Late August????

[DISNEY FIX]

Are we completely nuts for planning a late August (20th-27th) trip????
Any hints tricks & opinions needed.

 

[wheelcap]

Late August is usually a great time to go. . . of course, I love the heat! Many schools have started, so crowds are lighter -- as long as they don't do free dining (which really bumps up the crowds with 'hungry' people). Lighter crowds mean shorter lines, but it can also mean better service, because the cast members aren't as stressed by all of the crabby, over-stressed people in the crowds. Yes, the heat can be a bit much, but it's quite bearable as long as you remember your water, and plan stops at places with air conditioning along the way.

 

[Anal Annie]

We often go in late August - usually right on the 16th when Dream season starts & the points drop. That's a significant point savings for us. DS's school starts the last week of August so we have to go & come back before then...but so this usually has worked out perfectly for us. This past August tho was different. The FL schools went back later or something AND they started the stoopid Free Dining on August 16 (it usually starts that last week of August, the one after when we go). They announced that little diddy after we'd booked at our 7th month window so nothing much I could do about it. Between these 2 thing the crowds were much higher this past summer than in previous ones when we've done this. And don't even get me started on the Free Diners. They made getting ADR's a real pain. (I was on hold for 2 hrs & 48 minutes!!!)

Now, I have no idea what the FL school calendar will be for NEXT summer and WHO KNOWS what offers Disney will come up with to fill rooms. I HOPE they don't do the Free Dining again that early tho. For the week you're talking about tho I think that the FL schools should be back tho by then at least - so that will help with the crowds. Free dining...well, most likely it will be then so plan early for your ADR's.

Heat - no different than June or July IMO. Rain / storms the same thing. Late August is just like any other summer month 'cept you use less points!! THAT, for us is a biggie for stretching ours out into several trips.

 

[supersuperwendy]

We just did our first August trip and we too booked Aug. 16th assuming free dining would fall later in the month...but all in all...it was a nice trip. If you can deal with the heat then go for it! Our kids were obsessed with Kali River Rapids and the line was never really long! They rode it over and over! enjoy!

 

[monorailmom]

We were also there this past Aug. starting on the 16th...just take breaks in the afternoon to enjoy the resort pool, and you'll be fine!! Somehow waking up early in the morning at Disney to hit the parks doesn't seem as severe as waking up early at home. We always went in Nov. before this past year, and it was defintely hotter and more crowded, but we had a great time. We're going back this August, too. Just dont' overbook yourselves, and you'll be fine!! Is there such a thing as a bad day at Disney, anyway??!!

 

[rutgers1]

We went during that window this past year, hoping the advertised low crowds would be the case. It wasn't, most likely due to free dining. We stayed for 2 weeks, though, so we were able to be creative and avoid waiting around too much. There were times, though, when we just wanted to leave through the nearest exit. For me, the key to navigating a busy/hot time period is spending the mid-day at the pool. My goal is to always hit the parks 2x a day (early morning, and again as close to closing as possible), and each time we generally expect to only go on 3-5 rides, stop in a couple shops, grab a snack or a meal, and leave. If we do more, it is a bonus. Often, we'll find a ride that isn't crowded and go on it a few times to "up" the amount of time we actually spent on rides. If we keep our expectations low, we are never disappointed, lol.

 

[Nikisha421]

even though it will be hot...it will be much less crowded in comparision to late july...hit the pools...head to the parks either really early or really late to beat the heat...

 

[GrumpyBelle]

We went during the last week of August 08 and it was great. It was hot and it rained everyday, but there weren't any crowds. We didn't have to wait in long lines for almost anything. If fact we had extra fastpasses (since we bought into DVC that year) and we came home with most of them.

This year we went in July and it was miserable. The heat was unbearable and the crowds were awful. We decided if we go back in the summer, late August is the time to go. (Just don't let the rain ruin your vacation).

 

[lugnut33]

Buy pump misters for everyone in your party, they work great in the heat.

Get to the parks early, go back to your room during the hot part of the day, and then head back at night.

As for crowds, if they did what they did last year then it will be very crowded, nothing you can do about it except deal with it.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Cool, thanks for the replies!
We have PAP's and plan on making it a waterpark heavy trip and staying at the BCV should help the pool situation. Mister fans..... any other ideas???????

 

[Anal Annie]

We went during the last week of August 08 and it was great. It was hot and it rained everyday, but there weren't any crowds. We didn't have to wait in long lines for almost anything. If fact we had extra fastpasses (since we bought into DVC that year) and we came home with most of them.

This year we went in July and it was miserable. The heat was unbearable and the crowds were awful. We decided if we go back in the summer, late August is the time to go. (Just don't let the rain ruin your vacation).

Yes there's probably a 100% chance of an afternoon storm in August BUT... The BIGGEST, WORST EVER storms we encountered in FL were once during a May trip and next to that the worst was during a January trip!!

The storm during the May trip had us literally wading thru 6" deep water (well over the tops of our ankles) in DTD as we were dumped off of a bus into this deluge and trying to make ADR's at T-Rex. Lightening dancing ALLLL around us. I was pretty sure we'd be deep fried before we found shelter!! But it can storm ANYTIME!! Your odds of it being consistent every day are just higher in August.

 

[jodifla]

We went the first week of September this year, right before Labor Day, and it was great! Hot, but very doable until the afternoon, by which time we were back at the pool anyway.

Crowds were low until the Friday of Labor Day weekend. We left on Saturday, so it was fine.

 

[RIJim]

we went the last week in August last year and had a great trip. For the most part, we had very little crowds. MK seemed empty, no waits at all. We did find that morning EMH was not worth it as the parks were loaded with people staying at Disney resorts (free dining). If we did it over again, I would have scheduled around the morning EMHs. We're early birds and were at rope drop every day.