How bad is the weather in late August?

[disneycrazy01]

Hi everyone. I am planning my vacation for next summer. Right now I have the Wyndham Discovery Program and have 154,000 points to use. My family really wants to go to Bonnet Creek and when we fly to Florida we want to go for at least 2 weeks or close to it.

For the points I have I couldn't get a week in JUly or early August, but starting August 19th, I would be able to get about 11 days from my points.

How bad is the weather in late August in Orlando? Do I run the risk of not being able to get there because of the weather and just losing my points. Is late August really hurricane season?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Chuck-PA]

We just returned last night (9/9/11)
It was hi 80's and low 90's all week and in the evening it was mid 70's.
It rained hard everyday for about 1 hr --mid to late afternoon.
Last night, it rained very hard from about 5pm to about 8 pm.
Flights were getting delayed arriving and departing.

On the local (Florida stations) the weather people kept remarking about it being the middle of the hurricane season and that was why we were seeing so much action with the rain at this time.

Hopefully this helps.

 

[JimMIA]

Orlando weather in August is hot (usually brutally hot -- I think Chuck-PA caught a break!) and humid with daily thunderstorms. That's normal weather, and has nothing to do with hurricane season.

For a WDW vacation, you simply adjust. You go to the parks earlier in the day and plan to be either back in your room at the resort or indoors at WDW during the storms.

Chuck's description of an hour-long storm is right on the money, so it's really bad weather for a short time. Frankly, we just sorta ignore thunderstorms -- we do something inside and by the time we're done, it's over.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30 -- six months, half a year. DO NOT come to Florida during that time.

Naw...seriously. We don't take hurricanes lightly, but neither do we turn life off for six months each year. Come on down -- you're not going to have a hurricane. And if a hurricane hits Florida, it almost certainly won't be a major event at WDW.

 

[kacaju]

We were there Aug 23rd to the 29th. Yes it was hot. We flew in knowing Hurricane Irene was out in the Ocean...not knowing where she would end up. She hit home..not our vacation

 

[Lex33]

In one word...HOT!

We were there Aug 16th-Aug 27. Most days it rained for that 1-2 hour stretch, but when the sun was out it was extremely hot. You just have to know that and plan for it. We seemed to go in and out of a lot of shops while in the parks just to get some a/c. This year for the first time, we actually returned to our hotel for a little respite. Irene did spoil our last day of fun, but that's okay. I would rather be in Orlando and be hot than be at home. Make sure you bring ponchos and extra socks-can't stand walking around with soggy socks!

 

[isla bonita]

We have been going down in August the last 4 years.

We have experienced some stormy weather while down. Nothing that was a direct hit to the villa but have seen the pool almost over flow.

It is very hot but it is the summer and as long as you have access to a shower, pool or AC you will be fine.

 

[DOREEN1779]

We vacationed at WDW the last week of August. The 1st day in the Magic Kingdom, it was so hot and sweat was pouring off of me. But after a day of drinking lots of water, I got used to it. The kids adapted quicker then I did.
Doreen

 

[disneysteve]

We were there 8/10-8-21 this year and the 3rd and 4th week of August last year and the year before. It was HOT. Someone on an old thread answered this same question by saying to imagine the 7th circle of Hell. Seriously, the heat can be brutal. The best advice I can give having done it for the past 3 years is to be at the park for rope drop and head out after lunch. By 1pm or so, the temperature is reaching it's peak for the day as are the crowds. Go back to your room, shower and nap in the air conditioning because you'll be exhausted. Then head back into the parks either after dinner or for dinner. Drink lots of water, reapply sunscreen often because you'll sweat it off and take frequent breaks in air conditioned rides, shows, shops and restaurants. We managed but it is definitely not our favorite time to visit.

BTW, it does rain every single day at 3pm but the rain does absolutely nothing to help the temperature. In fact, after the rain, it gets ungodly humid.

 

[dennise]

We are going Sept 23-29 and the long range weather says rain every day, does this just mean the heavy shower then stop? Surely it woud never rain for six full days, would it?

 

[disneysteve]

We are going Sept 23-29 and the long range weather says rain every day, does this just mean the heavy shower then stop? Surely it woud never rain for six full days, would it?

Well, it could rain for 6 days but it is highly unlikely.

When the Disney area forecast calls for rain, that means it might rain somewhere in the area at some point in the day. It rarely rains all day and it rarely covers the whole area. We've been in the parks when it was literally raining in Tomorrowland and not in Adventureland. We've been in the parks when it was totally dry in DHS and we left the park to find the parking lot soaked from a passing storm. It can be quite bizarre - sunny one minute, pouring rain the next and sunny again a few minutes later.

 

[AJA]

We are going Sept 23-29 and the long range weather says rain every day, does this just mean the heavy shower then stop? Surely it woud never rain for six full days, would it?

No it will be fine, probably the late afternoon heat related showers they usually have. We went those same dates in 2009 and besides the heat (unusually hot and muggy, mid 90's the whole time) we had very little rain. -It would be VERY odd to have heavy rain every.single.day all day long.

 

[harding0010]

If you do not enjoy steam baths then do not go to Florida in the August unless you plan on staying in the water.

 

[Costino1]

We went 2 years ago in Sept and I was worried sick since it said rain everyday...

However. It rained once during 7 days for 15 minutes that was it.

It was quite hot however. I believe 90 daily.

 

[dennise]

We were there in September last year only had one sprinkle. Hopefully it will be the same this year. I didn't find the humidity in Orlando as bad as when we get here in Nova Scotia. We don't have unlimited days of humitity, but its pretty bad when we do get it. My office does not have AC and yesterday was about the warmest that I found it this summer.

 

[Celidh]

We were there this year from August 29 to September 8. The forecast called for rain and scattered thunderstorms every day in the forecast. Yes it rained every day but there were only two days that the rain was substantial. One of the days it was a long torrential downpour for about an hour, later in the afternoon, at 5 or so. The other day it poured rain we were lucky enough to be at Chef Mickeys when it started and it was almost done when we left. The rest of the days were only for about 10 -30 minutes in length. We just made sure we took our rain ponchos in our park bag every day. It made it heavier to have 6 ponchos in it, but was worth it. The one thing we noticed on a few days was that just before the downpour, a fairly strong wind would pick up and that was our signal to get the ponchos out.

As for the heat, it was hot as the hubs of H---l in my opinion. I think my kids really noticed it as our temperature at home is generally cooler than that although we do have summer days that hot, but not steady all day everyday like that. I spent many days with my shorts wet with sweat just from walking around and I usually don't mind the heat. I was still able to survive but it was definitely hot for us Canucks! My poor kids were tired and wilted many days as was my mom.

Not complainin, just sayin! I was in Disney World after all wasnt I!!!

 

[disneysteve]

We just made sure we took our rain ponchos in our park bag every day.

We used to carry ponchos but found that we rarely if ever used them. And when we did use them, they just made us sweaty and disgusting. So we gave up on them. Now if it rains, we just get wet. We dash into a shop or ride and wait it out. We just found it wasn't worth the hassle of carrying them around all day just in case we might want them for 10 minutes.