October 2011 Code Watch

[ollyg]

I read in another thread that people have gotten PINS with blackout dates from 10/9-10/22. I also saw that someone received a bounceback offer with those dates blacked out as well. Someone explained that there is a huge conference taking place at that time. Do you think there will ever be any type of discount offered for these dates??? We will pay full price if we have to, but I know some of you are hoping for discounts for this period and I just wanted to prepare you for the fact that we might be out of luck. We will be at the POP Oct. 15-23 and we were hoping for free dining, but now I'm not sure we'll get ANY type of discount at all! Does anyone have any other info? Anyone been there when this conference was taking place?

I believe that the Childrens Miracle Network Classic PGA golf tournament is October 17-23 this year.

We were there last year Nov 9-16 while it was going on and crowds were not bad----except I thought the World Showcase was crowded due to the Food and Wine festival going on. Those dates were blacked out for free dining.

As luck would have it, I want to go October 18-25 this year so this is not very good news for me

 

[smitch425]

The conference I was referring to is a 2 week conference that even has dedicted bus lines running from parks/hotels to the conference location. I can't remember what the name of it was, though. I think I read that it doesn't impact the crowd levels in the parks too terribly, though. I am anxious to see if any discounts come out that will work for me, but I will now expect to be paying full price for everything in the rest of my planning.

 

[ollyg]

I did some searching and found that a group "HENAAC" is having a conference at the Coronado Spring Resort Oct 6-8th.

As far as crowds, I think Disney hosts conferences all the time and the impact is minimal. But unfortunately, it does result in black-out dates.

I need to regroup and possibly re-think my dates. Thanks for the heads-up

 

[LisaTC]

So the black out dates would affect ANY discount, not just FD? Curious.

 

[sjs314]

I read in another thread that people have gotten PINS with blackout dates from 10/9-10/22. I also saw that someone received a bounceback offer with those dates blacked out as well. Someone explained that there is a huge conference taking place at that time. Do you think there will ever be any type of discount offered for these dates??? We will pay full price if we have to, but I know some of you are hoping for discounts for this period and I just wanted to prepare you for the fact that we might be out of luck. We will be at the POP Oct. 15-23 and we were hoping for free dining, but now I'm not sure we'll get ANY type of discount at all! Does anyone have any other info? Anyone been there when this conference was taking place?

I also had noticed about mid-October being blacked out from the pins people were recieveing, much to my surprise DH did recieve a pin good from Oct 18 thru December and while it was only for 20% off I was happy I could book Oct 19-25 for our trip and not have to pay rack rate.

The conference I was referring to is a 2 week conference that even has dedicted bus lines running from parks/hotels to the conference location. I can't remember what the name of it was, though. I think I read that it doesn't impact the crowd levels in the parks too terribly, though. I am anxious to see if any discounts come out that will work for me, but I will now expect to be paying full price for everything in the rest of my planning.

I know the Gartner Symposium is taking place at BC 10/16 to 10/20 but I have not heard about the 2 week Conference.

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

Hi all, we went the second October "black out" week last year (the week after Columbus Day), had trouble ever figuring out why it was issue ahead of time, turns out it was conferences. We missed the first round of discounts, but by July there were offers out for free dining that included that week. It could be we just don't get the first offer, but there will be one later . It was great from a crowd perspective, I think it was more booked rooms than anything related to large crowds.

We're planning on going again that time this year - the weather was perfect!

 

[npcougar]

Isn't there a golf tournament the 20th-23rd? Unfortunately that is part of the time we are planning on going and the lack of discounts and higher southwest fares that weekend are depressing.

 

[becauseisaid]

Thought i'd post that the October calendar is up

http://www.disneytravelagents.com/S.../pdf/ParkHours/WDW_Operating_Calendar_oct.pdf

How accurate is this calendar? By that, I mean, how likely are the chances that changes will be made to it?

