Going to WDW in August, please advise!

[Sundowner76]

Hey everyone,

My wife and I are going to WDW Florida for five days during one of the last weeks of August (Sunday 21 - Thursday 25) for our fifth wedding anniversary. She has no idea we are going (a surprise that she will find out about during a scavenger hunt the day before we leave). Neither of us has been to WDW. We are on a tight budget, otherwise we would stay longer (don't want to deal with the extra, flying out on Friday or Saturday airline fees).

My questions are these:
1) What are the "Must See" things at each park? (take out anything that is the same at Disneyland, California as we are annual passholders).
2) Any "survival tips" you can recommend for going that time of year? Crowds? Weather? I will continue looking on the boards for answers, but I know some tips are based on when you visit.

Thanks!

 

[cjb71870]

Well first of all going Sun. through Thurs. is better than the weekends!

 

[Sundowner76]

I thought so since I have experience with Disneyland in CA.

 

[tpmartin]

We went to Disneyland last October, and Noticed the same rides at WDW and Disneyland, Are not the same. POTC, BTMR, HM, IASM, I truely enjoyed California's Versions, However you still need to try WDW's. But the week you are going to WDW is when the crowd level drop dramatically. That is why they were offering the free dining plan starting on 8/21 to 10/05.
Make sure you visit Epcot, Soarin is the Same though, However, Test Track and Mission Space are Headline Attractions and You can " Drink around the World"
Disney Studios, is also a great time. Tower of Terror is the Same as California Adventure, but that is it. Everything else is Unique.
And of Course Last but not least is Animal Kingdom, where Dinosaur is the same ride as Indy. But with Dinosaurs
So as you can see, it is a lot Differant than Cali.
I'm sure you have been doing a lot of reading on the boards and there is a great web site called Tour Guide Mike which will help you with your touring plans to get the most time out of you stay in the World
We will also be there starting on 8/20 staying 1 night at the Pop Century and the next day switching to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, because that is when the free meal plan kicks in and the money disney refunded us because I paid for the meal plan, we upgraded our resort stay.
Tom

 

[Letsbgoofy]

You are lucky because you can skip Soarin and TOT, two of the most crowded rides. I agree with the above poster, many of the same rides are not the same and are worth going on. I haven't ridden the new Space Mtn. at DL, but the old one was much different than the one at the MK. Star Tours is the same. Everything but Tough to be a Bug is different at the AK. Dinosaur and Primeival Whirl are awesome (not as good as Indy though). Muppets are the same at MGM. Okay, getting confusing...I will make a list and post it later.

As for survival? Much hotter at DW due to humidity. Drink lots of water. Plan on rain every afternoon (bring disposable rain gear, small and easy to carry around, .87 at Wal-Mart).

 

[tiggersthebest]

I think you already got good reviews but I had to add you are a GREAT husband for surprising your wife with this trip!!! Have a great anniversary and a great first time in WDW.

5 1
Proud to be a Christian
Too many times to list as a kid
Once I “grew” up:
1997 Fort Wilderness (summer); Coronado Springs Christmas
1999 Wilderness Lodge (Spring); Fort Wilderness Christmas/New Years
2002 Polynesian
2003 Caribbean Beach
2004 Took a break after having a baby
2005 Going to Port Orleans Riverside
2006 Back to Poly!!!

 

[Leota]

The summer heat is what you really need to prepare for.

http://allearsnet.com/pl/sunsurv.htm

The link above has some great tips & links to summer sun survival.

POTC in WDW is way different & DL version is much better. But, still do it anyways. It's fun to see the differences. Same for all the rides that are different. I'm a HM freak & love both versions. I wouldn't dream of missing either one.

What a great anniversery surprise! Your wife is a very lucky woman. Have Fun!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Same (or close to it)

TOT
Muppets
Peter Pan
Soarin
Tough to be a Bug
Haunted Mansion
Big Thunder Mtn.
Jungle Cruise

Same but different

Small World
Pooh
Pirates
Splash Mtn. (way better than DL)
Space Mtn.

Different

Dinosaur
Primevil Whirl AK
Safari
Kali River

Buzz Lightyear MK
Mickey's Philharmagic

Rockin Rollercoaster
Backlot Tour MGM
Shows like Beauty and the Beast

Test Track
Mission Space
Honey I Shrunk the Audience Epcot
Living with the Land
Spaceship Earth
Malestro (Norway)

I'm sure there are others, these are some of our favorites

 

[Danthesand]

But the week you are going to WDW is when the crowd level drop dramatically. That is why they were offering the free dining plan starting on 8/21 to 10/05.
Tom

Normally, crowds start to diminish during the third week of August and bottom out right before Labor Day, when they briefly jump way back up during the holiday weekend before falling way down again in early September.

