Traveling in August

[Kriszee1]

I got fed up with trying to search the forums for something on this. We are now going to WDW on August 16 to August 24 (the 3rd week in August). Can anyone tell me what this time of year is like? Is it crowded? Rainy? Any advice? We have never gone in August and I am wondering where to start with planning. Also, does anyone know if they will be doing the playhouse disney/ concert series for toddlers at that time again? Thanks a bunch!

 

[tigsmom]

I got fed up with trying to search the forums for something on this. We are now going to WDW on August 16 to August 24 (the 3rd week in August). Can anyone tell me what this time of year is like? Is it crowded? Rainy? Any advice? We have never gone in August and I am wondering where to start with planning. Also, does anyone know if they will be doing the playhouse disney/ concert series for toddlers at that time again? Thanks a bunch!

We go in August all the time. It will still be crowded, but not as bad as earlier in the month because some schools have already started back.
Its hot and humid and rains almost every afternoon, the good news is that the rain rarely lasts very long. The bad news is that its just as hot afterwards.

Try to take advantage of the EMH is you can, especially in the mornings as you can get a lot done and then head back for a rest, lunch or a swim before it gets too hot -Then head back out later for the evening. Use Fastpass whenever possible. Make sure you plan a/c breaks and keep well hydrated. DO NOT forget the sunscreen and re apply often. Make your ADR's as soon as you can.

as for the Playhouse Disney stuff...:shrug: sorry.

 

[Disneykidder]

I have been there in July and August. July is more crowded but August is HOTT!! I can deal with crowds, although it really wasn't all that bad. What was unbearable was the heat. I am not normally a person who sweats a lot, but I was drippy. It was gross and we went through water like mad. What we did so we wouldn't have to pay almost $4 a bottle was bring sports bottles from home. Then, every morning before going to the parks we'd fill it up with as much ice as it could hold and then water. This kept it cold for at least an hour (that is how hot is was) and we were always able to refill it at a water fountain. We each drank so much water. Everyone will have the spray fans that Disney sells for $20. We bought ours at Walmart before we went and had them instead. Those were around $5 each so we bought 3...one for each of us. It is very important to stay hydrated. It's hot in August!!!! Wear light colors and cotton. Wear good shoes. Have fun!!

 

[coltow]

Yes it will be insanely hot, but as long as you're prepared, you'll be fine. Get up early, be at the parks when they open, take a swim break in the afternoon, head back to parks later (4 ish), that's our plan of attack for August...see you there.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Hot, humid, busy and a good chance a thunderstorms

 

[BigNormsMom]

We went in August for 12 years and YES there usually is an afternoon shower. Sometimes a couple of hours down pour. In 2003 we were at WWTBAM when there was a tornado warning. Yes, warning!! :brick: They would not let us leave the building for approximately 80 minutes and it never cleared up. We got so disheartened, we grabbed a couple of rain coats and took off back to POR. We sat in the lounge and listened to the piano player then went to eat and it was still raining when we went to our rooms. By the next morning it was cleared and we had a great time, just about a 20 minute shower that day. So it is not unusual for rain, and I do not find it to be as hot in August as it is in July. We always take the water bottle fans and they are so much cheaper at WalMart. I have had mine for about 15 years. Enjoy!!!!

 

[atterris]

This is the exact same time that we are planning on going. Anyone know if there will be free dinning at this time of the year? Is August hotter than September? thanks

 

[3fordisney]

We've been in August and it was hot!! Bring plenty of sunscreen and drink lots of water. They sell the Dasani water for $2 (if I remember correctly from last year). You can also get a cup of ice water for free, if you can stand the taste of the tap water there.

There was an afternoon rainshower, but it didn't last long and didn't cool anything off. It would actually become more humid after the rain. If you don't want to purchase a rain poncho at WDW for about $7-$8, buy one at Wal-mart before you go. Its cheaper and will keep you dry during the rain shower.

Just prepare yourself for the heat and humidity. Drink lots of water, take breaks in the A/C, go for a mid-afternoon swim and eat lots of ice cream!

 

[maryszhi]

it is like the song....hot hot hot!!! be very careful , drink water and keep hydrated, dont push yourselves, dont expect to see anything,keep sun tan lotion on always, exc. keep breaks in your plan, and swim as much as possible to keep your body cool

 

[MrBug]

We went mid-August 2007, just a couple days. We're on the wrong side of mid-40's age-wise, and I think it was near record high temps around Orlando/WDW, and it was pretty crowded in the parks. It was just too much for me, I don't think I'll go back in August.

 

[tinksgilrs08]

hot

its very hot in august but your at disney so who cares

 

[IMPoppins]

This is the exact same time that we are planning on going. Anyone know if there will be free dinning at this time of the year? Is August hotter than September? thanks

We're also going the 16 - 24:wave:

 

[crazydaveh]

August and September are basically the same temperature and humidity wise. Late September it only gets into the upper 80's but in August, we're hitting the low to mid 90's every day with humidity! It stinks being in a line outside at 2 pm! The rain can last anywhere from five minutes to several hours, just realize it will rain, it will probably be a downpour, and yes, it will be just as hot after it stops raining and the sun comes back out.

