Columbus Day Weekend?

[NewbieMouse]

We usually go around Christmas every year but won't be able to this going holiday season. I am debating a trip on Columbus Day Weekend (October 6-10) and wanted to get feedback on crowds. Normally when we go at Christmas we avoid the really bad week between Christmas & New Years, usually attending the week before or after - so not particularly slow, but not insane either.

For Columbus Day Weekend, it looks like there will be 2 Halloween Party nights while we are there (Friday and Monday) which we won't be attending. One of the days is listed as a 9 for crowds (Saturday - my birthday ), and I'm not really sure how the special parties affect things, so thought I would ask some experienced DISers what that timeframe might be like. Would be staying offsite at either BWPPI or PVI.

TIA!

 

[CateinPhoenix]

The Sunday of that weekend is the annual CHOC benefit walk and the crowds are the worst I've ever seen them that day. Participants get a ticket to Disneyland for after the Walk. The Thursday and Friday prior were nice, weather was great and crowds weren't too bad. Can't comments on actual Columbus Day because we usually are heading for home on Monday.

 

[IBLarsen]

The Sunday of that weekend is the annual CHOC benefit walk and the crowds are the worst I've ever seen them that day. Participants get a ticket to Disneyland for after the Walk. The Thursday and Friday prior were nice, weather was great and crowds weren't too bad. Can't comments on actual Columbus Day because we usually are heading for home on Monday.

I had read that this year the CHOC walk is later October. We were looking at going Columbus Weekend as well when I read that. We've since decided to fit in a summer trip instead. But October is my very favorite time of year to go to Disney! I love the fall decorations.

 

[tlovesdis]

CHOC Walk is Oct 30th this year.

 

[NewbieMouse]

Hmmmm..... I wonder what's happening on the 8th which is making it a 9/10?

 

[tlovesdis]

Well it's a Saturday during Halloweentime on a holiday weekend when lots of schools have fall break! Saturday's are always busy, add in all the other stuff and I can see how it would be super busy.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Hmmmm..... I wonder what's happening on the 8th which is making it a 9/10?

Aren't the crowd predictions somewhat based on the past? If the CHOC walk has historically been that Sun in Oct that would explain the high crowd predictions.

 

[ChloroformSdxn]

It's also Canadian Thanksgiving, so a long weekend for us across the country. I know we went in 2014. Definitely busier than when we went in February, but it wasn't awful.

 

[Imdboss]

We've been numerous times over that weekend at it's really busy. Last time was in 2014, Wed was quite pleasant, Thurs a noticeable difference in crowds but not bad, Fri we only did MHP which was great, Sat and Sun were crazy busy and Mon was even more crowded. After that trip we decided to try Aug to find lower crowds. Hopefully this year won't be quite as bad since CHOC walk has moved but I'd still expect pretty heavy crowds with the ever growing popularity of Halloweentime and schools that are on break at that time.

 

[lawdvd]

We've been there the past two years this weekend which did include CHOC Walk. Busy, but not crazy. We're going again this year and expect it to be not as bad on Sunday without the (awesome!) CHOC Walk contingent.

 

[poohnpigletCA]

Keep in mind many schools have that week off. I am in Northern CA and most Charter schools have that week off. Also, Utah and Arizona I believe.

 

[NewbieMouse]

It's also Canadian Thanksgiving, so a long weekend for us across the country. I know we went in 2014. Definitely busier than when we went in February, but it wasn't awful.

That's why we're going

I'm torn now - I don't want a crowd nightmare, although it seems like now it's always crowded....

 

[Meldev]

Keep in mind many schools have that week off. I am in Northern CA and most Charter schools have that week off. Also, Utah and Arizona I believe.

Is that typically the week of Columbus Day or week prior that they have off? We plan to hit parks 10/4-10/7

 

[Kindermouse]

The October breaks for schools tend to shift around a bit from year to year. My school is out the 3rd-10th. Other schools not too far away are doing the 7th-14th. It's not a set in stone thing for most districts.

 

[allsaintsatx]

We went last year during the CHOC walk and it was busy, but no busier than we've experienced in the past during our summer trips. Manageable, I think is the word. I was always under the assumption that any day of any month that kids don't have to be in school is gonna be busy. We're just happy that there's a 3 day weekend between summer and Xmas where we can take a quick weekend trip to Disneyland!

 

[Spyral]

Our district is smaller than most in the AZ area, but our fall break is 10/3-10/14 (2 weeks). We did a 6-night trip last year during the first week of Fall break (it started end of Sept last year). Crowds weren't too terrible. The crowds got heavier as approached the weekend which was the start of Gay Days. That Saturday was very crowded (well, at least I thought so). But it was still manageable. With crowds, just need to go at a different pace, and not be upset if certain lines are long, or don't get to ride everything want to. For us, that Saturday was our last day, so we just wanted to re-visit a few rides.