How is the crowds in August

[zippnby]

We are heading down to WDW the week of August 19th. How are the late are the parks open?

 

[disgirl]

The crowds usually start to thin out around the time you are going. How long are you staying? The reason I ask is that by the 22nd, 23rd, the crowds really do seem to get smaller. We have gone during the last week of August for 2 years and have found it, other than the humidity, quite enjoyable crowd wise. The down side, however, is you will see the park hours do lessen the last week of August. I know MGM closed at 8:30 when we were there and MK only had a couple of later nights. The water parks closed at 6 and Epcot was its usual FW 9-7 and WS 11-9. This year we are going the 4th of July week and I know we will still have the humidity and although the parks stay open later than end of August, the crowds will be large, I hear. A part of me looks forward to being there for the holiday but a part of me thinks I might be sorry we did not go the end of August again, because of the July crowds!!
Hope this helps somewhat.

Good Luck and have fun planning!!

 

[Wendy1953]

Haven't a clue....we avoid at all costs due to the heat at that time of the year.

 

[briarberry]

We have been at WDW at the end of August for the past two years. It is awfully hot and humid but not crowded. The kids in the southern states are all back in school. We are Canadian and ran into a lot of other Canadian and British families. Just be aware that it's hurricane season! We missed a flight one year (drove home) and just got out before another hurricane hit the other year. It's a chance you take.

 

[JulielovesDisney]

Does anybody know how the crowds are the first week of August? My mom was thinking of planning a trip for the summer at that time. We'd go later, but then it overlaps with my tennis season, and I don't want to miss any practices.

Just wondering if the crowds go away a little. Thanks for any info!!!

 

[noladave]

We went the last week of July/ 1st week of August a couple of years ago, and I swore that I would never go at that time again. Daily rain showers, massive crowds, heat when it's not raining.

If you have a choice, pick another time. If not, well, it's still Disney, and you will have some fun

 

[Hanover]

We've been in August twice: In 2002 we went at the end of July/early August and had horrible heat and large crowds. The sweat just rolled down our backs the entire trip. We swore we'd never go back that time of year. The following 2 years we went in February, December and April twice. In 2005, we were persuaded by free dining to try out August again. We went August 21-27th and thought the crowds were far less than going the end of July/ early August. It was scorching hot, but we dressed appropriately, drank a lot of fluids and brought our Disney misting fans. I wouldn't mind going again at the end of August, but wouldn't want to deal with the crowds we saw in 2002.

 

[cudworth]

We went Aug 10th to 20th in 2005 we thought the crowds were very low (we are used to easter ) we did not even need fast passes for for many things . Now the heat and humidity we are fron Saskatchewan Canada and my wife was very leery but we found the heat to be very managable just drink lots of water and do not go to a mid afternoon showing of lights motors action that was the only time my wife felt the heat. We would go back at that time in a heart beat.

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

We went in August 2004 and found the crowds to be lighter than I expected for a "summer" month but as one of the other quests said the kids in Florida and in the southern states are back in school by the end of August. We seldomly had to wait very long in any line, however, the Magic Kingdom was packed on Saturday so we went to Epcot and found the crowd easier to deal with. We found it so agreeable that we are returning this year August 18th so RELAX pay attention to the Extra Magic hours and have fun.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We are going to be in the parks Aug. 4-11 this year. Crowds are estimated to be 8's and 9's the whole time, but the numbers start dropping after August 15 or so. DS has to return to school Aug. 14 (we think - calendar isn't out yet) so we can't go any later in the month.

The weather averages differ very little from June - September. The average temps are only 2-3 degrees different, and the rainfall isn't vastly different, either. I lived in Tampa before I moved to Dallas, so heat and humidity are certainly not foreign concepts! We will just take it easy and if we are melting we will go back to the resort for awhile.

 

[disgram]

Ha!! We are planning on a trip from August 22 thru August 29. Was wondering this myself!!!! Knew that I could find the answer here! Love you Disers!!!

 

[wilderness01]

The crowds were not bad mid to late August. The heat was bad though so go prepared, take breaks, drink lots of fluids and you will be fine. Have fun.

 

[tracyl921]

We've been thinking about going the last week in August, but were concerned that it would be extremely croweded due to labor day. We were only planning on staying the Sunday to Friday before labor day. Anyone ever go then? How are the cro wds?

 

[keriannhoward]

We're planning on being there the 25th-31st (I'm taking the kids out of school for a few days) for my 40th birthday. In Florida, our kids go back to school the 1st week of August and the heat is really oppressive, so that tends to keep residents out of the parks until late September/early October. The crowds are lighter and during the afternoons a lot of people go back to the resorts to the pool for the hottest part of the day.

 

[JESW]

We were there that time last year and will be back the same time this year!

Yes, it IS very, very HOT and HUMID, it rains and there is also the possibility of hurricanes (we left last year just as Katrina was turning into a hurricane) but we still like that time of year!

My DH HATES the humidity and stays in the room quite a bit - we stay concierge level so he doesn't mind hanging out in the lounge at times. Sometimes he does work and sometimes he relaxes and on some days he even comes out with us for a while. The kids are 6 & 11 now and have been to the parks many times so I have no problem taking them out alone. DH generally joins us for our nightly visit to EPCOT, our favorite park.

One of DH's requirements is that we have dinner reservations every night and he always comes out for that. We also put the kids in daycare one night and enjoy a dinner alone.

Last august we found the crowds VERY manageable - there were less people there than when we went the end of June a couple of years. I have a friend who has been doing this week for a couple of years and she kept telling me how good it was but I didn't believe her so last year I had to try it for myself.

Yes, the sweat can roll right off you - even at night - but it didn't bother me a whole lot - we were at Disney!! We also got to go to BOTH water parks, whereas one was always closed when we went in november. The parks are also open later.

I think you have to try it to see if it is something you can handle. Our oldest is in 5th grade now and it has gotten too difficult to take him out of school for Disney trips, something that wasn't a problem in the past. We also go down april vacation, which will be more crowded this year due to it being around Easter - but the weather that time of year is GREAT!

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Jill

 

[maxiv]

i was at the world from aug28 - sept02 this summer and crowds were very very low...PLUS we had the dining plan...the only time i would go again