Aug. 2013

[Sunnyday3]

Hello, all - I'm new here-this is my first post. My question is regarding our trip to WDW in Aug. 2013. I booked the trip for Aug. 4-10 at the CBR. (This is our third time going, we've stayed at Pop and Coronado before.)

Our first trip was Aug. 9-15, 2009. The crowds seemed much more managable than our July 2010 trip. We are hoping that the Aug. 4-10 date will be less crowded, but I'm not really sure about this...any thoughts?

With that same idea, I'm wondering if we book a week later, we might get in on the free dining that MAY be offered. I'm hesitant to switch because I've made all of our dinner reservations, including the Royal table, Be our Guest, Hoop-di-doo, etc.

So, I guess my questions are: do we push it a week later (and possibly lose out on our great dining reservations) in the hope that it will be LESS crowded and maybe free dining?

Any thoughts? I'm so excited, I can't stand it. This is my daughter's first trip!
Thanks in advance! Sunny

 

[Lorien728]

Im pretty sure most locals in Florida are back in school in August. I know here in GA they are so I think you picked a good time!

 

[singastory]

My August trips:
Aug 2-6, 2010 - WORST crowds and heat I have ever experienced...
Aug 4-10, 2011
Aug 2-6, 2012

I said "never again" in August based on the 2010 trip, but I attended a conference at Disney in 2011 and August 2012 was the only time my family had availability last year. The latter two trips I took advantage of easywdw and touringplans, planned out each day based on crowd expectancy and made my ADRs accordingly.

I would suggest searching around to see what ADRs are available for the week after. Early August is still super busy and you will see large crowds! If there's plenty dining options still open, I would say switch. If not, just make sure to have a park plan for each day.

 

[Disneylover99]

If there is free dining offered this August, you may have to push your dates back by two weeks rather then one. Usually free dining isn't offered until the 19th or 20th of August (I think).

 

[AliceIn]

If there is free dining offered this August, you may have to push your dates back by two weeks rather then one. Usually free dining isn't offered until the 19th or 20th of August (I think).

Last year it didn't start until the 25th, I think. We were there the 15th through 22nd, and there were no discounts at all for that week. Crowds were pretty manageable, though.

 

[Sunnyday3]

Thanks, everyone - we have to be back before the 25th of Aug. as I am a high school teacher in NY, and we are back to school by then. I think at this point, I'm going to sit where we are at. A friend brought up a good point that the parks may be more crowded during the free dining, so I'm not really sure what the best plan of attack would be.

That, and when I checked on changing our dining reservations, some (like Be Our Guest) are totally full.

 

[mistysue]

They actually run free dining because it's less crowded so they are trying to draw people there.
If they run free dining, my guess would be it will start either the 18th or 25th. The bounceback free dining from last year starts on the 18th- last year the public free dining was the week after the bounceback.
I suspect the week after you are going would be slightly worse than the week you have- the next is the last week for Florida families. If you stay where you are I would just pay attention to recommended parks and plan yourself a little bit.

 

[jw50]

Im pretty sure most locals in Florida are back in school in August. I know here in GA they are so I think you picked a good time!

Florida schools don't start until August 19th.

My wife is a teacher also and we are going the 16th-23rd since she has to go back to work on the 25th.

We has essentially done this week four times before and while the weekend before the FLA schools start is pretty busy the rest of the week after they start isn't bad.

 

[gilesmt]

I think everything will calm down August 18' 2013' that is when we originally booked. Some people have said on here the free dining was offered in ther bounce back offer starting on aug. 18, the kids go back to school aug. 19, and touring plan has crowed drop in half that week.

But unfortunately for us, two of our college kids found out that they change schools this year and they two will be back in school, so we are going to pull granddaughter out of private school and go in may, or that is the plan right now, if we can't pull her out we will go end of may and June since she is out on June 2 I think. We need to talk to teacher next month and ask, she is only 2nd grade so we think it will be okay, but we did pull her out one week in sept last year to go to Disney, but teacher gave her all her work and we spent 20 minutes each night doing it, so she didn't miss much, hope we can do the same now.