Convince me, please!

[ajwolfe]

So we are skipping a Disney parks trip this year - much to my families dismay. Next year my oldest will turn 13 in August and we were thinking about doing a trip next summer to celebrate. I would prefer to go late May or early June to avoid some heat and crowds but my DH really thinks we need to be there over his actual birthday (probably because he got to be there over his actualy birthday on a past trip). Convince me that I won't hate an August trip due to heat and crowds, please! We went pre-kids in August once and I remember leaving and saying we would never, ever do that to ourselves again but apparently my DH has forgotten lol. I just remember it being crazy hot and raining every day but I don't remember if crowds were that much more of an issue than any other time of the year.

I would much rather go this October to celebrate my 35th, but the same son starts junior high this fall and I don't think it's probably a good idea to plan to take him out right after that (even though we have taken them out of school easily before).

 

[Dancemomof3]

When in August would you be going? We went late August last year and it was great. It was extremely hot. We're WNY'ers so we are not used to that level of heat but we managed just fine. Due to certain areas of the country already being back to school crowds seemed pretty low. If we wanted out of the heat there were more than enough available places to do it. Crowds got a little heavy early in the afternoon and we just went back to our resort to swim and get out of the heat.

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

This is not what you are asking for, I know, but....I wouldn't do August in Florida unless the trip was pretty much free to me. We have done a July trip (when I was a kid) and it was awful. It was actually unseasonably hot when we went in October 2013 (highs in the 90s most of the trip) and it definitely made the trip less fun for us. We have done birthdays at WDW as well - it's really nice to have CMs and characters with you happy birthday! But...I don't know that would outweigh the heat for me. (The two trips we did after that were nice and cool and so I was reminded how much better that option is!)

You know your DS better than any of us. Do you think he would REALLY love the birthday extras? Then, as a mom, I totally understand taking him then and dealing with the heat. If he wouldn't care either way too much...I'd go when it is cooler!

One consideration? Chances are decent you'll get free dining in August. If that sways you one way or another, then let that be your deciding factor.

 

[ajwolfe]

We would be going early August - his birthday is on the 5th and usually our school starts back in mid August.

I didn't think about the fact that they usually offer free dining during that time, which would be nice..But not a deal breaker for us if we didn't get it either. I'm thinking otherwise there really wouldn't be any price difference between the two trips?? Suprisingly when I mentioned the possibility to him he said he would like to stay at one of two value resorts - I was really hoping to rent DVC points and go deluxe this time.

Uhhh, decisions - decisions.

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

Interesting! Did he say why he wanted to do Value? Maybe he's really into sports or something? I'm wondering if he gets the difference if he's 12/13. I'm a big fan of renting DVC points and staying deluxe if you can! BUT....if you did that, you can't get free dining anyway. So again, if that matters to you. If it were TOTALLY up to me and could afford it, I would go in cooler weather (we loved November actually), rent DVC points (we loved doing that at WLV) and get a dining plan.

 

[ajwolfe]

He's wanted to try AoA the last couple times we went, so that was still on his list to try...And he mentioned the resort that has the HUGE fusbal people (I'm thinking this is either Pop Century or Sports, right?). Honestly I think he will just be happy to get to go and the timing/resort won't be that big of a deal to him.

I guesss the only real reason I was considering the August thing was I like the idea of doing something special for his 13th birthday and then I would continue the tradition with my youngest (who thankfully has a May birthday!).

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

Is October too late to maybe do something special for his birthday anyway? I mean, that's kinda beyond the time frame you could get a birthday pin...technically...though it's not like they ever ask for I.D. if you just wanted to do one day of celebrating. If it feels too late, there's no reason you can't still do something special for him, like a special meal out or something?

 

[tabistar]

We went in early August for our honeymoon. Never. Again. It was miserably hot.

 

[ajwolfe]

We would love to go in October. We've taken the kids out of school several times to go and never had an issue but as they are getting older we are starting to feel a bit more guilty about taking them out of school for an extended period of time. Plus, our school doesn't really do a fall break; just 1 1/2 days off around parent teacher conference time - so it would be a full week of school out for them.

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

Meh, I wouldn't feel guilty...ESPECIALLY if you don't get a fall break! My folks took us out of school when we went up through middle school, and it was like DOUBLE the vacation for us! You mean we get to go to Disney...AND skip school? I remember taking homework and doing some on the drive down.

And I love the parks in Oct/November because of MNSSHP and the early Christmas stuff.

Sorry...I'm not helping at all!

 

[DaniMoon]

We went in early October 2013 -- it was much hotter than we anticipated -- it was in the 90s and humid every day. I was sure I was going to be miserable, but it was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. We did rope drop every day and toured til 2-3 pm, came back to the hotel and swam. Some nights we went back to the parks, some nights we just did an ADR and came back to the hotel and relaxed.

I do think in the future, when my kids are in higher grades that we will do end of August trips (our school doesn't start til after Labor Day).

