October 2014

[Nicole786]

Hmmm...Surprising about AKL - as there seems to always be availability. I know for the Epcot resorts, it may be more difficult as they are starting renovations in BC, so YC and perhaps BWI may be finding themselves filling up. I know some who have already reserved BC concierge were responded back to asking if another BC room or YCConcierge would be ok...assuming they are beginning renos.

Additionally, the Gartner Symposium uses a lot of Epcot resort rooms from Oct 5-9th. Some 8500+ people attend this event.

Thanks for some insight Epcot hotels i understand to a point (I mean it is F&W festival, just surprising they would be booked to capacity at full price) but WL, AKL, and a lot of the moderate rooms as well are all gone. And it would be nice to know if its a glitch (which i think it is) or if these rooms are really all gone without any promotion, then I dont want to be at WDW during that week...it will be completely mobbed. By contrast, I can get into any hotel of my choosing the same week that crosses July 4th weekend..and magic kingdom always hits park capacity at that time

 

[LisaTC]

Thanks for some insight Epcot hotels i understand to a point (I mean it is F&W festival, just surprising they would be booked to capacity at full price) but WL, AKL, and a lot of the moderate rooms as well are all gone. And it would be nice to know if its a glitch (which i think it is) or if these rooms are really all gone without any promotion, then I dont want to be at WDW during that week...it will be completely mobbed. By contrast, I can get into any hotel of my choosing the same week that crosses July 4th weekend..and magic kingdom always hits park capacity at that time

That is strange, to be sure. I looked as well just to see what WAS available and it's pretty slim pickings. There must be something weird going on. It usually isn't like that for Oct. It would NEVER be as busy as 4th of July week, which I think you'd have to be pretty brave!

 

[crazy4wdw]

the Gartner Symposium uses a lot of Epcot resort rooms from Oct 5-9th. Some 8500+ people attend this event.

It would be my guess that the Gratner Sympsoium is main reason for the some of the resorts being sold out during your time frame. Often the Symposium has up to 20,000 attendees at WDW and they stay all over property even though most of the meetings occur at the Swan/Dolphin. I stayed at POR in October 2012 during this convention and most of the resort as well as POFQ was sold out. Disney was running numerous buses from POR to the Swan/Dolphin and well as other Disney resorts for folks attending the convention.

 

[weswife]

9 days until we can make our ADR!!!! I have a list

 

[Mickeyj73]

Still having trouble finding rooms between Oct 5-12th. I spoke to about 4 people who keep feeding me the line about how "October has many special events that draw crowds" It's getting frustrating. There is no way, without any kind of promotion, that AKL, BC, BWI, WL, and Poly have every single room booked. There's no way. I can search the week before, the week after. Heck, I even searched July 4th weekend, and there is plenty of availability with an active promotion.

Not sure if/when they're gonna figure it out. But all of a sudden, that week is gonna come, and they're not going to understand why resort attendance is so low. lol Hoping once a promotion gets released, it refreshes the computer systems and the glitch is gone.

We are booked October 5th-12th at SSR using an exchange through RCI- I was really hoping for average crowds during our stay so I really hope that there is either a glitch for booking resorts during that time or if it is due to this Gartner Symposium maybe just the resorts are busy but the parks will not be. Either way we will make the most of it and have a great time- We are of course at the happiest place on earth!!!

 

[crazy4wdw]

9 days until we can make our ADR!!!! I have a list

Good Luck! I was able to make mine this morning was able to reserve what I wanted including BOG.

 

[Nicole786]

It would be my guess that the Gratner Sympsoium is main reason for the some of the resorts being sold out during your time frame. Often the Symposium has up to 20,000 attendees at WDW and they stay all over property even though most of the meetings occur at the Swan/Dolphin. I stayed at POR in October 2012 during this convention and most of the resort as well as POFQ was sold out. Disney was running numerous buses from POR to the Swan/Dolphin and well as other Disney resorts for folks attending the convention.

I just checked online and this definitely makes sense now. The rooms being used for the convention are AKL, BWI, BC, YC, Poly & CR, CBR, and CS

Does anyone know if the rooms that are currently blocked off get put back in inventory if they arent booked by the convention by a certain date?

 

[Trackey79]

Taking our 7yo for her first trip!

Staying at the Contemporary, Park view.. Just like I did back in 1976 when I was her age!

My wife and I have been one time since my first visit back in '76. We went in 1996 or so. I remembered the exact layout of the MK like i had been there just months before.
I was devastated when I found that 20,000 leagues under the sea was gone.. That was my favorite ride as a child besides the Haunted Mansion.

