Am I crazy for planning a trip the end of August??

[curlyjbs]

DH is wants to kill me! He thinks it's going to be way tooooo hot and we wont want be outside at all. i've already booked the air and am ready to put down a deposit on a townhouse.

So tell me, will I regret it! Will he tell me "I told you so!" Will we melt?

~Connie

 

[PlutoLuvr]

Yes, August is very, very hot. Personally, I think September is worse, but August is definitely hot.

Will you regret it? Nah. Just go prepared. Have water with you at all times. Not soda, not juice; water. Go through the air-conditioned stores whenever you can to avoid the heat. Enjoy those water rides and wear clothes appropriate for it (not denim shorts, for instance). I go in mid-September, and the crowds are non-existent at that time. If the crowds are low at the end of August, plan on park touring in the mornings and late afternoons, and hit your townhouse during the hot hours to "recharge" and freshen up.

Bring plenty of sunscreen, wear a hat and wear light colors. Be prepared for nasty afternoon thunderstorms. They're over quickly, but you don't want to be outside for one -- lots and lots of lightning.

No, you won't melt, but you will sweat ... a lot. There's no way I can do a park all day and then head straight out to a nice dinner or strolling in Citywalk or DTD at that time of year. I'm icky. Must head back to accommodations to freshen up usually in the early afternoon, then head back out.

Honestly, I really can't stress the water enough. Dehydration will ruin a vacation pretty quick, and it happens fast in Florida's hottest and most humid months. We consume about one 12-oz bottle of water an hour while in the parks; sometimes even more if we're drinking alcohol, too. Don't wait until you're thirsty. It's too late then!

Have fun

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Yes its going to be hot so just invent more ways to stay cool. There are so many opportunitys at Universal and IOA to get wet and with the misting fans you will be fine! Take mid day breaks and go swimming when the sun is at its hottest. I guess it depends on how you all handle the heat. It does slow us down a little bit, just stay really hydrated.

I've taken lots and lots of florida trips in August and would do it again. For me its so much better than not going.

 

[tinaluis]

Yes, it is HOT!!! But the end of August is a great time to go because of the low crowds. As others have said, bring plenty of water, cool off on the water rides/attractions, and you'll be fine.

 

[bg4]

In my opinion late August thru October is the best time to visit. Crowds are low to none and the weather is not as hot as June or July (usually), you sometimes get cool night in late August although it is a relative thing, actually the relative humidity being high and temperatures being a bit low.

Take all advice given cause daytime will be hot. Drink plenty of water and take a break midday if possible. Go on all water rides at IOA. Stay hydrated and not with alcohol.

We have done Universal in August many times and it is doable and a lot of fun.

How can September be hotter than July or August? September in Orlando is much cooler.

 

[macraven]

choose the lesser of the 2 evils.......hot or crowds.

if you go end of august, you will miss the crowds. believe school in florida starts back up around the 20th or sometime n the 3rd week.

it's hot, but it's florida and if you are at UO, it can't be all that bad.....

sprinkling you with mummy dust for a wonderful trip and non crabby husband

 

[DrewAlmighty]

Yeah, it's hot, but it's not unbearable. The worst is when it gets really humid, though. The first day I was there last year I wasn't use to the summer heat anymore, cause I hadn't been there in 2 years and I was sweating like a monster. Over the trip though you adjust.

Dress lightly, drink water or Powerade/Gatorade, maybe wear a hat or something. That's what I was doing.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

How can September be hotter than July or August? September in Orlando is much cooler.

I don't know, LOL ... not a meteorologist, just a Florida native for 35 years. September is the only month we actually need to put ice in our pool because it's too hot to go in without it. Maybe it has to do with humidity or the ocean temps being at their warmest in September? September here even looks different than the other summer months. You can see the humidity, particularly over a long distance. Suddenly FL looks like a sauna all the time, especially Orlando. That "sauna" look isn't as dramatic where I am as opposed to Orlando, but I believe that's because I'm coastal and get the seabreeze. Same when I lived in Fort Lauderdale.

Don't get me wrong. It's all hot, lol. Whether it's 89 or 93 temperature, add humidity of 80 or 90 percent, you'll get a heat index of well over 100 degrees. Maybe it's just us Floridians have been broiled to a crisp all summer long, and by September, it feels so much hotter because we've already been over-broiled

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Yeah, it's hot, but it's not unbearable. The worst is when it gets really humid, though. The first day I was there last year I wasn't use to the summer heat anymore, cause I hadn't been there in 2 years and I was sweating like a monster. Over the trip though you adjust.

Dress lightly, drink water or Powerade/Gatorade, maybe wear a hat or something. That's what I was doing.

You have one of these don't you?

 

[tlinus]

In my opinion late August thru October is the best time to visit. Crowds are low to none and the weather is not as hot as June or July (usually), you sometimes get cool night in late August although it is a relative thing, actually the relative humidity being high and temperatures being a bit low.

Take all advice given cause daytime will be hot. Drink plenty of water and take a break midday if possible. Go on all water rides at IOA. Stay hydrated and not with alcohol.

We have done Universal in August many times and it is doable and a lot of fun.

How can September be hotter than July or August? September in Orlando is much cooler.

We went through the heatwave they had in October 2006 - THAT was hot!!!!

 

[Darcy03231]

I've done it before (and am doing it again this summer) and I honestly didn't think it was any worse than at home (I live in southern NH). We get up early, go to the parks for 3-4 hours and then go back to the house to swim, rest, ect.. Depending on how everyone feels we go back late afternoon/early evening for a few hours. As others have mentioned the biggest thing is to drink plenty of water, wear lightweight clothing and just pace yourself. Depending on how long your trip is (we go for two weeks) you may not get to see/do everything, but you can still have a great time.

 

[curlyjbs]

Thanks everyone!! I'm standing my ground! We ARE going in August! And we are gonna LOVE IT!!! Oh, Macraven, I'll take a little extra of that mummy dust ok? Just in case!

~Connie

 

[NUHuskies#1]

We used to go the end of August every year but DH and I BOTH work at colleges now and it is a difficult time with preparations for September openings. I will say the crowds are manageable and it is hot. The skies do seem to open up for a late afternoon rain though so be prepared. Have a great time!

 

[macraven]

curly, this mummy dust is for you...