Like many others have said, hit the AM EMH. You can honestly get so much done in those hours and then use the hottest part of the afternoon for a nap or swim or both at the hotel! I usually go back to the parks after the rains have stopped, by then, some of the parks start to thin out some as people are tired and wet and go home or to their hotel.

Don't think that it cools down at night. It's still warm and all the heat that has absorbed into the concrete and asphalt during the day releases back into the world! It's very warm and usually muggy once the sun sets!

Have fun!

 

[Kriszee1]

Looks like fans and water bottles are at the top of the shopping list now! I am so thankful for your feedback! I live in Jersey and many summer days hit the 90's and the humidity is ridiculous. I am guessing that the water parks will be mobbed too.We are forgoing the park hopper this time because we rarely so it.

If you have a magic your way base ticket, do you need to be stamped for re-entry or can you still go in with your hotel key? I am definately planning breaks and more character breakfasts this time. I just never didn't have a park hopper before this and I don't want to look like a complete idiot when we go back in the evening.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Disneykidder]

If you're not getting a hopper and you go to one park in the am, you can certainly go back to the same park in the evening when the sun isn't shining. It is still hot at night, but less sun. Stay in the shade as much as possible, too. Wear shades, kids too, and sunscreen and yeah, we buy our ponchos at Walmart, too. They are thicker than Disney's and won't rip. We also bring another poncho just to cover the stroller for when we are on a ride and our stroller is left out...just another idea. Then your child can have a dry seat to sit on and it can cover them while you are rolling along again.

To answer your dining question, as far as I am concerned, they offer the free dining on the last couple of days of August to the beginning of sept. We were there in August and missed out on that offer, bummer!! The Playhouse Disney concerts are also in September.

 

[miles1]

We've gone the third week in August for the last two years. In 2006 free dining was available to everyone, but not in 2007 (I believe it was offered to British tours only). If the present crowds continue, my guess is that you may not see it in August at all this year.

As far as crowds go, we didn't find it bad at all. A lot of southern-state schools go back around August 15th. The parks aren't deserted, but the only rides with any big wait times were the E-tickets, and if you use fastpass wisely you can get around most of this.

As far as heat goes, it's not that it's any hotter than the rest of the country in August. However, the humidity can be truly oppressive. We always took a break at the resort during the day and spent some time in the pool. Last year, there was torrential rain nearly every day late in the afternoon. (We actually walked through water up to our ankles in some parts of the MK.) A couple of the P&P parties were a disaster because of it.

We did find a new activity to help cool off. If you stand under the jumping fountains near Imagination and block the water over your head with your hand everyone under it gets soaked. It felt great, and we had so much fun that a bunch of other people with kids started doing it too.

We found the crowd/heat tradeoff more than tolerable and plan to go at some point in August again this year. Have a great time!

 

[beachclubfan]

I've been in Disney during the exact same time period you will be going. It is ubelievable hot and on half of the days it rained for around 30 minutes in the afternoon. The crowds are generally moderate, the longest wait was around an hour that I saw and this was in 2005.

Although it is not my favorite time of year to be down there, I still had a great time. We went to the parks in the morning and would generally come back to the resort and hang by the pool in the afternoon. Just make sure you drink plenty of water so yo don't get dehydrated walking around the parks.

 

[LenYJr]

Last year, my brother and I went the last week of August. They did offer free dining starting that week.

It was quite hot, about 90 every day. Some days the rain seemed to help, but other days, it was sauna time. It didn't quite rain every day, but just as we got on our Magical Express bus to leave, the heavens opened.

The crowds were quite reasonable I thought. Especially at Epcot for IllumiNations, there was a ton of room and lots of great spots and I couldn't believe how pleasant it was to walk out without a huge crowd pressing in on me on all sides.

Now don't think lines were super-short, Soarin was 60+ mintues wait for standby as were BTMR and Splash, at least in the mid afternoon, but some of the non-"big" 'rides were practically walk on - we walked right onto Pirates and almost right into Philharmagic and Star Tours.

Definately head back to the room for a couple hours if you can, it makes a difference

 

[GenerationX]

We've gone in August several times. We love it. A couple of more items for you: No need to pack anything with long sleeves or long pants, the evening EMH are usually quite crowded for the first two hours, and carry water bottles with you at all times. We like to use an insulated baby bottle bag or insulated lunch bag to hold our water bottles.

Have fun! :wave:

 

[photoflight]

Just weatherwise, in 2007 the maximum recorded temp in Kissimmee was 101 (the average high was 91), the minimum recorded temp was 78. It's the height of the rainy season, and the middle of hurricane season. Then again we've been in a drought the last couple of years so the afternoon rain and thunderstorms have been a little slack.

You folks that go to WDW and enjoy it in the summer are better folks than I am and you sure have my respect. I live here and for me July/August is strictly a time to vacation as far north as possible or crank the A/C up and stay inside :ROFLOL: