October or November?

[steffaknits]

I am working on planning our 2012 trip. This will be our first DVC trip and will probably be a resort only trip. Due to various schedules, we are only able to go in either October or November. I know these tend to be more popular with the DVC crowd and I am trying to figure out which would be better. My kids really only care that they can swim everyday and explore the resort. We would be going either the week of Columbus day or the week of Veteran's day. Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I think the weather is more likely to be nicer for swimming in October. We're going later this week for F&W and to be with the DGC, and the forecast has highs in the 70s for the later part of the weekend.

I'm thinking about next year, and have decided that I don't care if I miss F&W, but I want to be sure to be able to have good swimming weather, so I've decided to move my trip with the family up to the end of September next year!

Bobbi

 

[steffaknits]

I'm leaning towards October already. (I'm easily swayed apparently!) I would much rather do September but the schedule is just not cooperating. We did last week of September this year and the weather was definitely great for swimming.

 

[bobbiwoz]

November 11, 2010 we spent a day at SSR and left for a DCL cruise the next day. That weather was very nice, and I know we were in the pool. There was a November, maybe 3 years ago, around the 15th to 20th, DH's birthday is the 17th and we were there for it, and it was very very cold. My family was the only one in SAB, we braved it for about an hour or two, but that was it. One swimming day for nearly the whole week.

 

[Pakey]

I'm here right now and it's perfect swim weather. I was here last year for Columbus week and we had perfect weather that week also.

 

[hakepb]

On average, November can be OK, but I had an unseasonably cool week before Thanksgiving week a few years back. It was mostly low 40 and high 60. But the pools are heated and there were a few swimmers...

For warm weather alone I would choose October, but I do love the Christmas decorations, so I enjoy late November, too.

 

[blondietink]

We have gone in October 2 times and love it. Weather is usually perfect temp wise and we have been lucky it has not rained. We love the decorations at MK for Halloween and MNNSHP, too. LOVE F&WF at Epcot. Both parks can get corwded at thie time of year due to DVC and England has a 2 week vacation in the middle of October. We have run into many English people at this time of year and they tend to stay at either moderate or Deluxe resorts. Weekends at F&WF can get really crowded. One Sat. night is was so crowded I had never seen it that way before. Everybody was in good sprits, but the parking lot was horrible. We just took our time getting out of the park and made our way back to our resort s..l..o..w..l..y.

 

[kbeam]

We have always gone the 1st/2nd week of November (the end of F&W), and the weather was ALWAYS perfect...low 80s. Never had a drop of rain in all the times we've gone then. This year, we went in October. We wanted to do the MNSSHP. The temps were warmer, but we DID have rain. I think October has more rainfall historically than November. Both months are great, though.

 

[2binak]

During the 2 trips we've taken in Oct we've had excellent weather. During the 3 trips we've taken in Nov, we've had weather anywhere from mid-50's & rainy to high 80's & sunny. I guess it also depends on if you'd rather see Fall or Christmas decorations.

 

[JWG]

Weather risk is less in October. We just returned from a 10/15-10/25 trip and had zero rain (except for overnight). The highes ranged from 86 to 71. We had two days where long sleeve shirts were a must do to cooler temp, cloud cover and wind.

We went in October in 2001 and the weather was warm every day, but we had the usual midday 20-30 minute deluge.

November has more risk to go either way and highs (average) trend down out of mid 80's. But you just never know.

November may have slightly less crowds (but if you're not going to a park it may not matter) as MNSSHP is over and October breaks (both local school and European) are over. At least the first two weeks of November.

Our favorite month is September due to low crowds, good pool weather and such. But with a kid in school we just don't get there then.

Good luck deciding! I'd do October.

 

[2binak]

Weather risk is less in October. We just returned from a 10/15-10/25 trip and had zero rain (except for overnight). The highes ranged from 86 to 71. We had two days where long sleeve shirts were a must do to cooler temp, cloud cover and wind.

Did you not get rain on 10/18? We were at Epcot that day and it sprinkled on and off throughout the day and then rained pretty well for a bit that evening, around 7-8pm.

 

[Inkmahm]

I"d pick October. We love F&W but don't go each year until at least the 19th or 20th hoping to get a bit cooler weather. Earlier in October is just too hot for us. We also go in early December each year for the Christmas decorations and Christmas party. Some years we have had beautiful weather and other years, like last year, it was miserably cold.

For consistently warm weather, I'd pick October over November.

 

[JWG]

I"d pick October. We love F&W but don't go each year until at least the 19th or 20th hoping to get a bit cooler weather. Earlier in October is just too hot for us. We also go in early December each year for the Christmas decorations and Christmas party. Some years we have had beautiful weather and other years, like last year, it was miserably cold.

For consistently warm weather, I'd pick October over November.

I hear you. We have great photos of the characters in their winter gear and us in ours! Hats, gloves, coats the whole thing. It was 75 the day we arrived (12/10/10), after that it was all down hill. We left our hotel one morning and it was 28!! I could have stayed in MN for that.

That's unseasonably and unusually cold though. FL shouldn't see that for years again (hopefully).

 

[goofystitchfan]

We have gone the past 3 years the week of Veterans Day so that the kids miss less school (only 4 days) and to be honest it is a little cold for swimming. If you are able to do October, that would be my suggestion.

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

We have gone over Veteran's Day four out of the past five years. Two trips have been perfect weather. Another was split--some swimming but not a lot. Then we had one trip, I think it was 2008, that we had 50 year lows and the pool was out of the question. (During the evening hours, it was in the 30's!!)
We have also gone the last week of October and the weather was super warm and perfect for swimming. So if swimming is your kids biggest request, I would highly recommend October. For us, not so much, which is why my ticker points out another Veteran's Day trip coming up!!

 

[steffaknits]

Thanks everybody for the advice. I eventually want to try Disney in all the seasons but fall seems to be what is working out for me lately. We went end of august 2010 and end of september 2011. I think October is going to be it for 2012 because of the better pool weather and all of the recommendations in that direction. Thanks again!