August vs. October

[olliesmom]

We are finalizing plans for our 2025 vacation and having a very difficult time deciding between late August and late October. We will be staying at the Beach Club for 6 nights, and are a group of 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 4 and 7).

In favour of August: we really aren't huge Halloween people, so the fall/Halloween decor isn't our favourite. We also wouldn't plan to do MNSSHP with the kids' ages, and planning MK days around party dates in late October seems tricky if we do want to still see Happily Ever After. We have also read that late August crowds are quite low. Weather-wise, we actually did a late August trip way back in 2012 and managed (though I know summers have gotten even hotter since then, and we didn't have to consider how the kids would tolerate it).

In favour of October: it looks like hurricanes are less of a concern by this time of year, and the intense heat/daily afternoon thundershowers have passed. The kids are still young enough that we don't have to worry about missing school, and it should still be warm enough to swim. We have never been in October before.

When I write it out, it seems to come down to the weather and whether the summer heat/storms/hurricanes are worth it. If anyone has been in both months and has thoughts (or just one or the other with strong feelings) I would love to hear them!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

Whether you go in late August or late October it will be Halloween so you will be dodging the parties either way.

Personally I absolutely love late August for weather and crowd levels.

I know what to expect with the weather and I'm someone that rather be sweating from places I didn't know was possible than even potentially be caught off guard by a cooler day.

And summer especially later in August has become a very quiet time and late October has become an extremely popular time.

I'lll be there late August this year and am quite excited.

 

[CarolynFH]

We would prefer late October. The heat and humidity are sort of easing off by then, and so is the risk of hurricanes (which is highest at the end of August/early September).

 

[brockash]

We are finalizing plans for our 2025 vacation and having a very difficult time deciding between late August and late October. We will be staying at the Beach Club for 6 nights, and are a group of 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 4 and 7).

In favour of August: we really aren't huge Halloween people, so the fall/Halloween decor isn't our favourite. We also wouldn't plan to do MNSSHP with the kids' ages, and planning MK days around party dates in late October seems tricky if we do want to still see Happily Ever After. We have also read that late August crowds are quite low. Weather-wise, we actually did a late August trip way back in 2012 and managed (though I know summers have gotten even hotter since then, and we didn't have to consider how the kids would tolerate it).

In favour of October: it looks like hurricanes are less of a concern by this time of year, and the intense heat/daily afternoon thundershowers have passed. The kids are still young enough that we don't have to worry about missing school, and it should still be warm enough to swim. We have never been in October before.

When I write it out, it seems to come down to the weather and whether the summer heat/storms/hurricanes are worth it. If anyone has been in both months and has thoughts (or just one or the other with strong feelings) I would love to hear them!

Weather would be less rainy and a lil less surface of the sun hot in Oct., but it'll be busier than late Aug.

We've done both and would do either. The Halloween stuff will be in full swing in late Aug., however there are less parties, which makes catching MK fireworks a bit easier.

 

[jason423]

We often go in late August and the weather is usually fine. Days can certainly get hot but not like June and the evenings are usually pleasant. The crowds have been pretty low when we have been there in August so the wait times aren't as bad which should help with the young kids.

We have never gone in late October but have gone in early November. I felt the evenings were comparable but it was hotter during the day in August. However it was not cool by any means where you might want a sweatshirt like late November/December timeframe. You probably wont get the flash type rain storms in October that you will possibly get in August.

 

[olliesmom]

Thank you all!

I hadn't actually considered Halloween parties impacting August planning as well. That does help with the decision making! We will really have to think through whether we want to prioritize weather vs. crowds. I had been worried that late October might be a bit cool for swimming, but it looks like the daily average is still around 80 degrees by that time.

 

[jlstwinmommy]

We have been in every month Oct-Feb. Oct is when I go if we want the pools. We've done May/June but my family complains it is too hot, so Oct is our go-to pool month. Nov/Dec can been hit or miss on pools. Jan/Feb is usually too cool for pools (though not always). I would not worry about swimming either time you are looking at.