Disneyland in October

[tink713]

So we just booked a reservation for DL Hotel Oct 11-19th with our DVC points! I'm so pumped! Can anyone tell me what the crowds are like at this time? Weather? Any other tips are apprecited as well!

 

[mystic_path]

Well the weather is beautiful during the day. The evenings and first thing in the morning can get really cold though, so bring some pants and a jacket. Also around that time Mickey's Trick or Treat starts which is a big DCA event where everyone can come dressed up and go trick or treating in the parks etc. Its a big event every year. It goes almost all the way through October. So the crowds can be a little larger then normal, but just make use of all your fast passes and if you have over a 3 day hopper, definitely make use of your magic morning. I think staying onsite at the DLH anyway you can get in on all the magic mornings during your stay, but you can get a lot done in the morning.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Hi ~ part of AZ will have school breaks then and part of UT. The 12th is Columbus Day so I'm not sure how that'll affect crowds. We plan to go the week of the 19th. Check out this post ~ http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=30400350#post30400350&highlight=

 

[Sherry E]

I would not expect cold weather in October, but it could happen. Not likely, though. October is one of those weird months here in SoCal where it often times hits us with summer-like temperatures, as high as in the 90's sometimes! Other days you could wake up to see it raining. Then it might drop down to a comfortable 75 degrees or so. Then the next week, the Santa Ana winds kick in and things are blowing wildly through the air (and no fireworks at DL when the wind kicks in)! Typically, it is a VERY dry month, however, and there are often wildfires happening (fueled by the wind) in California at that time (like in 2008), so the air may not be the best quality and if you have allergies, sensitive eyes or respiratory issues, bear that in mind!

Crowd-wise, October used to be considered the off-peak season, and, I suppose, as far as prices go for DLR hotels and character meals, it remains off-peak season. But the reality is that last year in October, the crowds were unprecendented - even in the non-Columbus Day perdiods. Some DISboard members overheard Cast Members saying that the October crowds were more like what they expect to see in December during the busy holiday season. Plus, because of the increased focus on Halloweentime in the last several years - due largely to the Trick or Treat Party and Haunted Mansion Holiday as well - more people are coming to the parks. More people have AP's now, too, so there are more locals milling about. I highly doubt that this coming October will be slow for any reason - even in the current horrible economy - because people are packing into DLR in lieu of going somewhere else more expensive, and also going to DLR is a way to kind of escape life's troubles. The only way I could envision the crowds being not so bad in October 2009 would be if the Haunted Mansion Holiday does not happen this year and fewer folks show up for the Halloweentime season......which is a possibility due to the Haunted Mansion's 40th anniversary. However, if I were Disneyland, I would trot out the Haunted Mansion Holiday and anything else I could think of to keep people coming back all through 2009. Send Mickey and Minnie up to everybody's hotel rooms to do a jig and cook a gourmet meal if they have to, but keep people happy and keep 'em coming back! They can't risk losing any visitors at this point - things are too unpredictable and scary out there!

 

[Krissy Marissy]

My DH wants to go in October but I am not so sure. Last year was hit or miss as far as crowds go. Some people reported it being pleasant and uncrowded and then the next day it was crowded and hot! So like sherry said you can't really count on one thing or another and just take it day by day when you get there. We LOVE love love HMH but are thinking of maybe going down in september instead to miss some of the crowds in oct.