However, 2005 will be different due to the increasingly large impact of the free dining offer.

August will start out normally, with crowds as usual beginning to decline by the week of 8/15, due to all the southern school system openings (many are actually in the first week of August or early in the second).

However, the first evidence that this August is going to be different than prior years will come during the third week. That period will actually be a little quieter than normal, because the dining plan appears to be moving some people who'd normally be there then to wait a week until the free dining starts on 8/21.

On the latter date, you will definitely see an unusually large jump in attendance (these boards suggest tons of people will be checking in the weekend of 8/20-8/21, and the parks will be busier than normal the following week.

 

[tpmartin]

However, 2005 will be different due to the increasingly large impact of the free dining offer.


However, the first evidence that this August is going to be different than prior years will come during the third week. That period will actually be a little quieter than normal, because the dining plan appears to be moving some people who'd normally be there then to wait a week until the free dining starts on 8/21.

On the latter date, you will definitely see an unusually large jump in attendance (these boards suggest tons of people will be checking in the weekend of 8/20-8/21, and the parks will be busier than normal the following week.

Just a comment though, I have red on many boards that people who tried to get the free dining plan were not able to, because they had limited availability.
So, it is not like that everyone there is on a free dining plan.
If they ever put everybody on the plan, they would lose a fortune.
Tom

 

[Danthesand]

Just a comment though, I have red on many boards that people who tried to get the free dining plan were not able to, because they had limited availability.

Tom, the availability was more a booking window thing than a capacity issue. MYW free dining was supposedly available to anyone who (a) heard about it (Disney didn't really promote it) and (b) called in June to reserve a resort room for 8/21 to October at book rate. Many of the "I couldn't get it" posts I've read came from people who heard about it too late after the ressie window shut. Granted, some of them still decided to go and will be at WDW in late August.

 

[tpmartin]

I still think the crowds are going to be down a lot, I was just on the phone with Disney Dining changing some of my AR's, because I Tweaked my itiniary (did I spell that right?) a little bit and had no problem getting times at California Grill for Wishes on a Friday Night 8/26.

Tom

 

[Laurajean1014]

If you can, try to go to the parks early and see the ones you "must see" first. Then head back to the room (12-3) for lunch and a swim and then head back to another park for the evening.

I would not miss - Wishes, Illuminations and Fantasmic.

If you do most of your rides and shows towards the evening, it maybe easier on you (heat and population wise).

Enjoy your trip and please give us a trip report!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I don't think they would have brought the free dining back if they were filling up the way they wanted to. And this time, you can book the free dining all the way until 8/20.

 

[bigmac5]

We are going Aug 28- Sept 3. I had no problem changing dining plans except I couldn't get one for Le Celleir.(I think it is because there is 5 of us) I really hope it isn't tooo busy.

 

[Danthesand]

I still think the crowds are going to be down a lot, I was just on the phone with Disney Dining changing some of my AR's, because I Tweaked my itiniary (did I spell that right?) a little bit and had no problem getting times at California Grill for Wishes on a Friday Night 8/26.

Tom

Well, outside of places like the Castle for breakfast or lunch, a month out is a still a wee bit early for restaurants at WDW to be heavily booked (every potential guest isn't an "educated-plan-everything-months-in-advance" DIS member!!)

And even when one gets closer to late August, the California Grill may not be the best measure. As one of the more expensive and "fussy" (ergo, dress code, etc.) dining spots at WDW, it rarely books completely up (on major holidays, yes, but on a generic weekday, no). Less involved/expensive dining spots will probably be a better 'test" of what to expect that night.

 

[llb]

Although more than usual may go I don't think it will be overly packed. Kids that return to school/college still have to go wheter there is free dining or not and those families won't go because of free dining. We are going because our school system is starting late this year and I can benefit the free dining calendar. If my kids were in school at that time I would not be going.

 

[Sundowner76]

I thank everyone for the wonderful reports! You guys are awesome! And if anyone has any more tips, I would love to hear them!

P.S. Is Fantasmic the same as the Disneyland version?

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I liked Fantasmic much more at DL. I can't say it's different because I'm not sure, but the atmosphere is different being in a stadium rather than sitting or standing in the park.