the Wine and Dine marathon will be going on that weekend. What can I expect with that? I realize there will be more crowds (I think this is the beginning of Jersey Week, too?), but since I won't be actually going into the parks on Saturday or Sunday, will it really affect me?

Any helpful hints will be appreciated!!!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

It'll be busy with the race and everything but it's not terrible. I do agree you'll likely miss the last MNSSHP and the first MVMCP too. That possibly could be the Sunday you leave or else the next Tuesday.

 

[NJ Goofy]

You'll get more of a crowd from the race than Jersey Week. Jersey week this year will be the 5th thru the 12th more or less. It will be crowded but not summer crowds and usually the weather is great, high 70's or low 80's in the day and mid 60's at night with very little rain. I agree about Food & Wine, Friday & Saturday nights are a no go for us. Last time we were at F&W we did one weeknight and were there for lunch one day, we basically ate our way around WS !!

 

[jerseyduke]

You are almost certainly going to miss both parties/parades. Last year the last Halloween parade was on the 31st.

You will be there during the beginning of jersey week. Food and wine at Epcot can be a ZOOOOOOOOOO on the weekends, so weekdays are certainly better. That weekend is the beginning of "Jersey Week". The NJ Teachers have a convention on Thursday and Friday, so it's a 3 day school week, some parents will pull their kids out for those 3 days to get the whole week, while others just make it a 4 day or so...I think you will miss the worst of the Jersey Week Crowd, as it will be later in the week after you leave.

If it were me, I would plan on enjoying the resort on the weekend, and enjoy the parks during the week..if you do that, I do not think the crowds will be bad.

 

[keishashadow]

As I posted on another thread, I may have to move my WDW trip from the 1st week of October to the 1st week of November due to work conflicts. I have never been in November. Right now, the plan is to maybe fly down late the night of October 31 (a Tuesday) and fly back the night of November 5 (a Sunday). On this trip, we will have only two park days due to NE tickets, which is fine because we love the resorts as much as the parks.

I want to do the Food and Wine Festival both days. I've heard to avoid the weekends, so my thinking was to do Epcot on Wednesday night and Friday morning. I want to see the regular MK fireworks too, and from looking at past schedules, I don't think there will be any MNSSHPs or MVMCPs going on during this time. Is that safe to say???

I know the Wine and Dine marathon will be going on that weekend. What can I expect with that? I realize there will be more crowds (I think this is the beginning of Jersey Week, too?), but since I won't be actually going into the parks on Saturday or Sunday, will it really affect me?

Any helpful hints will be appreciated!!!

Firm it up soon, surprised in '15 I had to WL to piece a trip together in order to snag a studio @ SSR that week starting several months out.

It was busier than I expected re the race crowd. Check the free crowd calendars such as Undercover Tourist.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

You are almost certainly going to miss both parties/parades. Last year the last Halloween parade was on the 31st.

You will be there during the beginning of jersey week. Food and wine at Epcot can be a ZOOOOOOOOOO on the weekends, so weekdays are certainly better. That weekend is the beginning of "Jersey Week". The NJ Teachers have a convention on Thursday and Friday, so it's a 3 day school week, some parents will pull their kids out for those 3 days to get the whole week, while others just make it a 4 day or so...I think you will miss the worst of the Jersey Week Crowd, as it will be later in the week after you leave.

If it were me, I would plan on enjoying the resort on the weekend, and enjoy the parks during the week..if you do that, I do not think the crowds will be bad.

That's the plan. I'm just wondering about Epcot on a Friday morning. We will probably do F&W for lunch, then hop over to MK for the evening.

Firm it up soon, surprised in '15 I had to WL to piece a trip together in order to snag a studio @ SSR that week starting several months out.

It was busier than I expected re the race crowd. Check the free crowd calendars such as Undercover Tourist.

We are planning on finalizing the plans by the end of this month. That is right before the 7-month window, and hopefully, flight prices will be out by then.

 

[cvjw]

In past years, the last Halloween party was the first of November. I think they stopped last year on Halloween, but that did not use to be the case.

We went the first week of November a few years back and attended the last Halloween party and the first Christmas party. We were nervous about the jersey week crowds, but it was fine.

