***OFFICIAL*** October 2011 - Updated 10/08/11

[KRAGGI01]

For anyone wanting to meet up OM me an email address and I will make a spreadsheet we can forward around to find the best dates for us.

 

[two*little*birds]

So happy that our dates have been blacked out for the new free dining special. Not sure why those dates are blacked out, but I'm happy. Sorry, not a big fan of free dining and the crowds that come along with it.

 

[Bellamouse]

So happy that our dates have been blacked out for the new free dining special. Not sure why those dates are blacked out, but I'm happy. Sorry, not a big fan of free dining and the crowds that come along with it.

Me too, except I'm wondering why those dates are blacked out? Maybe because something's going on and it's already going to be crowded those days? I sure hope not.....

 

[Bellamouse]

Add us to the list Going for our 30th Anniversary 10/09/2011. Staying at BWV. Can't wait, first time for Food & wine and MNSSHP. Whoo HooT Sorry leaving the 15th.

Congratulations!! Our anniversary is also Oct 9th - but we are only married for 13 years this year! And we are also going on the 15th for our anniversary trip!!! How funny! We spent our 10th anniversary in DW and just had the most fabulous time. Be sure and get your anniversary buttons to wear throughout your trip!!

 

[LilyWDW]

Me too, except I'm wondering why those dates are blacked out? Maybe because something's going on and it's already going to be crowded those days? I sure hope not.....

There is a big IT convention going on during some of those dates that most likely has skewed the occupancy numbers to where Disney does not need to offer anything to help. It doesn't really mess with the parks much, but it will cause some hotels to be busier and maybe some restaurants (those closest to the hotels).

 

[im4kycats]

There is a big IT convention going on during some of those dates that most likely has skewed the occupancy numbers to where Disney does not need to offer anything to help. It doesn't really mess with the parks much, but it will cause some hotels to be busier and maybe some restaurants (those closest to the hotels).

I hope that is all it is! POFQ is showing no availability for my week, and I am starting to worry

Gartner is the group and according to this link http://www.gartner.com/technology/symposium/orlando/hotel.jsp they are at resorts all over the World. This should mean a great week for crowds in the parks!

 

[MamaBearJohnson]

We were going to be going in October but switched to November now. Hope you all have fun!

 

[tigger30066]

Just found this thread. I will be there with my Best Friend from october 13th -16th. We are staying at ASMu. Can I leave tomorrow.

 

[snykymom]

There is a big IT convention going on during some of those dates that most likely has skewed the occupancy numbers to where Disney does not need to offer anything to help. It doesn't really mess with the parks much, but it will cause some hotels to be busier and maybe some restaurants (those closest to the hotels).

I hope that is all it is! POFQ is showing no availability for my week, and I am starting to worry

Gartner is the group and according to this link http://www.gartner.com/technology/symposium/orlando/hotel.jsp they are at resorts all over the World. This should mean a great week for crowds in the parks!

There's also a PGA tournament Oct. 20-23, which will also fill a number of hotels. Golfers will come down early, as will golfer/spectators.
http://classic.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

 

[sjs314]

There's also a PGA tournament Oct. 20-23, which will also fill a number of hotels. Golfers will come down early, as will golfer/spectators.
http://classic.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

I forgot about the PGA Tourney but now that you jogged my memory I recall seeing that instead of being held in November like last year it was in October this year.

 

[FigmentChick]

Just found this thread. I will be there with my Best Friend from october 13th -16th. We are staying at ASMu. Can I leave tomorrow.

Welcome aboard!!!! I will add your info to the first post.

I soooo need to get my Disney on today. I have to let one of my assistants go today (the decision came from on high, not my choice) and the company that hosts our email server just called and let me know they shut us down for spam (one of our sales guys had his email hacked). AAGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Please, please, please just let me make it through today and then I can go home and plug my travel channel DVDs in.

 

[Brocktoon]

I think it was two or three years ago that I was down during the Gartner convention and the PGA event during October. It wasn't bad at all. The Epcot resort area hotels can get crowded but it doesn't effect the parks too much.

I've seen Free Dining have a much larger effect on the parks and especially the restaurants than the black-out dates. I'm actually happy to be leaving WDW on 10/22 as the influx of Free Dining crowds start to roll in.

 

[LilyWDW]

I think it was two or three years ago that I was down during the Gartner convention and the PGA event during October. It wasn't bad at all. The Epcot resort area hotels can get crowded but it doesn't effect the parks too much.

I've seen Free Dining have a much larger effect on the parks and especially the restaurants than the black-out dates. I'm actually happy to be leaving WDW on 10/22 as the influx of Free Dining crowds start to roll in.

Yea, it looks like there are a lot of "room booking" events going on... but none of them seem to be "park crowding" (like my new terminology?). I decided to sign up for touring plans and the crowd levels are pretty low except for the Saturdays... but I think that is to be expected. Since I have a good plan and my ADRs set, I am not worried about it. I figure that still puts me ahead of a good number of people!

 

[shortchange1026]

Hi Everyone..hope all of you "Octoberer's" are enjoying your summer. The DIS and the countdown are the only thing keeping me going. We had a really bad July, DH had a motorcycle accident, 5 broken ribs, a bruised lung, internal bleeding from his spleen and fluid from the broken ribs pushing up against one of his lungs making it hard to breathe. Spleen was fixed and fluid was drained and all was well. A week later, back to the hospital with severe pain on his right side, kidney stones! Thank goodness he passed it and he is on the road to recovery. Not to mention work being a complete nightmare!

Needless to say, we need a vacation and are counting the days until we get on that plane for some magic!

 

[exwdwcm]

I'm back! finally wrapped up our big annual user conference in Vegas and can focus on something other than that project for a bit. Like.........the DIS?

