First Timer.....Help!!

[tombob]

planning our first trip to WDW....2 daughters 8 and 6....will be flying down from NJ...for various reasons have not been able to get to WDW as of yet....looks like we have to do it in summer, unfortunately...I understand from what I have read on this great site that the end of august is not as bad as rest of summer as far as crowds...so we are looking to go then....planning to do the 5 plus 2 deal, deciding between WL, CBR and CS....

right now our schedule is flexible so what I am wondering is.......is there any difference between 3rd vs. 4th week in august, any difference between sat to sat stay vs. sun to sun stay...or even mid-week to mid-week??

I know it will be extremely Hot and Humid and there will be lots of rain, having said that, is it worth the $$ to go at this time of year for the FIRST time???

tks for all of your help....

 

[Destination Disney]

Being a Florida resident, I have a seasonal pass in which it has blackout dates. These are dates when the parks are the busiest, and my pass is not valid then. This is fine since I would not want to deal with huge crowds in the Florida summer anyway! Looking at my 2004 calendar, the back out dates end on the 19th of August. I think the fourth week would probably be favorable for you. Labor day weekend belive it or not is not that bad at all either. Many northern schools, as you know, start in the beginning of Sept. so vactations are over and the crowds are not as large. Yes, it will still be hot, but if you stay in a disney resort you can just jump on a bus, boat, etc. and take a breather back at your resort. It does rain, but here is the scoop on Florida weather. It never really lasts for more then 1 hour. Usually around that time of year you will get a late afternnon shower, maybe some thunder and lighting, but it blows over pretty quick. (I live in the Tampa area, central Fl., so our weather is the same almost.) Look at it as a rain delay, and that is your opportuity to take a break and regroup. These are just my thoughs. I love Disney and would do it come rain or shine, but you are spending the money. I say go for it . Now or never!

 

[Disney Dee]

I went the last week of August several yrs ago and the crowds were not bad at all. It is hot, but its bearable if you take an afternoon break when its the hottest. We did early mornings, then a nap in the afternoon then back to the parks early evening. No time is the wrong time to go to disney, if thats the only time you can go!

 

[pumpkinboy]

That's good advice! I would strongly recommend on heading back to the hotel mid-afternoon for a breather/ nap/ swim for everyone's sanity. The parks are most crowded then and the heat is the worst, and as Destination Disney points out, that is the most likely time for a rain shower.

It will be stinking hot for us Notherners, tho the crowds will be lower bcs Southern and many Western schools are back in session in early to mid August.

As for resorts, during the times you're looking CSR is unlikely to have a convention, so I would recommend CSR. It has a great pool with cool slide, pretty modern units that are fairly spacious with more amenities that the other Moderates, and the best food court in that class IMO. Use the search function to look for the Coronado Springs FAQ thread, and check out the pix. WL is also really nice, but pricier; try that on your next stay. It's pretty hard to go wrong on-site, with all the Disney-specific amenities.

Have a great trip!

 

[finnie48]

August-

Hi tombob,
First of all, welcome to this place of good information! Think you will find not a big difference between the weather in NJ and FL in August - maybe more afternoon showers at WDW. Yes, the crowds will be lighter towards the end of the month, but there is also a good chance that park hours and parade schedules will be cut back because of fewer visitors and the return to school of many CMs.
We can only go to the World in the summer and after 8 trips now prefer the busier times (July-2nd week August) when extended hours are in effect. We had a ball last summer arriving on July 4th for a week!! Whenever you go you will have a most magical time! And take the time to notice the hundreds of little things that make WDW such a great place. You can always catch what you miss the next trip. As other posters noted, taking a break in the afternoon makes a world of difference.
Birnbaum's Official Guide will give you a very good overview of all the practical things going on at Disney - well worth the money. Enjoy!!! Bob

 

[tombob]

thanks for all the help everyone......