 

[jerseyduke]

That's the plan. I'm just wondering about Epcot on a Friday morning. We will probably do F&W for lunch, then hop over to MK for the evening.

Currently it is MK that has extra magic hours on Friday, so I would not expect it to be a particularly bad day at Epcot. The weekends get bad, locals off, etc.
If things change, adjust. I personally avoid the parks that have extra magic hours that day like the plague. But (current) MK EMH are in the morning, MK tends to thin out at night some

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

In past years, the last Halloween party was the first of November. I think they stopped last year on Halloween, but that did not use to be the case.

We went the first week of November a few years back and attended the last Halloween party and the first Christmas party. We were nervous about the jersey week crowds, but it was fine.

From what I remember they sometimes did a party on Nov 1st if it fell on a weekend. It's mid week this year so unlikely to happen.

 

[Anal Annie]

That's the plan. I'm just wondering about Epcot on a Friday morning. We will probably do F&W for lunch, then hop over to MK for the evening.


We are planning on finalizing the plans by the end of this month. That is right before the 7-month window, and hopefully, flight prices will be out by then.

I think EP on a Fri. morning will be fine. We went Nov. 7-11 in 2015 which was our first F&W experience. It was race week and extrordinarily HOT that week - and EP was very crowded on the weekend. But we liked it enough that we now want to try to go for F&W every year if we can.

RE: flights...if you're thinking of using SW the next release date is scheduled for March 16th and the schedule will go thru Nov. 3rd. So you'll be able to book your flight going down but not your return yet. (Which is what just happened to us for our Sept. trip. I was able to book are flights down but not home.) And just FYI from my experience from MCO to BWI at least the Sunday flights are a lot higher than mid-week.

https://www.southwest.com/air/flight-schedules/index.html?clk=GFOOTER-FLY-FLTSCHEDULES

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I think EP on a Fri. morning will be fine. We went Nov. 7-11 in 2015 which was our first F&W experience. It was race week and extrordinarily HOT that week - and EP was very crowded on the weekend. But we liked it enough that we now want to try to go for F&W every year if we can.

RE: flights...if you're thinking of using SW the next release date is scheduled for March 16th and the schedule will go thru Nov. 3rd. So you'll be able to book your flight going down but not your return yet. (Which is what just happened to us for our Sept. trip. I was able to book are flights down but not home.) And just FYI from my experience from MCO to BWI at least the Sunday flights are a lot higher than mid-week.

https://www.southwest.com/air/flight-schedules/index.html?clk=GFOOTER-FLY-FLTSCHEDULES

I was hoping to have all the flight information before the 7-month mark. Oh well. How does that work? Do you have to book a one-way flight? Isn't that more expensive? Wouldn't it just better to wait and book a round-trip flight when they release the dates? I don't fly a lot, so I don't know much about this.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I was hoping to have all the flight information before the 7-month mark. Oh well. How does that work? Do you have to book a one-way flight? Isn't that more expensive? Wouldn't it just better to wait and book a round-trip flight when they release the dates? I don't fly a lot, so I don't know much about this.

Round trips rarely are any different than booking individual one way tickets with any of the airlines. The catch can be cancellations if it's with an airline that charges a fee for that but with SWA they don't have the fee so no worries that way either.

 

[Anal Annie]

I was hoping to have all the flight information before the 7-month mark. Oh well. How does that work? Do you have to book a one-way flight? Isn't that more expensive? Wouldn't it just better to wait and book a round-trip flight when they release the dates? I don't fly a lot, so I don't know much about this.

There's no difference with airlines like SW and / or Jet Blue. It is very common to book one-ways. It also makes it easy to watch & get a credit if the fares should drop after you book it.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I think EP on a Fri. morning will be fine. We went Nov. 7-11 in 2015 which was our first F&W experience. It was race week and extrordinarily HOT that week - and EP was very crowded on the weekend. But we liked it enough that we now want to try to go for F&W every year if we can.

RE: flights...if you're thinking of using SW the next release date is scheduled for March 16th and the schedule will go thru Nov. 3rd. So you'll be able to book your flight going down but not your return yet. (Which is what just happened to us for our Sept. trip. I was able to book are flights down but not home.) And just FYI from my experience from MCO to BWI at least the Sunday flights are a lot higher than mid-week.

https://www.southwest.com/air/flight-schedules/index.html?clk=GFOOTER-FLY-FLTSCHEDULES

Would you have any idea about when they would release the schedule for November 4th on? Since November 3 is five weeks after September 29, I am assuming the new schedule would come out around April 20?

