Hey DIS podcaster pals-I need help on what Aug week to go... please!!

[miss missy]

I am getting ready to book my next WDW vaca

It is just me and DD (15) another mother ~ daughter trip this makes #9 in 4 years. We have been in Dec, Nov, May, Oct and Aug so far. This one has to be in July or Aug because the lil pooper is now in HS and missing school is too hard now. Sooo we want Aug again. We are open to the end on July to 3rd week in Aug. stay is for 10 nights. Now looking around, I see SW flights are good for that time period. Leaving on a Wed and coming home a Sat night, the rates are better for flights and any of those weeks is cheap enough so far. I see availability for POP is there too for the 4/3 deal. So what weeks do you all think are best??

It is for POP, standard room, w/10 day parK hoppers
July 29- Aug 8th- $1504
Aug 5-15 $1347
Aug 12-22 $ 1409

We will most likley get dining too, but that doesnt change the price unless the offer free dining, and I dont think they did last year till Sept.

Now, the thing I am thinking is that we can still get the deal, even for the
12th, and not everyone knows that, so most will book for the week before the deal ends... meaning the crowd will be higher the last week of the deal. If we go on the 12th, the crowds should drop some. And aren't some school back by then too? I know my daughter wants a couple weeks home before she goes bakc to school too, and that still works. I would have to gamble on the flight home being cheap enough though, since SW doesnt post Aug 22nd until April. The other dates, the rates I know I can get now both ways are good.

Help me think, help me decide! Am I missing anything?? What do you think?
Are there any big groups or good events I should be thinking about during that time?

Thanks peeps!

 

[miss missy]

Omg!!!
Heeeeeeellllllll------ Llllllllllllloooooooooooo

 

[cslittle999]

This year will be our second trip during August.

Last year Florida started school on August 18 or two weeks before Labor Day. I'm guessing that means they will start on August 24 this year.

Free dining started on August 24 last year. Who knows when it will start this year, if at all.

The parks are busy in August but not crazily so. It's hot and humid. It rains every day. We would go to the parks early, stay till noon (or when all the people around us started to get cranky, it's amazing what being overheated will do to people), hang out at the pool in the afternoon and maybe go back to the parks in the evening.

We try to go as late in the month as we can but still allow some time at home before school starts. I think this is true of most people so you start to see fewer families with older kids earlier than you might think.

Don't worry too much about Disney discounts and impacts on park attendance. Disney doesn't have enough hotel rooms to fill the parks. That takes people staying off-site too. Disney discounts tend to shift people from off-site to on-site as opposed to draw massive numbers of new people. If the hotels are full then extra magic hours can be busy but that usually means that other parks aren't as full. Disney does have enough hotel rooms to fill the restaurants so free dining would impact how/when/where you eat.

I would go as late as you can since it means more people will have already completed their summer vacations.

 

[Boardwalker]

Yes, as cslittle999 said, go as late in August as you can because as school starts, the crowds go down. It is still very hot, but it is very managable. I always did that with my DD and am now taking my twin God-daughters the last week of August this year.
Of course you are getting into the hurricane season, but we only had one year that things got iffy.

 

[MN_Cruz'n]

We were at WDW the last week of August, 2007. It was our first "summer" trip, as usually we would try to head down in October for the cooler temps and smaller crowds. With two kids in School, and since this week is the last week of Summer Vacation for us, this works out best now.

I was happy with the crowds. The weekends were of course busier, but week days were not too bad. Most of the time we could walk on to attractions or had a wait of 15-30 minutes. I agree with a lot of the folks that crowds are less with some of the schools around the country already being back in session.

We did get in on Free Dining. As we arrived on a Saturday, and the Free Dining did not start until the following Monday, we had to do a split reservation to get it. Made things tricky, but we make it work.

The biggest surprise for us was the rain. We were expecting the typical Florida summer rains (clouds roll in about 3pm, downpours for about 1/2 hour, and then clears up), however for the first three days, it was monsoon season. Mornings were beautiful, but by 3pm the clouds rolled in and it rained the rest off the day. We toughed it out, and actually had a great night in EPCOT during one of the rainy days. Rained started around 5pm, right when we were ready for dinner. We go some food, and ate during the heaviest rain. By the time we finished dinner, it was still raining, so we hopped from county to country to do some shopping. By 8pm, the park was empty and the rain had transitioned to drizzle. We almost had the park to ourselves (or so it seemed) for Illuminations.

Anyway, I think the last week of August would be a good week to go.

 

[miss missy]

I was there Aug 07 too! Aug 23rd! Yes it rained for sure too. It was fine otherwise, just like you said.

I cant do that late this year. DD wants to be home before school starts. Plus I dont want to run into the Holiday weekend. Aug 15, give or take is the last I can go since it is for 10 nights.

 

[mejkjj97]

We did Aug 19th through the 25th last year and doing the same again this year. We did get rain and Tropical Storm Fay but the parks were not crowded.

 

[miss missy]

and the dining plan starts Aug 16th, now wondering if that is worth taking a chance on? reserve and hope it comes??

 

[DWFan4Life]

I just wanted to say have a great time, have fun and enjoy in your upcoming trip. Looking forward in hearing more from you after you came back.

Have a nice day everyone.