Aug end -advice for Disney??

[Jennny]

Not really sure how much lower crowds will be. I’ve been the past three or so Augusts and have seen a steady incline in crowds -especially now with free dining at the end of the month ( and most of the month for Canadians) and with added Halloween parties. Anytime word gets out about a specific time being good to go, it only takes a few years for that not to be the case.

 

[Sue M]

Well aside from weather issues that have been discussed, end of Aug is cheapest rates and low(er) crowds. Halloween decorations are starting to appear. End of November the Christmas decorations are up.

Wether free dining is a deal for you is something you’d have to work out. So many factors to consider, resort level, how many people on reservation, rack rate with “free” dining or room discount and paying oop for meals. Doing the Disney Math compare free dining cost vs room discount and paying for meals. AllEars.net has complete menus with prices. You can look at that to total up food costs.
Also keep in mind that all you get with value or moderate resorts is the quick service plan. Only deluxe resorts now get regular dining plan that includes 1 table service plus 1 quick service. The moderates used to get regular plan but recently got downgraded to quick service.

 

[SarahC97]

I am not a huge fan of hot weather, but we went last August and will be coming back this August. The crowds are awesome, which makes up for how hot it is in my book. You just have to plan your days a bit differently and take breaks inside to cool off.

But for a first time visit, November will probably be much more pleasant weather--wise. You'll just have to deal with shorter hours at MK due to Xmas parties, which I find to be a big hassle. I prefer to go when parks don't shut down early several days a week for special events - another plus of August to me.

 

[MomOTwins]

I am not a huge fan of hot weather, but we went last August and will be coming back this August. The crowds are awesome, which makes up for how hot it is in my book. You just have to plan your days a bit differently and take breaks inside to cool off.

But for a first time visit, November will probably be much more pleasant weather--wise. You'll just have to deal with shorter hours at MK due to Xmas parties, which I find to be a big hassle. I prefer to go when parks don't shut down early several days a week for special events - another plus of August to me.

We have gone once in August and are going again this year. Low crowds and steep room discounts are a big plus for us, plus as a bonus, we have three birthdays in our family around that time. That said, are going the week before free dining in August in an attempt to beat the free dining "boost" in crowds, and the difficulty of getting character meal ADRs during free dining. I also note that end of August also has halloween parties now, so it will probably be equivalent of a November stay in terms of MK closing early some nights of your trip either way.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I live in Georgia. This year we were already in the 90’s in May. Now it’s June & it’s miserable. I couldn’t handle WDW in August. Wat too hot for me & I wouldn’t enjoy myself.

 

[Amanda999]

We've gone annually end of August for many years. The heat and humidity is unreal sometimes (was 105 'real feel' for about 2 weeks straight mid-August last year), but we don't stay in the parks long and the crowds were lower... until last year. August 2018 they lifted local AP blockout and added F&W and MNSSHP to late August. It was still less crowded than earlier in the summer, but definitely higher crowds than past late Augusts (Epcot's WS was super crowded after 6pm once F&W started). I can only do crowds or extreme heat, not both. (I'd definitely go Nov., even if it cost more. I just can't last long at the parks when its so hot and humid plus crowded.)

 

[Nancyg56]

I have traveled in August and unless there is some spectacular reason to ever do so again, I will choose any other time of year. The last time was HOT. Brutally Hot. and humid. And thunderstorms. A lot of long hours long thunderstorms. Not rain, and not thunderstorms. Wicked storms.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We always go at the end of August. We enjoy the waterparks and the heat just makes them more fun. Crowds are not crazy.

 

[Magical2017]

We went at the end of Aug. one year. Our other trips have varied, with January being our favorite month to travel to Disney. The nice thing about the end of August is that a lot of schools in the south are back in session, plus the free dining. I would do early morning and evenings in the parks, and take advantage of the resort pool or Disney Springs during the hottest periods of the day.

