Considering changing our August trip???

[PetePanMan]

Oct/Nov is a no brainer - much more comfortable but still warm enough for water parks

 

[Nancyg56]

Oct/Nov is a no brainer - much more comfortable but still warm enough for water parks

And can be more crowded. Our October trip last year was a shocker! Crowded like an 8 or 9. MK extended their hours it was so busy. There is not s perfect time anymore.

 

[PetePanMan]

And can be more crowded. Our October trip last year was a shocker! Crowded like an 8 or 9. MK extended their hours it was so busy. There is not s perfect time anymore.

End of August and Oct 31-Nov 6 are not too far off based on touring plans crowd calendars but you are right that Sept in particular might be significantly less busy.

 

[Nancyg56]

End of August and Oct 31-Nov 6 are not too far off based on touring plans crowd calendars but you are right that Sept in particular might be significantly less busy.

We were not prepared for the uptick in crowd level. It jumped at the last minute, and far exceeded what we were used to

 

[anniemae]

If it were me, I would go with Oct/Nov. Best time to go IMO. Weather is fabulous and crowds are great.

We went in Aug last year and it was brutal. Hot, humid, crowded and rainy. If you stay with Aug, be sure to stay hydrated. We saw a couple people pass out from the heat. It was relentless, hotter than the surface of the sun! They were having a heat wave last Aug if you can believe it. The locals were telling us not to go outside because it was not safe. Obviously not an option. We just powered through it, drank tons of water and sweated like crazy. In the cooler weather, we find we are more energized and can go for longer with no breaks and just so much more comfortable in general. I absolutely love the fall at Disney.

 

[Parker Clan]

August gets a bad rap! We can only go in August due to work schedules - we have done it 4 years in a row and are totally fine. Now I understand everyone's tolerance to the heat is different etc but like many PP's stated it's definitely manageable!! Our strategy which works very well... Hit parks fairly early, bring water, gatorade & snacks to stay hydrated, go back to resort for pool and nap time, then dinner around 5-6 and back to the parks. If you take it slow.. Take breaks in and out of A/C it is fine. But that's just my opinion

 

[mshanson3121]

[QU="kandb, post: 53754763, member: 113697"]I am so torn. We have a 11 night Aug/Sept trip planned with fd for CBR, the tickets include water parks. I am starting to read about the heat and am second guessing how miserable it will be to be there when every day is super hot/humid. I checked and can get free dining 10/31 to 11/6. We are in Jersey, so I can take my children out of school for 3 days and go when the weather will be much more doable. The dining that I have for Aug/Sept is awesome (2 dinners at BOG, 2 dinners at Ohana's, Garden Grill, Via Napoli, etc. all great adr's). Trying to get adr's now in Nov. is not that good at all. I am so torn if I should cancel our Aug trip and go to November or stay with the Aug trip. I really don't know what to do?[/QUOTE]

I would keep your trip as is. As you said you'll never get the ADRs that you've already booked, plus you can only take the kids out for 3 days, so your trip will basically be half as long. The beauty of going for 11 nights when it's hot is that you have time for short days. Spend your morning at the water park, afternoon resting and evenings touring. Or do mornings and evenings. Plus, the time you're currently planning isn't as busy, since many places have already gone back to school.

 

[kathy884]

I did one and only one summer trip to Orlando -- too hot and humid for me, but everyone is different. I like to go in March when the weather is glorious and not as humid (dry time of year). On our summer trip for six days, I only did one park day because doing parks just wasn't a whole lot of fun and switched to water parks three days, a beach day, and a resort day -- that made the trip tolerable for me. But what do I usually want to go down to Orlando for -- theme parks -- not beach and water parks. Thank goodness, though, they have these options as they salvaged the trip for me. // As you can see, everyone is different, but to me Orlando in the summer is no prize. I've done October twice and while not as bad as summer for sure, it was still way more humid than I prefer. But it night and day between that and summer and although I sweated quite a bit and drank lots of fluids I had no problem doing theme parks.

 

[NewRVLady]

even tho people say its just as hot as where you live......
Do you REGULALY spend 8-10 hours OUTSIDE in August?
I sure don't (I live in deep south)

 

[puffinp51]

I think as most have said . . . . . prepare and plan for the heat and humidity. Even if you are used to the heat and humidity, it can be very different unless you are used to being outside and being very active in that heat. We just got back from a 7 day trip and it was only in the low to mid 90's and the heat changed how we toured the parks. We walked almost 57 miles and that was taking a break every afternoon during the heat of the day. We're used to heat (Kansas) but not used to walking 8 miles a day out in the heat - lol! We just changed how we toured and it was fine! Hope you have a magical trip!

