How bad is August?

[brockash]

What is your experience traveling to Florida in August? I am hoping to make a mother/daughter trip work sometime next year and I'm currently looking at August. Everything in my is screaming that will be way too hot! However, that may be the best time for us to go. I might can arrange for another time over the summer but would any summer trip really matter? What about crowds, would mid August possibly have lighter crowds?

Yes, mid August should be less crowded than June/July, but it will probably feel a bit hotter (more humid) and you could end up with a lot of rain ( but no way to know for sure). We've gone in Augs tons of times and wouldn't hesitate to go back.

My ideal time is first 2 weeks of May and/or first week of September, but we'd certainly go back in Aug. if necessary. It will definitely be hot, sticky, humid and probably pretty wet at times.

 

[brockash]

Is it brutally hot? Yes.
Have we gone for four years in a row? Also yes.

Honestly there was only one year that was just beyond- 2023. It was hot even by Orlando standards and we did not see a drop of rain in our 8 days there until we were on the bus heading back to the airport. Pure sun and 100+. We basically realized we could not talk to each other while in the sun- only in shade or AC and then regroup and walk to the next shade or AC spot.
I stood in line for gelato in Italy in the sun for like 20 minutes and I swear I thought my life was ending.

But...we went back the next year. It takes patience, planning, and plenty of water and AC breaks but we've found it pretty manageable most of the time. If it's the choice between hot Disney or no Disney, or hot Disney or super crowded Disney, we pick hot Disney.

OMG...I love the we are not allowed to speak to each other unless in shade/a/c. This was a rule we should've implemented with our early trips lol.

 

[Genie+]

As far as experience, after trying Aug and Sept once each we decided summer is worth trying to avoid for now on.

Is that what you are asking?

If summer was the only time that worked with my family’s schedules we’d still go.

It’s just that there’s a long list of things we prefer about other times of the year. Like not having to bath in sunscreen the whole trip. Not having condensation constantly covering all our refreshments. Being able to walk around the parks and enjoy the ambience without the constant distraction of wanting to escape the elements. It’s taxing on CMs and guests alike. The discomfort plays into the pleasant to grumpy scale where people seem more easily agitated. Though it might not rain everyday, there’s a decent chance it could. It’s a pain ducking in and out of storms and repeatedly dealing with wet belongings. Rides going offline. Plus the potential of weather related travel delays.

Sounds like I’m a big baby I am nitpicking here for the most part. Pretty much all of it can happen any time. It’s just with the increased odds of each, altogether plays out that having a great trip feels much more effortless to us during other seasons. The lower attendance was fantastic (FoP at 10 or 20 mins early afternoon several times!), just not enough to outweigh the rest for us. But if summer was our only option to visit WDW together as a family? None of what I mentioned is such a big deal we wouldn’t go or couldn’t still have a great trip!

 

[cruising spud]

My husband and I worked in schools, so summers were our vacation time. Going to Disney in the summer requires a mindset-we all know it's going to be hot and rainy, so don't whine about it. Enjoy the parks. In addition, you need to arrange your schedule to work a bit around the heat. Hit Rope Drop, do what you can until about noon, and then go back to your resort, swim, nap, and shower. Then, head out to the parks around 5.
Once we retired, we did a Disney trip in April. Heavenly. On the other hand, we did a family trip last year in January. Three beautiful days and three days of 48-degree weather-I would have rather had the heat.
My point-of course, temperature-wise sometimes are better for Disney than others. However, if you're locked into a time, it can work out just fine.
Best wishes.

 

[nyy]

The vast majority of our trips have been in August because of school/work schedules and deals.

I think you have received excellent responses of how brutal it will be.

I agree with the others, it is like the surface of the sun. We used to have a joke that when we exited our hotel, we would be internally screaming "Go back in!"

We always did EE and came back to the resort for a midday break, including swimming, showering, and napping, then went back out. The heat just zaps your energy. And your patience. And your appetite. Just everything. We still talk about one night in HS, watching Fantasmic when we were all just dying of heat. We were sitting, drinking frozen drinks, and sweat was literally dripping down our faces, backs, and everywhere else.

Yes, we did cooling towels, misting fans, frozen water bottles, hats, umbrellas, sunblock, etc. We watched all of the shows to sit in AC, did table-service meals in AC, visited resorts for the AC, etc. When the kids were little, they would love it when the busses would arrive with condensation on the windows from the AC. They called them "refrigerator busses".

I will say the rain storms in the afternoons help with crowds. Be sure to bring more than one pair of sneakers. Nothing dries when you leave it on the balcony in that humidity.

I have detailed notebooks where I told myself never, ever again - but it was the only time we could go then.

Last year, we went to DLR for the first time - late June/early July. It was life-changing different. Cali weather is perfection. I would choose to go to DLR every time, but the (now adult) kids prefer WDW, because there are 4 parks.

This year, we are going to WDW in April for Spring Break. We know we will fight crowds, but we like crowds better than the humidity of August.

As others have said, if you can't go any other time, then go. Planning for the heat and setting appropriate expectations is key.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Our last two August trips were brutally hot and humid. But we got lucky and were able to dodge most thunderstorms. We changed our dining plans so that we ate all of our meals indoors. We did not eat at food festival booths or do al fresco dining on these trips. We would spend time at the resort pools or nap in the air-conditioned resort room. We always had ponchos with us. I also brought an umbrella.

We are returning in late August because the resort cost and tickets are some of the lowest prices of the year. The crowds are gone. We had some very empty parks, too. We had very hot weather in June and September, too. We had the best weather of any trip when we went at the end of October last year. But it was more expensive.

 

[stevelle]

We like late August but yes so hot. We also don’t like getting up early, so no rope dropping for us. We take it easy and head into the parks around 10-11, ride a few rides, then a sit down air conditioned lunch. Drink lots of water. We do split stays and would fill and freeze water bottles the night before. This is how we discovered AKL water tastes way better than GF water. When you’re chugging loads of it, you notice. Until then I would have said all tap water tastes the same. We take ponchos for rain but have yet to take then out of the package. By that point I always want to be rained on!

 

[DianaMB333]

It is totally doable and enjoyable!

plan for early time at the parks, midday break and activities at resort, then go back to the parks past the rain ~5-6pm

 

[_19disnA]

Unless July/August is the only time you can go to Disney due to your schedules, I would go some other time. Most of Disney involves miles of outdoor walking with excessive heat/humidity and the blazing sun. Won't be enjoyable, you won't be able to do as much and you will end up exhausted.

Someone from the company where I work seems to go to Disney for the first time with their family in August and they always return saying the same thing..........."too hot/humid and will never do that again !!!"

 

[lovethattink]

I’ve lived in central Florida for 26 years. August is brutal. Just walking from the house to the car works up a sweat.

When I go to a park, I bring a wet washcloth in a sandwich bag. My eyes burn from the sweat and sunscreen, and having that handy helps. I also have eyelid wipes from the pharmacy.

Hydrating the day before and continuing to hydrate is necessary. A few years ago, I overheated at Epcot and had to go by ambulance to the ER. So I take hydrating very seriously now.

An umbrella helps protect from the sun too.

When it rains, it dries up quickly. You can be on an attraction and it’s pouring, get off and it’s all dry.

Late afternoon/early evening is usually the hottest time of the day.