***Hey, Hey! Come right in and plan, OFFICIAL OCTOBER 2017 thread!!!***

[Roxyfire]

Does anyone think Ohana is worth it? I've never done it so I'm curious what others think.

'Ohana is probably one of the polarizing ones around here but I like it. 5:25 is a good time, you probably won't wait too long for your table. But it is more like a family style meal. They will keep bringing you stuff but they aren't rushing. In my experience, they also do a pretty good job of bringing the meats around and asking if you want more. I will say the Star Wars dessert party might be your wild card here. Last year they didn't do SWaGS every night so that might be the case this year. Who knows, though. Sounds like you have lots of options to choose from!

 

[disneydreamer781]

'Ohana is probably one of the polarizing ones around here but I like it. 5:25 is a good time, you probably won't wait too long for your table. But it is more like a family style meal. They will keep bringing you stuff but they aren't rushing. In my experience, they also do a pretty good job of bringing the meats around and asking if you want more. I will say the Star Wars dessert party might be your wild card here. Last year they didn't do SWaGS every night so that might be the case this year. Who knows, though. Sounds like you have lots of options to choose from!

I figure maybe try it once for myself. The one good thing I'll never have to worry about is having something to do!

 

[trill2017]

Currently debating whether or not I'll end up doing MNSSHP. I'd be going solo (Parents have already done it on a prior trip and aren't interested in a second time) and I'd love to see the parade and Jack. Just not sure it's worth over $100 extra when I could save that for other experiences while there.

Thoughts?

I've done MNSSHP 3 times now, going a 4th in Oct. It is very expensive, so making the decision really depends on how much you like Halloween, IMO. The Haunted Mansion is my favorite attraction, and the parade features HM characters and lots of Halloween themed floats you won't see any other time. This year, I'm hoping to catch the fireworks show, which was amazing the first time I saw it 10 years ago but has been nothing special a few other times. If you LOVE Halloween, you should do it. If you are just curious, it's probably not worth the money.

 

[Felicis]

I really need the SW dessert party info released for October to settle down my plans. Now we are keen to see a couple of artists at eat to the beats, we have limited evenings to play around with! I really want my evenings settled so I can sort the days.

Because I am in NZ, I can't use th touring plans reservation finder, so can't change my BOG or CRT times, unless I keep looking and strike it lucky, which is a bit of a pain.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Somehow we managed to have a pretty darned good time anyway, but I'm still a bit bitter - does it show?

We went to WDW the beginning of Dec last year and I was really mad that they took away Star Wars and replaced it with that stupid show. We are big Star Wars fans and really counted on seeing it. I think we ended up avoiding HS altogether on that trip.

If I pay off my trip (Oct 8-14) now and Disney releases late fall discounts, have I missed out or will they reimburse me in some way?
Any input is appreciated!

Whether or not you are paid in full has nothing to do will getting a discount. If you are able to get a discounted room then they will return any over-payment that you made.

 

[PolyRob]

All this talk of almost no rooms available under pin codes and low availability in October started to scare me just a little. I booked a "basic package" in a lagoon view room at the Grand Floridian for my trip just in case. Still hoping for a RO discount for general public or AP and plan on booking a garden view room. My thinking was that taking up a lagoon view would still leave a garden view open for a discount during my dates. Maybe this just made sense in my head? Anyway, only $200 put out. No big deal. Now I will definitely have a place to rest for my week. If I have to pay rack rate, whats another $10/15 a night for lagoon over garden. haha

 

[disneydreamer781]

We went to Dec the beginning of Dec last year and I was really mad that they took away Star Wars and replaced it with that stupid show. We are big Star Wars fans and really counted on seeing it. I think we ended up avoiding HS altogether on that trip.

That's too bad because the decorations at DHS were amazing! Much more festive than even MK with lots more snow.

 

[Farro]

Currently debating whether or not I'll end up doing MNSSHP. I'd be going solo (Parents have already done it on a prior trip and aren't interested in a second time) and I'd love to see the parade and Jack. Just not sure it's worth over $100 extra when I could save that for other experiences while there.

Thoughts?

We like it for the parade (the only one we watch), seeing some great costumes, low wait times for rides and just an overall fun atmosphere.

I think it's worth it at least once. I mean, candy! The lines later in the night are almost empty!

 

[Farro]

All this talk of almost no rooms available under pin codes and low availability in October started to scare me just a little. I booked a "basic package" in a lagoon view room at the Grand Floridian for my trip just in case. Still hoping for a RO discount for general public or AP and plan on booking a garden view room. My thinking was that taking up a lagoon view would still leave a garden view open for a discount during my dates. Maybe this just made sense in my head? Anyway, only $200 put out. No big deal. Now I will definitely have a place to rest for my week. If I have to pay rack rate, whats another $10/15 a night for lagoon over garden. haha

I was reading about that too. They probably just didn't release many to begin with.

