Last week in August up to the day after Labor day.

[mommykds]

I had seen here that the last week in August was a o.k. time to go to WDW. (My kids are getting to an age when I won't be able to take them out of school ) so I am starting to look at the last week in Aug (2006) up to the day after Labor day as a good option. However I check touring plans website & they have a crowd level of 7 for labor day weekend...Hmmmmmm???

 

[Disney_1derland]

I am going during that time period this year. My thoughts are that lots of US schools are already back in session at that time so that should help. Yes I expect the weekend itself to be crowded but we will do our best to plan around it. Keep your eyes peeled, I'll be sure to post a report about it here!

 

[matt&jakesmom]

For the last 4 years we always go at the end of August. The crowds are minimal. We hardly have no wait in lines. 2 years ago we stayed during Labor Day Weekend. Well Saturday and Sunday the parks were packed. On Labor Day when we checked out of the All-Star Music the CM's told us that 1000 rooms were checking out. Now that is just 1 resort. Gives you some idea of how busy WDW was. My advise is to go the week before Labor Day and leave prior to the weekend.

 

[newholidayx2]

Im seeing that the crowd level decreases the 2nd wk we're at WDW this Aug
Aug 21-27 less crowded than Aug 13-20

 

[disgirl]

Although we did not go to WDW last year (lucky I guess since we missed the hurricane), we did go both in 2002 and 2003, during the third and fourth week of August, leaving WDW the Wed. before Labor Day. We are going the same time again this year. We have found the crowds, as others have stated, to be quite managable. It is the heat and humidity that usually gets us, but then we just go back to the hotel pool. I agree that Labor Day weekend, like any other holiday weekend, will probably be crowded, especially at MK, but the week before , as matt&jakesmom said, should be a good time to go!! Good Luck planning and I know what you mean about not taking the kids out of school.

 

[Bella34]

How is the weather the last week of Aug? I have thought about going this time as well. Would love to find out more about the weather and crowds at this time. We usually go during "Jersey Week" in Nov and have found that a great time to go as far as weather and crowds. Thanks for any feedback !

 

[disgirl]

Bella, I would imagine the weather in Nov. is much more pleasant than the humidity you will find in August. I also would think, unless it is around Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. would be less crowded than the end of August because all the children should be back in school then. That being said, we choose the end of August because my dh has two weeks off then and it is nice to end my ds summer vacation with a trip to Disney. He does not go back to school until two days after Labor Day. As others have said, the summer crowds do seem lighter the last two weeks of August until Labor Day weekend, but it is very hot and humid. The pool and water parks help with that. Good Luck deciding! Personally, if I could go at a less humid time of year, I would.

 

[MNmom]

We went last year at this time (aug. 28-sept.3) and loved it soooo much that we are going back again this year with the whole family. The lines were minimal and the buses were great (asmo). However----it is very HOT. We carried a Camelback backpack filled with ice cold lemonade everyday and refilled it each afternoon during our pool time. My family will handle the heat just fine but there is no way my mother would be able to handle this. She does not do "HOT" very well. Besides the heat- we loved this time of year. We read and hear from friends about their trips over the "holidays" and during Spring Break and we think NEVER!! WHat a waste of time. My dd(8) and I just rode a few rides at the Mall of America and had to wait 15-20 minutes and she kept telling everybody that the lines here were twice as long as the rides at WDW!!!! So we left!!!

You will love this time!! We will be at the POP (Aug.28-31) and POLY GVC (Aug 31-Sept. 3). Can't wait!!!

 

[gigi1313]

that's our fave time to go to wdw! we love it so much we're going back! LOL!

the crowds are minimal... the heat is maximal (LOL) but there are so many ways to keep cool when it's not crowded... walk on the shady side of the street, use the stores as walkways (they are often connected), drink lots of water, start early-break midday-come back out at night... although any time is a great time to be at disney, that is the best time for us!

 

[Lezah]

It is our favourite time of year to go as well. It is so not crowded then cause the US kids have gone back to school already. It is hot, but it is hot everywhere at that time of year so we're already used to it. There is usually a thunderstorm in the late afternoon so we just book our PS for dinner then and then it is over normally by the time we're done. If not we do indoor stuff. We take some mid afternoon breaks to do laundry and use the pool at the resort we're staying at when it is really hot. We check out before Labour Day though, normally on the Saturday morning before the crowds start. It works out well for us and we go the last 2 weeks of August. We can't wait til the AP codes come out for this year.

 

[daughterlovestink]

Just wondering what is a camelback backpack? We are going Aug 19-28, I'm not sure how we will do in the extreme heat, but it is the only time we can go. From what I've seen on these boards, it seems the end of Aug is better crwod wise than the other summer months. I hope this is true. How long do the thunderstorms last and what time of day do they usually happen? It sounds like a good idea to try to have our dinner at this time. We usually eat early @4:00-5:00.