 

[Cambribec]

I would steer completely clear of August unless it is the very end of August leading into Sept. when most kids are back in school. Aside from the heat, the crowds in early August are really, really bad.

Just my two cents worth.

 

[ajwolfe]

Thanks for the thoughts!! I think you all just verified what I was thinking already

 

[sullyfam]

I will say my last 2 experiences at Disney have been in late July and late September. I would take the July date again as opposed to the September one if I had a pick.

It was WAY more rainy in late September but just as hot. The crowds were definitely there in July but it wasn't anything unbearable. If you are rope drop people and are efficient with your FP's and planning you will be OK.

And if I were your son, I'd much rather be there for my birthday! What a cool memory for him. And you won't have to pull him from school.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[ajwolfe]

I asked him how he felt about this last night and his response was he didn't care when we went as long as we got to go...That it was just a privilege to get to go at all. Now I'm sure he was probably partially just sucking up but man I love that kid.

Unfortunately now it does make me think I should just suck it up and go over his birthday so he can have an awesome birthday!!

 

[ariane37]

OK here's my 2 cents on Aug. We did our first summer trip the very end of Aug. last year and I was pretty much dreading it. I DESPISE the heat And I'm not kidding, I don't go outside once the temp. hits 80 unless a loved one is screaming or bleeding. My a/c is on from early April through Oct. We normally don't vacation during the summer b/c I don't want to be anywhere hotter than NY and DH doesn't want to go anywhere colder lol. Of course, Disney is my exception as far as sweating but I knew Aug. would be extreme. However, older DS started Jr. High last Sept. so I knew, after pulling both boys out of school for 1-2 weeks every year since kindergarten, it wouldn't be possible anymore, especially since DS said HE wouldn't want us to do that. So, busy holiday breaks/summer it is.
Now I won't lie, it was ridiculously HOT. For weeks before we left, locals on here were saying it was the hottest Aug. they'd experienced in awhile! But I and the family handled it so much better than I thought we would, and for someone who starts to sweat at the thought of 78 degrees, 99 w/ a real feel of 105 was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I planned mid-day breaks and actually regretted doing so as we ended up being fine in the parks all day, doing a TS meal for lunch to get out of the heat. We were sweaty and I wasn't pretty, but I (We) had just as much fun as on our trips during cooler months

I was there last Feb. on my bday and it was really cool. I will say though that Oct. is definitely my favorite month of the year to be in WDW.......good luck with your decision!

 

[mybestieismickey]

No real thoughts on visiting in early August since I haven't been as a tourist. But I did do my College Program at the MK parking lot the summer/fall of 2004 and survived, so you should be fine. Just stay hydrated, take advantage of rope drop and the afternoon rain showers, mix in plenty of air conditioned attractions, and don't worry about makeup.

If you do decide to go before or after your DS's birthday, know that Disney doesn't care when the actual date is. If you're there to celebrate his birthday, then they are happy to celebrate it too. If that still feels weird to you, pick one day of the trip to be birthday day, and have him wear the button for just the one day instead of the whole time.

 

[Dancemomof3]

OK here's my 2 cents on Aug. We did our first summer trip the very end of Aug. last year and I was pretty much dreading it. I DESPISE the heat And I'm not kidding, I don't go outside once the temp. hits 80 unless a loved one is screaming or bleeding. My a/c is on from early April through Oct. We normally don't vacation during the summer b/c I don't want to be anywhere hotter than NY and DH doesn't want to go anywhere colder lol. Of course, Disney is my exception as far as sweating but I knew Aug. would be extreme. However, older DS started Jr. High last Sept. so I knew, after pulling both boys out of school for 1-2 weeks every year since kindergarten, it wouldn't be possible anymore, especially since DS said HE wouldn't want us to do that. So, busy holiday breaks/summer it is.
Now I won't lie, it was ridiculously HOT. For weeks before we left, locals on here were saying it was the hottest Aug. they'd experienced in awhile! But I and the family handled it so much better than I thought we would, and for someone who starts to sweat at the thought of 78 degrees, 99 w/ a real feel of 105 was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I planned mid-day breaks and actually regretted doing so as we ended up being fine in the parks all day, doing a TS meal for lunch to get out of the heat. We were sweaty and I wasn't pretty, but I (We) had just as much fun as on our trips during cooler months

I was there last Feb. on my bday and it was really cool. I will say though that Oct. is definitely my favorite month of the year to be in WDW.......good luck with your decision!

We must have been near the same time. CM's were telling us in gift shops, "it hasn't been this hot here in years". We're also from NY and my son and I do not handle the heat well but we were fine. It was slow enough that we were never really outside in the sun for too long. We did enjoy our midday breaks back at the resort but we do no matter when we go

 

[liljimmyt]

In general, I don't think the crowds would be that much different between early June and Mid to late August. Many schools in the north stay in school through early to mid June and most schools in the south are already back in school by mid August, so crowds would be a wash. August is probably a little bit more humid than June, and there is a higher threat of a hurricane in August as well. However, most rooms on property are cheaper in August than they are in May and June.