***The Official October 2016 Thread***

[SandiKB]

Thank you so much for taking this over!!! We changed our dates to 10/10-10/15, still staying off site, but decided to go further south and see family before instead of after

 

[vrajewski10513]

Anyone here hoping for free dining?? I know a large majority of October is blacked out, and that's why we chose to check in on September 28 in hopes of all of September being included again.

 

[cristen72]

Add me please . October 1-8 at Carribean Beach with free dining booked from last fall's BB offer.

 

[Belle2006beauty]

Thank you for taking this over, and for adding us. Only 195 days to go!

 

[Disneybell2015]

You can take me off :/ looks like I won't be able to go this year either

 

[vrajewski10513]

You can take me off :/ looks like I won't be able to go this year either

Bummer

 

[tiffany41108]

You can take me off :/ looks like I won't be able to go this year either

Dislike.

 

[tiffany41108]

I added an extra day to our trip. It's now oct 1-8.

 

[GraceMonica]

I added an extra day to our trip. It's now oct 1-8.

Yay for more time in disney!

 

[archdandy]

Anyone here hoping for free dining?? I know a large majority of October is blacked out, and that's why we chose to check in on September 28 in hopes of all of September being included again.

Yes we are hoping for free dining. I'm kicking myself for not booking a bounce back last October when we were there. I've been hearing rumours that FD will be available on October 1 and then most of the rest of the month is blacked out. Hopefully that is the case so we can still check in on our planned dates. I'm not against switching some dates around if we have to but I'd really like to keep the one's we have now.

 

[im4pacers1]

We are heading down Oct 1- 8 and staying at CR. There will be 12 of us. It will be my 5 nephews' first trip. My brother and mom haven't been since our family trip in 1987 so they're essentially first timers as well.

 

[im4pacers1]

I'm getting super excited to see ROL. I hope we are able to catch a show.

 

[Disney_n00b]

I'll be going for my first trip ever with my H and 2 girls (9 and 2) Oct 15-22 at CBR So excited

 

[Atobias]

Please add me! This is our third trip in October and I think its the best time to go!!!! 10/4-10/10 AoA Mermaid.

 

[Pesky]

Son of a biscuit. Dining window opened for the first of my stays. I couldn't figure out why I was spending an HOUR clicking and clicking with little luck. I did get 3 out of the desired 5 (not all at ideal times but I got 'em) but the 2 most important (BOG and HDDR) I couldn't seem to get to go through. Fine, I'll be flexible! I tried to change to some of our other restaurants as mentally I switched around some days and restaurants. Couldn't get those either. Slowly watching times I want disappear. Yelling at the picture of Lady and the Tramp apologizing for the "paws" did nothing (surprising, I know). Fine, I'll call AND work on the computer. Gal I got told me her system (and most of the other agents') was totally down and she couldn't do a thing and had no idea when it would be back up. I felt bad for her because I could tell she was also frustrated. Politely did not yell at her and instead made sympathetic noises and sighs (extremely proud of my adulting at that moment). Hang up. Click some more on the computer. More times disappearing. Feel cortisol coursing through my body shortening my life span as I envision us having to trudge to the nearest McDonald's as our last alternative.

Overly stressed?

Yes, yes, I was.

Overly dramatic?

Perhaps but I don't like to judge. ::: sniff :::

And then I called again. Much shorter wait time before an agent picks up. Decided to go for the most desired reservation -- HDDR, 6:15, Cat 1 which showed as unavailable online. Why, yes, Amber assured me, not a problem -- what else? BOG lunch? No problem either, for the time I wanted as well. What the heck -- Tusker House, is there an earlier time available? Of course, would this do? Yes, yes, it would.

So yes, it was 1 hr and 40 minutes beginning to end of spastic clicking of the mouse and calling but the important thing is I ended up with the reservations we wanted around the times we wanted. Hoping for the same or similar luck this weekend for the next reservation opening!

Important lessons learned:
* get ready to call at the 7 am mark (5 am my time but I digress) because while you might not be able to secure the reservation online, phone can sometimes come through.
* have a dining backup plan where you can switch things around so if there is a restaurant you really want, you can switch days and times around to get it. Honestly, I hadn't done that and it took me a minute to think of what I could move when and where. Next time I call in, I'll have a backup plan so I can move park days and restaurants with less of an issue.
* panicking is reserved for suckers who don't know to call as well. And for when after the call yields no results. Then panicking and mass hysteria are appropriate.

 

[vrajewski10513]

I'm getting super excited to see ROL. I hope we are able to catch a show.

Me too! This is a "must-do" for me this year! I told my husband we're definitely going to be getting a FP+ for that!

 

[vrajewski10513]

(extremely proud of my adulting at that moment).

And then I called again. Much shorter wait time before an agent picks up. Decided to go for the most desired reservation -- HDDR, 6:15, Cat 1 which showed as unavailable online. Why, yes, Amber assured me, not a problem -- what else? BOG lunch? No problem either, for the time I wanted as well. What the heck -- Tusker House, is there an earlier time available? Of course, would this do? Yes, yes, it would.

Look at you! Adulting (and patience) pays off sometimes!

* have a dining backup plan where you can switch things around so if there is a restaurant you really want, you can switch days and times around to get it. Honestly, I hadn't done that and it took me a minute to think of what I could move when and where. Next time I call in, I'll have a backup plan so I can move park days and restaurants with less of an issue.

I did just this. I was really hoping for Ohana on our first night. Yeah, not happening. I ended up switching to HDDR (Cat 1 8:30 show since we will be at Universal this day) and moving Ohana to later in our trip where we originally had HDDR and scored a 6:30pm for all 9 of us together! I also had to be quick about making double reservations (we had 5 meals that I had to split us up into 5 and 4) and it ended up working out great! I got all of those reservations either at the same time or less than 10 mins apart. The only reservation I absolutely COULD NOT get was Sci-fi diner. No matter how many different ways I tried I couldnt find anything. So we ended up having to switch that one to 50's Prime Time Cafe. Overall though, we got great times for all of our meals,

* panicking is reserved for suckers who don't know to call as well. And for when after the call yields no results. Then panicking and mass hysteria are appropriate.

 

[CARR1E F1SHER]

I just got email from WDW about "congratulations on making a payment" for our Oct trip. I paid it all when we booked back in Feb, which the email shows. Anyone else get this? Should I make call?

 

[patches07]

I just got email from WDW about "congratulations on making a payment" for our Oct trip. I paid it all when we booked back in Feb, which the email shows. Anyone else get this? Should I make call?

I get a thank you every time I make a payment

 

[CARR1E F1SHER]

I get a thank you every time I make a payment

I didn't make a payment, though. It was paid in full when we booked in February. I got the email this morning.