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Welcome to TouringPlans’ Walt Disney World October 2016 preview – fall is here and we’ve been celebrating Halloween for the last month. Who’s with us and ready for October?

Average Weather for Walt Disney World in October

Things finally start to cool off in October. The heat is more bearable and we’re reaching the end of hurricane season. NOAA’s National Hurricane Center is an excellent resource for forecasts that may affect your October trip.

Evening temperatures drop below 70 this month, so pack layers if you have any day into night plans.

Zika Concerns

Zika, the mosquito-born virus, remains a concern for residents and visitors to South Florida (we realize Walt Disney World is not in South Florida). While Dade County has said aerial spraying has been very effective in killing affected mosquitos and larvae in the neighborhoods Zika was first found in, Walt Disney World is still providing mosquito repellent in its hotel rooms and at park entrances for guests. It also filled in the standing water at the long-shuttered River Country in Fort Wilderness. The CDC is your best source for news about Zika.

Upcoming Live Chats for October

Every Thursday Brian hosts a Live Facebook Q&A, usually at noon or 1pm Eastern. Check Facebook each week for the exact time.

Times for all live chats are posted in advance on our Facebook page and on Twitter.

Walt Disney World October 2016 Park Crowds

October brings Columbus Day, several Jewish holidays. and various fall breaks for schools, meaning crowds are slightly higher than in September or November (other than Thanksgiving). Still there are plenty of great days to visit Walt Disney World this month. For day by day park recommendations for travel during September, check out our Crowd Calendar.

Special Events at Walt Disney World October 2016

Happy Birthday, Magic Kingdom!

October 1 is the 45th anniversary of the opening of Magic Kingdom. Guests in the parks can expect a small ceremony in the morning and a variety of merchandise and themed treats for purchase. Rikki covered this in an article earlier this month.

The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival continues from September 14 to November 14. The event doesn’t really impact wait times at Epcot, but it definitely clogs the walkways. For the least hassle experiencing Food & Wine, avoid the weekends.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party. Halloween at Walt Disney World continues from September and runs through October 31. Halloween night is already sold out. Remember Magic Kingdom will close early (7:00 PM) to day guests on party nights.

Here are the October party dates:

Sunday, October 02, 2016

Tuesday, October 04, 2016

Thursday, October 06, 2016

Friday, October 07, 2016

Monday, October 10, 2016

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Friday, October 14, 2016

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Friday, October 21, 2016

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Friday, October 28, 2016

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Monday, October 31, 2016 (SOLD OUT)

Discounts at Walt Disney World October 2016

There are really not a lot of discounts for travel this October. The next set of public discounts is for travel that begins November 6.

Florida Resident Discount: Room-only discounts are available for stays through November 4.

Passholder Discount: Room-only discounts are available for stays through November 4. Details here.

What’s New at Walt Disney World October 2016

At Magic Kingdom, the Muppets land in Liberty Square starting October 2.

Bodh’aktan, a Francophone Celtic-rock band from Quebec, will be playing 20 dates at Epcot’s Canada Pavilion in October. We’ve checked them out on YouTube and think they’re worth a visit.

Stitch’s Great Escape!, possibly the most loathed attraction at Walt Disney World, has gone to seasonal operations at Magic Kingdom. If you wish to experience this attraction after October 1, you’ll have to wait until the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also, let us know who you are – we have never met anyone who actually enjoys this attraction.

Typhoon Lagoon’s Shark Reef closes permanently in October to make room for construction of a new family raft ride, Misfortune Falls. The Shark Reef’s final day of operations is October 2.

We still don’t know what’s up with Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom. From what we hear, Disney won’t make any official announcements until well after its soft open. If you’re traveling in October, keep your ear to the ground. Or follow us on Twitter, which is far less dirty than putting your head on the dirt.

Sanaa at Kidani Village now serves quick breakfasts including Grab and Go. Previously there were no breakfast options other than room service at this DVC resort.

Refurbishments at Walt Disney World October 2016

Hotel Spotlight – Disney’s Yacht Club

Staying at an Epcot area resort is a great option for those who want to make the most of the Food and Wine Festival. Yacht Club is often overshadowed by its sister resort, the Beach Club, though it’s difficult to pinpoint why. The two resorts share a pool, Stormalong Bay, and are connected by a convention center.

Even without counting the ability to walk into Epcot from Yacht Club, this hotel (and all Epcot resort area hotels around Crescent Lake) has by far the most dining options of any cluster of hotels at Walt Disney World. Captain’s Grille is an often-overlooked, but well-regarded by our readers, choice at Yacht Club with little problem getting a table on short notice and good (for Disney) prices.

For some reason, Yacht Club has greater discounts and more availability than Beach Club or Boardwalk. We’ve stayed at all three and can’t pinpoint why. It could be that people find theming less inviting than the light and airy feeling of Beach Club or the whimsy (if you consider clowns whimsical and not super creepy) or the Boardwalk. Still, we managed to book a club level room at Yacht Club in September for basically the same price as a standard room there. For that kind of deal, we can make our own whimsy.

Have you booked Yacht Club for your next trip? Try out our room request tool.

Blast from the Past – Previous Blog Articles to Enjoy While You Plan Your October 2016 Trip

Disney food expert, our anonymous reviewer Tessa Koten, has been eating everything at Food & Wine so you can choose the best of the best. Tessa also shares her picks for family-friendly choices at the festival.

Want to join in the Stitch pile-on? Stitch’s Great Escape is not the only reviled incarnation of the alien koala. Read our hot take from 2009 titled Stitch’s Show is Worst Ever.

Bringing the whole family to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party this month? Julia has the lowdown on all you need to know.

Your Walt Disney World October 2016 Trip Checklist

Have you?

Created a trip in our trip planner to get news that impacts your vacation dates?

Used our Ticket Calculator to get the best prices on park tickets?

Used our Room Request Tool to find and request the best hotel rooms at your resort?

Booked any special dining?

Planned your days to get the most out of your time?

TouringPlans subscribers have access to all this and more and get timely reminders when they create a trip on the site. And it’s all easy to find on your Personal Dashboard, a central location for all your travel plans that all subscribers see when they log in. It even has a checklist, so you’ll know what you’ve crossed off and what’s left to do before your vacation.

We hope you have a great vacation. Let us know how it went when you get back by taking our user survey. It helps travelers just like you know the best (and the rest) of what to do, see, ride, and eat at Walt Disney World.

Thanks for reading this month!