I also had noticed about mid-October being blacked out from the pins people were recieveing, much to my surprise DH did recieve a pin good from Oct 18 thru December and while it was only for 20% off I was happy I could book Oct 19-25 for our trip and not have to pay rack rate.

I received an e-mailed 20% off Pin a couple of days ago that is good for a Value or Deluxe resort from Oct. 1 - Oct. 6 and Oct. 10 - Oct. 31. Basically any day except Columbus Day weekend. So do not despair - the All-October pins are out there.

Speaking of pins, once you receive one for a season, what are the odds of receiving more. Like everyone else, I'd love to see a free dining pop up for our trip on Oct. 9 - Oct. 15.

 

[sjs314]

How accurate is this calendar? By that, I mean, how likely are the chances that changes will be made to it?





I received an e-mailed 20% off Pin a couple of days ago that is good for a Value or Deluxe resort from Oct. 1 - Oct. 6 and Oct. 10 - Oct. 31. Basically any day except Columbus Day weekend. So do not despair - the All-October pins are out there.

Speaking of pins, once you receive one for a season, what are the odds of receiving more. Like everyone else, I'd love to see a free dining pop up for our trip on Oct. 9 - Oct. 15.

Just thought I would mention, I did the Disney Math on the savings "if" I should happen to get a pin or "if' FD is offered for my trip dates and since there are only two of us (DH & myself) the dollar difference comes out to only $29.88 compared to the 20% we are now booked at.

Savings................$551.88 FD vs $522.00 20%

I sure would have liked 35-40% but 20% is not all that bad in our case.

 

[carrielovesdisney]

how was the crowds the first week of october? we can't decide whether to go in the last week of september or first week of october. i'm going crazy waiting for free dining!

 

[LisaTC]

I sent my T/A the info about black out dates, etc. and here's what she sent me:

I checked the October dates for the free dining offer last year, travel in 2010. The available dates were 10/1-10/7 and 10/22-10/28. I have heard some rumors that they may not do a free dining this October but instead do another kind of offer like a room sale. The current offer for travel in the summer is 30% off the room or kids stay & play free. Whatever the offer is I will make sure you get it.

So, there is still a slim chance you may get FD for some portion of Oct, but I'd rather have a room sale. I may upgrade if i get that! We are going Oct 22-28, so the PGA/Miracle Network conf would mostly be over by then, but many didn't think it was an issue, so no worries!

Good luck all!!

 

[ckacherm]

We r booked Oct 17th -28th at BCV. Im hoping for discounts as well and am hoping for something since there are 6 of us! I dont want to stay elsewhere.

BTW I always frequent WDW in Oct (since that is the only vaca time I can secure from work) and I think the crowdest time was Columbus Day weekend. Immediately following the holiday the parks were almost empty! LOL. I mean less crowded so much you could tell immediately.

I went once in April and I thought it was too busy compared to Oct. Just by my observation of course.

I love WDW in Oct b/c of the decorations and of course MNSSHP! My 2 older kids agree that is the best party ever!

 

[becauseisaid]

Just thought I would mention, I did the Disney Math on the savings "if" I should happen to get a pin or "if' FD is offered for my trip dates and since there are only two of us (DH & myself) the dollar difference comes out to only $29.88 compared to the 20% we are now booked at.

Savings................$551.88 FD vs $522.00 20%

I was wondering that myself. Being a nerd, I was trying to anticipate what the actual dollar savings would be with either a room discount versus a free dining plan. But I'm sort of working blind. What exactly is the free dining plan generally? I've been assuming it's the quick service plan and working my numbers off of that.

 

[sjs314]

I was wondering that myself. Being a nerd, I was trying to anticipate what the actual dollar savings would be with either a room discount versus a free dining plan. But I'm sort of working blind. What exactly is the free dining plan generally? I've been assuming it's the quick service plan and working my numbers off of that.

From reading the DIS boards it seems Disney is downgradeing the DP offered with the latest round of pin#'s QS-Value and Mods, DDP-Deluxe whereas previously it was QS-Value and DDP-Mods and Deluxe.

