Please HELP - Our plans are changing and I need advice from October people

[RamseyTrio]

Hi there -

I need help and advice from anyone who has visited WDW in October.

Bear with me while I type all the factors regarding our trip...

We had planned to visit WDW this October from the 9th-17th. It's myself, DH, DS7 and DS2. We also have friends travelling with us who have a DS8 and a DS5 so there are 8 of us total. We currently have reservations for suites that we can easily switch around (both our hotels have availability).

Here's the problem...airfare is not cheap during that time frame (about $230pp/rt for the jetBlue flight we need).
We can get flights about $50 less pp/rt if we switch our dates. We are sort of counting on travelling on jetBlue so we can use a few dollars we have saved with them from a previous trip and because their departing times out of JFK are perfect for us.

Now, here's where I need the help...

We can get cheaper flights on jetBlue if we leave a day later 10/10 and come home a day or two later 10/18 or 19 - an easy switch to make and our son wouldn't miss much school (just an extra day from our original plans)he has Columbus Day off plus W,Th,F of that week are teacher conferences so he has 1/2 days.

OR...we could go a week earlier from 10/2-10/10 but then he misses quite a bit of school and it's more stuff I need to switch around with the hotels.

What would you do...if we go a week earlier will the crowds be much less than what we'll experience over Monday, Columbus Day and the week following Columbus Day? We want to go in October because of MNSSHP and the Food & Wine Festival at EPCOT. Of course going at a time when the crowds are lower is nice.

Feeling a bit stressed since I *thought* I had the major details of our trip worked out!

Thanks for reading this looooong post and helping me out

 

[kilee]

I think the decision is really coming down to a personal one for you, and that's the missed school aspect of it. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here. It's a personal decision and you have to do what is right for you.

I would go for cheaper flights and lower crowds if possible. As for MNSSHP it usually starts close to the beginning of the month so you should be fine either way with that one.