First Timer

[Padfoot9]

Hello everyone! This is my first post here at the DIS boards, but I loom around here from time to time. My mother(51) and I(19) are planning a vacation to Florida this August nd Universal is our first stop. We'll spend only one day sad at IOA (mostly because I wanted to go to WWOHP) before heading over to Disney for 2 days. We've already booked the flight for the last 4 days of August and I'm so excited! I can't go a day without looking up something Disney/Universal related! However I do have a couple questions that hopefully someone can answer! :

How can we expect the crowds to be at IOA (ESPECIALLY WWHOP) in late August? What about weather? What is the optimal time to visit WWOHP in a day? Can you take pics in front of the US globe without entering the US part of the park?

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read my post!

 

[damo]

End of august is a good time to go crowdwise. It is still very, very hot. Go as early as you can because the park closes early by then.

You can definitely take pics of the globe. It isn't inside any park.

 

[Padfoot9]

So we should go to WWOHP right when the park opens? Also, what rides should we hit and what should we skip? We're doing everything at WWOHP and also doing the Jurassic Park water ride.

 

[damo]

So we should go to WWOHP right when the park opens? Also, what rides should we hit and what should we skip? We're doing everything at WWOHP and also doing the Jurassic Park water ride.

I would be at the gates half hour before opening. They usually start letting guests in 15 minutes before opening. You will still have to contend with the people there for early entry but it won't be so bad. If the line for Ollivander's isn't too long, do that first and then do FJ and the other rides.

Make sure you do everything in IOA. It is a great park! You should be able to get it all done.

 

[Metro West]

How can we expect the crowds to be at IOA (ESPECIALLY WWHOP) in late August? What about weather? What is the optimal time to visit WWOHP in a day? Can you take pics in front of the US globe without entering the US part of the park?

The weather is August is horrible...very hot and very humid. I hate living in FL in the summer! Not to mention it's the heart of hurricane season. Last year WWoHP was busy almost everyday throughout the year...even when the rest of the park had light crowds so it could be pretty busy. You can take pictures of the globe in front of the Studios w/o entering.

 

[ky07]

The weather is August is horrible...very hot and very humid. I hate living in FL in the summer! Not to mention it's the heart of hurricane season. Last year WWoHP was busy almost everyday throughout the year...even when the rest of the park had light crowds so it could be pretty busy. You can take pictures of the globe in front of the Studios w/o entering.

 

[Padfoot9]

Thank you everyone who has replied. I'm from Iowa so I know how heat and humidity goes, so it shouldn't be TOO miserable for me

I'm sure you'll see me around here more and in the WDW area of the forum

 

[Metro West]

Thank you everyone who has replied. I'm from Iowa so I know how heat and humidity goes, so it shouldn't be TOO miserable for me

I'm sure you'll see me around here more and in the WDW area of the forum

Please feel free to ask any question you have and

to the forums.

 

[skylock]

Thank you everyone who has replied. I'm from Iowa so I know how heat and humidity goes, so it shouldn't be TOO miserable for me

I'm sure you'll see me around here more and in the WDW area of the forum

Trust me, if you are from Iowa, you have no idea of the heat and humity in Fla in Aug. It can be almost like you are on another planet.

 

[Padfoot9]

Haha it can get pretty bad in Iowa. Heck, our heat index is about 105 right now!

 

[ZooKeeper13]

Haha it can get pretty bad in Iowa. Heck, our heat index is about 105 right now!

When our kids were little, we used to go in May, as they got older we switched to the end of August. The Aug. heat actually wasn't as bad as the few times we went in May. I think because you've already gone through most of the summer heat, you're more used to it. The difference in May weather going from NY to FL was brutal! YMMV!

 

[Planogirl]

One nice thing about Florida heat is that it's usually nice in the evenings. It's still in the 90's here in north Texas!

Be sure to wear light, easily dried clothes and maybe consider the water rides in the afternoon. They are a great way to cool off. Also ride Spiderman - it's wonderful!

 

[Padfoot9]

My only concern for doing water rides in the afternoon is that I would expect it to be ridiculously hot, so the lines would probably be pretty long. Although we're visiting IOA on a Sunday, so hopefully that will be on our side as far as crowds go. May not be fortunate at WDW Hopefully school season starts around then! :