crowds for oct

[Dznypal]

my hubby and i are going disney for our anniversary (all by ourselves no kids ) and i was wondering how busy the parks will be oct 11-16 are there any special events going on esides the starting of the 100 yrs of magic such as schools being off as ive been reading about for nov thanks for any and all help

were going to disney world were goping to disney world!!!

 

[SNOWBOARDER]

We went in October of '99, for the beginning of the Millenium Celebration, and the crowds weren't bad at all. The longest wait was at the Test Track, at Epcot, and we bypassed that by using the Singles line. In fact, we took pictures of the Attraction Boards,(that showed "0" minute wait times),just to rub it in to our friends, who typically go in June! I have heard that it was slightly more crowded last Oct. Hope this helps!!

 

[courtneysunshine]

You are definitely choosing a good time to go. Although the past two summers have seen a decline in the crowds, they are still one of the most crowded times. After Labor Day, during the week the parks are almost bare. Obviously the weekends can be crowded with Florida residents and our friendly snowbirds down in October. Check the park operating hour during the time you are going and if they are closing early, 6 or 7pm for the Magic Kingdom, 8pm for MGM, than the parks won't be crowded. Just don't go during Thanksgiving Week or Christmas and New Years! If you go during these times you won't be able to move!

We live close to Disney and go throughout the year (we get the Florida Resident passes) and have since the park was built so we try to go during times we know will be pleasant. October should also be nice weather wise. It should be cooler (in the 80's), maybe even the 70's. Hope you have a great time with your husband There are lots of things for adults to do and many, many inexpensive ways of doing them at Disney.


courtneysunshine

 

[Dznypal]

thanks for the words of encouragement for our oct trip we are just so hyped to be going (and going alone) that we want everything to go perfectly

 

[siffen]

...just wanted to say this is good news for me and my wife too.

We are going in the exactly same dates as you, and we are traveling from Norway. It's our honeymoon

I believe there will be more crowds the weekend before on columbus day.
By the way; we plan to stay off-site, but find a deasent cheap hotel/motel around Int.Drive at arrival, any tips for us? Do you believe it's a big risk not to book in advance?

 

[ilovemky]

You can get such great deals now--please re-consider staying on site- ( I have heard you can get All Stars for abourt $49 a nite!!!!)(go to mousesavers.com)-you will be so much happier! The resorts are nicer, the CMs are fabulous and tell them it is your honeymoon and you may be surprised at the little extras you might get! I highly recommend going to the Cinderella Castle lunch and tell them it is your honeymoon---we did and got a WONDERFUL GIFT! WOW!

We will be there on Oct 15-22 for our 9th anniversary--

happy travels!

 

[courtneysunshine]

Hi Siffen,

Wow! Will this be a change for you since you live in Norway. I agree that you really are better off staying on-site, unless you decide to visit other Orlando attractions. In this case I would definitely rent a car. Staying on-site is so much easier. You have the early openings for guests staying on-site and after a day at the parks it is nice be able to get back to the hotel room quickly and relax by the pool. We have a camper and stay at Fort Wilderness, but back when we used to stay in a hotel, we still stayed on-site. A lot of the rooms around International drive are not very nice and the price, at least now, is around the Disney range.

The $49/night at the All Stars, I was told was for Florida Residents only, but Disney is trying to get people to the parks since the attendance is down so it may be open to everyone. If you do decide to stay in the park, make reservations NOW. A lot of times people reserve rooms in advance and don't cancel until the last minute so the rooms can qo quickly, especially on the weekend. When you reserve the room, ask the person taking the reservations if they have any specials on rooms. A lot of times they do, but you have to ask. Definitely let them know it is your honeymoon. Also, some medium price rooms, for example Port Orleans, Dixie Landings, and Caribbean Beach, can have terrific values and the rooms are much nicer than at the All-Stars. Also, if you have an American Express card and use it to make reservations, you get what they call the "White Glove" treatment...it does make a difference in the way you are treated and you also get a few gifts on check-in.

Hope you have a terrific time on your Honeymoon and hope this helps

 

[siffen]

...thx for the reply!

We plan to see US and SW as well on our honeymoon. Thats why we consider hotel around Int.Drive. We also just plan to see MK and EP, not AK and MGM.

Of course we will miss something by doing this, but as I have understood; u can't do Disney in a week, so we have made our choices to these parks.......but u'll never now; we might re-schedule!
After beeing in Orlando area for five days, we plan to drive south on west coast, possible down to Sanibel or Naples....we belive we need some rest after our first visit to WDW, and of course, it's our honeymoon, so we also need some time, just me and my wife.

Yes, we'll have a car rental for the period. Any suggestions by the way for the west coast? I've heard Naples is nice.....but I'm quite a rookie about FL, so I search everywhere for information.

 

[courtneysunshine]

Hi again Siffen,

I can give a couple ideas for the West Coast since this is where we live. I think you are correct about needing some quite time after Disney. We usually camp at Fort Wilderness so it is relaxing for us, but when we stayed at the hotels it could be somewhat stressful. Yes, Naples is very nice. If you like nice walks on the beach and looking for seashells, definitely plan on going to Sanibel Island. Sarasota (near where we live) is also nice, but I don't think the beaches are as nice as other areas of Florida. We had visiting family members get a nice price on a condo on the beach on Longboat Key which I think they found by just doing a search on the Net. If you don't mind going a bit farther north, Destin is definitely my hands down winner for the best beaches.

Hope you have a great time and enjoy our state

courtneysunshine