 

[Anal Annie]

Would you have any idea about when they would release the schedule for November 4th on? Since November 3 is five weeks after September 29, I am assuming the new schedule would come out around April 20?

They release pretty often - not sure there's a schedule for it. They JUST released the dates from mid-August thru Sept. 29th last week on the 23rd and at the same they time changed their announcement for the next release date to be March 16th for the next batch. So every few weeks or so. Save or bookmark that link I posted and then check it again on the 16th for the next update. I was hoping they'd releasae beyond the 29th (we need Oct. 1st) but they didn't so I went ahead and booked our flights going down on the morning of the 23rd so I could guarantee opening day pricing for that leg. They typically start loading the fares by around 6:30 am but sometimes later. This last time it was closer to 8:00 (I checked at 6:20, then 7:00 then 8:00 and they were finally there but I read that some weren't posted until 8:15.)

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

They release pretty often - not sure there's a schedule for it. They JUST released the dates from mid-August thru Sept. 29th last week on the 23rd and at the same they time changed their announcement for the next release date to be March 16th for the next batch. So every few weeks or so. Save or bookmark that link I posted and then check it again on the 16th for the next update. I was hoping they'd releasae beyond the 29th (we need Oct. 1st) but they didn't so I went ahead and booked our flights going down on the morning of the 23rd so I could guarantee opening day pricing for that leg. They typically start loading the fares by around 6:30 am but sometimes later. This last time it was closer to 8:00 (I checked at 6:20, then 7:00 then 8:00 and they were finally there but I read that some weren't posted until 8:15.)

So they are cheapest when you book the first day they are released? (Sorry for the ignorance.)

 

[Anal Annie]

So they are cheapest when you book the first day they are released? (Sorry for the ignorance.)

Well, often they are the cheapest then but I can't guarantee that but that's the general consensus I think over on the transporation board (there's a whole SW thread over there).
https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...tions-etc-here.2500174/page-123#post-57170662 (See post #2408 on pg. 121)

Sometimes they go up really fast right after they're released and sometimes they sit at that price for awhile then start fluctuating. Sometimes different flights will go up or down on the same day - I guess depending on which ones are selling faster I suppose. I always try to book on opening day if I can (if we have a trip in the planning stages) if the fares look decent (generally for us that means in the $72-$89 range each way). I've had pretty good luck finding decent prices on opening day in the past. And I've seen them go up on the same day.

I watch our regular routes often and I try to be aware of the going rate so I'll know a good fare when I see it. No matter when I book I continue to watch fares after I book and will re-book for a credit if they do go down. I was able to snag 3 credits for our January trip before we went. I wasn't able to use those credits for me & DH for this Sept. trip because our original booking dates didn't work BUT I WAS able to use DS's credits toward a flight home for him over his college spring break. (He's taking Amtrak to Detroit with a friend for the 1st half of spring break then flying home for the last few days - the first time I looked the fare from DTW to BWI was $59. I went back later that day and it was down to $41 and I had $30 in credits saved up so I ended up paying less than $10 for that flight!!) AND by watching the SW site constantly I was able to catch a 3-day sale last October where I was able to book DS's flights round trip for winter break between Baltimore and Rochester (NY) for $49 each way!! I normally consider a fair price for his college breaks around $90-$115 each way so $49 was OUTSTANDING. Once the $100ish fares are gone they can go UP to closer to $150-200 as it's a smaller plane that flys the route - so it's supply & demand. It pays to know a good fare on a route when you see it.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Well, often they are the cheapest then but I can't guarantee that but that's the general consensus I think over on the transporation board (there's a whole SW thread over there).
https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...tions-etc-here.2500174/page-123#post-57170662 (See post #2408 on pg. 121)

Sometimes they go up really fast right after they're released and sometimes they sit at that price for awhile then start fluctuating. Sometimes different flights will go up or down on the same day - I guess depending on which ones are selling faster I suppose. I always try to book on opening day if I can (if we have a trip in the planning stages) if the fares look decent (generally for us that means in the $72-$89 range each way). I've had pretty good luck finding decent prices on opening day in the past. And I've seen them go up on the same day.

