Advice Wanted- Oct or Nov 2021 Trip?

[ncarrier]

First a little backstory:
My husband and I took our daughter to DL in Oct 2008 for her birthday for what we thought was going to be a one-time thing . Turns out, the three of us were hooked and have been going back in the fall every 2 years since. We are from Alberta, Canada, and usually to head DL as it’s closer for us, but in Sept / Oct 2012 we took a 2 week WDW trip where we stayed at Port Orleans resort and loved it! We love the Halloween Time offerings at the parks, and we have also been able to enjoy some Christmas offerings on one of our trips to DL during 2nd week in Nov.

We had decided a few years ago to skip the Fall 2020 DL trip (good call seeing as how this year went!) and plan a big trip to WDW in Fall 2021. She turns 21 on Oct 10th and would be able to “drink around the world in Epcot”, which most likely would be one drink for her lol as she does not drink much. I realized during initially looking at dates that it will be the 50th Anniversary on Oct 1st, 2021. We were originally looking at Oct 9-23rd but we are pretty flexible and could also go Oct 30- Nov 13th, or even Nov 6 – 20th. To our dismay, Port Orleans is not open but it looks like Caribbean Beach might be a great fit for us, and the price is fairly close for all of those dates.

There are pros and cons for all of the dates between weather, crowds, etc, which makes it difficult for us to choose. So I am asking you all for your opinions or advice- which dates would you pick, and why? TIA for your response!

 

[kanerf]

Seeing as that the Epcot F&W starts in September now and runs well into Nov, any of these dates will allow you to visit F&W which might be more interesting for your daughter then just the regular drink around the world.

 

[disneyseniors]

We have been in October once, but it was way too hot for us, so never again.
We used to go the first 2 weeks of November every year, and that is a great time to go. It's not too hot and is usually nice weather.
I would avoid the 50th like a plague, but that's just me

 

[cjlong88]

I've read posts where people like to visit at the end of October through the beginning of November so they can see both the Halloween and Christmas decorations. Choosing dates that are closer to the end of 2021 will give you a higher chance of being there when all of the new rides and construction is finished.

It's a tough call. If it were me, I would probably choose either Oct 30 - Nov 13 or Nov 6 - 20, simply because there is a better chance at cooler weather, and it would give me the best chance of being there when TRON and GotG coasters are officially open and Epcot construction is (hopefully, mostly, maybe) complete.

 

[dachsie]

I would do the Oct 30-Nov 13 dates to get both Halloween and Christmas in.

 

[gharter]

Its a tough call. I love seeing the Christmas decorations that show up in November, especially after Thanksgiving and the weather is cooler.
We also love the Food and Wine and that used to end early November so we go in late October. The last few years have been much warmer than previously.
Also next year, with the 50th, I expect most of October to be much busier, especially early October.

 

[ncarrier]

Thanks everyone for the responses! Is there a lot of Christmas decorations in the beginning to mid of November? I remember hearing about special Christmas offerings at Epcot in the World Pavilions but I think that we would be too early to see any of that even on our later date range of Nov 6-20?

 

[SaintsManiac]

Thanks everyone for the responses! Is there a lot of Christmas decorations in the beginning to mid of November? I remember hearing about special Christmas offerings at Epcot in the World Pavilions but I think that we would be too early to see any of that even on our later date range of Nov 6-20?

Festival of the Holidays begins on Black Friday usually. They did start it a week earlier in 2017, but that isn’t the norm.

 

[Br'er Rabbit is the Best]

These posts about doing a trip that spans the Halloween and Christmas decorations is making me feel silly for never thinking of that before. Realistically when do park and resort decorations go up? Like how long would I have to go into November? I typically do 6 night stays so I wasn’t sure if October 30 to November 5 would be long enough. This is all assuming 2021 looks more like 2019 than 2020.

 

[Erzengel]

My birthday falls along the first week of November and I've spent 4 of them there. I've always find the weather there to be pleasant, I sometimes needed a light jacket/hoodie towards the end of the day like earlier this year. It did get quite cool. First week of November is usually "Jersey week" and I've always found it one of the best time to go.

