End of August - Deals? Busy?

[Frozen2014]

We had the best time at Disney last October...our first trip.
We've booked our next big family trip for April 2016 (a cruise) but would love to take our kids back 'some day'. Next time however, not sure we'd pull them out of school since our DS is getting older, so we'd have to loook at summer (too hot?), March break (too busy?) or Christmas break (too busy?)

1. What are crowds like last week in August (we're from Canada so kids are still off school)?
2. Are there ever deals for that week?
3. How are crowds?
4. How bad is the heat / rain?

We most likely won't be returning until sometime after 2016, but it doesn't hurt to keep my eye open...It's the cost that is preventing us from coming so often. (And we need to account for the flight as well)

 

[Disneylover99]

Free dining was offered around May beginning Aug. 17th for Canadians this past year. It wasn't offered in August the year before though, so who knows.

It's super hot and often rainy. Crowds are moderate. We love it!

 

[sharonabe]

That last week of August begins the fall value season, so hotel rates are low. Free dining is hit or miss. Crowds are low, but not yet the lowest of the year which happens after Labor Day.

However, it is hot, hot, hot and very humid. You will have a thunderstorm most afternoons, but it will not cool anything down. Plan on taking breaks in the afternoon to rest and get out of the heat.

 

[Madame]

We were there last Aug 22-28. Crowds were great! We switched to free dining when it was offered for Canadians, so saved quite a bit.

For 2015 we had a FD BB booked at POR Aug 21-28. We switched to BC with the magical deal. It's costing a bit more than FD at POR, but it's about 50% off the price of a deluxe!! We are going to get breakfast goods at the Hess grocery store & save a little that way.

It was hot that last week, but being from southern ON we are used to a humid heat. Having low crowds & a cheaper season made it totally worth it!

 

[conandrob240]

Rates are lower, free dining is typically offered. Crowds depend on when NE kids go back to school. This year, many will start around Sept. 9 so I expect crowds last week of August to be heavier than usual. In general, though, we have found late August crowds to be fairly light. It is hotter than the hubs of hell so unless you like really hot and really humid, may not be for you. We like it hot so it's okay for us.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We've gone the last week of August and are going again.

Yes it is HOT but doable IMO. We hit the park at rope drop, do a midday break at the pool (no naps for us) and then another park in the evening.

Crowds are pretty low and hotel prices are lower. I don't remember standing in any line longer than 20 minutes. Most were 10-15 minutes.

We are in NJ and always start school after Labor Day. The rest of the country is in school by that time. I don't think crowds will be that much heavier this year since it still works out to be the same with the school schedules.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I had friends who went the last week of August. Our children do not go back to school until after Labor Day. It is HOT, but I remarked that in every picture she posted on FB it looked like they had a private park all to themselves. If I decide to go back I may try to brave the heat and go in August..

 

[MN Disneyfan]

We went the last week in August this year for the first time. Previously we've always taken our kids out of school and gone end of September or mid October. We were pleasantly surprised with the crowd level. HS was busy with the Frozen stuff but else crowd levels were low. It was hot and humid but we didn't feel that it was super uncomfortable or much different then September/October. We have booked again the week before Labor day 2015.

 

[keaster]

Fellow Canadian here! Yes end of August is incredibly hot and humid, but the crowds are very doable as most American schools are back in session.

We usually go March break (our March break is earlier in March, so not too busy) and the last week of August.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Minnesotan here, so we're practically Canadian.

This year, we went on a short trip the last week of August, leading up to Labor Day (we arrived the Wednesday before Labor Day and departed the Sunday of Labor Day weekend). As far as crowds go, that was the lowest I have ever seen them. For instance, we did TSM with 20 and 12 minute SB waits in the afternoon on two days. 4th FP+s were plentiful and easy to get. We saw the SB wait for A&E posted at 30 minutes in the early evening. We walked up to the rope to watch FoF in Frontierland right as the parade was starting. We stayed at the YC and never saw another guest in our hallway the entire time we were there. In short, crowds were awesome.

We got a sweet deal at the YC. I just looked at our confirmation, and 4 nights at the YC, with 3 day base tickets for 4 people (two adults, two children) was $2300. I think that was a 30% or 35% RO discount? Deluxes give pretty sweet discounts in the summer because their occupancy rates tend to be lower then (Values and Moderates tend to offer smaller discounts in the summer).

The biggest sticking point was the weather. It was hotter and more humid than I thought possible. Everyone in our family agreed that we'd never go back then because it was just too hot. In my daughter's words, "It was too sweaty at Disney this trip." We didn't get pictures in front of any of the icons (except at night) because it was too hot to stand in the sun to have the pictures taken.

 

[Frozen2014]

Minnesotan here, so we're practically Canadian.

This year, we went on a short trip the last week of August, leading up to Labor Day (we arrived the Wednesday before Labor Day and departed the Sunday of Labor Day weekend). As far as crowds go, that was the lowest I have ever seen them. For instance, we did TSM with 20 and 12 minute SB waits in the afternoon on two days. 4th FP+s were plentiful and easy to get. We saw the SB wait for A&E posted at 30 minutes in the early evening. We walked up to the rope to watch FoF in Frontierland right as the parade was starting. We stayed at the YC and never saw another guest in our hallway the entire time we were there. In short, crowds were awesome.

