Help me plan my NEW October trip

[DisneyStarWisher]

So I am in the process of having to change my October trip around. Instead of going the first week, I will be going the last week. My original trip was Sunday (arriving early)-Friday (leaving early). Now we will be going Friday (arriving late)-Wednesday (leaving late). It will be the weekend before Halloween. We will use 2 of our NE tickets and will not be attending MNSSHP. We want to go to Epcot both park days for F&W. We also want to go to MK at night to see the fireworks. We would like to go to AK, but have no desire to go to DHS. Dates for MNSSHP aren't out yet, but predictions are that it won't be held on the Saturday or Monday of my trip. I typically like to spread my park days out and not have them back-to-back, but I'm worried that MK will be crazy busy on the Saturday before Halloween and I don't want to be around a crowded party atmosphere at Epcot. The crowds are predicted to be lighter on Monday-Wednesday. So which of these schedules would be best?
Option #1--
Saturday: Disney Springs
Sunday: ???, Dinner at The Wave, then watch Halloween fireworks from TOWL
Monday: Epcot-F&W for lunch, MK-evening for fireworks
Tuesday: AK in the morning, Epcot-F&W for dinner
Wednesday: Relax at resort waiting for flight

Option #2--
Saturday: Epcot-F&W for lunch, MK-evening for fireworks (will this day be too crowded?)
Sunday: Disney Springs
Monday: AK in the morning, Epcot-F&W for dinner
Tuesday: ???, Dinner at The Wave, then watch Halloween fireworks from TOWL
Wednesday: Relax at resort waiting for flight

Option #3--
Saturday: Disney Springs
Sunday: AK in the morning, Epcot-F&W for dinner (will there be a crowded party atmosphere?)
Monday: Epcot-F&W for lunch, MK-evening for fireworks
Tuesday: ???, Dinner at The Wave, then watch Halloween fireworks from TOWL
Wednesday: Relax at resort waiting for flight

 

[Traver Freeman]

I'd probably go with Option 2 or 3. Or possibly a 4th option where you switch Dinner at the Wave to Monday and doing the parks on Tuesday.

But that's just because I don't think I could stand being at Disney and not going in to the park until the third day of our trip. I also wouldn't want my last day to be a non-park day. But again, just me. That has nothing to do with your original question of crowds. I really wouldn't know what to expect crowd wise.

Sat is listed as Wall-to-Wall on the crowd calendars. I'm not sure how much extra it costs to add a third day, but I'd likely go into the park for just the morning on Saturday and then leave as soon as it gets really bad around lunch (always gets worse after 10-11 AM).

But if that's not something you want to do and you are fine not being the parks for the first few days, Option #1 is probably the best crowd-wise

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I'd probably go with Option 2 or 3. Or possibly a 4th option where you switch Dinner at the Wave to Monday and doing the parks on Tuesday.

But that's just because I don't think I could stand being at Disney and not going in to the park until the third day of our trip. I also wouldn't want my last day to be a non-park day. But again, just me. That has nothing to do with your original question of crowds. I really wouldn't know what to expect crowd wise.

Sat is listed as Wall-to-Wall on the crowd calendars. I'm not sure how much extra it costs to add a third day, but I'd likely go into the park for just the morning on Saturday and then leave as soon as it gets really bad around lunch (always gets worse after 10-11 AM).

But if that's not something you want to do and you are fine not being the parks for the first few days, Option #1 is probably the best crowd-wise

That's the thing that concerns me about Option #1. I don't really want to wait two full days before I go into a park. I would be ok going to Disney and not even go into a park. But knowing I am, the anticipation would be tough. I just don't know about MK on Saturday night. I think Epcot for lunch will be fine. The party atmosphere probably won't pick up until that night. Adding a 3rd day isn't an option. I have just enough NE tickets left to get me to retirement at which point I will be purchasing an AP. If I were to add a 3rd day, I would just purchase MNSSHP tickets. But since we are flying now instead of driving, I don't have extra in the budget.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[sharonabe]

Question, if you're going to watch Hallowishes from TOWL, do you still really want to be in the park to see whatever the fireworks are on the other nights? No matter which night you pick, it's going to be very crowded. However, Monday will be less crowded than Saturday for MK fireworks.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Question, if you're going to watch Hallowishes from TOWL, do you still really want to be in the park to see whatever the fireworks are on the other nights? No matter which night you pick, it's going to be very crowded. However, Monday will be less crowded than Saturday for MK fireworks.

That is a very good question, and it definitely makes me think outside the box. I do like MK at night. I also like the fireworks. I'm not so sure about the change though. I LOVE Wishes! Not sure about the Happily Ever After fireworks, but I am a little curious about them. We definitely want to eat at BOG for dinner one night. But if I don't have to see the fireworks inside the park, I could always plan MK for a party day, eat dinner around 4, leave by 7, and either hop over to Epcot for some sweet desserts at F&W or head to the TOWL to watch HalloWishes. That would allow me to spread my park days out, maybe Sunday and Tuesday. What I'm wondering is what Epcot is like on a Sunday night. That Sunday night also happens to be Evening EMH. Yikes, will it be crazy?

