August planning--

[monorailmom]

Well, we just returned from our first trip as DVC members last week. We stayed at SSR in the Grandstand, and we just loved it!! Now we are planning our next trip, which will be in the later half of August. I have always travelled to WDW in NOv., so I'm not quite sure how to plan for August. I did have my disneymoon in Sept, and I remember that we had record highs that year, so it was REAL hot. Is the heat still really awful in late Aug?? Does it still work better to go to a park in the morning, then try the pool in the afternoon? Can you still get pool chairs in the afternoon?? We have points to use at SSR (some are developer), but we're considering splitting our stay between SSR and AKL, but are worried about the hassle of switching resorts. Has anyone done this, and if so , could recommend or discourage it?? If you do recommend it, what did you do with your groceries?? Wow, I guess that's alot of questions for one post, but any help you can give would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[5forDiz]

Well, we just returned from our first trip as DVC members last week. We stayed at SSR in the Grandstand, and we just loved it!! Now we are planning our next trip, which will be in the later half of August. I have always travelled to WDW in NOv., so I'm not quite sure how to plan for August. I did have my disneymoon in Sept, and I remember that we had record highs that year, so it was REAL hot. Is the heat still really awful in late Aug?? Does it still work better to go to a park in the morning, then try the pool in the afternoon? Can you still get pool chairs in the afternoon?? We have points to use at SSR (some are developer), but we're considering splitting our stay between SSR and AKL, but are worried about the hassle of switching resorts. Has anyone done this, and if so , could recommend or discourage it?? If you do recommend it, what did you do with your groceries?? Wow, I guess that's alot of questions for one post, but any help you can give would be appreciated! Thanks!

Yep August is HOT !! We often travel to WDW during August and it is do-able especially if , like you mention, you get into the parks early morning and head back to your resort during peak heat afternoon hours. You will probably not have too much of a problem getting pool chairs but may have to split your group up because sometimes finding a number of chairs in a row is difficult during the summer months but I see from your kids ages that sitting apart from parents shouldn't be a problem for the teens - I can tell you my teens definitely want to sit in a "parent free zone" at the pool !! Take advantage of evening extra magic hours too because it is cooler and the later it gets in the evening you will find alot less people at the parks and do the latest fireworks/evening shows on those emh nights because crowds are lighter for that as well. Our family really enjoys the summer months at WDW despite the heat. Our kids especially like when we get back to the resort late in the evening that they can go in the pool before going to sleep.

Switching resorts we've done and my best advice would be either you or your DH should go over to the resort you will switch to early in the morning on the switch day (like around 8 AM) and have them do all the check-in formalities. Your room may not be ready until later on but at least you will have all the check-in stuff done & the family can go off to enjoy the parks & call the resort from there to find out when your room is available. Just pack your swimsuits in a backpack or something you can carry to the park just in case when you want to leave the park in the afternoon should your room not be ready your family can change at the pool changing rooms & you'll be able to make use of the pool if you still need to wait for your room. And when you check-out of the first resort give your luggage etc. to bell services and they will transport it over to your second resort for you . Although I haven't done this I do know that bell services will transport perishables & arrange that they be kept refridgerated but you might want to just purchase only as much perishable items as you will need at your first resort and then repurchase those items again after check-in at your second resort.

Best wishes on your planning

 

[allshookup]

Well, we just returned from our first trip as DVC members last week. We stayed at SSR in the Grandstand, and we just loved it!! Now we are planning our next trip, which will be in the later half of August. I have always travelled to WDW in NOv., so I'm not quite sure how to plan for August. I did have my disneymoon in Sept, and I remember that we had record highs that year, so it was REAL hot. Is the heat still really awful in late Aug?? Does it still work better to go to a park in the morning, then try the pool in the afternoon? Can you still get pool chairs in the afternoon?? We have points to use at SSR (some are developer), but we're considering splitting our stay between SSR and AKL, but are worried about the hassle of switching resorts. Has anyone done this, and if so , could recommend or discourage it?? If you do recommend it, what did you do with your groceries?? Wow, I guess that's alot of questions for one post, but any help you can give would be appreciated! Thanks!

We usually go the second half of August & yes it is extremely hot! If you are early risers then yes you should plan on going to the parks early & taking a rest in the afternoon when the heat is unbearable. We are late risers so we tend to go to the parks late in the afternoon & stay till late at night.

We had a hard time getting lounge chairs last month in the afternoon, even in the back rows at the main pool at SSR, but the Grandstand always had chairs available.

I can't tell you about switching resorts, because we've never done it. Frankly the hassle doesn't sound worth it to me.

 

[drusba]

Last half of August is not that much different from mid-September, and you should assume real hot -- particularly in Aug expect 90s everyday and then at midnight you can still sweat standing still outside because lows only go down to the high 70s low 80s and the humidity is a billion percent. Rain patterns are also similar -- expect some thunderstorms daily mostly in afternoon and evening. As with Sep, you also have a risk of a hurricane but not any more of a risk. Crowds last half of Aug are heavier than Sep but not overwhelming like they are first half of Aug. Still works to hit parks in morning and go elsewhere afternoon if that is what you did in Sep although there will be somewhat more competition for pool chairs (getting a chair is likely, getting one with shade is less likely). Have been late Aug and Sep and recommend them if you want lighter crowds but not if you cannot stand excessive heat. As to switching resorts, have never done it, so cannot answer.