We got a sweet deal at the YC. I just looked at our confirmation, and 4 nights at the YC, with 3 day base tickets for 4 people (two adults, two children) was $2300. I think that was a 30% or 35% RO discount? Deluxes give pretty sweet discounts in the summer because their occupancy rates tend to be lower then (Values and Moderates tend to offer smaller discounts in the summer).

The biggest sticking point was the weather. It was hotter and more humid than I thought possible. Everyone in our family agreed that we'd never go back then because it was just too hot. In my daughter's words, "It was too sweaty at Disney this trip." We didn't get pictures in front of any of the icons (except at night) because it was too hot to stand in the sun to have the pictures taken.

So sounds like crowds are awesome....you can get deals....but weather is mostly unbearable. I think I would be ok in the heat, but DH hates it...so he probably would never want to go that time of year.

Anyone know if Disneyland is the same?

 

[3PrincessesAndaFrog]

We love to go in August....less crowds. Now that the kids are older and we can't pull them from school to go in October.

Yes it is hot. We go early in the morning and plan a late lunch early dinner out of the heat. We also do the inside sit down attractions late in the afternoon to take advantage of the cool air. We pack cheap plastic rain ponchos in a baggie. It does tend to rain every afternoon around 3 for at least 15 minutes. When its over we throw the ponchos back in the baggie and into the backpack. We also take a shopping break in the late afternoon to stay out of the heat.

We sometimes head back to the hotel pool, kids are older enough to wander together on their own and I enjoy a book and drink at the pool. Everyone is happy!

We are thinking of August for 2015. Just waiting on husbands vacation schedule at work to come out.

 

[sharonabe]

So sounds like crowds are awesome....you can get deals....but weather is mostly unbearable. I think I would be ok in the heat, but DH hates it...so he probably would never want to go that time of year.

Anyone know if Disneyland is the same?

We went to Disneyland this year just after Labor Day (Wed-Fri) and it was great. Low crowds and temps very pleasant.

The last week of August could be hit or miss at DL as far as crowds. CA schools tend to go back later than the east coast. There is also a marathon or some kind of Disney run the weekend of Labor Day.

 

[richmo]

...

1. What are crowds like last week in August (we're from Canada so kids are still off school)?
2. Are there ever deals for that week?
3. How are crowds?
4. How bad is the heat / rain?

...

1. Crowds won't be bad. There's a big dropoff around the middle of August as colleges/schools get going and many local schools start up the last or next to last Monday in August.
2. There is often a free dining plan that starts mid-August. Of course, there is no guarantee that will happen. Pretty good chance though.
3. Crowds not too bad as explained in #1. There may be a slight uptick for the USA Labor Day weekend (first Monday in September). Once that happens, it really empties out.
4. Figure on low 90's every day, high humidity and a good chance of thundershowers on any day. If you're ok handling heat, you'll be fine. Although it rarely happens, late August thru a good part of September is peak tropical storm season. Shouldn't be a problem, but do keep it in mind.

 

[autumnpalm]

We went the last week of August 2013.

Pros:

1. We got a GREAT deal.
2. Crowds were pretty manageable.


Cons:

1. It was very, very hot.
2. It did rain every afternoon.

Honestly though, the weather was pretty tolerable for us and we are from Canada. We spent most afternoons by the pool, rested often in the air conditioning and drank lots of water. We also toured primarily in the morning and late evening. The rain is a bit of a nuisance but usually the showers were quite short and then they were over for the rest of the day.

We would definitely return in August. We have also been in May, June, July and September and found all of those times to be pretty comparable in terms of crowds and weather. May is probably our favourite month but the differences in weather and crowds weren't enough to influence our enjoyment of the trip. We definitely prefer the summer months to the winter months as we have been in December and February and did not enjoy wearing our winter coats in Florida!

 

[Frozen2014]

We went the last week of August 2013.

Pros:

1. We got a GREAT deal.
2. Crowds were pretty manageable.


Cons:

1. It was very, very hot.
2. It did rain every afternoon.

Honestly though, the weather was pretty tolerable for us and we are from Canada. We spent most afternoons by the pool, rested often in the air conditioning and drank lots of water. We also toured primarily in the morning and late evening. The rain is a bit of a nuisance but usually the showers were quite short and then they were over for the rest of the day.

We would definitely return in August. We have also been in May, June, July and September and found all of those times to be pretty comparable in terms of crowds and weather. May is probably our favourite month but the differences in weather and crowds weren't enough to influence our enjoyment of the trip. We definitely prefer the summer months to the winter months as we have been in December and February and did not enjoy wearing our winter coats in Florida!

Thank you. Good to hear that it was manageable.
Not sure when we'll go next if we won't pull our kids out of school (at least older one) but will keep my eye open. March Break and Christmas are very busy not to mention $$$...so end of August seems like a good time for opposite...but then you have the weather to deal with.

 

[anniemae]

We found it to be moderately busy at the end of Aug. High waits for the big rides. I think it will be busy this year since Labor day is so late. Lots of schools will start later.

It was also very very hot. Be careful to drink lots of water and take breaks. We saw someone faint from dehydration. It was unusually hot this past Aug and the locals were telling us it was not safe to be outside. It was hotter than the surface of the sun, but we made sure to take breaks and wear big sun hats, and drink tons of water etc.

 

[CanadianPaco]

We LOVE end of August!!! We justed booked bounce back for the upcoming August!! Heat YES!! Lower Crowds YES!! But so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!