Just finished booking our dining plans for the visit! 179 days and counting!

We are doing our absolute best to not let her know about this trip until we are actually pulling into the resort. She is a smart kid, and I'm betting she will figure it out once we get picked up at the airport though..

Since I'm completely new to this; What are the chances that discounts will come out for that week? (free dining, resort discounts, etc.). We are doing all of this through an agent, and she indicated that it is quite possible something will be discounted.

We planned a surprise trip for our kids and had them in Orlando knowing we had seasonal tickets to Disney World and knowing that Disney World was right around the corner. We convinced them completely that we were not going by telling them I had a business trip and that we just would not have time to go to Disney on that trip. We did not tell them we were actually going to Disney until we were at breakfast the morning we were about to head into the park (we arrived in Orlando late in the previously evening and were staying off property that trip) and their faces were priceless because we actually had them convinced I was there for a business meeting! After we pulled out of the restaurant it was a quick left turn and the gates to Disney were soon in sight and the kids could not believe just how close to Disney they had been all night without even knowing it. It was a great trip.

 

[Trackey79]

We will be taking our first trip to WDW as a family of 3! Our newborn daughter will be 9 months at the time of our trip. Sooo excited to share our love of disney with her. We are going from oct 17 until the 27th and are staying at AKL GV's. Only 204 days to go!

That is such a fun age to take a little one to Disney!! You will have so much fun watching her expressions and how she reacts to all the things she will see and experience while she is there!! I have taken my children at all ages there and I think when they were little like that was one of my favorite stages because of their reactions!

 

[lancgirl]

Hello fellow Oct 2014ers! We are headed down Oct 10-17th! Getting excited. We're currently booked at the GF, no FD will be offered but hoping for a room disc. We'll see!

Have a great day!

 

[daizieduck]

Hello fellow Oct 2014ers! We are headed down Oct 10-17th! Getting excited. We're currently booked at the GF, no FD will be offered but hoping for a room disc. We'll see! Have a great day!

What makes you say free dining will not be offered?? Is that week usually one of the black out weeks when FD has been offered in the past?

 

[Chuckers]

What makes you say free dining will not be offered?? Is that week usually one of the black out weeks when FD has been offered in the past?

Because it includes Columbus Day which is normally a busier week than the rest of the month, so any discount/incentive to fill rooms isn't needed.

 

[ErinF626]

We are going for our first trip October 4-11. Feeling completely overwhelmed at the moment LOL.

 

[daizieduck]

Because it includes Columbus Day which is normally a busier week than the rest of the month, so any discount/incentive to fill rooms isn't needed.

Oh. I guess I never realized that CD is the week that is generally blacked out. Just didn't give it much thought but that make sense.

 

[lancgirl]

It seems that RO discounts have been offered, so I'm still hopeful we could get something! Though now I'm contemplating moving our date to our usual December week with all this talk of October booking up.

 

[daizieduck]

It seems that RO discounts have been offered, so I'm still hopeful we could get something! Though now I'm contemplating moving our date to our usual December week with all this talk of October booking up.

I know. We always go in October. But I usually wait to see if FD is announced before I book. Starting to wonder if we will end up needing to change it up this year. Would hate to miss out on F & W though.

 

[daizieduck]

Booked CSR with FD Oct 26-Nov 3.

 

[Princesca]

I am waiting for my new disney visa to arrive so I can book. What is the impact of free dining on parks crowds? I chose last week in oct because of the low crowds and while I'm excited by free dining I would rather have lower park levels. Anyone know?

Have all my ADRs booked so here's hoping there is still availability by monday!

 

[loriinks]

I am waiting for my new disney visa to arrive so I can book. What is the impact of free dining on parks crowds? I chose last week in oct because of the low crowds and while I'm excited by free dining I would rather have lower park levels. Anyone know? Have all my ADRs booked so here's hoping there is still availability by monday!

I believe the free dining opens to the general public tomorrow so I would call as soon as they open to book or some room types on your dates may sell out. You can always charge the rest of your trip on your disney visa when it arrives. Or if you book today you can call back and add the free dining to your package later. Hold times will be crazy in the morning.

 

[Princesca]

Thanks for the tip! The last thing I saw is that it will open to general public 5/7 so am hoping that is true but have contacted my TA about options just in case.

ETA: Small World Vacations says it opens for general public on 5/7 so I am crossing my fingers it's here tomorrow!