Late August 2011.....what am i thinking?!?!?

[michellelovesthemous]

I'm thinking YES twice in one year....disney so owns me! On a realistic note, we have not been in the summer in years and I have apparently forgotten about it. Pleae tell me the good the bad and the ugly, most definately the ugly I live to be prepared. We got the free dining and are staying at Pop from 8/20-29 w/a 8 day base ticket should I splurge and get the waterparks and more option??? How many days will that give us at BB and Disneyquest? We always go at Thanksgiving and will be going again this year too so I am trying to wrap my brain around this August thing. We go commando then too do I need to accept that this won't be the case in the late summer? If so, how? TYIA for any help or suggestions you can provide

 

[Bradsdadg]

The biggest thing is the heat, if you are preparred for it then you will be fine. Just realize that you will be mopping the sweat off each day, lol. The crowds are more in the shops and restaurants then on the rides. Most wait times are about 10 minutes with a few exceptions. We are going about the same time as you. Good luck!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

I agree that the heat is the biggest consideration. We love going at the end of August and will be at Pop next year from 8/26 thru 9/5. We upgraded the free QS dining to deluxe. I like having a mid day break for lunch in an airconditioned TS restaurant. The crowds really aren't bad because many of the southern schools are back in session.

I can't answer your water parks & more questions as we have never upgraded to that ticket. We may do a water park next year but I would just pay for that one day as I know we wouldn't go more than once and we will not go back to DQ (that was a one and done for us)

 

[santadog]

Funny,
I was going to post asking for advise - we are going 8/19 - 8/29 with a 10 day park hopper, free CS Meal plan.
We usually hit the parks on our arrival day and departure day.
So we'll have one no park day. I was thinking of hitting a water park sometime mid week for that day, and eating at a resort (we have a restaurant.com coupon for both the Garden Grove and House of Blues).

With the heat, do you think the EMHs will be extra crowded? We got lucky in April of 2010, and had the MK practically to ourselves.

 

[ronnmel]

When you upgrade to water park & more, you get the same number of entry to those as you have days in the parks. So if you buy an 8 days ticket, then you can visit the water parks and DisneyQuest a total of 8 times. You are allowed to visit a park and a water park on the same day. I believe (but not 100% sure) that you could even visit a water park and DisneyQuest (or both water parks) on the same day.

As for going Commando, the heat will be worse in the afternoon, so it's always better to go first thing in the morning and take a break in the afternoon. The break doesn't have to be going back to the room. It could just be doing an air-conditionned attraction/show in the park (for example in Epcot I found Innoventions to be great for that), or having a nice long TS lunch like a PP said. Basically, just taking it slower and staying out of the sun for a few hours.

 

[jking6]

I agree that the heat is the biggest consideration. We love going at the end of August and will be at Pop next year from 8/26 thru 9/5. We upgraded the free QS dining to deluxe. I like having a mid day break for lunch in an airconditioned TS restaurant.


I totally agree HEAT will be biggest issue. Last year was my 1st August trip and even with heat index at 115 our low temp was at 2am 85 at MK.
BUT I loved it.... my favorite trip so far. We also upgraded to deluxe dining so we knew we would be out of the heat for a few hours every day. But when we say hot i mean HOT!!!!
one example after standing on the hot black top watching the parade we took a trip back to hotel to change and on my way I purchased an item at the gift shop so I could empty the bag to put ice in it to soak my feet in
Be prepared pack extra change of clothes each day as you will sweat but crowds low and like I said my best time at Disney so far....

 

[Baltazar]

The major ugly we usually encounter (besides the heat) is the massive crowds the first week of free dining. The second week the guest population drops off dramatically.

We always go commando and always in August. We drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen and a wide rim hat. An umbrella is also handy for portable shade and for cloud bursts.

As for the evening extra magic hours, it's kind of hit and miss. The crowds come and go. Usually the later the park is open, the less crowded it gets.

We are also going the last week of Aug in 2011. We got the hoppers and water parks. We are getting a 7 day tickets so I believe that means we get 7 water park/quest entries. You can hit both water parks in one day but you will use 2 entries. Quest you also will use an entry.
On Water park days, we're usually wiped out by 2PM. We head to the resort to shower and change to hit downtown Disney or an evening extra magic hour park.