It's weird, for fun I was looking at restaurants for the Friday night we are there...outside of Ohana, BOG and a couple others, there was a ton of availability for dinner. And I looked for 5 of us just to see. Maybe it's because we are there at the end of October instead of the middle.

 

[Farro]

I figure maybe try it once for myself. The one good thing I'll never have to worry about is having something to do!

We are staying at Polynesian, so we are going to go for the first time.

 

[melana]

Currently debating whether or not I'll end up doing MNSSHP. I'd be going solo (Parents have already done it on a prior trip and aren't interested in a second time) and I'd love to see the parade and Jack. Just not sure it's worth over $100 extra when I could save that for other experiences while there.

Thoughts?

I am totally with you. When I first booked that was like one of my main reasons for going. But when I bought my tickets for the parks, I messed up and bought one more day than I really needed. now, I have to buy the party ticket. LOL. Which I knew I would have to.

I wanted to spend my party day relaxing at the pool and having a nice lunch but I hate that I have an extra day ticket that I won't use unless I go to a park that day and I do not want to do a park on the day of my party. I have done that before and it was a miserable experience.

Plus it is more expensive than a few years ago. It is right at 100 bucks for the party I want.... decisions...decisions...decisions...

 

[Farro]

I am totally with you. When I first booked that was like one of my main reasons for going. But when I bought my tickets for the parks, I messed up and bought one more day than I really needed. now, I have to buy the party ticket. LOL. Which I knew I would have to.

I wanted to spend my party day relaxing at the pool and having a nice lunch but I hate that I have an extra day ticket that I won't use unless I go to a park that day and I do not want to do a park on the day of my party. I have done that before and it was a miserable experience.

Plus it is more expensive than a few years ago. It is right at 100 bucks for the party I want.... decisions...decisions...decisions...

We are going to the party the second night of our trip and we are going to another park on day of party, for half of the day.
We will hit Epcot AM EMH, do as much as we can, then we have a lunch at Whispering Canyon at 1:45. Then we will go back to Polynesian and relax until we head to party around 5:30 or 6. No drinking at Epcot (save for other days), so we will be fine for the party!

 

[disneydreamer781]

We have APs so I want to do as much park time as possible. We plan on doing EPCOT in the morning and maybe taking advantage of EMH and then, hopefully, FP for Soarin, Spaceship Earth and Mission Space then an early lunch at R&C. Maybe about 2PM head back to CCV to relax a bit and hit MNSSHP about 5:30-5:45 or so. That's the plan! It also is really nice that we can just hop on boat to MK. That is definitely a time saver.

 

[PolyRob]

I was reading about that too. They probably just didn't release many to begin with.

It's weird, for fun I was looking at restaurants for the Friday night we are there...outside of Ohana, BOG and a couple others, there was a ton of availability for dinner. And I looked for 5 of us just to see. Maybe it's because we are there at the end of October instead of the middle.

Good point. I am still hopeful for a discount in late October

 

[Farro]

Gawd...I'm just reading that FOP fast passes at 60 days out are pretty difficult to get for people who are going in late August, which is usually slower.

I have two days scheduled for Animal Kingdom and with dinner reservations already made, I really don't want to switch around park days. I hope we can get FOP fast passes for at least the second day when all of us will have arrived...

 

[PolyRob]

Gawd...I'm just reading that FOP fast passes at 60 days out are pretty difficult to get for people who are going in late August, which is usually slower.

I have two days scheduled for Animal Kingdom and with dinner reservations already made, I really don't want to switch around park days. I hope we can get FOP fast passes for at least the second day when all of us will have arrived...

I think some people are having difficulty with shorter trips (1-3 days). Do you have AK days later in your trip? I booked a last minute July trip around 45 days out and got FOP. Nothing earlier than noon, but I got it.

 

[Farro]

I think some people are having difficulty with shorter trips (1-3 days). Do you have AK days later in your trip? I booked a last minute July trip around 45 days out and got FOP. Nothing earlier than noon, but I got it.

Yes. Our first AK day (just the two of us) is our third day of trip, but our second day with all 5 of us is our seventh day of the trip. So I think we will have better luck getting them for our second AK day.

I will still try for me and Micky for our first AK day - we are pretty flexible with times!

 

[PolyRob]

Yes. Our first AK day (just the two of us) is our third day of trip, but our second day with all 5 of us is our seventh day of the trip. So I think we will have better luck getting them for our second AK day.

I will still try for me and Micky for our first AK day - we are pretty flexible with times!

I think the 7th day should be fine too! Hopefully the 3rd will also be ok. Maybe make that the first FP+ you try to book?

 

[Farro]

Definitely will try for it first!

 

[PolyRob]

Definitely will try for it first!

I am hoping some of the hype wears off by the fall. I was concerned that Pandora had a queue just to enter, but that stopped by the third day. I also plan on utilizing EMH for additional rides on FoP