Anyone headed to Disney in August???

[DonnaBelle06]

I am thinking of trying for the free dining..........but am afraid it will be TOO hot to enjoy........

HELP!

Thanks!
Donna

 

[Mouse House Mama]

One year we went in August and it was so hot I thought I was going to combust right there on the sidewalk.
Last year we went in August and it rained for 9 out of 11 days.
So you never know what they weather will really be like.

I will add though that we had a blast both times.

 

[mejkjj97]

We went Aug last year and enjoyed the insane weather from Tropical Storm Faye to unbelievable heat. We loved every moment !!! The rain was fun and then we got a lot of use out of the pools!!

We loved it so much we are going back this August!

 

[dsnymomof4]

Yes it will probably be very, VERY HOT , but never too hot to enjoy being in Disney! Seriously, we've been there twice in August and both times it was unbearably hot, and to be honest, I much prefer going in December when you can actually wear a jacket, but we're going back this August for the free dining as well. My advice would be to head out first thing in the morning, before it gets too, too hot. Drink plenty of fluids and when the heat is too much, seek out the air-conditioned attractions and/or stores. Take afternoon breaks at the pool or even just laying down in the hotel room for a little while - just enough to cool off. Then head back out for your free dinner and when the sun goes down it should cool down to about 90! I say go for it!

 

[allie1078]

we are going this aug for free dining. We went last year the end of June and the avg temp was 95 degrees and very humid. My husband figures that by august we will have had some hot weather so we will be a little bit used to it by then. We also plan to start out early in the moring and break in the late afternoon at the pool, when it is the hottest part of the day.

 

[timzagain]

We're going in August for Free Dining, just as we did last year!

Even though I live in the Caribbean and am used to heat, I still found Orlando extremely hot! In July 2007, I was sure the heat was going to kill me - I suffered from migraines and heat exhaustion for most of the trip.

In August 2008, I was a little more prepared. In the months leading up to the trip, I shifted my usual morning exercise walk to later in the day so that I'd get used to walking for extended periods in the heat. In addition, I drank GALLONS of water in the parks - I made frequent stops at CS places for free cups of ice water. Staying hydrated made all the difference in the world.

I also took advantage of every opportunity to get wet - wet rides, sprinkler, fountain, soaking my head in the washroom etc. I probably wouldn't have made it to the cover of a fashion mag with my "drowned rat look" but at least I did not make myself sick in the heat.

The best thing I did was to pack board shorts, and moisture wicking tops - I could get wet often and my clothes would dry very quickly. That also came in handy for the rain - didn't have much of that last year, but in July 2007 we got soaked a few times!

The key to surviving an August Disney vacation is being prepared for the heat. Take advantage of the earlier summer months to get your body used to exertion in the heat!

Have fun on your trip.

 

[Disney Brat]

We are also going in Aug/Sept for FD! We have also been in June, and the fall and winter months. I agree what pp's said about being prepared for the heat! We took afternoon breaks on our summer trips, and we will definatly be doing it this time! Happy Planning!

 

[Scot-n-Michelle]

we are going in aug. for the first time this year - usually go april or may. Kinda scared about the heat but figure we will go in the morning and then go back to the hotel for awhile and rest and return later in the evening. Figure we really need to start walking alot to get used to it. I figure - no matter what it is still disney!!

 

[a1tinkfans]

HOT HOT HOT

RAIN IS VERY POSSIBLE, never mind, serious weather issues

More people for FREE DINE is likely...

If you are not one to be able to "grin and bear it" and just have fun regardless, I'd say SKIP IT.
We however LOVE the heat and LIKE the rain so we have a BLAST no matter what!!

 

[Tanzanite]

Hi i took my daughter 8 days last August .The heat didnt bother my daughter as much as me a couple of days it was awful one day almost 100 percent humidity even the cms said it was awful at 8 oclock at night felt so bad waiting to see Ariel problem was our room was so cold very extreme.

 

[stace1214]

We were there last August during Fay. Yes it was hot, hot, hot and terribly rainy, but we had such a great time. I really don't like heat, but didn't find it to be too awful. Before that, I had only been during Easter break and found the crowds to be SOOOOO much lighter. We rarely waited more than 5-10 minutes for anything. We were planning on going back again this August, but it looks like we'll have to wait till after the baby is born. I honestly wouldn't hesitate to go back in August again. Just plan on breaks in the AC and lots of water!

 

[clutter]

We've gone for the last few Augusts, and will go again. The hottest I've ever been in Disney was in May 2003. Since that, everything else has been temperate.

 

[liznboys]

We've gone the past two Augusts (mid August 2007 and late July/early August 2008). We are totally fine with it. We don't do anything in the middle of the day where you have to be outside (potentially in the direct sun) for long periods...shows, outside lines for attractions... We take breaks at the resort as much as needed, plenty of inside ac time and of course pool time.