 

[DaniMoon]

We will be going in August for the first time this year. We like to go for two weeks, so now that my daughter will be in middle school, summer trips will now be our norm We went last June and I was prepared to be miserable, but it was great. June no longer works (baseball/softball schedules) so we are down to July and August, and we don't go back to school til after Labor Day, so August it is.

We will be there the last two weeks, we did get FD -- the QS plan which works for us. We have a couple TS meals planned. A longer stay it allows us to go at a leisurely pace. We rope drop most mornings and break each afternoon, go back to the parks later. We also have a few pool days planned.

We got water bottles that also spritz, we have some fans and will have cooling towels. With the QS plan, at the hotel we always get a bottle of water with our meal and fill our mugs, that way we have extra water to fill our bottles later in the day. We also get free water in the parks at QS locations.

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

We go at the end of August because of all of our schedules. As everyone has said - it is hot. Some years hotter than others. We did go once during Spring Break and it was hot too that year plus it was super crowded. I swore I would never go that time of year again. That being said if I had another time to go - that wasn't that crowded, even if it cost a little more money I would go then but August is definitely manageable. We got good at it since we have gone in August for the last 7 years. I like that the crowds are not that bad.

 

[ErinsMommy]

End of August is "if you stand too long in one spot, your sneakers may melt to the pavement" hot. We did end of August/1st week of September once. Never ever ever again. Even when DH offers to take me away for a long weekend or even week long stay for my birthday, its always a nope for me.

Oh yeah and don't forget its also hurricane season. Rain feels good in that heat, but once the rain stops, it seems the humidity increases by another 100%.

 

[hawaiilife]

We have gone multiple times at the end of August but we are used to hot and humid weather. If you dont mind it, it's a great time to go with lower crowds.

 

[rotlex]

We love August. Yeah it's hot, but if I had to pick, I'd say June is worse and so is July. Crowds are lower in August and good deals always seem to be around.

 

[OneinThree]

For the anti-August crew: Don't come in June either. It's 91 today with a heat index of 103. The 80 dewpoint today eclpses Delhi India or the Congo, easily.

 

[anniemae]

The above is true, June is hot, but I think this June is kind of a fluke. It usually is not quite this bad in June. Aug is usually more "steamy" than June. One Aug we were there, FL was having a heat wave. Yes a heat wave in Aug. The heat indexes were so high they were telling people it was not safe to be outside and to stay inside. LOL. We tried our best, but the heat got the best of us that year and we wound up back at the hotel for a rest, which we normally would not do.

 

[ErinsMommy]

The above is true, June is hot, but I think this June is kind of a fluke. It usually is not quite this bad in June. Aug is usually more "steamy" than June. One Aug we were there, FL was having a heat wave. Yes a heat wave in Aug. The heat indexes were so high they were telling people it was not safe to be outside and to stay inside. LOL. We tried our best, but the heat got the best of us that year and we wound up back at the hotel for a rest, which we normally would not do.

I think the rain had something to do with how hot its been. We just returned from a short 5 day get-away and I LOVED the cool days due to the clouds and rain. Then came Tuesday and it went from beautiful to steamy hot. Maybe I was just already over-tired from the past 4 days prior to that, but I felt so sick I was glad to be going home.

 

[anniemae]

I think the rain had something to do with how hot its been. We just returned from a short 5 day get-away and I LOVED the cool days due to the clouds and rain. Then came Tuesday and it went from beautiful to steamy hot. Maybe I was just already over-tired from the past 4 days prior to that, but I felt so sick I was glad to be going home.

Yes, the heat does take a lot out of you.

 

[UncleMike101]

We've been to WDW in May, June, July, and August and every time it was HOT and HUMID.
Whenever the Heat Index is over 100 it's miserable and it's been like that every time we visit.
So, since it's going to be hot whenever we go I think I'll try to visit when the crowds aren't bumper to bumper, and it looks like August may be that time.

 

[Joe Brig]

We go to Orlando in the end of August, its cheaper and less crowded. The mornings and evening haven't been too hot, especially after an afternoon quick rain storm. We go back to the resort for a mid-day break when its the hottest. Not much difference between July, Aug, and Sep temperature wise.