How busy will it be?

[disneyfreak202]

So currently my trip is planned for October 9th-16th. I am hoping that crowds won't be too bad, but everything I keep reading is that it will be insanely crowded. I could push it back to the following week, but it would cost us about another $250-$400 to do that and I am not trying to spend more money than is needed.

If it will be insanely crowded, what are your tips to manage the crowds? I have only been during moderate crowds really and even then they weren't too bad.

 

[Micca]

I can't think why it'd be insanely crowded. It's always crowded but "insanely crowded" is usually reserved for the weeks around holidays and Spring breaks. I guess Columbus day could contribute to some bigger crowds but still nowhere near the "biggies."

With regard to tips to manage crowds, please take a look around the boards. There certainly are some strategies that will help you make the most of your trip.
I'll start you off with--try to make ropedrop. A lot of folks (including me!) don't want to get up early on vacation, but you can arrive before the parks open and do sooo much during the first hour or two when the throngs of people arrive.

 

[theone74733]

While you are coming on the tail end of Columbus Day which could affect crowds some, I don't feel that one week is going to change the crowds too substantially. I would keep your current dates and save the money, just be prepared for crowds either way.

My tips for dealing with crowds and minimizing wait times:

• Rope drop is a must so you can get at least 3-4 rides done in the first hour and a half with little to no wait.
• Book your 3 FP's for 10:30 am -2:00 pm as crowds are at the peak around mid-day, afterwards check if there is additional FP available. It can be a crap-shoot, but I have gotten Seven Dwarfs same day FP before.
• Use single-rider lines at the 3 attractions that have it. Normally a shorter wait than standby.
• During the afternoon, take advantage of the high capacity attractions & air conditioning like Hall of Presidents, Philarmagic, Carousel of Progress, etc. At AK, use this time to explore the trails, go to Rafiki's Planet Watch, watch shows. At Epcot, visit the various countries and watch the movies/entertainment. Also, I have used this time to exit the park and resort hop.
• At a park like Epcot, certain rides late afternoon/early evening start to have nominal waits like Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, etc.
• If you can, ride the headliners during the evening firework shows.
• Pick one headliner to ride right when park is closing. Usually not a long wait since you don't have to deal with anymore FP people.

 

[EdmondD]

My general approach to crowds/planning anymore is this: Christmas-NY, Easter/Spring Break, and July 4th are crazy crowded. Then there's everything else, and you can expect everything else to be about the same level of crowdedness, which is what most people would call "crowded." I think the days of picking your spots to find that magic week are basically over.

 

[Wild4Walt]

I know there were reports last year of the crowd levels being higher than normal, but it was also stated in several posts that it was speculated that it was due to the September hurricane and people rebooking their trips. I've been a few times at this time of year and it has been crowded but not unreasonable.

If you are planning on going to Food and Wine - my advise avoid Saturday and Sunday. I made that mistake one year and it was a madhouse by late afternoon.

 

[mamamelody2]

I don't think there will be any noticable crowd difference between the 2 weeks. Keep what you have. Also, I think it will be moderately busy, not insanely busy. Where have you read it will be insanely busy? October used to be slow. It isn't anymore. I think many who used to go when it was super slow, then have gone in recent years have complained about how busy it is, but that is WDW in general these days. It's never actually slow.

 

[MomOTwins]

Three pieces of advice from our recent INSANE crowds Christmas trip:

(1) In the early afternoon when wait times are insane, just ignore the rides. Go see a show like Tiki Room in MK or the bird show in AK. Wander around World Showcase.
(2) If you can afford it, get park hoppers. Sometimes one park would be insane after the first couple of hours, so we consulted MDE wait times, and sure enough, there was always at least one other park was posting much lower wait times. It is worth taking the time to relocate to enjoy the rest of the day at a quieter park.
(3) Somewhat related to question 2, but since you will be there during the Halloween party season, go to MK on the morning of a party day, and park hop when it closes to non-party guests at 6pm (or go to Disney springs if you don't have park hoppers). Crowds are always lower on party days because people don't want to go to a park with limited hours.

 

[jodybird511]

I agree with tips given by previous posters. I will also say, having just come off a spring break insanely busy time trip, a lot of it is really about having reasonable expectations and a good attitude. I took my son up for a day last week, and crowds were huge. Nevertheless, within that day, we still managed to hit the 3 mountains, SDMT, Haunted Mansion, Pooh, Dumbo, Peter Pan, Philharmagic, People Mover, and Astro Orbiter. We also maintained a positive attitude and just agreed to wait for what we wanted and skip the rest. All in all, it was a terrific trip!

 

[JennyDrake]

I have found all of October to be on par with Spring Break crowds. Rope drop is your best friend. Headliners will have waits of 55--70 minutes by noon and those times will hold until sundown. Midday breaks really help keep everyone on speaking terms.