Did We Make the Right Move?

[SRUAlmn]

We were booked at Pop Century with our toddler for Sept 24-30. Up until I made the decision to stay home with my little one last August, I was a teacher and we’ve never had the opportunity to go in Sept when crowds were lower. We were excited, and then Disney announced SWGE. So we’d been battling with what to do, but we’ve never had free dining before so that was our reason for keeping our dates.

Pros for our trip: seeing the last Illuminations, possible skyliner (we didn’t know at the time when for sure it would open,) potentially low-ish crowds in the other non DHS parks, free dining, getting to be some of the “first” people to experience a lot of the new things (although that’s not super important to us,) and we’d never been to Food & Wine before (although we’re not super “foodies”) Also, just for reference, we weren’t planning to do MNSSHP because we didn’t think we could keep our little one up that late

Cons: rain, heat, SWGE crowds

Well, today when we found out free dining was being offered later in the fall we decided to change our dates. I’m thinking the crowds might be better (?) since SWGE will have been open for 2+ months and the new ride won’t open until after our trip (hoping it’s a little sweet spot, maybe I’m naive!) By changing, we reduce heat and rain by a bit or possibly by a lot (we live in SC so we know Nov can vary a lot,) and we’ll be able to use the Skyliner now (which wasn’t going to open until our last day if we’d gone in Sept.) There is also more potential for some of the new things announced as opening in the “fall” to be open when we go now. Also, Christmas decorations!!

Cons of changing: ADRs have already been booked by those going when we are so it’s been hard to find things (although I’ve always had great luck with the TP search so fingers crossed!) We won’t get to see Illuminations one last time (although we weren’t sure we were going to be able to keep our toddler up that late anyway!) I’ve been looking at crowd calendars and the numbers are much higher than they were for Sept? That prob worried me the most?

Anyone have any feedback or input? Are we complete boneheads for changing? Or geniuses, mwahahaha! We’ll be pulling out of town before Thanksgiving crowds start coming (just for reference.)

Thanks!!

 

[TinkerDust10]

I wouldn't put much empathize on the crowds levels as the deciding factor for changing your vacation because fall/winter crowds have been a bit higher than usual the past 4 years. with SWGE AND free dining being offered throughout this time frame you will not avoid crowds any time. In Sept, rain will come oppose to Nov. Plan your days/time around your toddler's schedule and go with the flow. Don't try to do it all at once. As far your dining ressies, hopefully you do not have any of the hard to book ressies on your itinerary. I wouldn't feel bad about switching your vacation. The best thing about Disney is that you can always come back and learn from your previous vacations.

 

[Sandy Mouse]

We've gone just before Thanksgiving several times and really like it then. The crowds aren't bad until about Tuesday of Thanksgiving week and the weather is great.

 

[SRUAlmn]

I wouldn't put much empathize on the crowds levels as the deciding factor for changing your vacation because fall/winter crowds have been a bit higher than usual the past 4 years. with SWGE AND free dining being offered throughout this time frame you will not avoid crowds any time. In Sept, rain will come oppose to Nov. Plan your days/time around your toddler's schedule and go with the flow. Don't try to do it all at once. As far your dining ressies, hopefully you do not have any of the hard to book ressies on your itinerary. I wouldn't feel bad about switching your vacation. The best thing about Disney is that you can always come back and learn from your previous vacations.

Thank you! I agree about there always being crowds! We went in Jan and expected it to be very low crowds and it was definitely not. This will be our little one’s third trip so we have become pros at just going with the flow around his schedule. A few people have told us not to worry about his schedule and I’m like.....you clearly don’t have a little one! Haha

We've gone just before Thanksgiving several times and really like it then. The crowds aren't bad until about Tuesday of Thanksgiving week and the weather is great.

Thank you!!

 

[ray3127]

My two cents... definitely switch. Everything about the November option is more appealing than September. I also don't buy the crowd calendar and would not factor that in. Do your best on ADRs, it will be a more enjoyable trip.

 

[SRUAlmn]

My two cents... definitely switch. Everything about the November option is more appealing than September. I also don't buy the crowd calendar and would not factor that in. Do your best on ADRs, it will be a more enjoyable trip.

Thank you so much! The rain was a big concern for Sept. we’ve done it before just us before the baby and it’s bearable, sometimes fun, but I just couldn’t imagine pushing a stroller with a raincover through inches of standing water and trying to get a soaked rain cover off and close the stroller and carry it all, soaking wet, onto buses, and it was just a whole extra kid factor in the rain that made it seem daunting! Haha

and thanks for the crowd calendar feedback! I’ve always used them but can’t say that I’ve ever really “felt” their validity once we were in the parks.