 

[jess20k]

We went for the first time in Aug this past year. We went the 3rd week, and like everyone else just about mentioned, it was hotttttt and humidddd! But, as long as you keep hydrated and cool off inside or swim, you will be fine. Yes, as soon as you step outside, or soon after, you start to sweat. I had to usually change twice a day, just because we would come back to the resort to swim in the afternoon, then I would of course put on a new set of clothes when we went back to the parks at night.

It really did help to start out very early, go back to the resort to swim, and then stay out late. Even though it would still be very hot and humid at night, it helped that the sun was not out.

As long as you take steps to stay hydrated and take time to cool off, you should be just fine. The crowds were not that bad during the time we went.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

We go around the 20th of every August. Plan to be back at your resort between 1 and 4 for a swim or nap and you'll find it very manageable.

 

[sunshineNJ]

We are going for our third late Aug trip. The later in Aug the less crowded it is. We go back to hotel for rest and swim In the afternoon. BRING UMBRELLAS!!! It is very hot and humid but alot of the attractions are indoors. Animal Kingdom was a little rough in the heat. We manage though, it is the only time that works for us with school and work schedules.

 

[huntconn]

We went the last week in August for the 1st time last year and the crowds were noticeably lighter than earlier in the summer. We always go in the summer due to my wife being a teacher but this was the first time at the very end of August. We are booking end of August again this year! The weather was not noticeably different then any other time in the summer in Florida....Hot, humid, daily rain. Gotta love it!

 

[emer95]

We're going at the same time this year, with a huge crowd. 24 people!! We've only gone in August before and it has been HOT but manageable.

 

[drinkme]

We went to Unviersal the 3rd week of August 2010. It was so HOT! We stayed on property so we got the front-of-the-line passes. I kept on saying I was so glad I wasn't at WDW with their crowds! We had to leave in the afternoon to get out of the heat, but the pool didn't help to cool us off, the water was even hot.

When I looked at my pics from the trip after we got home, I realized I didn't take too many pics. I was just too darn hot to even take out my camera.

I will NEVER go to Orlando in the summer again. I was there in August about 20 years ago, and I guess it took 20 years for me to forgot about how awful the heat is.

Having said all of that, it was such a fun trip!

 

[mikamah]

We went last august into labor day weekend, and I was so nervous about the heat, but we loved it. It was hot and I made sure we drank lots of water, and we got free qs dining and upgraded to regular dining plan so we could have a sit down meal each afternoon evening.

We did a base ticket with waterparks and more, and went to both water parks once, disney quest once. On the days we did the water parks, we went to a regular park in the evening. We definitely did not need parkhoppers.

There crowds weren't bad at all. 45 min wait for toy story mania was the worst line. I would go again in august in a heartbeat. We're going feb vacation, and i am not looking forward to the crowds.

Don't worry, you'll have a blast. Just be sure and stay hydrated, and take it slow.

 

[RMulieri]

The HEAT AND HUMIDITY is the biggest part...you never quite get used to walking out of your resort room in the morning and feeling like you stepped into a steambath and instantly starting to sweat.But we still do it

 

[Baltazar]

We are going with my sister in law and her husband this year. They went with us 2 other times in August and her hubby said "I am not doing the death march this year." ...


[edit] One more thing, the table service restaurants can be a bit chilly when you're dressed for the heat, bring a heavier shirt. We bring our hockey jerseys for the Sci-Fi Dine In.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

We are also late August! I'm getting nervous about hurricane season, though. Heat doesn't bother me. I'm not the type to go back to the resort to sit at a pool.

 

[lustergirl]

sorry can't help you cuz we have never been in August. We are going this year in the end of September so I guess there isn't much different. I am from the north and the heat bothers me totally but I survive with a little planning. We go out early, around 10am, stay at the parks til around 2pm, then come back to the room for a little r&r. I love the nights at disney in september though, after it has cooled off a bit. The best advice I can give you is:

Drinks lots of water, pop doesnt cut it.
Use the air conditioning in many attractions or stores to your advantage.

 

[Greatfalls]

We did a Cruise/WDW trip in August 2009 and are going again the last week of August this year. The park crowds in late August are light to moderate. It definitely is in the middle of hurricane season. All you can do about the hurricanes is hope. At least Orlando is inland so even if a hurricane hits, it is not as severe as the coastal areas. The good news that time of year is that, if you're flying, airfare is dirt cheap.

 

[Jenngoofys]

GoofySon'sMom - we are traveling the same exact dates !!

I agree the heat and the dining crowds. Other than that it is the perfect time to go enjoy yourself!!