CROWDS!

[Gentry2004]

There was no free dining in October this year.

Apparently you had to check in by 9/30 but could have it for length of stay. But you are right - even those people are gone by now. But those of us going in a December had a heck of a time getting adr’s thanks to FD.

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

We went a few years back in October and I was surprised at the crowds. I think all of the extra party nights further congests MK on non-party days and of course there’s food and wine and Pandora, school breaks, etc.

The real question for me is how will November look??? This is historically been a “lower” crowd time, but judging by how booked the rooms, ADRs, and FPS are, I’m thinking it will follow October’s trend.

Like I can’t get a FP for enchanted tales with belle on 3 MK days. Seriously?

 

[dlavender]

We went a few years back in October and I was surprised at the crowds. I think all of the extra party nights further congests MK on non-party days and of course there’s food and wine and Pandora, school breaks, etc.

The real question for me is how will November look??? This is historically been a “lower” crowd time, but judging by how booked the rooms, ADRs, and FPS are, I’m thinking it will follow October’s trend.

Like I can’t get a FP for enchanted tales with belle on 3 MK days. Seriously?

And we couldn't get an onsite hotel (Besides club level deluxe) for the entire month's weekends. I think it will be pretty busy. But shouldn't be as bad as October was, right?!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Maybe summer is the new slow season

 

[hllb]

We went for a week spanning September to October (so half of the last week of Sept and half of the first week of October) the last time we went, which was in 2012. The crowds were great. There was only one day that felt busy and the rest of the time I would've said it was low crowds. Ah, the good ole days. That was the last time we went. Glad we didn't pick the same time for this trip.

 

[Farro]

Well, we are scheduled to arrive this Wednesday 10/25 and stay until Friday 11/3. I will let you know how crowded it is!

 

[TXHauntedMansionFan]

We are frequent visitors Sept-Nov over the past 10 years or so and I would agree that all three of those months have grown exponentially crowd wise.

I'm really not sure if there is an actual "slow time" any longer at WDW. It seems like the best you can hope for is a couple of slower days bunched together in a shoulder month.

We will be there for a week in late Nov and have already started to prepare for larger crowds than we initially expected.

 

[Kay123456]

I understand from a vlog I follow that it was the MNSSHP, fall breaks for some schools and Jersey week (may have been the week prior so that might be wrong, not 100%). At any rate, I was there mid-August and the crowds weren't bad at all, totally agree. Only park with insane crowds was AK @ Pandora only. I suspect it will be this way up until the first few weeks of January.

Jersey week isnt until the first week in nov as schools have off the 9th and 10th. Many people go down that while week so they only have to take kids out for 3 days.

 

[SpaceMtnGirl]

We have gone every October and it gets more crowded every year. We are doing Universal next fall break. At least they have Express Pass. Might sneak in an MNSSHP though.

 

[Shanti]

Maybe summer is the new slow season

It's the new slower season, at least. I was shocked at how few people there were in late July 2016, and at not needing several of the FPs we'd booked. Crowds were lower than they were during our early February 2014 trip, and our late January 2016 trip, both of which were during traditionally very "low", non-holiday periods. The only time I've seen lower crowds was in January 2009- the depths of the recession.

The resort rates are also lower in summer than in fall or spring, and more discounts have actual availability, so summer trips are cheaper than fall or spring trips. Booking ADRs only several weeks out was a non-issue, too.

 

[Anabelletoronto]

It's the new slower season, at least. I was shocked at how few people there were in late July 2016, and at not needing several of the FPs we'd booked. Crowds were lower than they were during our early February 2014 trip, and our late January 2016 trip, both of which were during traditionally very "low", non-holiday periods. The only time I've seen lower crowds was in January 2009- the depths of the recession.

The resort rates are also lower in summer than in fall or spring, and more discounts have actual availability, so summer trips are cheaper than fall or spring trips. Booking ADRs only several weeks out was a non-issue, too.

We are going Nov 13-18 and I'm scared. We had to rebook a February trip which would have been low crowds. Cross fingers that it isn't insane. I don't like people. Lol.

 

[ALK$Disney]

We are there November 2-10. Crossing our fingers that it won't be too crowded. I guess as long as you have a plan you can at least minimize your wait times slightly.

 

[tseitel]

There was no free dining in October this year.

Our Minnie van driver told us that U.K. Residents had free dining for October.

 

[KimBean]

I understand from a vlog I follow that it was the MNSSHP, fall breaks for some schools and Jersey week (may have been the week prior so that might be wrong, not 100%). At any rate, I was there mid-August and the crowds weren't bad at all, totally agree. Only park with insane crowds was AK @ Pandora only. I suspect it will be this way up until the first few weeks of January.

Lots of places have fall break now in October since schools start early August. October is one of the busiest times to to now.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

We were at MK on Wednesday 10/11. Whoa Nelly!... that was one of the busiest days I have ever seen at MK. FP return line for Buzz wrapped back past Laugh Floor entrance. FP return line for Space Mountain started back under the Peoplemover track, near entrance for AstroOrbiter. We stayed until lunch and got the heck out of Dodge. DHS and Epcot were MUCH better options that afternoon and evening. Lots of FP availability on the fly

 

[Blue32]

The other thing to remember is during party season, there are so many days during the week that MK closes early. This drives crowds higher at MK for non party nights.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Well, from most accounts, this has been a very slow year at WDW(not Universal though). Now that's picked up a bit this month it's taken people by surprise as all they've heard all year is how light crowds have been so when you get there and it's busy it comes as a surprise.

It's going to be really hard for them to make up for the rest of the year in these last couple of months attendance-wise. This will probably their second year in a row of declining attendance. Shocking, really, when you consider that Pandora opened this year.

 

[Tash87]

Ahh, this is making me very nervous about our trip for October 2018!!

In knew it would be busy but

We were there last November 12th - 25th and it was soo busy it kinda ruined it We was expecting the first few days at WDW to be quieter but it wasn't. Universal at the start of our trip was virtually walk ons though!

 

[dlavender]

Ahh, this is making me very nervous about our trip for October 2018!!

In knew it would be busy but

We were there last November 12th - 25th and it was soo busy it kinda ruined it We was expecting the first few days at WDW to be quieter but it wasn't. Universal at the start of our trip was virtually walk ons though!

Don't go Columbus day weekend. I can tell you that for 100% certain.

 

[Spacepest]

We have gone every October and it gets more crowded every year. We are doing Universal next fall break. At least they have Express Pass. Might sneak in an MNSSHP though.

We did this on a previous Orlando trip. October is busy at Universal because of their Halloween, but...because of Express Pass its a whole different beast than WDW. Use your Express Pass at Universal during normal park operating hours and then if you do the their Haunt, pay for the Haunt Express pass, you will have a great time and get on rides quickly when the parks are wall to wall people! The day we did MNSSHP we rented a car and drove to WDW, and it was nuts crowdwise, even worse than Universal. We ate lunch at Disney Springs, the place was wall to wall people, Magic Kingdom was wall to wall people at 4pm, with the crowds really going down after 7 pm as non party attendees left the park.