I watch our regular routes often and I try to be aware of the going rate so I'll know a good fare when I see it. No matter when I book I continue to watch fares after I book and will re-book for a credit if they do go down. I was able to snag 3 credits for our January trip before we went. I wasn't able to use those credits for me & DH for this Sept. trip because our original booking dates didn't work BUT I WAS able to use DS's credits toward a flight home for him over his college spring break. (He's taking Amtrak to Detroit with a friend for the 1st half of spring break then flying home for the last few days - the first time I looked the fare from DTW to BWI was $59. I went back later that day and it was down to $41 and I had $30 in credits saved up so I ended up paying less than $10 for that flight!!) AND by watching the SW site constantly I was able to catch a 3-day sale last October where I was able to book DS's flights round trip for winter break between Baltimore and Rochester (NY) for $49 each way!! I normally consider a fair price for his college breaks around $90-$115 each way so $49 was OUTSTANDING. Once the $100ish fares are gone they can go UP to closer to $150-200 as it's a smaller plane that flys the route - so it's supply & demand. It pays to know a good fare on a route when you see it.

Thanks for all the information!!!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Well, often they are the cheapest then but I can't guarantee that but that's the general consensus I think over on the transporation board (there's a whole SW thread over there).
https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...tions-etc-here.2500174/page-123#post-57170662 (See post #2408 on pg. 121)

Sometimes they go up really fast right after they're released and sometimes they sit at that price for awhile then start fluctuating. Sometimes different flights will go up or down on the same day - I guess depending on which ones are selling faster I suppose. I always try to book on opening day if I can (if we have a trip in the planning stages) if the fares look decent (generally for us that means in the $72-$89 range each way). I've had pretty good luck finding decent prices on opening day in the past. And I've seen them go up on the same day.

I watch our regular routes often and I try to be aware of the going rate so I'll know a good fare when I see it. No matter when I book I continue to watch fares after I book and will re-book for a credit if they do go down. I was able to snag 3 credits for our January trip before we went. I wasn't able to use those credits for me & DH for this Sept. trip because our original booking dates didn't work BUT I WAS able to use DS's credits toward a flight home for him over his college spring break. (He's taking Amtrak to Detroit with a friend for the 1st half of spring break then flying home for the last few days - the first time I looked the fare from DTW to BWI was $59. I went back later that day and it was down to $41 and I had $30 in credits saved up so I ended up paying less than $10 for that flight!!) AND by watching the SW site constantly I was able to catch a 3-day sale last October where I was able to book DS's flights round trip for winter break between Baltimore and Rochester (NY) for $49 each way!! I normally consider a fair price for his college breaks around $90-$115 each way so $49 was OUTSTANDING. Once the $100ish fares are gone they can go UP to closer to $150-200 as it's a smaller plane that flys the route - so it's supply & demand. It pays to know a good fare on a route when you see it.

Anal Annie, I have some questions for you. I did not book our flights the day they came out. They were $125 each way, which is the typical rate. But I just checked them again, and the flight back had dropped to $114. After taxes and fees, it will save us over $60. I went ahead and booked. My question is how can I "rebook for a credit." Do you mean that you book at the new rate and then cancel the old, but instead of them giving you a credit on your credit card, they give you a credit toward a different flight? I'm just trying to understand it all. TIA!

 

[Anal Annie]

Anal Annie, I have some questions for you. I did not book our flights the day they came out. They were $125 each way, which is the typical rate. But I just checked them again, and the flight back had dropped to $114. After taxes and fees, it will save us over $60. I went ahead and booked. My question is how can I "rebook for a credit." Do you mean that you book at the new rate and then cancel the old, but instead of them giving you a credit on your credit card, they give you a credit toward a different flight? I'm just trying to understand it all. TIA!

Yes, you go in and select the flight again and just rebook it and you get a credit on your account. It will be good for one year from when you first booked it. I think it's under Manage Flights or something. It's very simple.

I booked our September trip each way on their opening days and they have both gone up. Possible they could drop for a day sometime but I won't hold my breath.