It really depends on how heat sensitive you are, only you can decide! Good luck!

 

[liznboys]

I just noticed you are in Charlotte! Hi neighbor! We are southeast of Charlotte. And knowing that you know how hot it gets here in the summers, I will tell you that it isn't that different down there in our opinion. You're just outside more there touring the parks and all so that's what's different.

 

[blondemom]

I'm in New Jersey, and the August heat in Florida is just the same as the August heat here. So, if I'm going to be sweaty, I'd rather be at WDW! I agree - keep hydrated. We also bring spray bottles to wet down the kids. We take frequent breaks. Believe it or not, the freak thunderstorms cool the temperature down a bit and are appreciated.

We are going back this year, so it can't be too terrible if they get repeat customers!



Enjoy.

 

[Mama to Three]

Hi! Another Charlotte family going in August here! Its our first family trip so I don't really have any other trips to compare it too. It was the only time that would work for everyone in our family to go. We will go, be HOT, and make the best of it. I think going into with realistic expectations, a plan to take breaks mid-day, and other staying cool tips it will be okay. I'm counting the days! (We are in South Charlotte, BTW )

 

[mom2faith]

we are going this aug for free dining. We went last year the end of June and the avg temp was 95 degrees and very humid. My husband figures that by august we will have had some hot weather so we will be a little bit used to it by then. We also plan to start out early in the moring and break in the late afternoon at the pool, when it is the hottest part of the day.

We thought the same thing - it is hot here all summer how bad can it be?? We do not know heat like this where I am from!! It was HOT!!!

That being said, you adapt and get used to it. My tips are:

• Take it easy your first day. Do a park you plan to return to and do not push it. We tried to do all day at DHS and it just did not happen!! We needed to take a break by 12 noon (we were there at RD).
• Arrive at RD and plan to leave at noon to 1 pm. Go swimming and then return for the evening.
• Get Park Hoppers so you can go back to a different park in the later part of the day. Some parks are just easier in the AM and AK was not open that late so we could not "return" to it later.
• Drink water!! Bring your own into the park and then refill them at the CS's like PP stated.
• Get a misting fan.
• Enjoy the "wet" rides - Splash, Kali, etc
• Take a change of clothes for the little one and allow them to take advantage of Pooh's playful spot and Ariel's grotto (DH and I had a change of clothes in the stroller too so if we got wet, oh well - LOL!!)
• Prepare for rain. We had some days where it POURED for about 15 to 20 minutes and then cleared right up again (that change of clothes came in handy). We also had the little bit of Hurricane Hanna the day we were at US/IoS and it poured all morning. But, our afternoon photos show that the sun is shining bright!!
• Cover your stroller before every ride as it may rain while you are in the ride.
• Make those ADRs a head of time and arrive early.
• For CS meals, plan to eat at "off" times. ex: 11 am lunch, 2 pm lunch, etc
• Get a breakfast ADR before park opening at Crystal Palace or CRT and take advantage of arriving really early to the park.

Have fun!! We are heading back this year for almost the same time!! (last year we were Sept 1 to 12th, this year we are August 26 to Sept 7).

One more tip - do not obsess over hurricanes before the trip. I did and I wasted a lot of time worrying about something that never affected our trip at all (other than one rainy morning). I was watching Faye, Ike and Hanna, and Faye was long gone before we got there, Hanna was far enough away we did not see much from it, and Ike ended up hitting Texas. I stressed way too much for nothing!!

Amy

 

[Colleen27]

I've been in August twice and at the end of Sept once. All 3 trips were hot, but the low crowds more than made up for it and I'll take hot over cold any day (our other trip was in Jan - too cool for me!). If not for work obligations we'd be going for DD's late August birthday this year, basically the same week we were there in 2007.

We drink a lot of water, enjoy a a lot of Mickey bars and other frozen treats, and just go with the flow. Being from a cooler climate, I absolutely love the sub-tropical afternoon rains and tend more towards dancing in it than taking shelter from it. A lesson learned from that - bring a light jacket. It might be 95 outside but the restaurants and indoor attractions tend towards overly air conditioned, especially if you're a bit damp from the rain.

 

[Aliceacc]

We'll be at the Poly the week before free dining-- the 5th-12th.

Yes it wil be hot. Invest in some mistymate misters and be sure you have a case or 2 of water in your room. Hit the pool mid day.

We were there at about the same time last summer. It was kind of rainy as TS Faye approached, but totally do-able.

It's Florida in summer; it's supposed to be hot. That was part of the fun.

 

[eeyoregon]

I've done it the last week of August the past 2 years. I'm not gonna lie, it's BLOODY MISERABLE HOT!!!!!!! Oh, and did I mention HUMID???

It's doable if you are prepared. We do most of our park time at night and attend extra magic hours after the sun has gone down. We order plenty of bottled water from Costco and bring our misting fans!

The daily rain showers help refresh you and the water parks are a must!