August Do's and Don'ts

[SHOREDAD]

Going to WDW in August with DW, DS 11, DS4, DS2.

Staying at POR.

What are some suggestions/tips for weather, crowds, pools, etc. This is my and our first time in WDW in the summer. What are some things to definitely do and not do?

THanks!

 

[LovintheLodge]

I never thought I would ever go to Disney in August! However, 5 years ago we went the last week of August and this year we are going the second week of August. Sometimes you just have to go when everyone in the family can go. People thought we were crazy 5 years ago (and they still do!)...yes it was unbelievably hot and humid...but it was manageable.

Get to the parks early...we also went to both water parks too. I would suggest going back to the resort for a break in the afternoon or take a nice leisurely lunch break in an air conditioned restaurant. That helps out a ton! Plus you go in and out of attractions where there's A/C. Drink plenty of water too. Have a great time.

 

[cassandrap83]

I think a definite 'do' in the heat of August/September is to get to the parks early, & get OUT of them during the middle of the day when it's the hottest/busiest & go back to your resort for a nap/swim. Come back around dinner time.

The heat wipes everybody out, kids especially.

 

[wendy3]

We've gone in May, December, June, and August. August is our favorite just because of school schedules and summer jobs. The one thing we really notice is that the heat and humidity is exhausting for those of us not used to it. While we can be Disney commandos during the cooler months, we know we have to take a break mid-day in August. Plus, you have to plan on rain every stinkin day. Not all day long, but a shower at least once each day. August is hurricane season after all. Our last trip was during tropical storm Fay, and I was looking for the animals lining up two by two. Hang in there during the rain, drink lots of water, and plan on breaks during the hottest part of the day.

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Sunscreen too. Nothing worse than a sunburn on vacation.

Hydrate frequently - especially if you're enjoying some late night "spirits" back at the hotel or during your (IMO) mandatory daily pool break.

If you're feeling sick to your stomach with a headache, realize that can be heat stroke! If you aren't used to walking a lot, the heat, etc. go easy on yourself! An iced down towel placed on the back of your neck will cool your body down pretty fast if you suspect you may have overdone it.

We love going in August - it's hot but it helps to tour before noon & after five. Do a pool break or rest in your room inbetween. We make sure we have a good 1hr sit down meal each day & alternate indoor with outdoor attractions to keep from overheating.

Drink lots of water. Oh I said that. Well, it's really good advice ya know

 

[g-dad66]

Here are our DOs and DON'Ts from last August --

DO:

Carry water bottles with you and refill at fountains or counter-service restaurants.

Use morning EMH.

Go back to resort and swim in the afternoon.


DON'T:

Plan another August trip.

 

[SHOREDAD]

Here are our DOs and DON'Ts from last August --

DO:

Carry water bottles with you and refill at fountains or counter-service restaurants.

Use morning EMH.

Go back to resort and swim in the afternoon.


DON'T:

Plan another August trip.

I love it! That is funny!

Thanks for all the advice keep it coming. We plan on going in early, taking breaks, then re-entering a park after 5. Our schedule avoids EMH but we will try for rope drop every day. They key word is try. If not rope drop then we will get there fairly early. We live at Jersey at the shore so we are used to hot humid and crowded. If this trip is too bad we will just find another time.

 

[goofy4prez]

I would also recommend purchasing insurance for the trip. August is prime hurricane season and just one of those hitting shore during the week you are down there could put a real hamper on your vacation.

 

[dschultz]

We have been in august twice and hail from NJ too. You can't compare the Jersey shore to WDW in august. There is no breeze and the humidity feels twice as bad. When we go down in august we spend a few days in Ft. Lauderdale and the weather is more tolerable along the coast then in WDW!!!!

Follow the Recipe as written by the above posts: Rope drop, leave at noon-1:00 pm, swim, relax, nap if possible, back to parks at around 500 pm.

The only other thing I can add is to alternate days between theme parks and water parks. This has worked well for us, gets the kids in bed early on water park days!!!!

 

[Nebula]

Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! Apply it often, because it can and will sweat off... plus there are lots of opportunities to get wet. I know this may seem obvious, but it is SO easy to forget to reapply when you're in Disney, because you're so busy.

And with that said - don't be afraid to get wet! We went in August many years ago, and I was seeking out any opportunity I could find to get wet *L* My favorite was the Tiki statues in Adventureland.

One day we went, the park was not crowded at all - yes, in August. The reason? It was 107 degrees out. My mother and I rode It's a Small World 10 times in a row, no waiting, because it was air conditioned, relaxing, and convenient. Other good attractions for that would be Hall of Presidents and Carousel of Progress... that sort of thing. Since you've been to the World before, you know your favorites. Pick something you can stand to do multiple times It's a Small World probably isn't the best choice

And like everyone else said - stay hydrated. Carry a water bottle. Those spray bottle/fan combos may look funny, but they are AWESOME. And take lots of breaks, heading back to the hotel for a swim or nap. Naps are the key to a happy vacation no matter what time of year

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

I agree w/ what everyone else has already said -- especially about midday breaks. We'd go back to the resort, rest, go to the pool or just take a shower to refresh. It was the BEST idea ever!

