Is August that bad?

[jsbowl16]

Yikes! Our trip is early August. Sounds like I better start hydrating now. And reevaluate not rope dropping.

Early mornings and late nights are your friends in August. It usually rains every afternoon as well. We do rope drop until 12 or 1 and then go back and do 4 or 5 until park close. We will be there in early August as well. Hope you enjoy your trip.

 

[DisneyCAL]

We went last August, and things werent too bad. Busier than September but not as bad as March or April. It was hot hot hot but we bought flats of water bottles and drank as much as our bladders could hold and we did alright. The heat definitely made us appreciate water rides and swimming in the pool. If I could go back this august I would jump on it!

 

[piratepride]

We have always found the crowds very manageable during the weekdays. It can be VERY humid and sticky though. Try to plan air conditioned meals each day....take advantage of inside rides & shows.

 

[hmcater]

We are from Upstate NY and August in Disney is not intolerable. Don't get me wrong, it's really hot and humid, but like so many said, knowing when to take breaks is key. We also stay at Poly, take breaks mid-day, have sit down dinners and swim at night when the sun isn't out, as another poster mentioned. We have never felt that it was crowded and it is much less crowded than the beginning of August.

 

[rg35]

The good thing with the Disney ponchos is that if they rip you can turn them in for a brand new one. I swapped one out last August when we were there. Will have them again when we go this August.

I never knew that...good tip!

 

[pixiemama91]

We like to go the end of August. Kids usually start school in the last week of August so we usually go the week before. I don't find it that bad at all. Yes it is very hot, but you we are usually go in and out of air conditioning during the day and we make a point to almost always have a mid day break either swimming in the pool or just hanging in our room in the cool air. I find the crowds to be pretty low compared to other times of the year. I don't think we waited more than 20-30 minutes for anything. like anything if you have a good plan then it will go well. We definitely ended up spending more time at the resort than originally anticipated but it all worked out.

 

[goofyintoronto]

We use to go in August all the time. The last two weeks in August isn't terribly crowded to be honest. Esp just before labour day. Its not as bad as people think. The heat though, OMG, yes its hot. Midday breaks at the resort are a must. We go to the parks early morning, break just after lunch, then return to the parks when the sun is gone. Easy peasy and totally doable.

 

[Trinity88]

Well, thanks all for the feedback. We reviewed the numbers and it’s not enough of a savings for us to give up going in January. The one benefit I can’t ignore is that our kids wouldn’t miss any school, but honestly, we can’t handle heat...at all. I also have mild Lupus and have to limit my time in the sun as it is. This is the main reason, for us, we really have to go during a colder month.

We’re doing Dec this year after our Aug trip last year. While we had fun in Aug, I’m looking forward to Dec weather. It was a tough decision to have the kids miss School, but it will be worth it I think.

 

[SarahC97]

I don't do well with heat, but I went last year during Labor Day week and found it to be tolerable. I mean, it was hot, but making sure to drink water and take breaks out of the sun during the hottest part of the day helped. Just like with anything else Disney, making your trip work requires a plan and realistic expectations. I think if you go into with the idea that it's going to be hot and you have to deal with it, then you'll be fine. Just plan to sweat...a lot.

 

[123SA]

How about early August?

I usually go last week August and first week Sept

College schedule is forcing us to switch to first two weeks in August

Is the weather the same? Any less rainy?

 

[holden]

How about early August?

I usually go last week August and first week Sept

College schedule is forcing us to switch to first two weeks in August

Is the weather the same? Any less rainy?

Weather is the same.

 

[FWphanatic]

I have taken plenty of trips in August! This year August 4-20. As long as you are prepared (hat, sunscreen, water, poncho) and have the right attitude (it will be hot and people will be sweaty), you will be fine. Plenty of ways to cool off. If you are staying on property, it is a good idea not to spend a whole day in the parks... take advantage of your resort pool and activities! I know a lot of people like to head back to the resort around lunch for a swim, nap, or break, but you can mix it up! One day go in to the parks early and spend the rest of the day at the resort, or sleep in, swim, then head out late afternoon/early evening and stay in the parks late. Often it is just as warm in South Jersey as it is in WDW.

 

[bethannie203]

What kinds of shoes do you wear? We always wear sneakers, but that sounds hideous in the rain. Are there supportive sandals?

My hubby hates sandals of any kind, so he wears his tennis shoes the entire time, although sometimes he will pack some cheap flip flops just for water rides lol.