 

[MermaidMommy]

even tho people say its just as hot as where you live......
Do you REGULALY spend 8-10 hours OUTSIDE in August?
I sure don't (I live in deep south)

I agree. I live in Texas, where it's often well over 100 degrees for much of the summer, and I am hesitant to do another summer WDW trip. At home, in the summer, we go from air conditioned house to air conditioned car to air conditioned indoor activity, with quick pool visits usually our only outdoor activity. But, my family also has a low tolerance for heat. Everyone is different, and if the OP's family doesn't do heat well, I would consider changing.

 

[senadler]

Our family went in August once and will never go again. We are strictly an October or Spring Break family now. However, I also think it depends on your family. My kids are not early risers, and while I can get them up early one or two days during a trip, there is no way they will do it every day. I think to have a good trip in August you have to do RD nearly every day.

I am originally from NJ and in Chicago now, so overall we do not do well in the heat. The only way I will spend any time outside in August is if it involves a pool.

 

[NewRVLady]

This is why the last 2-3 trip we took were for Food & Wine in late OCT or early NOV!

 

[Minnesota!]

We have gone a few times in August... Totally do-able. We went.once in October....scorching hot. I think.it was because in August, your body is used to.summer. come October, your body has already acclimated to fall like weather, so the summer-still weather in Florida seems much hotter.

August is.fantastic. low crowds, free dining, great weather. Love it!!!

 

[Tomh]

We are from NY . . . Mid Hudson Valley region. It gets hot here, but not like it does in Florida, and the humidity here usually isn't nearly as bad.

We have gone in July (2008) and August / September (every year since) for the past 7 years, and will be there from Aug 11th through the 23rd this summer.

Certainly, it is hot, but it is manageable. Go, and have fun, and enjoy those amazing ADR's you scored!

 

[PetePanMan]

August gets a bad rap! We can only go in August due to work schedules - we have done it 4 years in a row and are totally fine. Now I understand everyone's tolerance to the heat is different etc but like many PP's stated it's definitely manageable!! Our strategy which works very well... Hit parks fairly early, bring water, gatorade & snacks to stay hydrated, go back to resort for pool and nap time, then dinner around 5-6 and back to the parks. If you take it slow.. Take breaks in and out of A/C it is fine. But that's just my opinion

If work schedules didn't interfere would you still choose August?

 

[Lucius Best]

If work schedules didn't interfere would you still choose August

This is why it isn't a "no-brainer". Most rational people would agree weather will be nicer in late October than late August, but everyone has other factors in their decision on when to travel to WDW.

Original poster has 11-night Aug/Sept trip with every ADR booked and crowd levels around "3". Changing to Oct/Nov trip would be 4 nights shorter, crowds around a "5", have to take the kids out of school, and lots of ADRs already gobbled up. But would have much nicer weather, as well as F&W and MNSSHP. Choice depends on an individual family's preferences and heat tolerance. Personally I would take the extra days and lower crowds and deal with the heat.

 

[Parker Clan]

If work schedules didn't interfere would you still choose August?

Yes I'm kind of partial to it at this point. I grew up going to FL every summer with family so it's been a tradition. BUT I will say it's been mentioned to DBF & it's on my list to try different times of the year at Dis, since I've never been to MNSSHP, Food & Wine fest etc. Absolutely would love to go then for a different experience!

 

[bookluvingbabe]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Maybe I am just talking myself into how horrible the heat will be. I have just been reading so many posts about the horrible heat and humidity. We do love our sit down dinners and I have great adr's that are all at great times. We have never tried frog togs, we would definitely try them if we go in Aug. We also have never done the water parks and were planning on doing them this year also.

We went last August and it was awful. And that was with Frogg Toggs, frozen water bottles, sit down dining in the a/c, etc.

We're going back this August. We added water parks, we decided to stay at Beach Club so we'll have the amazing pool and we decided to think of it as a highlights trip rather than a do everything every minute of the day trip. I also plan to use our car and/or Uber if we have bus issues. (The buses at POR were unspeakably awful in August.)

 

[aretha30]

We go every August and for us the heat is manageable. We go early, take a break during the heat of the day and stay late to make the most of our time. The daily storms cool everything off. We grew up in FL so the heat and humidity don't bother us much. We stay hydrated, bring our spray fans, and wear light clothing. Having the water park days will help keep you cool as well. IMO I would keep the August trip since you have the ADR's you want and FL in August is manageable.