 

[MommaX03]

I have done August a bunch. Extremely hot is the best way to describe it. Low 90s and very humid in the morning walk to the bus stop. Expect afternoon quick storms daily. Drink water often and carry a mister.

On my very first DVC trip, I switched from Family Suites at Music to BCV to OKW. The first switch went well. The last switch, coupled with rain showers, did not. Essentially, on the move days, with three young kids, we stayed at our new resort and did not head to the parks. We considered it our days to veg like a DVC member should! Of course, keep in mind, we depended solely on Disney's internal transportation to get us around and the luggage from BCV to OKW took a really long time to transfer. The bell captains were very friendly though. I am sure if we rented a car it would have been easier to move our own luggage. We will do it that way should we opt to switch resorts in the future. Right now, we like to stay in one place.

If you follow the plan of an earlier poster and work with a family member, switching should be do-able.

 

[Anal Annie]

We have done June, July AND August. Summer in FL is gonna be hot, but it was just as hot at home in Maryland so the idea doesn't bother us so much. You need to beef up your sunscreen SPF a bit for summer. Summer is summer pretty much anywhere in the US. I think actually the HOTTEST trip we ever had to FL was at the end of June tho. One of those trips where you could take the afternoon off to go to the pool...clean up and go back out in the evening and it was so humid you could be sopping wet before the bus came. It was miserable and EVERYBODY had B.O.! You can bet it will be hot, you just never know HOW hot - but that holds true I think for the entire summer. We have not found August to be the WORST for heat - but your threat of hurricanes goes up.

 

[monorailmom]

I guess I knew it would be hot, but I'm really more concerned about the heat combined with large crowds. The only times we've gone with the kids have been November, which is great because the crowds are small. (one slight exception is that wer'e often there during Jersey Week. The end of the week is definitely more crowded than the beginning!)

Do you find the parks manageable? If you arrive at park opening, are there lines already?

 

[allshookup]

I guess I knew it would be hot, but I'm really more concerned about the heat combined with large crowds. The only times we've gone with the kids have been November, which is great because the crowds are small. (one slight exception is that wer'e often there during Jersey Week. The end of the week is definitely more crowded than the beginning!)

Do you find the parks manageable? If you arrive at park opening, are there lines already?

Yes the crowds are manageable, especially the second half of August. It is still crowded, more so than November, but not nearly as bad as during 4th of July or Christmas.

 

[Anal Annie]

Yes, there will still some crowds but not as much as during July or early August. There are several school systems (including FL) that start school in mid-August so the crowds are a little bit less. I have never been in November 'cuz our schools are not out at all other than Thurs-Fri for T-giving so I imagine it's similar to what you describe for Jersey Week. If you work your fastpasses right you'll be OK. We're planning to go in mid-August next summer and I am honestly more worried about hurricanes (i.e. rain) than anything else.

 

[allshookup]

Yes, there will still some crowds but not as much as during July or early August. There are several school systems (including FL) that start school in mid-August so the crowds are a little bit less. I have never been in November 'cuz our schools are not out at all other than Thurs-Fri for T-giving so I imagine it's similar to what you describe for Jersey Week. If you work your fastpasses right you'll be OK. We're planning to go in mid-August next summer and I am honestly more worried about hurricanes (i.e. rain) than anything else.

Honestly we've been going in August for years, & we've never been affected by a hurricane. Even when minor hurricanes do blow through, they do a lot of damage to the trees & foliage, but Disney builds their hotels to withstand hurricane force winds. However, I don't want to downplay the seriousness, because I know some people have been badly affected & some hurricanes can be very strong & deadly, but I imagine you'd have quite a bit of warning if a high category hurricane was approaching & you had to evacuate. Now some of those afternoon thunderstorms can be quite fierce in August. We had lightening strike all around us at MK once. Now THAT's scary!!! Good thing is they blow through quickly & shouldn't put too much of a "damper" on your stay.

 

[Anal Annie]

Honestly we've been going in August for years, & we've never been affected by a hurricane. Even when minor hurricanes do blow through, they do a lot of damage to the trees & foliage, but Disney builds their hotels to withstand hurricane force winds. However, I don't want to downplay the seriousness, because I know some people have been badly affected & some hurricanes can be very strong & deadly, but I imagine you'd have quite a bit of warning if a high category hurricane was approaching & you had to evacuate. Now some of those afternoon thunderstorms can be quite fierce in August. We had lightening strike all around us at MK once. Now THAT's scary!!! Good thing is they blow through quickly & shouldn't put too much of a "damper" on your stay.

OMG - that happened to us in the WORST way last January! Did not expect storms like this in January! It was evening & we saw it coming and decided to duck in someplace for dinner. I plopped DS down to hold a table & DH ran out somewhere to try to get us fast passes (for space mtn. I think) while I got in line for the food. It wasn't raining YET but I sent DH in a raincoat & with a small umbrella. By the time he got BACK he was DRENCHED all the way thru. It was such a bad storm...LOTS of lightening AND the fast passes were all gone! We ate and since it was January he was freezing cold and it was still raining and the lightening was ALL OVER the place. Since it was dark already it was really vivid and very frightening. We just called it a night and went back to the VWL to dry off and look for hidden Mickeys. It rained the rest of the evening and it took 2 days for his shoes to dry out!!