For me, I HATE wet socks and shoes. Ick! I also don't like wearing tennis shoes when it's hot out. I wear supportive flip flops or sandals every day all day at the parks, and I bring a pair of good tennis shoes just in case for back up.

My favorite pair is Sketchers flip flops (the thick kind with arch support) and Sketchers now also makes a strap sandal comparable to Tevas/Chacos that I am planning to get before our next trip.

My biggest advice? Whatever shoes you wear, make sure your feet are completely used to them and they are broken in well before a WDW trip. Some people swear by Tevas/Chacos, but really it's whatever works for your feet! I've never purchased those because when trying them on at the store I didn't find them comfortable. I also use an anti-chafing product on my feet every day at the parks called Body Glide to reduce rubbing and to help prevent blisters. (A lot of runners use it).

I hope this helps!

 

[Minnesota!]

We love it (and come from MN...). It's not unbearable if you do it right. I shower when I get up, at mid day, and at night before going to bed. We take a mid-day break and swim and then rest in a/c for about 1.5 hours.

Rope drop and evenings in the parks are your best bet.

And ice water

 

[rentayenta]

Early mornings and late nights are your friends in August. It usually rains every afternoon as well. We do rope drop until 12 or 1 and then go back and do 4 or 5 until park close. We will be there in early August as well. Hope you enjoy your trip.

Thank you! Later midday breaks were in the plan followed by dinner but early mornings were not. I’m going to reevaluate our plans and see what’s changeable if any. Thankfully I don’t have our FP+ yet.

 

[tinkerhon]

We are from Upstate NY and August in Disney is not intolerable. Don't get me wrong, it's really hot and humid, but like so many said, knowing when to take breaks is key. We also stay at Poly, take breaks mid-day, have sit down dinners and swim at night when the sun isn't out, as another poster mentioned. We have never felt that it was crowded and it is much less crowded than the beginning of August.

Another NYer here --- from the city -- we were so afraid of our summer trip to Disney last year - we went 7/10-20- yes, it was hot, but NY is not exactly chilly in the summer either - when we arrived back in NYC my mom told us that their July 4th weekend was brutal ! Checked the weather, and the heat index was actually worse in NY that week !

We did a lot of night roaming and days in the pool - we are going back again this July- which I think is a BIT less humid (maybe) than August in Orlando, but you'll be fine - enjoy !

 

[SaintsManiac]

Well, I've done lots of research into best times to go, and we're going August 30-September 8. One big reason is because we can go for 9 days, but the kids only miss 4 days of school. Also, crowd levels are generally about the lowest of the year. Not that they are LOW, but LOWEST. Also, you're right, rates are lower then. It will be blazing hot, but we have been twice in September and we can handle it. If it saves a lot of money, I say go for it!

I needed to see your post. I was stressing about my daughter missing 4 days of school, since they changed the dang school calendar for some insane reason. I've also been stressing about the heat, but we deal with it daily here for months, so maybe I just have trip jitters!!!

See you there!

 

[dreamit]

This will be our second year visiting at the end of August. We've also done trips in September when it's been extremely hot and humid. It's doable and enjoyable if you plan appropriately. Hats and Frogg Togg towels are a tremendous help. Incorporate indoor attractions, shows, and ADRs into your itinerary. I find a lunchtime ADR to be the perfect break. Drink lots of water. Wick-away clothes make a huge difference, including under-clothing. Do not wear 100% cotton socks. On the "tips" board you'll find many threads with great tips about clothing. Also, if it works for your family, rope drop so you can get quite a bit done before the afternoon sun.

 

[tlmadden73]

August is hot .. and worse .. very humid. You sweat just standing still.

That being said, I live in the South and am used to it, so when we went in late August of 2015 it was fine. We know what to expect and how to handle it (start early, lots of water, take afternoon breaks, rest a lot, find A/C, eat snacks to recharge), so it didn't bother us like it would northerners.

The other downside is the rain .. the daily rainstorms (or in our case.. thunderstorms) that make you run towards the nearest cover and stay there for hours. A lot of rides can shut down, but luckily for us, those usually happened around meal time, so we just waited it out in a restaurant. It did cool things off considerably.

The crowds weren't bad for that time of year (right before Labor Day, so most kids are heading back to school already).

 

[dreamit]

What kinds of shoes do you wear? We always wear sneakers, but that sounds hideous in the rain. Are there supportive sandals?

I make sure we each have two pairs of shoes to alternate. I wear Croc slides and Keen Whispers. My family all have Keens and alternate with Tevas or other comfort-type sandals. Because of the daily showers you want to wear shoes that work well if they get wet. We also cover our feet with Body Glide.