October vacation questions

[cobbler]

Hi, hope you all don't mind but I have a question about planning a vacation around the October-ish time.

My family and I do go to WDW frequently and we have always gone during the value season, either right after Thanksgiving or end of January.

We bought annual passes for our vacation this year and obviously want to use them again next year before they expire and I am intrigued with going to MNSSHP and a bonus would also be the internationl food and wine festival.

Well I did notice that this is during regular season. How much worse, if at all, are the crowds during this time?
Would anyone recommend a particular time during the month to go? (again I would love to check out the halloween party)
Can someone give me some ideas on must do's for the party and the food and wine festival and just tell me a little bit about them?

I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks

 

[Local Boo]

Hi there

We've been a couple of times (last two weeks in October) and the parks are quiet - never queued for anything - straight on (well obviously did the big rides first thing and then whatever we wanted to do afterwards.) Our friends (who went in July) were like "what?! you went on all those rides HOW many times? we had to queue for over an hour for that one"

Don't know if that helps.

 

[dina7]

A few years ago we went from Oct. 20th thru the 28th and it was great both weather and crowd-wise. This year we are going Oct. 29th thru Nov. 3rd and I think it will be more crowded because of Halloween. We'll see. I have never been to Mnsshp but we are going to try it this trip. Many people on the boards have raved about it. We have been to theFood and Wine Festival. Near each country they have different booths set up where you can purchase sample size portions of different food and wines for a few dollars each. It's really fun. They also offer special programs with guest chefs and presentations at different times that you need to sign up for if interested. As you go thru the turnstiles to enter the CMs hand you a brochure with all the info on the Food and Wine Festival activities.

 

[armygirl2001]

I've never been that time of year but my parents have been going in October for the past 4 or 5 years. It was their favorite time to go because the weather is still warm and according to them the crowds aren't bad. In fact they actually moved to Florida a few months ago and my mom now works at MK.

DH and I will be going to visit them mid-October. Epcot is DH's favorite park (mine is AK, but Epcot is a close second) and we usually eat/drink our way around World Showcase when we go. So my mom suggested that we do the food and wine festival while we are there to visit. We're really looking forward to it and I hope some people who have been before will post their opinions of it.

Supposedly the Haloween Party is also a blast (parents went as tourists last year, complete with Hawaiian shirts, cameras and a Goofy hat (dad)), but that is at the end of October so we're going to miss it.

We're also going to visit in August too but will probably skip the parks except maybe a day at Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach to appease DH.

 

[krissy3483]

I went a few years ago in mid-October and it was wonderful. The weather was perfect - upper 70s the entire time and no rain. We got to do a lot of swimming. But best of all, NO CROWDS! It was a short trip, so I only got to go to MGM, but it was absolutely empty - we did everything over and over again and had a wonderful time.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by armygirl2001
Supposedly the Haloween Party is also a blast (parents went as tourists last year, complete with Hawaiian shirts, cameras and a Goofy hat (dad)), but that is at the end of October so we're going to miss it.

----------------------------------------

I thought the MNSSHP started on various dates the beginning of Oct. and throughout the month?

 

[cdnmickeylover]

MNSSHP is scheduled throughout the month. We are planning to attend on the 12th.

We went last year mid October and it was great -- the weather was still warm and the crowds weren't too bad.

MNSSHP was a great time. The headless horseman is a must see in my opinion. We ate at LTT which we won't do this year as it was crowded and took a lot of time (or more time than we expected).

Food and Wine Festival is great as well -- each country has samples of food and wine with prices ranging for food $1-$5 and wine was a bit more. We ate our way around Epcot one afternoon which was filling -- no dinner that night! There's a booklet you can pick up which lists all the countries participating and what they are serving.

Have fun!

 

[armygirl2001]

You guys are right, it is throughout the month. Don't know why I thought it was just at the end. Hmm, maybe I should check with my mom about doing that too. Doubt I can get DH to dress up though.

 

[Mattsmom]

We went Oct 02, we loved it. As others have said the weather is great! The crowds were light, most rides a walk on.

MNSSHP was packed on Halloween according to the people we talked to as they were come back to the hotel. We did MNSSHP on another night, the crowds were about the same as an E-night.
We enjoyed the parade and special fireworks the most.

The Food & Wine Festival at Epcot was also fun. We found we spent more time at Epcot on this trip then we usually do because of it. We enjoyed eating our way around the world! We also attended a couple of free beer and wine tastings that were offered.

