It's Over! Dissers Oct Secret Is No More!

[Poohbear123]

THERE IS NO SLOW SEASON ANYMORE!!!

 

[everest]

Well not exactly; if you use the Dis-Boards as a bellwether then one could see that slow times still exists. The Dis-Boards is the largest info board and usually has a lot of informed members who are in the know of various issues one of which is the slow season times. A lot of members take full advantage of the slow season for various discounts. So to use a Dis-Board Bellwether measurement one could see that if they were to log onto the board during spring break or during the summer months they would find an extremely high amount of threads and posts by members. But if they have logged on lately they would see that there is still a fair amount of posts but would probably notice a noticeable drop in the amount of posts by fellow members. So one could see that using the Dis-Boards as a Bellwether measurement, it would show that there is still a slow season.

 

[minijeanie]

hmmmmmmmmm....

following the logic here.

that means when I go next year at Spring Break the park should be empty
RIGHT

 

[everest]

If you follow that logic then you would be correct trust me!!

 

[epfootballcutie04]

yup-

I was there last week and i got RIGHT on test track. walked right onto nemo... i think i was the only one in the building besides the CM working it... but everything else was AT LEAST a 40 minute wait if not more. the ONLY line i waited in was for Everest and that was at 35 minutes, otherwise we took advantage of fastpass and used the waiting time to grab something to drink and sit in the shade, or inside an air conditioned building.

Last week was MISEARABLE weather... hot hot hot (and REALLY humid)

 

[anne930]

We just got back - was there from SAT 10/21 - TUES 10/24. Went to EPCOT on Saturday for F&W Festival - it was crowded and lines were long, but not unbearable. What really bothered us was the heat!! Made a note to self - don't do F&W Festival on the weekend again. Crowds at EPCOT were much more manageable on Tuesday. That's when we did Soarin' & Mission Space. Soarin' said 60 minutes for stand-by line, but we waited only about 25-30 minutes. It seemed most of the lines we waited in were much quicker than the actual stated wait. Went to Halloween party on Monday night - crowds not that bad at all. Went on Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time since the change - AWESOME!! Overall, we had a great time!

 

[BFIrrera]

Holy Smack! We just got back yesterday from a 5 day trip and OH MY at the crowds.

We usually always go about this time because the crowds are so much better but not this trip! I couldn't believe it. I saw 60 and 70 minute stand by times on some attractions. In the past, I never saw anything over 30!!!

It was crazy! Lines for food in Epcot on a Saturday were lllooonnnngggggg. Not even just for the food fest. booths either. I'm talking a 15 minute line just to get a bottle of water!

...while you were in Epcot on Saturday (October 21), WE were in MK...ugh.

We got to Frontierland at roughly 12:40 or so...

When we got to Splash Mountain, it was posting a 30 minute wait and fastpasses starting at 1:45. Since Big Thunder Mountain was posting a 20 minute wait, we decided to fp Splash, ride Big Thunder and find something to occupy ourselves for the other forty minutes (Country Bears or the riverboat or something). We knew we wanted to take the train by 2:30 so he could go to the barber shop and I could watch the 3:00 parade...

We got our fastpasses and as we exited, I saw that Splash was now posting 40 minutes and Big Thunder was posting 30. It couldn't have been more than two minutes and that change was made!

We got in line for BTMRR and it turned into a 55 minute wait!!

We walked over to Splash and it was posting an 80 minute wait!! (luckily we already had our FPs). We ended up still waiting about 15 minutes even with FPs. When we exited, I took a look at the board and it said Splash was now a 110 minute wait!!! (again, luckily we were already out of there, but my jaw dropped anyway)

 

[Spaceship Earthfan]

Yep, last October was like this as well. That was my 1st trip ever that was not in the summer and I honestly didn't see that much of a difference! I guess next year I'll have to go mid-September or something. Then again I really don't mind the crowds, so hey.

 

[Palendat]

I really don't think there will be any more slow times at WDW until the next recession. People are travelling because of the great economy. THat being said, things are slowing down, but people had probably already planned. Next fall will probably be a bit better!!!