DH and I bought a huge pack of bottled water at Walmart and it was perfect. We'd put it in the little freezer section of the room fridge and then bring it with us the next day. Just make sure to wrap it in a sock or a wash cloth (and stick in a plastic bag) to protect the inside of your purse/bag/whatever from the sweat of the bottle.

I'd also suggest buying some ponchos at home and bringing a small umbrella. Personally, I hate the Dollar Tree ponchos. They're too flimsy and tiny to be of any help. It seemed to rain at least once a day while we were there last year (last week of August). It never rained more than 30-60 minutes, but we definitely took advantage of the ponchos and the umbrella.

 

[rob4059]

we go every august. Mainly because you can't beat the price. With a sale its more than 1/2 the price of a spring break trip.

That said though, Ive been in the cooler months and I actually prefer the heat because getting wet on a ride or going for a swim is a big part of a vacation for my family and that ain't happening in 65 degree weather.

We just watch noaa storm tracker for two weeks prior and pray that no big ones hit while we are there.

go early and late and take a break. But even if you dont' just hit a lunch in air conditioning or go inside a pavilion like mexico (air cond. ) and you will be good as new!

 

[SmallWorld71]

Do:
1. Get to park for opening
2. Take a break mid-day-either napping or swimming (necessary for adults too!)
3. Eat your meals in air-conditioning
4. Stay hydrated (we brought along singles packs of Kool-Aid for our kids and added it to FREE water from the CS places, this way we could keep a drink with us at most times)
5. Use snack credits for cool treats like ice-cream, dole whip floats, and frozen lemonade slushies
6. Carry a mister, one for the family is fine, keep spraying everyone to keep cool
7. See the night-time entertainment : No sun beating down on you!
8. Tour AK and DHS in smaller doses; we find them to be much harder to tour in the summer than Epcot or MK (World Showcase we do in small doses too, Mexico is great for cooling off)
9. Get park hoppers so you can visit different park in evening if you want to
10. Use FP and baby swap to minimize waiting around
11. Take advantage of places to get wet
12. Bring a poncho with you in the afternoon
13. Use strollers for the little ones; you will be wishing you could fit in one!
14. Carry sunscreen with you to reapply
15. Carry large ziploc baggy in your bag to protect things like cell phones, cameras etc... when the downpours start
16. Wear sunglasses and have the little ones wear hats to cut down on the glare

Don't:
1. Worry about seeing the afternoon parades; we only watch them if we happen to stumble on them and can get a viewing location last minute; it's too hot to sit and wait in the sun; we concentrate on evening entertainment instead
2. Use your TS meals at breakfast, you should be touring the parks in the morning; we find a nice sit-down lunch or early dinner to be quite refreshing
3. Push anyone past their limit; as soon as someone is cranky, take a break!

 

[Bearybear]

We went last year in August, and we vowed we'd never go again in August. But we're heat wimps from Minnesota, and I never realized air could get quite that humid.

My advice is ride the "outside" attractions in the morning and after dark. Then visit any "inside" attractions in the middle of the day (Hall of Presidents, Small World, Soarin', etc.) Drink a lot of water. If you're tired, rest. If you have thin hair or are bald, wear a hat and/or spray your scalp with sunscreen (my DH learned this the hard way) Actually, everyone should spray their scalp with sunscreen, just to avoid sunburn on their hair part. Enjoy all the air conditioned attractions. Take breaks. Don't eat a lot of food in the hottest part of the day, and avoid a lot of salt. Remember that anything inside will be air conditioned, sometimes to the point of near-frost.

Have a blast! It is Disney, and they are prepared for the heat there.

 

[carone0318]

We alternate our yearly trip between the last week in June and the end of August. This yr we will be there in August. I like it because the southern schools have gone back and it is a lighter crowd than the end of June.

My suggestion to you is when you are walking around the parks, bob in and out of the air conditioned stores. We will be walking and I'll say let's go in here. We might not shop, but just walk through the store and out the other side.

I have 2 kids (dd-13 & ds-9) and we never take a break and go back to our room (we usually are at BWV, so we are on-site), but we always have a TS scheduled and enjoy the A/C during our meal.

Dh carries a backpack cooler for us, so we all usually have 2 bottles of water to have in addition to our drinks with meals. I also throw frozen wash cloths in the cooler too. Everyone loves a good swipe of a frozen wash cloth!

