August crowds?

[Foladar]

How are the crowds in August?
I'm going either Aug 15th-19th, or Aug 25th-29th .. Family is going to see my "older" brother off to college, and I'm riding along for the Universal trip, instead. Easy way to get there, i guess

Anything special going on around this time? Trip just came up on me, and I have no clue, never been this time of year. I went in Feb, May, now August, and again in Oct. I love Universal

 

[DisneyVillianCadet]

if anyone has any insight to this I'd be interested too!

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Crowds start thinning out as August progresses. The closer to September, the lighter the crowds.

 

[dcookies]

For the past 4 years, we've gone for at least a few days to US/IOA the last week in August (kids start school after Labor Day). There really aren't any crowds. We always stay at HRH, so FOTL helps, but it's really not bad. Weekdays especailly are not busy. I thought it was more crowded the time we went in May. It is HOT, though!

 

[Danthesand]

As August progresses, the number of school systems opening nationally increases. By the third week, just about the entire Sunbelt is back in session, and by the last week even some Northern systems have opened. Consequently, as stated earlier, the later in the month, the lioghter the mobs.

 

[Foladar]

Alright: going Aug. 17th - 19th .. how is the crowds that time?

 

[No11's Mom]

We just got back last night after having spent 5 days at RPR. Yesterday was significantly less crowed than the previous days. Standby wait times were less than 1/2 of what they were last Thur and Fri. In fact, it seemed like last Thur was the most crowded day we were there, with crowds getting smaller each day. There were still a LOT of people...but we all felt like last Thur was the most crowded we had ever seen the parks. Our driver last night did tell us that Orlando students went back to school yesterday. So that might explain why yesterday wasn't as crowded.

 

[Danthesand]

Our driver last night did tell us that Orlando students went back to school yesterday. So that might explain why yesterday wasn't as crowded.

It's not just Orlando, the better part of the entire sunbelt is going back to school this week. Consequently, crowd levels at WDW are starting to shrink by the day, and by next week visitors will immediately sense that the "high season" part of the summer is definitely over.

In fact, some are theorizing that the week of 8/15 may be unusually quiet, given the free dining has gotten some of the people without kids and/or outside the sunbelt to delay their August visits until the following week (that program starts on 8/21).

 

[robvia]

Exactly, Broward county schools went back on the 8th, and West Palm Beach starts next week.
The state is trying to get all the schools on the same schedule, which is earlier than previous years.
I would expect light crowds going forward. There may be a slight increase heading into the holiday weekend on the 5th, but after that, the parks will be a ghost town thru September.

If you don't have kids, or can take them out of school for a few days, it's a perfect time to visit, because the weather is great (unless a hurricane is moving thru).

 

[Danthesand]

If you don't have kids, or can take them out of school for a few days, it's a perfect time to visit, because the weather is great (unless a hurricane is moving thru).

Or to add to robvia's list - if your kids school system doesn't start until September - which is (a) our case and (b) why I'm bringing my family down next week!!

As for hurricanes, the current tracking by the National Hurricane Center is showing absolutely nothing going on that will affect Florida within the next 1.5-2 weeks (tropical storm Harvey is way, way out in the Atlantic and heading northeast, and tropical depression Irene is slowly heading towards New England).

 

[Larababe_ca]

Or to add to robvia's list - if your kids school system doesn't start until September - which is (a) our case and (b) why I'm bringing my family down next week!!

As for hurricanes, the current tracking by the National Hurricane Center is showing absolutely nothing going on that will affect Florida within the next 1.5-2 weeks (tropical storm Harvey is way, way out in the Atlantic and heading northeast, and tropical depression Irene is slowly heading towards New England).

I am worried about Irene

 

[Airwolf Ace]

August is the begining of the slow trend up until Halloween Horror Nights. So the wait times are around 15 Minutes to 30 Minutes.