To go or not to go......that is the question....help me decide....w

[MissManda]

I am trying to decide if we should go to Disney the week of Oct 18th or not.

The "we" in this picture would be me, DH, our baby boy who will be 9 months at the time of the trip, and our 17yo nephew that lives with us.

I had not intended to take the baby on his first trip to Disney until he was a bit older. But, thanks to the school system that my nephew is in changing their calendar, he will get a week off from school in October. This is his senior year in high school and I know that once he graduates and goes to college, it may get much harder to do family vacations. So, I want to take this week in October to do a family trip with the four of us to make some special memories as a family. I can't think of a better place than Disney.

With that said, I've never been in October before and I've never been with a baby so I do have some concerns/questions before I make up my mind on going to WDW or just going to a beach. What would the crowds be like at this time of year? Is it easy to get around or is it packed? I'm assuming by October the weather should be fairly nice and not too hot? I don't want the baby sweltering in his stroller the entire time. How difficult is it really to do disney with a baby that age? For parents that have done it before, would you do it again? This is my first baby...so really I don't know what to expect with a 9 month old. Would he get much enjoyment from it or would he just be along for the ride? What would your advice be? I know we would have to take it much slower than usual and spend a bit more time at the resort resting.

 

[kwdw]

October is a great time to go. Crowds aren't too bad and weather tends to be good.

As for taking a 9 month old, it's doable, but just remember you may need to hold him while standing in lines for rides that he can go on with you. I think as long as you are okay doing rider swap or split up sometimes, you can have fun.

Check the family board for tips for traveling with the little one.

 

[Hootch]

If your nephew likes Disney, I think it would be a great trip. We actually discussed with our eldest, almost 16, about going this summer without him. We were having trouble finding openings in our calendar. He was not happy. (It wasn't that bad. He would have been scuba diving with a scout group in the Keys.)

Weather (from easywdw)

Weather cools slightly with an average high of 84 degrees and an average low of 68 degrees. Precipitation is much lower than the summer months, with a 26% chance of showers on any given day.

We took our kids for the first time when they were three. My advice would be to try to stay at something close. These tend to be more expensive rooms, but the benefits are great. You might be able to get a studio at Bay Lake or Boardwalk for a reasonable price from a good reputation DVC broker. The rooms are about the size of a moderate resort with some of the space taken up with kitchen area. Looking at six days 10/18-10-24, Dave's is showing

DAK (all lowest price listed) $798
Bay Lake $1288
Boardwalk $896
Beach Club $1274
Wilderness Lodge 1274

I did not look at availability.

As far as the heat goes, the parks are open relatively long considering the crowd levels. The MK will close early some nights due to Not So scary Halloween. The early closing often reduces the normal day crowds. Know which attractions are air conditioned. The MK and Epcot have several attractions to do in the midday with AC. Disney has child care facilities:

Open during regular park hours, each full-service facility is complimentary to use and
includes a:

• Private nursing room with rocking chairs
• Changing room with tables and a unisex bathroom
• Feeding area with highchairs
• Kitchen with microwave, oven and sink
• Main room with television, table, chairs and sofa
• On-site shop offering formula, baby food, juice, diapers, wipes, sunscreen, over-the-counter medications and clothing for purchase.

Enjoy