Anyone just back?

[DISFANSHAN]

We're going first week of October next year and was wondering about :
1. The weather.....still hot?

2. The crowds? Fastpasses needed on any attractions?

3. MNSSHP...I'm figuring (hoping) that the party won't be that crowded the first week of Oct....not too many are in the Halloween mode that early!

Thanks for any input!

 

[AFMom]

Just got back on Tuesday. Hot Hot Hot!!!! Also still very humid! Never needed any sort of pants or sweater - only shorts and light shirts, and we were sweating like crazy! As far as crowds, we went to MK last Thursday and never waited in line. I would say onyl needed fast passes in the middle of the day in Fantasy Land! Wednesday at MGM was completely dead - walked onto everything! Sunday at Epcot was more busy because of F & W, but still not bad at all - we Fastpassed Mission Space and Test Track, but everything else was no problem. AK was slightly mobbed this Monday, but I think it was more just crowded walking than long lines. All in all - not bad. I've never been at peak times, so I can't compare - but I think you'll have a good trip!

 

[danny1649]

We are planning a trip next year during that time frame,thanks for the information.

 

[kilee]

We were just there too. Did 9/29-10/4. It was wonderful crowd wise--- only I too thought the heat was a bit burdensome. We don't usually take mid-day breaks at our hotel. Only we had to this time. I looked up on my laptop each night what they high temp hit for the day and it was over 90-92 all but one day of the trip-- that day it was 89. It was very sunny w/ no rain. I know rain was moving in the afternoon we left the airport but up to that point we literally had two 5 minute sprinkle episodes.

We also found virtually no crowds. We did AK Thurs 9-30. No FP's because there wasn't a need for most rides. Even the safari was only a 10 min wait mid-day. We did Epcot Sunday too! We did have to FP Test Track as by the time we got there the wait was 60 minutes. However, DS and DH did Mission Space standby at 2pm and the wait time posted was 5 min and they said it only took about 10 actual minutes to get on. Not too bad for middle of the afternoon. Also did MGM on Sat 10-2 and didn't arrive until noon (something we never do- always there at opening). I thought arriving so late and being a Sat, we weren't going to be able to do anything. We did everything we wanted. We even ate dinner at Prime Time at 5pm w/ no PS. I didn't really think they'd have anything but we were seated within a few minutes and the place was pretty empty. We only did MK during MNSSHP- so I don't know how the daytime crowds were there. The one place I thought was really crowded both times we visited though was DTD.

As for MNSSHP-- we did the first one. Perfect- I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It was so empty. At one point DH, DS and I were the only one's walking through Fantasyland. We walked onto Peter Pan and there wasn't another sole around!!!! We only had about 6 other people in the Haunted Mansion pre-show room w/ us too. Much better than the sold-out 10/31 party we went to last year.

 

[CVW]

Some thoughts on crowds at MK: The only time we got to hating the crowds were on Tuesday early afternoon in Fantasyland.

Stick with the "Unofficial" discipline and do Fantasyland first. The other sections were more manageable, but Splash Mountain was continually breaking down, which made for long lines. (It broke down three times in the two days that we visited.)

Interestingly, we chose Tuesday, which was the only day of Spectromagic. This may have been why the crowds were up a bit.

THEN we went back again on Friday, even though the park was closing at six o'clock for MNSSHP.

The park was VERY manageable. No lines anywhere (except at the again breaking down Splash Mountain, and fifteen minutes at Thunder Mountain which absorbed the Splash Mountain reject crowd.

My advice: Go to MK on the day of MNSSHP even though the park closes early. The early closing scares away the crowds and made it the lightest day at any park our entire trip. We had finished an entire day's itinerary by four o'clock.

 

[Lindamary123]

I'm leaving tonight for the weekend so I will see how the crowds are. I think it will be pretty crowded though because of the F&W festival.

 

[craziefortigger]

Went for a short trip Oct 1 and 2nd, did the 1st MNSSHP....it was warm, uncrowded and THESE BEST TRIP I have ever had.

The 1st weekend in Oct will be a must do every yr.

Have fun!!!
Patty

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

We were up there last weekend (10/2-3). It's still pretty hot - hotter than I expected it to be, but at least the afternoon storms have stopped (no need to drag the ponchos around with us!) We got to TL around noon on Saturday and parked in about the fifth row from the main entrance. It wasn't crowded there at all - no lines really for anything - and it was perfect weather for TL.

We went to Epcot that evening for the F&WF and it was crowded -not mobbed - but crowded. It was the opening weekend of the F&WF though. Still, we sampled lots of food and got a great spot for Illuminations with no problem.

Sunday we went to MGM in the morning and had about a 10 minute wait at the ToT while we waited for our FastPass time on the RRC. It didn't seem very crowded there to me. After hitting those two rides and some stores we headed back to Epcot for more F&WF but it was just too hot to be sampling food and wine. We made one loop around the world showcase, and then headed back to TL!

I think October is the best time of year at WDW. The weather is generally warm, but not steamy, and the crowds are moderate. You'll have a great time!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We too were there Oct. 1-4 and went to MNSSHP on the 3rd which was perfect! No lines to speak of. Splash Mountain was down for much of the time, but we did head over there after the fireworks and walked on!! Typhoon Lagoon did get pretty crowded on Saturday, but there always were some tubes floating by on the lazy river.

We've penciled a first weekend trip in October for next year as well, it was wonderful.

Bobbi

 

[DISFANSHAN]

Thanks for all the info........sounds like a great time of the year to go! I can deal w/ the heat....it's the crowds I hate!!!
We've gone the first week of December a few times . It used to be dead then, but recently the crowds have gotten heavier that week.....I guess word got out about how nice it is to go then.
I'm glad to hear some of you say the first week of Oct is the only time you would go!!!! Makes me that more excited for my trip!!!
Now if I could only make the next year go by a little faster........

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We were there 9/28-10/2 and I agree that there were no crowds. Of course we arrived a couple of days after Jeanne, so I'm sure that had something to do with it.

It was VERY hot, though, which tired me out quickly.

We pulled fastpasses for MGM on Saturday, thinking that the ride would be busy during the fastpass window, but we never needed to use them.

All in all a good time, but the heat did take a toll.

T&B

 

[Fastcars]

Except for being HOT every day we had a great time and the lines were very short. This is our 3rd year for visiting the first days of Oct. Saturday night the 10-2 MK was crowded for the night parade but afterwards rode Buzz and SM before the park closed with no wait. Thursday 9-30 MK was all to ourselves. WE rode the mountains with no waiting in line. We would ride and then get right back on no trouble