Disney in August Tips

[Je-Ree Olenik]

Hey!

My family and I, my husband and 9 year old daughter, are going for our family vacation to Disney World (can't wait to go home)! We go every two years and this time we are going first week in August for my bday. August 1-8 2019.

This is our first time going in August and I know it will be HOT and (probably) rain everyday for an hour.

Any tips?

Thanks!

 

[beccasmom]

You’ll find lots of hot weather tips here. My #1 tip is hit the parks early, take a mid-day break and return to the parks later. Use the time to take a nap, shop, have a leisurely lunch, or enjoy the pool at your hotel. The heat is brutal, so dress comfortably and keep hydrated (preferably water or a sports drink, not soda or adult beverages....in the parks anyway ). We try to eat lightly - salads, fruit or light sandwiches - and ice cream is our dessert of choice. Be vigilant about sunscreen use. Have a great trip!

 

[Elephantay]

We've gone several times in August, and it has never just rained for an hour. Be prepared for torrential, show-cancelling rain, and hopefully you'll get lucky and it won't happen. We now actually choose where to stay based on the potential for intense rain, only staying in resorts with buildings that offer indoor features in the common areas so we aren't trapped in our room.
I'd suggest -
-bringing water shoes or flip flops or something you can throw on if you're out and the rain starts. Wet sneakers are no fun, and often won't dry overnight.
-lots of cheap, throw away ponchos- make sure they are large enough to keep your bottom half dry
-planning your must- do outdoor shows early in the trip, so if they are cancelled you may have time to reschedule
-visors to keep the sun off of your face
-no backpack- this is the season to use those attractive waist packs if you need to carry stuff
-the usuals-tons of water, indoor attractions, rope drop and nights in the parks, sunscreen, lightweight clothes

 

[1911]

pick up some cooling towels or frog tog chilly pads. we use the chilly pads and keeping a damp towel around the neck helps us deal with the heat.

-as the previous poster pointed out, bring an extra pair of shoes.
-a good hat helps also
-make use of the free ice water at the quick service locations
-don't over do it in the parks! take breaks and get some cool air when you can. This might sound obvious but people tend to push themselves beyond their limits when at disney. I think it's the whole "we paid big money to come here and were going to extract as much value as we can out of the trip" or the "once in a life time trip so we have to do everything" mentality. (of which I am still guilty of today even after 5 trips,something I am working on fixing)

 

[Callist]

1. Sunscreen, even if you have darker skin. Remember to put sunscreen on the tips of your ears, the back of your neck, the backs of your knees, and the tops of your feet if you have sandals or flip flops.
2. Light weight clothing, cotton is great. Cover your shoulders, though.
3. A hat, and don't go for style. Something with a brim all the way around.
4. Walk in the shade whenever possible.
5. TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS. We eat at QS restaurants (Disney's version of Fast Food/Counter Service), but even sitting down outside in the shade, with a cup of ice water and a chance to be off your feet, will help.
6. Indoor attractions are your friends. Carousel of Progress, shows, even wandering through a shop; anything to get in the AC to cool off.
7. Cold snacks, and sit down to enjoy them.
8. QS restaurants will give you free ice water.
9. Take a break on a shaded bench.
10. If you start to over heat, chill your forehead and neck to help cool your brain.
11. Drink enough ice water that you're using the bathroom frequently. It means you're hydrated AND it removes heat from your body
12. Air conditioned lines still count as air conditioning
13. Make use of water features - pools, water rides, cooling mists, etc
14. Portable fans can help
15. The rain can be anywhere from irritating to miserable, but it does often cool things off a bit
16. Reapply sunscreen. Follow the directions on your package. Get sweat proof stuff. I don't like the sprays, I don't think people use enough of them to be truly effective. Get the lotion type.
17. If you're the type to take a break in the middle of the day, it's a great plan. 1-5 are the hottest hours. My family refuses to do this, so we do all of the above instead.

 

[Je-Ree Olenik]

thanks everyone! when i lived in Miami the rain in August was either an hour or so or lasted a little longer. i'm not really worried about the rain more so the heat! thanks for the tips everyone!

 

[Nana2Callie]

Any more August tips to help with the heat?

 

[tcbgal]

Hey!