 

[Brocktoon]

The Gartner Symposium is the big conference going on Oct 16-21. The PGA Event is Oct 20-23. I've been down during both and I've never seen any noticible effect on Park crowds. But, I'd stay away from the Swan & Dolphin area during the Gartner event as they pretty much take over that entire area including much of the parking lot as well. The Boardwalk area restaurants can get very crowded during the nights of the Gartner event as well.

The only issue I saw with the PGA event was that the Signature resturants were packed with golfers. The Califiornia Grill was beyond packed ... I don't think I've ever seen it that crowded!

 

[HollVoll]

Joining the list. Free Dining for fall, we go. Anything else, we don't.

 

[snykymom]

The Gartner Symposium is the big conference going on Oct 16-21. The PGA Event is Oct 20-23. I've been down during both and I've never seen any noticible effect on Park crowds. But, I'd stay away from the Swan & Dolphin area during the Gartner event as they pretty much take over that entire area including much of the parking lot as well. The Boardwalk area restaurants can get very crowded during the nights of the Gartner event as well.

The only issue I saw with the PGA event was that the Signature resturants were packed with golfers. The Califiornia Grill was beyond packed ... I don't think I've ever seen it that crowded!

Shoot! The major reason we're going back is for F&W and for the signature restaurants, including some on the Boardwalk (Kouzzina, to be precise). Oh, well - hoping I can still make my ADRs when they come up!

 

[NYEmomma]

Like everyone else, I'd love to see a free dining pop up for our trip on Oct. 9 - Oct. 15.

You and me both -- we'll be there on the same dates!

 

[sjs314]

The Gartner Symposium is the big conference going on Oct 16-21. The PGA Event is Oct 20-23. I've been down during both and I've never seen any noticible effect on Park crowds. But, I'd stay away from the Swan & Dolphin area during the Gartner event as they pretty much take over that entire area including much of the parking lot as well. The Boardwalk area restaurants can get very crowded during the nights of the Gartner event as well.

The only issue I saw with the PGA event was that the Signature resturants were packed with golfers. The Califiornia Grill was beyond packed ... I don't think I've ever seen it that crowded!

I was looking at the PGA site and the Event dates for Disney are actually from Oct 17-23, the 20-23 are the actual tournament dates and the 17-19 practice dates.

I planned our vacation for Oct 19-25, I hope F&W is not extra busy due to these Events, I was aware of the Gartner Symposium one reason I booked early, since we will be at the BC but I did not know they had switched the PGA Tourney from November.
Only planning on one signature ADR this trip so should not effect that for us I hope with our other ADRs

I guess I will find out come April 22 which is my 180th day

 

[Brocktoon]

I was looking at the PGA site and the Event dates for Disney are actually from Oct 17-23, the 20-23 are the actual tournament dates and the 17-19 practice dates.

I planned our vacation for Oct 19-25, I hope F&W is not extra busy due to these Events, I was aware of the Gartner Symposium one reason I booked early, since we will be at the BC but I did not know they had switched the PGA Tourney from November.
Only planning on one signature ADR this trip so should not effect that for us I hope with our other ADRs

I guess I will find out come April 22 which is my 180th day

That makes sense that the PGA event is during the entire week. I wouldn't get too worried. I'll be down from Oct 15-22, and I'm not concerned at all. Again, I've been down during the PGA and the Gartner ... but I have to admit that I don't know if they've ever taken place at the same time while I was down.

I don't expect much of a hit at all for park attendance. And how many of the Gartner or PGA folks know about getting ADRs 180 days in advance? I think as long as us DIS folks really know about getting early ADRs, we'll be fine I just sort of feel sorry for the folks that don't know all the ins/outs of the WDW planning and may be down during the same time.

The last 2 weeks of Oct are my favorite time to visit WDW, and this year shouldn't be an exception