 

[SHOREDAD]

We have been in august twice and hail from NJ too. You can't compare the Jersey shore to WDW in august. There is no breeze and the humidity feels twice as bad. When we go down in august we spend a few days in Ft. Lauderdale and the weather is more tolerable along the coast then in WDW!!!!

Follow the Recipe as written by the above posts: Rope drop, leave at noon-1:00 pm, swim, relax, nap if possible, back to parks at around 500 pm.

The only other thing I can add is to alternate days between theme parks and water parks. This has worked well for us, gets the kids in bed early on water park days!!!!

True! What I meant was we get humid, hot, breezeless days at the shore. I have lived at the Jersey shore my whole life and have definitely seen stretches in the summer where it was humid hot and breezeless. That being said you are right Florida is like that all the time. I will follow the recipe given. I just have to get my kids up and out early. We shall see!!!!

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

not sure if your flying or driving, but last year we did small order with gardengrocer.com and got 24 pack of water, diapers, wipes, some snacks, etc. Kept the waters cold and took them to the parks the next day and it was cheaper than buying then or using a snack credit on DDP for the waters. Sorry I cannot drink FL water (or Jersey water for that matter lol).
We are driving this year so we are sticking a 24 pack in our car. The parks also sell those spray misters, I think I may purchase a few here and bring them down.

I am under the same impression as you, we are going in Aug as well (20-27th sort of like the last hooray before DD starts K), I am from the Jersey Shore and there are days when I go up to the beach and its so hot humid and NO BREEZE off the ocean so I think it'll be close to that.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

We are returning for our 6th Aug trip. We love going in August. This yr we are Aug 11-19th. We alternate with beginning of aug and mid aug. We get the AP's so we have 2 trips in 1 yr.

People think we are crazy for loving Disney in Aug- but hey we love snow too! People think we are just plain crazy! We are from CT

We do hit rope drop for the first 4 mornings of our trip. We find that if we do MK on EMH we can have all of fantasyland, toontown and tommorrowland done by lunch time (1130ish). We use FP as needed.

We are DVC-stay in 2bdrm villa- We alwasy pack a spray bottle with us. DH will fill it w/ water the night before and then spray us down through out the day. It feels soo good. We also freeze a few water bottles too. We have done the free water at CS-- that was great on days we ran out of our waterbottles-- nice and cold. Thou the line was a bit long in to wait.

Frozen wash cloths in ziplock baggies is also a great idea.

We dont go back to the resort mid day-- when our kids were younger - I feared they would just fall asleep on the bus and be wide awake by the time we got to our resort so it would be a waste of time for us. We do take a slower pace in the afternoon. We will still use a stroller this yr for ds3. He is able to sleep well in the stroller. While he is sleeping, DH or I take the older ones on more rides.

We do the DDP every yr. It is nice to have an A/C placed to sit and eat in. We make all of our ADR's for supper. Great to sit and relax for a while. Our lunches are C/S which we also try to make in the AC too.

This yr I hope to do more of the evenings - fireworks etc.

Our last 4 days are a mix of hanging out at the resort or park hopping to finish up rides that we didn't get to or want to do again.

Last yr dd6 and I did 3 parks in 1 day!

Definitely be prepared for the rain! We also got hit by tropical storm fay too. I never saw it rain soo much at disney but it didn't deter us from going to the parks. We really made us of our disney ponchos. Parks were pretty much empty on most days during the storm. They even opened the parks an hr early one day too. Thanks to fay we got to spend an extra 5 days at disney bc of interruption in the amtrak service = the autotrain was cancelled!! It was the best trip ever.

Again everyone else gave great advise. take it easy and enjoy the day.

when are u going to be there?

 

[diberry]

Take mossie repellent!! They always seem to be bad in August (though probably at other times too).

 

[tiki23]

Has anyone said "drink lots of water" yet?

Honestly, that's one of the best Disney tips even if you aren't going in the hottest months. I became dehydrated on a November trip! My teenage son was sick with dehydration on our first "hot" trip - he missed a whole day at the parks so drink, drink and drink some more. If you wait until you're thirsty, it's too late.

It rains - hard! If you get caught in it you will get soaked - which includes your clothes and your shoes, of course! Wet shoes and wet socks = blisters. We don't wear tennis shoes much at the parks; sturdy flip-flops, sandals and Crocs that dry fast and are super comfy work better for us.

Jeans or heavy cotton fabrics are also bad. Once they get wet they will not dry out in the humidity and will be uncomfortable at the least, can lead to severe chafing and heat rash at the worst. K-Mart, Target and Walmart all have reasonably priced clothing made from wicking and quick dry materials.

I know a lot of people like the misting fans but my family didn't care for the one I bought. It's already so humid, who needs more misting? LOL We prefer a small personal fan that you can wear around your neck or attached to a belt loop.

Have fun!