My family and I, my husband and 9 year old daughter, are going for our family vacation to Disney World (can't wait to go home)! We go every two years and this time we are going first week in August for my bday. August 1-8 2019.

This is our first time going in August and I know it will be HOT and (probably) rain everyday for an hour.

Any tips?

Thanks!

Bring ponchos! Yes, it will be extremely hot so bring some portable fans and even some cooling neck wraps that you can soak in water and keep your cool. Those definitely help!

 

[tcbgal]

Click to expand...

Bring ponchos! Yes, it will be extremely hot so bring some portable fans and even some cooling neck wraps that you can soak in water and keep your cool. Those definitely

 

[toesmom]

We just got back this week from Disney World and it was really very hot. Our top tips:

-apply sunscreen
-drink water and ask for ice water at quick service
-find shade or walk through air conditioned stores
-go before rope drop, it is so comfortable in the morning but by 1030 just very very hot
-even in the evening it was very hot
-sun shade umbrella is excellent
-if you have to stay at the parks, find place inside for lunch to cool off
-dress properly for the heat, wear white tshirts, bring a hat for some shade, loose fitting clothing and comfortable shoes
-don't count on rain to cool things down, it only rained few days in the afternoon, but other days, just hot all day

we are finally off the school calendar so I won't go in the summer anymore, they had heat warning (in Orlando) our last 2 days.

It is manageable but not as enjoyable because of heat. I saw many people losing their patience, and kids especially don't tolerate heat very well.

I really felt bad for toddlers in that heat. Cool towels are good way to keep kids less hot, or spray bottles with water is instant cooling.

Cooling towels are good

Ice cream when needed is also good tip.

Have fun

 

[erinch]

We wouldn’t do it without lightning lanes. If parks are open later, we often chill in the morning, go in afternoon and do indoor attractions and our TS for the day, and plan outdoor time for 4 and later. Still hot. But not overhead sun. We often don’t care for breaks, as it means getting the circus out the door twice. My kids are now 30 and 37. Never in our many Disney trips did I ever succeed at getting them to rope drop, so we became morning pool people and park semi-vampires.

My little fan, either neck or handheld also saves the day.

 

[mcjaco]

About to head down Wednesday for our second trip during August. I'm used to September, October and November trips.

August was HOT the last time we went, and expecting the same next week (especially after looking at the forecast). Last trip we used fans with misters, took lots of breaks at QS, or shows. We didn't use LL, as it tends to send you back and forth across the parks, which is more energy expended going back and forth. We stuck to one land at a time, and just dealt with lines (after more than 30 trips we've done everything).

My one son really struggles with the heat, and has feinting issues because of it, so we're very aware of checking on him and how's he doing. We base our pace on him.

 

[hardcorestitch]

Plan lots of indoor attractions in the early afternoon if you’re not taking an offsite break. Plan your outdoor attractions early and late as those times may not be as rain prone.

 

[tinydancer312]

We’ve been going in August the last 10 years. We’ve learned to pack at least 2 full outfits per day or expect to do laundry. You will be sweaty! I think last year we were averaging 3 showers each a day.

But everyone else’s advice is great. Be out the door early (I realize this is easier said than done, especially if you have kids), rest midday, nap, recharge, and head back out. It is true that it will still be warm and humid at night, but it’s more tolerable.

And stay hydrated! We drink emergen-c or liquid iv each morning as a preventative measure and we each have our own insulated water bottles that we fill constantly.

 

[BarlowFamily]

We wouldn’t do it without lightning lanes. If parks are open later, we often chill in the morning, go in afternoon and do indoor attractions and our TS for the day, and plan outdoor time for 4 and later. Still hot. But not overhead sun. We often don’t care for breaks, as it means getting the circus out the door twice. My kids are now 30 and 37. Never in our many Disney trips did I ever succeed at getting them to rope drop, so we became morning pool people and park semi-vampires.

My little fan, either neck or handheld also saves the day.

I audibly chuckled reading your response! It's all so true! We usually don't do midday breaks, getting that circus out the door twice is just too much. Need to work on becoming park semi-vampires in the summer.

 

[DeeBee3]

Definitely use the ponchos because if it's not a downpour, you can still walk around and take advantage of some people leaving the parks. Wait times will go down and you can still enjoy some of those rides not affected by the weather.