Help for Aussie please!!!

[aussiedaisy]

Hello, we are visiting WDW in Aug 2007 (first week). I have a few questions and would be greatful if anyone can help me.

Is the first week of August usually very busy and are there any holidays etc at that time of year?

Is it unbearably hot? Mum has MS and is heat intolerant....would it be really bad for her or generally can you keep pretty cool in the parks.

What are the park hours in August for Epcot and MK? If it was too hot in the day for Mum, could we go to the parks in the evening and what time would it start to get dark? And are the parks just as busy at night?

If I booked my hotel room in January next year, would I have a good chance of getting my chosen hotel? How soon do the hotels book up for Aug?

Is the Magical express still running?

Hope someone can give me some help with these questions...thanks so much!!!!

 

[Evil Queen]

Hello, we are visiting WDW in Aug 2007 (first week). I have a few questions and would be greatful if anyone can help me.

Is the first week of August usually very busy and are there any holidays etc at that time of year? Still summer for the kids over here, and I believe many folks try to get in their vacations before school starts. But it can be managed.

Is it unbearably hot? Mum has MS and is heat intolerant....would it be really bad for her or generally can you keep pretty cool in the parks. August is very hot and humid in Florida.

What are the park hours in August for Epcot and MK? Not sure, you may be able to go to their website and see this past August calendar, it can give you an idea.

If it was too hot in the day for Mum, could we go to the parks in the evening and what time would it start to get dark? Yes you can, and in August about 7-8.

And are the parks just as busy at night? They can be. Many folks come back for fireworks. And depends if there is EMH that night.

If I booked my hotel room in January next year, would I have a good chance of getting my chosen hotel? Can't answer, but I would think you would have a nice selection.

How soon do the hotels book up for Aug?

Is the Magical express still running? At this time.

Hope someone can give me some help with these questions...thanks so much!!!!

Hope this helps.

 

[dbarker]

It is HOT in August. August is the hottest month here. If it were me, I would try to plan a different month.

 

[PigletsPal]

If you can switch it to the 2nd week in Sept when all the kids go back to school it will be less busy. It's still hot you can go to GR to get a GAC card that will let your mom stay out of the sun while waiting for rides. I used this a few years ago when I was on chemo.
If your staying on site then I would book as early as I could and then if a discount comes out a few months before you leave you can always aply it.


HTH and Good Luck

 

[Lynne M]

If your Mum is heat-intolerant, August is pretty much the worst month to be at WDW. It's in the 90's every day, and the humidity can be suffocating. It's a little better after the sun goes down, but I think she'd still be very uncomfortable.

Yes, there are lots of air-conditioned places to go in the parks, but some of the ride queues are outside and un-shaded. And there are shows and lots of entertainment that takes place outdoors.

I've been there in November and March, and had lovely, comfortable, non-humid weather each time. If I were you, I'd aim for sometime in between those months. I'm sure January won't be hot, but December and January can get cold, and you don't want that either if your Mum has health issues.

November and March were both pleasantly warm (around 80 degrees), not at all humid, and not rainy. I went the week before Thanksgiving week, and the crowds were quite manageable. As for March, I'm not sure when Easter is next year, but you should avoid the weeks around that as well, they'll be crowded and the resorts will be expensive.

Hope that helps, and that you and your Mum have a wonderful trip, whenever you go.

 

[spedteacher]

Where in Australia are you from? My husband is from there He is from a little town near Rockhampton. He actually lived in Rocky for a year. All of his family still lives there. We will be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary next month at Disney He has not been back home in 10 years

 

[SQUIGGLE]

aussiedaisy - if you could possibly change your plans to visit between Thanksgiving (US Thanksgiving) and Christmas - The temperatures are much better; the crowds are not as bad and the parks and resorts are all decorated so pretty for the holidays.

 

[seashoreCM]

In my opinion, all of June, July, August, and September have mostly brutally hot humid days.

Magical Express is expected to be free at least all the way through 2007. You would use it the same way as anyone from the U.S. using any airline except: (1) If you want baggage delivered all the way to your resort you put the yellow tags on just before you hand over your baggage for the last time which is usually at customs, and (2) going home you have to check baggage at the airport, not at the resort.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

(If you never got yellow tags, they can still deliver baggage to the resort for you.)

 

[MinnieGirl33]

You might want to check out the DISabilities board to see what help is available to you.

I know there are "guest assistance cards" which can (I think, among other things) allow you/your mom to wait in a shaded (poss. a/c) area.

I'm sure there are other amenities available as well.

 

[Mama Penguin]

July and August are the worst months for heat and humidity in Florida, so for anyone who is heat intolerant, this would not be the best choice. Also most schools have not started back yet, so in my experience, the parks have been very crowded, and crowds persist well into the evening.

I've been to WDW in both early May and early November, these are nice times to go, the weather is warm, but not overly humid, and schools are still in session during those times, so crowds were somewhat lighter.

No matter when you go, you can take your Mum to guest relations in any park, explain about her intolerance for heat, and they can give you a GAC card which will allow her to wait for rides and shows out of the sun where possible. Visit the Disabilities board here as well for more info.

 

[Pats Dragon]

Hi aussie, my son-in-law is from Melbourne! Even at night, the parks are hot and humid. You might want to rethink the date!

 

[Lynne M]

The more I thought about this over the weekend, the more I wanted to emphasize that you DON'T want to go in August.

I can't imagine how long a plane ride you'll have to get to Florida. I was also thinking that it won't be particularly pleasant for your Mum to be on a plane for that long if she's not well.

For me and my mother, part of the joy of visiting WDW is walking around in the beautiful Florida weather, enjoying the flowers and landscaping. It's really a lovely place. Why go to all that effort to fly all the way to FL, and then spend your entire trip scuttling from air-conditioned building to air-conditioned building, and worrying all the time that the heat is getting to your Mum? That's not my idea of fun.

The GAC card will help you wait in shaded and/or air-conditioned areas while you're waiting for rides, but you're still going to have a LOT of walking in the beating sun, waiting for buses, dripping with sweat from the humidity. You sure won't be watching any of the daytime parades, she'll roast in the heat. I went to WDW once during the summer, and it was awful. Never, never again. It just sucks the life out of me, and I'm 47 and in very good health.

If there's any way at all for you to go between late fall and early spring (Nov-March), please consider changing your plans. You'll have a much, much better time.

 

[rlovew]

Even after dark in August it is in the high 90s many times and still awful to be out in, many of the ride lines like Peter pan are not air conditioned. Last night a 20 minute wait at Peter Pan was horrible because of the heat and in some of those lines their is no air cirrculation.

A good choice for avoiding the heat would be between October and April although the week of Christmas and Easter are bad as far as lines and crowds are concerned. December through March can be cold at night but are normmaly not bad during the day.

 

[flyinglizard]

If Mum is not heat tolerant, stay away from here in August...