Need some advice - August trip

[Williamsfamily7]

This will be our families 5th time to Disney, but I'm still obviously a novice and I'm getting more and more confused.

We are going from August 13 - 20. We have the free dining plan. Now, should I expect huge, crushing summertime crowds when we are there, or are the crowds really dropping off, and that's why they are offering the free dining? I also understand that the week we are going is no longer offered as a free dining week. Is that because so many people have booked that week that they no longer want to offer the promotion then? I guess I'm just trying to figure out if I should expect it to be really super crowded, pretty empty, or somewhere in between!

Also, I feel like I'm getting somewhat mixed signals about the "extra hours" for resort guests. If the parks are so crowded and the lines so long during the evening hours, what is the advantage to even having them? In the past, we've always tried to get to the parks during the early morning extra hour. My kids are teenagers now, and no one is really too excited about waking up before 7:00 a.m. on vacation, so I think that is out for this trip. On 2 of our past trips, they had the E-nights, where you just paid an extra $10 to go at night. Those were great. My original plan for this trip was to take advantage of the nightime extra hours assuming the crowds would be managable. That's not what people seem to be saying. Is it really wiser to just stick with parks that have no extra hours on a given day? Again, I don't understand what the advantage is to disney resort guests if the extra hours aren't really providing anything helpful as far as crowds. I thought they were offered to resort guests to help them avoid crowds.

We've never purchased a meal plan at Disney because I think they're too expensive. Now that I've gotten it for free, however, I'm very excited to take advantage. I haven't made any ADR's yet - Should I definitely be doing that? Do you think it's too late for a August 13 trip? The reason I usually don't make ADR's is because I hate to commit in advance exactly where and when I'll be eating each day. I like to plan in advance which park I'll go to, but I just don't really know what or when we'll feel like eating each day! Do you think it will be impossible to get into the decent restaurants without ADR's?

Last question: I'm really tempted to pay for a subscription to the Unofficial Guide to get personalized touring plans. Anyone done that or have any recommendations? It's not very much money to join. Is it worth it?

Any help anyone can give would be very much appreciated. Disney is usually our only real vacation every 2-3 years, and I like to try to make it as special as possible for my family. They love to tease me about the time I spend planning and obsessing about the trip, but I think they definitely appreciate it in the end! Thanks again for any responses.

 

[colonels cruisers]

Now, should I expect huge, crushing summertime crowds when we are there, or are the crowds really dropping off, and that's why they are offering the free dining?
I would check out tourguidemike

I also understand that the week we are going is no longer offered as a free dining week. Is that because so many people have booked that week that they no longer want to offer the promotion then?
We visited last week and were told they use it as a way to get people to stay onsite

Also, I feel like I'm getting somewhat mixed signals about the "extra hours" for resort guests.
check out tourguidemike. trust me we just got back and it works

We've never purchased a meal plan at Disney because I think they're too expensive. Now that I've gotten it for free, however, I'm very excited to take advantage.
make your adrs ASAP

Last question: I'm really tempted to pay for a subscription to the Unofficial Guide to get personalized touring plans. Anyone done that or have any recommendations? It's not very much money to join. Is it worth it?
did both.. go with tourguidemike. BUT still be empowered to do what you need to do

Good luck on your trip!

 

[wendydarling826]

We always go at that time in August because I am a teacher and that is when I can go for a week or more. We have found the crowds to be moderate. Last year we did notice that the restaurants were busier at dinnertime because of the free dining promotion. I rarely make any ADR's before we arrive because we like to take each day as it comes and decide each day what we will do. The only dinner reservation I had any trouble getting was Le Celier for Saturday night, and the cast member said that is because it is a very popular weekend destination for locals. I was able to get it for the next night. I would also make reservations further ahead of time for really popular restaurants like Chef Mickey's or Cinderella's Royal Table.
August is hot and humid and expect periods of rain/storms most days, but they're usually brief. Last year we actually had very little rain.
As for extra magic hours, we've had varying experiences with them. Sometimes we've gone to the evening extra magic hours and had great luck going on our favorite rides. Usually, though, we find it better to go in the morning to whichever park had EMH the day before. The bottom line is, although August wouldn't be number one choice of when to go for a week or more, it has its own charms and we've had a great time each time we've gone. I hope you will too!

 

[bobcat]

We are actually going to be there the week before you, couldn't go during free dining because of band camp. We usually go in late July and have had one vacation in August before free dining started so I am not sure how that affected the crowds. Our last August vacation was great because the crowds during the week were very low, especially for summer. In fact everyone we met said we had to be notherners because many southern schools have already started. WDW hasn't ajusted the park times for that week yet, they start to close a little earlier, and that may be an indication that the crowds will still be lighter. I would keep an eye on that as an indication of crowd level. While I love the Unofficial guide their crowd predictions are going on past data, although very accurate, and can change year to year.

As far as ADRs I would try to pin down what you want now and book what you can get, since they are no longer offering the free dining that week at least the restaurants will be busy. Even if you can't get what you want at first book something you might like and keep trying. People change their minds about where they think they want to eat and what park they will be in so openings can happen. You can even try for new ADRs when you get to WDW. If you don't make any I'm afraid you may be disapointed by where you can't eat. Also try for off times to eat, early or late.

We like the EMH and even during the summer we don't find them too crowded. Not at all as empty as Enights but at least they are free. With teens you are probably better off doing the evening EMH rather than morning so they can sleep in on their vacation. My 13yo is a park comando and while she likes to sleep in all summer she knows the value of getting up and hitting the parks early so I don't have too much of a problem. However we do build in a couple of late mornings. Evening EMH are great because they still offer fast passes for some of the Erides on busy nights, making it easier to get on the big rides. If you can stay until the end of EMH that is where it really pays off. We have been able to ride some rides over and over that last hour because many people have left. There is also a great atmoshphere that late in the parks.

Can't help on the customized touring plans.

 

[newtowdw1]

we were there last year at almost exactly the same time!

Crowd levels were very manageable. We followed the Unofficial Guide (book) suggestions of when to go to which park, and followed their suggestions of when to go to each attraction. Worked wonderfully.

I would make ADRs now.