How bad is August?

[ShannyMcB]

We are a mid-August family! As everyone has said preparation is key. Even though the kids don’t need naps anymore we do a mid-day break (hour or so) for showers and a few minutes of chill time.
Cooling towels are a necessity as is anti chafe lotion as you will be sweating in places you didn’t know sweat.
Last trip we looked over the weather on arrival and noticed one day considerably hotter than the others. We dubbed this “show day” and spent the extra muggy afternoon hours bouncing park to park and seeing every indoor show we could. It was a surprisingly fun way to spend a couple hours.
Plan lightening lanes (if you use them) for mid day when the heat is the worst so you aren’t stuck in outdoor queues. In general target rides with outdoor queues for early morning or evening. You may end up waiting longer for more popular rides but an hour in an air conditioned queues beats 30 mins in direct sun.
The crowds are lower and the prices better so it’s the time to take your savings and treat yourself to a unique experience or fun restaurant. And AK is uniquely fun during those mid-day rains as the animals perk up. Pack your ponchoes and take advantage while everyone else is ducking for cover you can stroll onto the suddenly available rides. Bring an extra pair of cheap flip flops to have n your park bag in case of soggy shoes. If you are wearing socks bring extra pairs of those too (and undies swamp butt is real) in the bag or fanny pack….although I don’t consider that tip unique to August.

 

[beccasmom]

We were limited to summer trips for many years because of school - students and teachers in the family. Usually that meant traveling in August. Yes, it’s brutal but doable. But I find it hard to adequately describe it to someone who has not experienced it before. We certainly have humidity in SE PA, but there’s simply no comparison. My preference would be spring or fall months - we’re going in October this year.

 

[patty57]

It depends on your tolerance for heat and humidity. Some people can manage it, and feel okay. Others can't. I think going in August really comes down to how your family deals with extreme heat and humidity. I can say that I spent one summer in Florida, and there isn't enough money in the world to make me do it again. My husband would be fine.
You need to be realistic and decide how your family would handle it.

 

[North of Mouse]

Beyond hot, humid, miserable - never again!

 

[MyNewAP]

We've done August when it was manageable - uncomfortable but we made it work with breaks and cooling items. We've also done August when it was so miserably hot and humid that one of my sons broke out in hives and one kept vomiting. Haven't been back that time of year since.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I will mention we take AC breaks in the parks and rarely go back to the resort. A lot of time (in the heat) is used walking to the front of the park, then to transportation and eventually to your room. We find an AC break in the parks is what works best for us most days.

 

[Christine514]

I aways said never August until I had to because I was taking my young niece, so we went mi-august. Im Canadian so, I was every nervous about the heat. It was hot and humid but it was not hell. Last few summers have been very hot and humid here too so it wasn’t a big shock. First we did early entry every mornings, we would go to the pool in the afternoon and go back to the park around dinner time. We bought every thing: 2 types of hand held fans, neck fans, cooling towels. We barely used them. We avoided wearing backpack so our backs wouldn’t get all sweaty. The price difference between october, January and august was so huge that we went back the next year. Rooms, tickets and LL were much cheaper, crowd much lower. Last August we tried Disneyland, it was the perfect weather. We are going back to wdw next week and to DL next august.

 

[tinkerbella16]

We are going in August this year. We usually go in September so I feel like I can deal with the heat, it is not much different. We are early morning people, take midday pool breaks and back in the parks at night. The break in the middle of the day really makes a difference.

 

[scrappinginontario]

We are going in August this year. We usually go in September so I feel like I can deal with the heat, it is not much different. We are early morning people, take midday pool breaks and back in the parks at night. The break in the middle of the day really makes a difference.

We were September people until my DD was in high school then we swapped to August as she didn't want to miss school. The daytime weather is very similar but I feel you don't get the same break in the evening/night heat in Aug that Sept sometimes offers. Aug just seems hot 24 hours a day where Sept seemed to offer a tiny bit of relief.

 

[Miffy]

Well I talked with my daughter. And we decided to go ahead and book! A bonus for her is she turns 14 in August so we are going to make it a birthday trip and plan for the heat! I will definitely look into moisture wicking clothes, fans and other cooling accessories! As well as pack our patience and plan down time in the afternoons! Thanks for all you thoughts and experiences!

As long as you're prepared and have a plan, you'll should be fine.

I hate the heat but I love WDW, and July, Aug, Sept are great times to go. I've learned how to deal with it. My #1 accessory is a UV umbrella. Cooling towels do all but nothing for me and I've never tried a neck fan. But the UV umbrella is amazing--and it works when it rains too. Many thanks to a fellow DISer who recommend this.

There are people, though, who just cannot handle the heat. My sister is one of them. She came with me last July and could hardly make it to the bus stop at POFQ before she had to go back to the room. The heat was killer for her.

Besides the UV umbrella, I highly recommend frequent A/C stops. I go on rides and attractions I'd ordinarily pass up just to cool off. Also stores. And I drink a ton of water. I bring my refillable water bottle with me (I always do at WDW) and fill it up whenever I can.

 

[Victoriapeluso]

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?

You couldn't pay me to go in august- If you are on the fence go look at some of the videos of the content creators on youtube- they are literally purple and sweating- no thanks! Disney is a late october- mid april for me. Im from Charleston SC, I can't do Flo heat!

 

[tinkerbella16]

We were September people until my DD was in high school then we swapped to August as she didn't want to miss school. The daytime weather is very similar but I feel you don't get the same break in the evening/night heat in Aug that Sept sometimes offers. Aug just seems hot 24 hours a day where Sept seemed to offer a tiny bit of relief.

I know what you mean. We had such great weather this past September... still very hot during the day, it rained twice all trip and the evenings were very comfortable.