It's hard to pick which is my favorite to visit WDW now. I can't choose between Dec. & Oct.!

 

[dlbwright]

Hi Cobbler

I just wanted to be included in on the post. Nice of you to join us!

:happy2:

You know who!

 

[uktigger]

hi diane

when you say "the crowds are like the e ride nights" is that good or bad,we have never had the chance to do these

thanks eve

 

[Mattsmom]

"crowds like e-night" are good to me. WDW only sells around 5,000 tickets to e-night so most rides are walk ons. We found the same thing at MNSSHP. The longest lines we encoutered were lines for candy! They moved very quickly though.

 

[mickeys friend]

Last year was the first time we were at WDW in Oct.We've been there in May,June,July,Nov. We were there Oct 1-8th last year and plan on a trip this year Sept.29-Oct 6th.We went to the MNSSHP last year (not on a Friday night) I think we went on Sunday or Monday,because we were told that there would be more people there on a Friday night so we went a different night.It was fun,walked up on all the rides and watching the kids and even the adults in their outfits was great.We did not dress up and we were all adults except for a 10 year old who had a great time without being dressed up.Everyone gets candy and the park looked great,I'am looking forward this year taking some of our family to MNSSHP that couldn't go last year.The weather wasn't bad,about 80 every day or in the high 70's and only rained once.The parks were a little fuller than usual we were told because the the Fairytale Package last year (that's the package we had)and this year we're doing the Dreammaker pkg of 7/4.I still love Nov.when its decked out for Christmas but this package makes it to good to miss and Oct. would be my next pick.So,if all goes well,we hope to be there Sept.29th-Oct 6th at the Contemporary and the MNSSHP on Oct 3rd.

 

[francie]

hi, for all you folks who have been to the mnsshp - We can't arrive until after 8pm. do you think we would still be able to see the headless horseman parade? is it scheduled twice a night? any idea of the times? anyone have an approximate time for the fireworks? thanks in advance for your help.

 

[cobbler]

Diana such a fruitcake

Thanks for all the great info guys and gals. I think even though it is regular season you all have helped me decide to go ahead and do it!

Isn't that exciting, 2 vacations to plan!! And I can put my minnie costume I got from Disney catalog to good use too. Dh got captain hook.

Thanks again.

Oh and if anyone has any other info and tips I would appreciate any!

 

[frannn]

and both were great weather wise (high 80's) and crowds were there, but manageable. If you go to EE, the rides were almost walk on. Later in the afternoon, the wait times for the rides (not the popular thrill rides) was 25-50 minutes. We loved MNSSHP, and so did DD1. We went to a mid week party in mid Oct, and although it was a bit damp out, they still had the parade twice and the fireworks. The later it gets during the party hours, the shorter the ride lines got. At one point, we were one of the only few people on line for Pirates. It was the first time I got to sit in the front of the boat! This year we are going in Sept, to take advantage of our APs.

 

[DVCTiff]

to say that I didn't think the Food & Wine Festival was much to get all excited about. The lines were really long for little plates that cost a lot. It's just like any "Taste of..." festival and nothing really seemed worth waiting in line for. And I LOVE Epcot, don't get me wrong. I'd would just hate for someone to get their expectations all built up and then be disappointed. My husband thought the beer exhibit was cool but even then we didn't wait for the demos to begin. Maybe we were just out of steam by then.

 

[uktigger]

hi diane

thanks for your reply sorry it took so long for me to thank you

eve

 

[Doctor Tigger]

We loved MNSSHP, my dh didn't want to dress up as he thought he would look weird but let me tell ya, I didn't care.........I went as Tigger. Yeah it was a little hot inside my costume but I had so much fun as I am just a big kid at heart. We had so much fun that DH has agreed to wear a costume this year when we go back I even got my picture with Tigger dressed up as a skeleton, Tigger was pretty happy to see me dressed up as him and it was really fun. The line to get your picture with the characters aren't that long either. The candy lines are pretty long though.

Advice: If you are wanting a picture of the headless horseman as he goes by be prepared because he goes flying by really fast right before the parade starts, don't worry they announce that he's coming, I just held my camera up and snapped the picture hoping it would come out............in the end I got him in the picture with a light pole...........when I show people I have to do that "see that's the headless horsemen behind that light pole" thing so they understand what is in the picture ha ha ha

2 enthusiastic thumbs up for MNSSHP