 

[Redbudlover]

I went last year the third week of October for the W and F Fest and Halloween. We got there on a Tuesday and all weeks the parks were fine. They were not empty but we were getting on standby with little wait. Saturday we went to MK. Everything changed!Long lines, hours long waits for FP. Epcot was worse. The difference between weekday and weekend was incredible. I had not brought a touring plan since we expected it to be so slow. This year I am going the week after Thanksgiving - supposed to be one of the slowest times of the year - WITH a touring plan! The resorts are full and ADRs are already impossible to get. I am thinking it is going to be very crowded!

 

[kimnkel]

I am praying the crowds thin out by November 9th when we arrive...but I also hear that it's Jersey week (plus Friday the 10th is Veteran's Day), so I may be in trouble.

What is Jersey week? Some kind of dairy cow convention? When is Guernsey week? I might want to send my FMIL.

One of the funniest, coolest women I know is from Joisey. She is always bustin my shoes about being from Texas, via California. "My GAWD! No wonder! Shut up and go make your hair blonder or bigger, or whatever." is her line whenever I say anything about either: a) diet b) exercise or c) politics.

According to her if I ever meet anyone from New Jersey, the only appropriate response is, "Oh yeah?!? What exit?" What? The whole state is located off an exit?

And there is no way the crowds could be like summer. All it takes is a little strategery (Texas word) with the FP.

 

[jwfla422]

I went last year the third week of October for the W and F Fest and Halloween. We got there on a Tuesday and all weeks the parks were fine. They were not empty but we were getting on standby with little wait. Saturday we went to MK. Everything changed!Long lines, hours long waits for FP. Epcot was worse. The difference between weekday and weekend was incredible. I had not brought a touring plan since we expected it to be so slow. This year I am going the week after Thanksgiving - supposed to be one of the slowest times of the year - WITH a touring plan! The resorts are full and ADRs are already impossible to get. I am thinking it is going to be very crowded!

Sounds like you might have gotten caught up in the hurricane evacuee/refugee time last October. This time last Oct. we escaped to WDW after Wilma hit our area and knocked out our electricity for 2 weeks. Many others got power back sooner but had initially gone up to WDW that weekend after she hit. It really emptied out after that weekend though-Halloween and the few days after were very quiet.

But, for the record...many who have experienced light crowds in October over the past few years have been quite lucky as the crowds have really increased this time of the year. By no means is this considered a slow time, at least in the last 10 years...Sept. maybe, but not October. October has been a big convention month for some time now filling many of the resorts and with Columbus Day and fall breaks in different areas of the country it hasn't been considered value season in a long time.

I think anyone who has experience very low crowds in October in recent years have just been lucky.

 

[CPM]

I was there at the same time as you were. I left Tuesday the 25th. Resorts were only at 58% occupancy the latter week.
The week before was the Fusica (?) Golf Tournamnet. They had a record number of people attend. They even had to use two courses. I'm going a week later next year.
The heat was aweful until Sunday, then it turned cold. lol

 

[Fairy_Tale_Bride]

We were at the MK on October 19 and it wasn't crowded at all! We walked on to every ride and there weren't many people around the park at all. It's the first time we've ever seen it so uncrowded! We were so happy to be able to see the streets and sidewalks...haha!

 

[themouse1928]

going in a few days and well a crowded day at disney is better than a great day at work. hope to see ya'll down there

 

[Foladar]

Yeah we were there last week and it was busy busy. The lines were not to bad other then Soarin and Everest. Other then that itwas 15-30 minute waits on rides. We did use fastpass a few times also. I don't think we will be going back until 2008. I think we are doing Branson next year.

I only saw lines at Epcot, mostly on Saturday though. Monday was average, 40 mins for Soarin and 50 on Test Track, otherwise all 20 min waits or less incl. Everest (5 mins @ noon)

 

[Foladar]

Well, you were luckier than we were. We did Epcot on the 21st and it was a nightmare, granted we only ever go in the fall or nov/dec season. my husband cant do temps. in florida summer. we drove in from georgia, so we didnt get into epcot until about 1:00 or so.