 

[Raya]

I adore Halloween and was unimpressed by Christmas... so I would pick October. Since you seem to like both, I'd suggest Oct 30- Nov 13th. You'll get the busiest Halloween parties and a lighter version of Christmas stuff, but it's a good compromise. Just don't expect the early November offerings to be the same as December/full Christmas offerings. And given how thing went in 2020, you might not get the full show so.... Nope, sorry I talked myself out of it. Go in October. You'll get the full Halloween experience, arriving just after the 50th crowds. You can switch off and do the full Christmas experience when she turns 30.

 

[Ricguz]

We have traveled to DisneyWorld many times during the end of October-to beginning of November. I will warn you that because of the pandemic and the 50th anniversary it will be very crowded, probably extreme. But if you must go at that time, travel around October 28 and November 6th or so. You will get the Halloween decorations until November 1st and then some Christmas decorations. MK is usually decorated after November 1st, the restof the parks follow after that. Hotels usually don’t get their decorations until the second week into November. In 2019 we were at Disney October 28 to November 6th. We have all the parades, food and wine, and both Halloween and Christmas decorations. Good luck with your decision.

 

[kwdw]

I’d pick either your first or your third dates so you either get all of Halloween or all of Christmas decorations. Weather is great that whole time. Yes, the early October dates could have some days in the upper 80’s and the later November dates could have you scrambling for pants and jackets.
I think capacity is still going to be limited at the parks due to COVID (I hope I am wrong, though), so I don’t think the 50th crowds will be killer because of that. And I suspect they will purposefully have things to celebrate the 50th at least through October, November, and December.
I do think the Halloween decorations are more impressive myself.

 

[disneytraveler]

I usually go in the first 2 weeks of November. The weather is great

 

[LuvMyEAR]

We love that time frame, as well. One of my favourite trips allowed us to attend MNSSHP on Oct 31, and MVMCP the night before we came home.

While the holiday decorating beyond MK was not fully in place, there was more than enough to enjoy. We toured the hotel gingerbread displays, the Christmas Tree Trail, and found plenty of Christmas spirit and decor wherever we looked.

We hope to reschedule our cancelled Nov 2020 trip for late Nov 2021. No doubt it will be busy, but we truly love the early holiday season in WDW.

 

[ncarrier]

Thank you every one, it’s all great advice! Still torn as to which dates to choose . We usually build a haunted house in our garage and have a big Halloween display in the yard every year. COVID prevented us from having anything but the yard display this year. To skip the whole thing and not be here for Halloween would have been unthinkable before this year lol but I do like the thought of being able to enjoy both seasons at the parks...

 

[pwdebbie]

Our first trip was in October and I said never again. It was hot and I'm not a fan of fall (I struggle with the arrival of fall of every year, so to see it all over WDW was a downer for me). Our third and "best trip ever" was the first two weeks of November. We arrived Nov. 1 and every sign of fall was gone. Within a week, Christmas began appearing in the parks. I loved it. If I ever have the chance to go in November again, I most certainly will.

 

[Ricguz]

We have traveled to DisneyWorld many times during the end of October-to beginning of November. I will warn you that because of the pandemic and the 50th anniversary it will be very crowded, probably extreme. But if you must go at that time, travel around October 28 and November 6th or so. You will get the Halloween decorations until November 1st and then some Christmas decorations. MK is usually decorated after November 1st, the restof the parks follow after that. Hotels usually don’t get their decorations until the second week into December . In 2019 we were at Disney October 28 to November 6th. We have all the parades, food and wine, and both Halloween and Christmas decorations. Good luck with your decision.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We usually go just before Halloween and leave early in November (10/22 to 11/5/21). We love Halloween and it is our DIL's favorite holiday...decorations are incredible and we wear appropriate tee's and ears! F & W is in full swing and we love to Eat To The Beat (hope it's back '21). We get a couple days of Christmas before we leave. Silly as it sounds, we try to get back home to finish final yard leaf clean up before it snows. It was hot in 2019, but we usually get nice weather. Whatever you choose, enjoy!

 

[emily nicole]

I would avoid Columbus Day, which is Oct 11 in 2021, plus the week before and after it. We used to go during that time every year but NO MORE!!! Fall breaks have become much more common. With every passing year our trips became more and more crowded (45 min wait for Peoplemover crowded... Line for Figment looping outside crowded... 10/10 on Touring Plans crowded).

I took a solo trip late Oct 2019 and found the crowds better. It was still HOT though!