I'm planning a trip during a time I've previously never attended WDW (yes, as a Passholder and semi-local I've never been in late August!). I specifically picked the weekend of the 26th of August since it is before F&W. I've been the first weekend of F&W and have no desire to ever do it again. Also hoping that with schools back in session this will be a slow weekend BUT there are already no more FP for SE, which makes me oddly concerned. I know crowds nowadays at WDW are alllll over the place, but does anyone have any insight on late August?
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Late August Crowds?
- Thread starter floridagirl57
- Start date
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
I am actually starting my trip this year that same exact weekend and am wondering the same. I've only ever been in mid-late July or early August. Judging from what the crowd levels say in year's past on TouringPlans.com it definitely is not as crowded as the rest of summer. Most schools are back in by then so there is no way it will be as crowded as it would be in July or early August that is for sure.
I did have a friend who went 4 years ago the very same week (Aug 27-Sep1) and I remember she said the parks were empty compared to what the crowds are like a month earlier.
I was still tinkering with my FP+s' as recently as last week for stuff and was finding available times for even big things like Space Mtn.
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I did have a friend who went 4 years ago the very same week (Aug 27-Sep1) and I remember she said the parks were empty compared to what the crowds are like a month earlier.
I was still tinkering with my FP+s' as recently as last week for stuff and was finding available times for even big things like Space Mtn.
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epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
I think that is a fairly good time to go. While many will say there is no slow time at WDW any more, there are still some times slower than others. We like the week of Labor Day or the following week for the reasons you mention, with lower crowd levels since school is back in session. We don't do food and wine anymore and they are starting it earlier and earlier, but we will keep going in early Sept., just avoid Epcot. Actually this year we are going to SeaWorld and Discovery Cove and will probably only visit Disney Springs and do some resort hopping, something we have done several times in the past. So a little taste of Disney, but not immersed in it.
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danyoung56
Well-Known Member
If you do F&W on the weekend, especially during one of those first weekends, you're going to have wall to wall people. But doing it mid-week, the crowds (and the food booth lines) are much more manageable.
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Here is a trip report from September with a few crowd pics. Now I know this is a few years ago, and crowds are bigger, but it is representative of what we experienced in September.
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...ots-of-fun-and-pool-time.873744/#post-5717259
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...ots-of-fun-and-pool-time.873744/#post-5717259
epcotisbest
Well-Known Member
Nope, never again. Would not go back even on a Wednesday morning in the rain. Nope.
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gwhb75
Well-Known Member
We've gone late August the last 3 years (and going again in two weeks). Crowds are managable. Things get crowded in the later morning/early afternoon. Free dining continues to attract the crowds, so the old days of a "slow" season with everything being a walk-on are long gone. It's not unusual for the headliners (Space Mountain, BTMRR, etc) to approach (and, in some cases, surpasses) 60 minute standby.
The best strategy for getting to do the things you want continues to be making rope drop and hitting them first.
The best strategy for getting to do the things you want continues to be making rope drop and hitting them first.
megkennington
New Member
Our trip is actually 8/27-9/2 this year (20 days!) and I picked it specifically for the time of year. By that time, most schools have started back or are about to the following week so we have found it is less busy. We do park days M-F and much of our trip is walking on to rides or a small wait. We also timed it for free dining which i'm excited about. We live in SC so we're not bothered by the hot weather that is typical of that time of year.
danyoung56
Well-Known Member
Of course, that's your choice. I go every year, and while there might be 30 people in a food booth line on a Saturday, on Tuesday there would be 3 or 4. HUGE difference!
I should probably clarify that I'm only planning a weekend trip with 1 park day, which is Epcot. I'm bringing my husband for the first time and I think this is the park he wold enjoy the most. Thank you though for everyone's suggestions. I would feel more confident if there were SE FP times available, but maybe Disney limits FP distribution for SE during "slow periods"?
Laketravis
Well-Known Member
For the last weekend in August I think there's a better chance of rain than a very packed Epcot.
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
SE as in Spaceship Earth? You will not need FP for that attraction. Sometimes it will have a 20-30 min wait, but just wait and come back later on. I've never waited more than 5-10 min for it in the last 20 years.
Journey Into Your Imagination is also the same. They have FP, but I've never seen that with more than a 10 or 15 min wait.
VeroniqueB
Active Member
There is still Spaceship Earth FP available on the 26 and 27...
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
I agree. Hitting the parks the first 3 hours is always the best option. Plus, leaving for a few hours mid-day allows you to recharge in the room or at the pool and escape the peak crowd times at the park (1p-4p). I'm really curious about my trip this year since it is the first time I have gone that wasn't in July or 1st week of August. I've only experienced WDW in packed conditions. But it has never felt unmanageable to me compared to how DL feels on a crowded day.
Also, most of the time the thunderstorms hit in the afternoon, so when you come back to the parks around 5p sometimes people have scattered away leaving it less crowded. Especially if it was a storm that lasted more than 45 min or an hour.
danyoung56
Well-Known Member
Things have changed over the last 5 years or so. Now SE has at least a 30 minute queue for most of the day. Like you, I used to enjoy hopping on in the late afternoon with no wait at all. Sadly, that's not the case any more.
VeroniqueB
Active Member
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
Oh wow. Even at night? I remember it had zero waits the last 3 hours the park would be open. Especially on EMH evenings. Everybody would be trying to go on Mission Space or Test Track or Soarin' and Spaceship Earth would be a walk-on.
danyoung56
Well-Known Member
I can't state definitively about night waits, as I'm always doing IllumiNations (or martinis in the Rose & Crown!). But overall the waits have been much longer than before. I usually get a FP or 2 for it. It's not always needed, but it's nice to have. I don't want to wait 30 minutes for SE if I don't have to.
gwhb75
Well-Known Member
The afternoon break/rest is great. We normally go back to the room and sleep or go to the pool. Our kids are a bit older (16 and 14) so they often go and do their own thing (either stay in the park or go to the community hall). That rest recharges us for the rest of the night.