Help plan/critique my October Trip Plans

[whoever]

The situation: 10/9 kids have half-day of school and then are off for the entire following week.

Hotel and Admission Limitations: As many nights in the DLH, Concierge level as we'd like to stay for. 5-day park hoppers maximum. One night of MHP.

Timing considerations: Monday, 10/12 is Columbus Day, so the Saturday and Sunday before are traditionally heavy attendance days.

The plan:

Drive up (5 hour drive from Phoenix) Saturday 10/10 morning early. Check in, utilize the concierge lounge and do pool time. Get the most out of the hotel and DTD.

Sunday, 10/11, EMH in DCA, park hop the rest of the day. Do F! (a must for us, probably with BB dining reservations or the desert offering)

Monday, 10/12, EMH in DCA, park hop the rest of the day. Columbus Day, but historically low attendance.

Tuesday, 10/13, Rent Cabana for half-day and enjoy the pools/concierge. MHP that afternoon/evening.

Wednesday, 10/14, EMH in DCA, park hop the rest of the day. Napa Rose Chef's Counter or SH55 with wifey.

Thursday, 10/15, EMH in DL, park hop the rest of the day.

Friday, 10/16, Drive up and see the rest of the Walt sights (his grave, the Tam O'Shanter, his homes and previous studio sites)

Saturday, 10/17, EMH in DL, park hop rest of the day.

Sunday, SH55 for breakfast, maybe pool time before check out. Head to beach for a few hours, drive home to Phoenix (5 hour drive from DLR)

What would you do different?

 

[planningjollyholiday]

Sounds like a perfect trip! If you are doing breakfast at SH55 then i wouldn't even consider it for dinner, i would take your wife to napa. Definitely keep fantasmic on sunday, that way if it gets cancelled then you still have the opportunity to rebook for Saturday. If you are set on renting a cabana, the other option would be to rent at the GC to change it up since your kiddos will have lots of pool time on arrival day at the DLH. Just a thought, although staying at DLH would be easier to access concierge while at the pool....

 

[Imdboss]

The one thing that stands out to me is Columbus Day. That was the last day of our trip last year, we started at DCA then went to DL until 3ish, it was VERY crowded. We didn't get to do nearly what we had hoped to. Since there might be changes to MHP this year you may need to flip your Tues/Wed around but since you will know the dates prior to making any reservations that should work out fine. Also just an FYI Sunday is CHOC walk so be prepared for those crowds in the morning. Have a great time!

 

[whoever]

The one thing that stands out to me is Columbus Day. That was the last day of our trip last year, we started at DCA then went to DL until 3ish, it was VERY crowded. We didn't get to do nearly what we had hoped to.

Noted. I'll have the wife explore more.

Since there might be changes to MHP this year you may need to flip your Tues/Wed around but since you will know the dates prior to making any reservations that should work out fine.

Any idea when we'll know for sure on MHP? I seem to recall they didn't publish the dates until July, which was too late to make the room reservations we had wanted.

Also just an FYI Sunday is CHOC walk so be prepared for those crowds in the morning. Have a great time!

Great information. I didn't realize that, so will definitely take that into account.

 

[Sherry E]

...Any idea when we'll know for sure on MHP? I seem to recall they didn't publish the dates until July, which was too late to make the room reservations we had wanted.

About MHP...

The last time there was a major, extremely significant change to the Halloween party by way of a change in location (and a name change!) was in 2010, and the Parks Blog posted a piece announcing the move of the party from DCA to DL in May of that year.

If I recall correctly, in 2011, although the Parks Blog had not yet announced anything, the dates for MHP were quietly posted somewhere in the AP section of the DLR website, without fanfare -- and that was also in May.

Ever since then, the announcements and postings of the dates for MHP have gotten later and later -- which is, I believe, largely due to the fact that no significant changes or additions to the party have occurred since 2010.

So, all of that said, my guess is that if there is to be any kind of major, noteworthy change to the party (location, party-exclusive events, etc.), we could hear about it as early as May, but more likely early/mid-June.

And if there are no big changes coming to MHP at all and everything is going to be business as usual, I expect that the info will be announced in very early July or very late June.

Towards the end of last year, the rumors of changes coming to the MHP (supposedly leaked by Cast Members) seemed very logical considering the upcoming Diamond Anniversary festivities. The MHP running for multiple nights -- several of which would be Fridays and at least one Saturday -- would interfere with the new parade, and with the new fireworks in some instances. At that point I really thought it would make sense to move the party back to DCA.

However, no new rumors have trickled out. There haven't even been any recent rumors of Halloween decorations in DCA let alone any new MHP-in-DCA rumors. It could be something that is being kept under a veil of secrecy and we will all be in for a surprise, but I tend to think that new rumors would have trickled out somehow, some way, by now. My guess is that there was a plan to move MHP at one point -- maybe just for this year -- but that it got shelved. So things may end up just being business as usual for MHP.

 

[Imdboss]

Any idea when we'll know for sure on MHP? I seem to recall they didn't publish the dates until July, which was too late to make the room reservations we had wanted.

I wouldn't hold off on making room reservations, was referring to your dinner reservations