Columbus Day weekend/week 2016?

[Luisfba]

I need some help narrowing down when I should go. Usually we go mid-late April (we are from MA and that's our kids' spring break) every couple of years. We have found that to be a great combo of crowd levels (4-5 level crowds), weather is perfect, and price. But... on 2017 that happens to be the week after Easter. My understanding is the crowds will be insane, so I'm trying to see what are potentially better options which could leverage time off from school for the kids. The other week long break is Presidents Day week, which sounds almost as bad as Easter time (?).

So I'm trying to see what may work out in the fall. I am considering a long weekend starting the Friday of Columbus Day weekend (October 7), and returning Wednesday October 12 (or potentially Saturday Oct 8 to Thursday Oct 13). This leverages 2 days off from school that week (Monday is Columbus Day, and they are getting that Wednesday off for Yom Kippur).

I was hoping for some feedback/insight. I understand Columbus day weekend/week crowds will not be as favorable as our usual late April, but it looks like it would be manageable and (significantly?) better than Easter week or President's week (?). How about the weather? (concerned with temperature/humidity as well as hurricane season)

Recommendations between the options are much welcome...

Thanks very much

PS - In the past I have struggled with getting the family going super early. It seems we are a 9:30-ish start crowd, then we hang to early afternoon (3'ish) before we head home. Rinse-repeat. That approach works on the usual low-ish crowd weeks.. and my understanding is it wouldn't work on Easter/President's Day.. but would it work Columbus Day timeframe?

 

[Mikie]

[QUOTE="Luisfba, post: 55815168, member: 574180
I was hoping for some feedback/insight. I understand Columbus day weekend/week crowds will not be as favorable as our usual late April, but it looks like it would be manageable and (significantly?) better than Easter week or President's week (?). How about the weather? (concerned with temperature/humidity as well as hurricane season)

[/QUOTE]
Love fall travel to WDW and have been several Columbus day weeks. It is nowhere near as low-crowd as September, but still far better than many spring break weeks and the other week you are considering right after Easter. Weather is wonderful. Not nearly as stifling or humid as summer, yet plenty of Florida sunshine. Kids think its fine for swimming, though I sometimes think it's too cool for it. It's not like you can't get rain, but you generally don't get the daily afternoon T-storms

Your timing of a day will work ok over Columbus week, but you will need to be careful about park hours. AK will be running later hours than any prior fall, so that's a game-changer opening up possibilities. However, October means Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. You may find this an event worth attending, but no matter what it will effect your MK days. MK closes very early (7pm) to non-party guests on MNSSHP nights BUT that means many people avoid MK on those days, making the park much easier to navigate. MK will be much more crowded on non-party days because those are the only days non-party goers get to stay later into the evening and enjoy night parade and fireworks. We like to use party days and arrive just a few minutes after 9am opening (I hate the initial waiting around and crush of people) then ride and tour throughout the morning. For a break, we book a Table Service lunch in the park or at a nearby monorail resort, then return to use up every available minute til 7. Then we take a boat or monorail to a counter service at a nearby resort before heading home. that makes for about a 12 hour day from 9-9 (possibly a bit longer with travel back to home resort) and with the lower MK crowds, we don't feel shortchanged by the early closing.

Food and Wine Festival will be going on in Epcot that time of year, which will affect any time spent in World Showcase. The food and wine booths offer delicious treats, but it gets VERY crowded there, especially on the weekends. We try to visit WS on a weekday and starting right around 11, as crowds build as the afternoon/evening progresses. Future World and ride waits there aren't nearly as affected.

President's Day week would be expected to be a step or two more crowded every day than the Columbus Day week.

 

[Luisfba]

Thanks.

If we go Columbus Day (strongly leaning to this trip over the two other options), then I'll certainly take advantage of the party days. We aren't usually late night people so I would plan on doing an MK day on a party day (on my trip that's either Columbus day or the day after). May or may not actually make it to the party. While I think it would be cool to go, not sure our short trip can easily accommodate that without making everything feel too packed in.