 

[Disney_1derland]

Just wondering what is a camelback backpack? We are going Aug 19-28, I'm not sure how we will do in the extreme heat, but it is the only time we can go. From what I've seen on these boards, it seems the end of Aug is better crwod wise than the other summer months. I hope this is true. How long do the thunderstorms last and what time of day do they usually happen? It sounds like a good idea to try to have our dinner at this time. We usually eat early @4:00-5:00.

It is a nylon very thin backpack with a water skin in it. You can fill it with ice and liquid and it will stay cool throughout the day. It has a dispensing line that either one person can drink directly out of or you can use it to fill bottles or cups. I see lots of them at disney but the thought of wearing it all day does not seem appealing to me. I own one and I never take it to disney. IT's not heavy but I just know I'd get tired of it. Since we are still in the stroller age we usually just put bottles of frozen water in a small cooler in the stroller basket.

 

[DisneyMim]

This has always been our favorite time of the year to go. We did this for about 12 years up until they went and changed my kids' and husband's (he's a teacher) schedules. Now we have to go earlier since they start school before labor day. We loved that time, not too crowded. The only advice I would give is to avoid MK on the Saturday of Labor Day week-end especially if you have one of those passes that only let you into one park per day. The MK can get very crowded. Also DD gets crowded in the evenings on that week-end from locals. I think you will have a great time.

ENJOY!!!

 

[CamColt]

We love that week! We went then in 2002 and 2003, and we will probably go that same week again in 2006. Minimal crowds and hot(how I like it).

Like DisneyMim, there is some talk of our school system being changed to start earlier. I am so against it, just because we will lose that awesome vacation week.

 

[maxaroni]

We went that week in 2001 & 2002 and loved it. The heat and humidity are what does get you as someone else stated. However, for us, it's when dh gets vacation and when we have always taken vacation. A nice way to end the summer before school and sports start. The lines were minimal all week and yes, Labor day weekend was more crowded. We saw a huge increase friday nite in DTD. We avoided MK saturday and left sunday. We have to move it up a week this year and hoping the crowds are still low.

We have several friends that go Jersey week and one of them went in August (leading into labor day) a couple of years ago and liked it better. The weather was a bit tough but if you plan for it, it's fine. The reason she liked it better is that the parks are open later and you can take that break, if you wish. Jersey week, they were at the parks when opened and stayed right on through till 7:00. They then did dinner and back to the hotel. As a matter of fact, I never remember that the parks close early at other times of the year. For me, it's normal to have the late closings and I love that aspect.

 

[MNmom]

daughterlovestink---

We took the bladder(1.5 liters) out of the camelback and put it into my purse (nylon sling that goes over my neck and shldr). I then clipped the spout on the shldr. strap and could sip on it anytime I wanted. I would take a few sips in line, on a ride or walking around and my hands were free. I loved it and will definitely be brining it again this year.

I really hate wearing the backpack at WDW 'cuz you have to keep taking it on and off on every ride. But I do use it for rollerblading, hiking and biking and love to have on then.

 

[joe1946]

Our kids are also getting too old for us to pull them out of school for a week, so last year we went from Aug 28 through Sep 4 (yes, Hurricane Francis hit while we were there) and we are going again this year at the same time. I think it's a great time to go!

According to the DVC point charts, the period beginning Sep 1 is the among the absolute cheapest times of the year, and I’ve always assumed that lower point levels mean smaller crowds, so we try to schedule as much as possible of our week on or after Sep 1. Around here, school starts the Thursday after Labor Day, but Labor Day falls relatively late this year.

-- Joe

 

[wdwdavem]

I'm so glad to hear that it's not that crowded that tmie of year. We will be at WL from aug 20 - aug 30 and I was a little worried about the crowds. This is our forth time in august but we usually go the first week and it's packed.(still doesn't bother me) The heat never bothered me but that's probably because I turn into a kid the second I get there.

 

[Pedler]

Hi all,

I am trying to start setting some expectations for the kids on what it is going to be like at WDW. We are going the last week in August. The 24th -31st. When people say that it is not that crowded what type of waits can we expect in the morning before noon or in the evenings after 5 at the Magic Kingdom. Just trying to get an idea if the average wait for rides is 10 minutes, 15 minutes or over 30. We are going to be there first thing and will try to use fastpass as much as possible but I would still like to be able to prep them with a general idea of what to expect.

Once they heard that all rides were included and they could go on them multiple times they started imagining ridding Buzz non stop.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Pedler.

 

[maxaroni]

Hi all,

I am trying to start setting some expectations for the kids on what it is going to be like at WDW. We are going the last week in August. The 24th -31st. When people say that it is not that crowded what type of waits can we expect in the morning before noon or in the evenings after 5 at the Magic Kingdom. Just trying to get an idea if the average wait for rides is 10 minutes, 15 minutes or over 30. We are going to be there first thing and will try to use fastpass as much as possible but I would still like to be able to prep them with a general idea of what to expect.

Once they heard that all rides were included and they could go on them multiple times they started imagining ridding Buzz non stop.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Pedler.

We experienced 10-15 min waits for most everything. We had some that were walk right on....