For those who got FD, congrats! Or AP rate- congrats!

For those that didn't, so sorry! I actually am HAPPY my dates are blacked out (Oct 14-22 is our dates). It means a little less congestion in the restaurants and hopefully slightly fewer crowds overall.

As someone mentioned, i think part of it is due to the PGA/Gartner thing. I've been to WDW/Orlando on business many times (used to manage tradeshows) and let me tell you, if you are there on business, you rarely have time to actually visit the parks. If you do, it is usually using the after 4pm convention ticket (only available to the convention folks) and so a few nights (especially at Epcot) could be more crowded, as well as restaurants and the Boardwalk area/Epcot resorts. But the parks will see little or no impact. There might be some spouses/families that come along and play, but for the most part, folks are there on business for business. I know I've been one of those sad faces, walking to my meeting watching all the tourists on vacation heading out to play. It is so sad. Heck, i was just in Vegas for 6 nights for our conference and was so bummed watching folks having a great time, relaxing, gambling and sight seeing while I was walking to my meetings. blah.

so i actually like that the PGA/Convention is there, it means the hotel rooms are filled, but little impact on the park, which is great! otherwise, those room might have been filled with folks that would be in the park! So don't be too bummed you didn't get free dining, there are a few bright spots!

Just ordered my personalized shutterfly autograph book today. Got my garden grocer order started too!

I am at 70 days out!!!

 

[LilyWDW]

Hi Everyone..hope all of you "Octoberer's" are enjoying your summer. The DIS and the countdown are the only thing keeping me going. We had a really bad July, DH had a motorcycle accident, 5 broken ribs, a bruised lung, internal bleeding from his spleen and fluid from the broken ribs pushing up against one of his lungs making it hard to breathe. Spleen was fixed and fluid was drained and all was well. A week later, back to the hospital with severe pain on his right side, kidney stones! Thank goodness he passed it and he is on the road to recovery. Not to mention work being a complete nightmare!

Needless to say, we need a vacation and are counting the days until we get on that plane for some magic!

OMG OWWWWWW! SO glad he is going to be okay, but I admit, I winced reading that. I can only picture you counting down those days!

 

[wgeo]

Hi Everyone,

We are taking our first ever trip to WDW from Oct 1 - 8 this year! It'll be me, Dh, ds-7 and dd-6. We're staying offsite at Windsor Hills and land at MCO at 3:00. My question is do we buy tickets so that we can head over to the Magic Kingdom on the first. Realistically I don't think we'd get there until after dinner. The 1st is the actual 40th anniversary so I didn't know if there was anything special going on or not or if it would be extra crowded.

We are planning on doing the Magic Kingdom the next day and we have an ADR at Crystal Palace at 8:05. I think that the early morning quiet might be a great way for all of us to see everything for the first time --- but I don't want to miss out on anything --- any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[sjs314]

Hi Everyone,

We are taking our first ever trip to WDW from Oct 1 - 8 this year! It'll be me, Dh, ds-7 and dd-6. We're staying offsite at Windsor Hills and land at MCO at 3:00. My question is do we buy tickets so that we can head over to the Magic Kingdom on the first. Realistically I don't think we'd get there until after dinner. The 1st is the actual 40th anniversary so I didn't know if there was anything special going on or not or if it would be extra crowded.

We are planning on doing the Magic Kingdom the next day and we have an ADR at Crystal Palace at 8:05. I think that the early morning quiet might be a great way for all of us to see everything for the first time --- but I don't want to miss out on anything --- any thoughts?

Thanks!

As far as I know Disney has not announced anything special for the 40th Birthday, Before I changed my dates I planned on being there for the first and heading over to MK but I do suspect it will be terriblely busy. They did add Fantasmic on the 1st over at DHS which might draw some of the crowds plus with the F&W drawing more people, then there is the 1/2 marathon to add to all the craziness.
If I wanted to avoid the crowds I think I might go to DHS for Fantasmic since it is running all week and may not be as busy as MK and Epcot on the 1st.

If you really want to go to MK on Oct 1, maybe try to book the Dessert Party for that night?

 

[snykymom]

Hi Everyone,

We are taking our first ever trip to WDW from Oct 1 - 8 this year! It'll be me, Dh, ds-7 and dd-6. We're staying offsite at Windsor Hills and land at MCO at 3:00. My question is do we buy tickets so that we can head over to the Magic Kingdom on the first. Realistically I don't think we'd get there until after dinner. The 1st is the actual 40th anniversary so I didn't know if there was anything special going on or not or if it would be extra crowded.

We are planning on doing the Magic Kingdom the next day and we have an ADR at Crystal Palace at 8:05. I think that the early morning quiet might be a great way for all of us to see everything for the first time --- but I don't want to miss out on anything --- any thoughts?

Thanks!

There's really no reason not to buy tickets in advance (try a discounter like Undercover Tourist - you'll save a few bucks either directly or a few bucks more if you go through the Mousesaver's newsletter link). Buy what you think you'll need without including the first night. Then when you get there, decide if you want to go. If you go, just upgrade your tickets to add an additional day after you've used them. You can do the upgrade any time within 14 days of first use, as long as there are still entitlements available on them. If your ticket is longer than 4 days, any additional days cost only $8/ticket/day plus tax.

 

[wgeo]

Thanks sjs - I didn't realize they added Fantasmic that night, we have the Fant. dinner package for the next night but we're debating whether we want to keep it (since we're paying for food oop.) It's nice to know they're showing it another night.

Thanks snykymom - I hadn't realize about upgrading tickets like that. We are planning on buying 6 days through UT - so if I'm reading you right we should just go ahead and buy those and if we feel like it when we get there go ahead and go that night and then during the week we can add an extra day at 8/day rate? Makes sense. Thanks