August plan of attack !

[kathy040690]

we fly into LAX at 1130 AM on a monday. get bags and get to the shuttle (which i still have to book) and head to the hotel (the new courtyard)

when we get to the hotel I am debating going for a swim before heading to the parks or just dropping out bags and heading right out.

Hoping the parks will be open until midnight the days we are there

on the 23,24,25 we plan on going to one park per day More than likely we will do two full days and DL and 1.5 days at DCA.

During these days i plan on going right in the morning (hoping to be there for rope drop) and going back to the hotel for a swim each afternoon (since i head its rather hot in anahiem this time of year) and heading back to the parks after swimming.
How much time do people usually go back to the hotel for during the afternoon?

Plan to eat 1 meal a day in the parks and hoping to have a meal or 2 each day outside of the parks.. Budgeting $300 a day total spending money for the 6 of us. 2 adults a 7,5,3, and 1 year old. Does this sound like enough money ?

Hoping to do a character meal while we are there since it is my baby's first birthday the day we fly in !!

any other recommendations for us?

I should also add that only the baby still naps during the day but she loves stroller naps !! The other 3 kids havent napped in a very long time

 

[kathy040690]

also need to add.

should we need sweaters at night this time of year?

 

[kathy040690]

..

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

We love August, but so do a lot of other people. Long hours, full entertainment schedule, and weather can be downright nice at times (or super hot). For us, arriving at that time of day, we would leisure it up. Long lunch near hotel or DTD, maybe pool if it is hot (we have a pool so we rarely use one when at DL). We would go into the park around 5-6, or 7, if it is still hot (3-5 hottest time of the day).

Even though your older kids don't nap, I would suggest a decent break midday to relax. You might find them snoozing a bit if you do rope drop and also close the parks. Our consistent pattern for August trips is rope drop, either lunch in parks or outside (we also usually do one sit down meal a day-however, if it is Carthay or Blue Bayou-that $300 is gone in one meal), back to room for 2-4 hours (dependent on what day of trip we are on, heat level, overall group vibe), then back to parks til you drop. If my Mom comes with us, DW and Mom usually call it a night after fireworks, while the kids (20,15) and I usually stay until closing.

I would bring light sweaters for the little ones, especially if you hunker down for PTN, WOC, or fireworks.

 

[kathy040690]

We love August, but so do a lot of other people. Long hours, full entertainment schedule, and weather can be downright nice at times (or super hot). For us, arriving at that time of day, we would leisure it up. Long lunch near hotel or DTD, maybe pool if it is hot (we have a pool so we rarely use one when at DL). We would go into the park around 5-6, or 7, if it is still hot (3-5 hottest time of the day).

Even though your older kids don't nap, I would suggest a decent break midday to relax. You might find them snoozing a bit if you do rope drop and also close the parks. Our consistent pattern for August trips is rope drop, either lunch in parks or outside (we also usually do one sit down meal a day-however, if it is Carthay or Blue Bayou-that $300 is gone in one meal), back to room for 2-4 hours (dependent on what day of trip we are on, heat level, overall group vibe), then back to parks til you drop. If my Mom comes with us, DW and Mom usually call it a night after fireworks, while the kids (20,15) and I usually stay until closing.

I would bring light sweaters for the little ones, especially if you hunker down for PTN, WOC, or fireworks.

Thanks for you input !
If my older ones want a nap during the afternoon i definately will not stop them. Happy kids happy night !!
so it should have the extended hours while we are there.. that is what i am really hoping for. the other times i have gone the park is usually closed at 8 or 9 so anything after that will be all new to us !! hoping to see PTN fireworks and all the parades. WOC we have seen once and thats enough for me !!

 

[gottalovepluto]

It's been a few years but back when we stayed offsite during that time of year we found ourselves leaving the park around 1-2pm and returning around 7-8pm. We arrived at opening and utilized the MM when it came with our tickets. We went for 5 days so we had a more relaxed pace than I think you will be going at. This also helped in avoiding the worst of heat+dehydrated crowds because there's nothing pretty there.

We breakfasted in the hotel room (or at the hotel when it was included), lunch in park, dinner before returning to the park. You're looking at $50/day/person and I believe that's doable with proper planning. Consider splitting adult meals for the kids at counter service locations FYI. Just look around to see what people are coming out with and it will give you an idea of how much food each meal comes with. You can see the menu prices online as well as character meal prices to help with the financial planning.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Oh- and leave the decision to hit the pool after arrival or the parks until you're at the hotel is my vote! Travel can be so hit or miss so why lock yourself in a corner mentally either way?

 

[BriannaRuth]

I don't think the parks will be open until midnight the last week of August. We've been that time of year a couple of times ... park hours have been 9 am to 10 pm. FYI, it's also likely that HM will be closed for installing the Halloween overlay, although the exact dates won't be announced until 6 weeks before or so.

OTOH, it's usually not very busy so that will be good.