 

[sharonabe]

That is a very good question, and it definitely makes me think outside the box. I do like MK at night. I also like the fireworks. I'm not so sure about the change though. I LOVE Wishes! Not sure about the Happily Ever After fireworks, but I am a little curious about them. We definitely want to eat at BOG for dinner one night. But if I don't have to see the fireworks inside the park, I could always plan MK for a party day, eat dinner around 4, leave by 7, and either hop over to Epcot for some sweet desserts at F&W or head to the TOWL to watch HalloWishes. That would allow me to spread my park days out, maybe Sunday and Tuesday. What I'm wondering is what Epcot is like on a Sunday night. That Sunday night also happens to be Evening EMH. Yikes, will it be crazy?

Sunday night F&W will be better than Saturday night, but not as good as Monday night. Would you be open to doing EP Sunday during the day and hopping over to AK for the evening? The TA calendar only has it opened until 7:00, but I bet that changes. Between Pandora and ROL, a 7 pm closing seems a little early.

 

[sharonabe]

OOOHHH, and you could still catch the Happily Ever After from outside the park as well. Maybe eat at GF or the Poly on Saturday or Monday night and catch it from there.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Sunday night F&W will be better than Saturday night, but not as good as Monday night. Would you be open to doing EP Sunday during the day and hopping over to AK for the evening? The TA calendar only has it opened until 7:00, but I bet that changes. Between Pandora and ROL, a 7 pm closing seems a little early.

I would prefer to do lunch at F&W on the weekends, but I'd like to be there for it one evening too. I love Epcot at night. I would be fine doing AK at night. I just am hesitant to make those kinds of plans without knowing if they will be open later. That is just crazy that they can't do ahead and know that they will be open later than 7. By the way, where do you find the TA calendar? I've been looking for it and can't find it.

 

[sharonabe]

I would prefer to do lunch at F&W on the weekends, but I'd like to be there for it one evening too. I love Epcot at night. I would be fine doing AK at night. I just am hesitant to make those kinds of plans without knowing if they will be open later. That is just crazy that they can't do ahead and know that they will be open later than 7. By the way, where do you find the TA calendar? I've been looking for it and can't find it.

Here's the link to Robo's thread with it: https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...ar-links-from-2016-and-before-broken.3570165/

 

[sharonabe]

Preliminary plan until you know for sure, and banking AK will be open later:

Saturday Disney Springs
Sun EP in the a.m. and AK from mid afternoon
Monday off
Tues MK in the a.m. and EP in the evening

Just plan a place on Sat and Mon evening to catch the MK Hallowishes and the MK fireworks.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Here's the link to Robo's thread with it: https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...ar-links-from-2016-and-before-broken.3570165/

Preliminary plan until you know for sure, and banking AK will be open later:

Saturday Disney Springs
Sun EP in the a.m. and AK from mid afternoon
Monday off
Tues MK in the a.m. and EP in the evening

Just plan a place on Sat and Mon evening to catch the MK Hallowishes and the MK fireworks.

Thanks for the link. The only problem I see with this plan is that HalloWishes probably won't be happening on either Saturday or Monday, since those aren't predicted party nights. After talking to DH, he is ok just seeing HalloWishes from TOWL and missing the regular fireworks. This may change my original plans. When do you think they will extend October hours at AK, if they are going to do that? How much notice do they usually give?

 

[sharonabe]

Thanks for the link. The only problem I see with this plan is that HalloWishes probably won't be happening on either Saturday or Monday, since those aren't predicted party nights. After talking to DH, he is ok just seeing HalloWishes from TOWL and missing the regular fireworks. This may change my original plans. When do you think they will extend October hours at AK, if they are going to do that? How much notice do they usually give?

Unfortunately, they don't always give much notice. I'd be watching what they do over the summer and into September. That should give a clue. I think they're just not sure how Pandora is going to do and whether they will have the crowds there that warrant later hours. I know that doesn't help you with getting your ADRs in order, but with just two of you, you may be okay.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Ok, here's what I came up with:
Saturday: Disney Springs for lunch, Dinner at Jiko
Sunday: Epcot-F&W for lunch, Hop to MK-BOG for dinner, leave at 7, tour resorts?, TOWL for HalloWishes
Monday: Boma for breakfast, hang out at resort, either The Wave or Boathouse for dinner (If doing The Wave, we might head up to TOWL again for regular fireworks)
Tuesday: This day will be flexible. Either AK for Morning EMH with lunch at Y&Y, then Epcot-F&W for dinner OR Epcot-F&W for lunch, then AK with dinner at Y&Y. What I like about this is I have the Landry's card so I don't need to make ADRs for Y&Y and of course, no ADRs for F&W. I can easily switch these depending on what they do with the hours. I should know the hours by the time I have to make FPs--hopefully!
Wednesday: Head over to Wilderness Lodge for lunch at WCC, then tour the grounds to check out the renovations. Looks like we will have to be back at AKV for 4:50 bus for flight.
This will spread our days out better and we won't have to wait so long before our first park day.

Thanks, sharonabe, for all your help!