Obviously I live in Georgia too but my kids don't get a break in October. 2 counties over they do however. . .

3 of the kids in your childs class were headed for Disney? WOW! We pulled ours out of school for 3 days - I know, the shame of it!!!

wendy

We were there for Epcot on the 21st, definitely the most crowded day with Test Track @ 90 min.

 

[alicenwonder99]

So...maybe late September is the new slow time!

We were at WDW from 9/19 - 9/24. Tues and Wed were completely dead at MK. We have never seen anything like it!! On Thurs it was still ok in the morning, but by afternoon, MK was getting crowded. The rest of the day and the rest of the week was crowded everywhere.

Having said that, that week in Sept is still slower than the first or second week of Dec. Also, it was even slower than the first week of January. And that first week of Jan was alot slower than December (I don't know why the rumor "early December is slow" is still circulating...just not true).

So, from my experiences, September is the slowest month, followed by the beginning of January.

The only problem is you just can't depend on the weather cooperating. We were lucky this year with September and no hurricanes. The year we went to WDW in Jan we were lucky with sunny and the 80's.

Mary

 

[Ron from Michigan]

We were there from oct.12-23 and we had a great time. The crowds were very managable during the week but very heavy on the weekends when all the locals come to the parks. We never wen't to EPCOT on a Saturday, way to many people. During the week you never had to wait in line for any of the food booths.On Friday we went to the Magic Kingdom and rode all the rides in the park in 3 hours. We wen't to the Animal Kingdom last Saturday when it first opened and we were able to ride EE four times in 3 hours, it was awesome. We did the Halloween party on Oct. 16 and it was great, very low attendence. We watch Hallowwishs from Main St. and there was no one around us, we had the whole street to ourselves.

 

[Goin2Disney2006]

We were there 10/14-21. MK (on the 15) was crowded, had to use fast pass for Peter Pan (it was a 55 minute wait) and Space Mountain. During the day we walked right on to Its A Small World, had a short wait for Snow White, Pooh, Carrosel, Carrosel of Progress (pretty much walked on to this one too)Dumbo had a LONG wait and of course my niece wanted to go on it. During the EMH at night we walked right on to Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain and Haunted Mansion. I kept reading on here how crowded the night time EMH were and I found it to be the opposite. MGM (on the 16) was really not that crowded...walked on to The Great Movie Ride, used FP for Ariel's show and Rockin Rollercoaster. TOT posed a 30 minute wait but it was only about 15 minutes. We walked in for the Beauty and the Beast show and during the EMH my family did Star Wars with a 5 minute wait; again EMH was pretty empty. Epcot (10/17) Used FP for Test Track and it gave us a FP for Mission Space as a surprise. By the time we got off Mission Space it was time to do Test Track. Used FP for Soarin, that we had to wait 2 1/2 hours for. With out it, it was a 60 mintue wait. Walked right on to Figment and walked right on to the ride in the Epcot ball (I forget the name). We had a 20 mintue wait for Nemo and had a 10 mintue wait for Crush. The boat ride in The Land had no line, you just walked on to a boat (we didnt' do that ride this trip). We didn't get to enjoy F&W festival; my family was driving me and DH crazy so we pretty much just walk thru and waited for the fireworks. Animal Kingdom (10/19) was SO HOT and HUMID we didn't enjoy it at all. By the time I got on the Safari the animals were already hiding in the shade. We used FP for Everest (about 1 hour wait from the time we got the tickets) and was SO WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Walked into Lion King show. We didn't stay long because we were going to MNSSHP that night and had to go back to hotel for the kids costumes and cool off a bit. MNSSHP was great! but crowded. We did't go on any rides, we were meeting characters, going trick or treating, watching the show and and parade. It was still humid even at night. Friday Dh and I went back to MK to finish getting autographs and also went back to F&W festival.

For our next trip we will try going in the winter, can't stand the heat!