Stuck between an August or November trip......

[tigger32583]

Let me start first by saying "Hi!", I'm new here. I really need some advice I'm having trouble making plans for my families trip.

I'm stuck between any day in August due to the value season and the cheaper rates, even the chance of having free dining. Although, the heat and storms are what is pushing me towards November break. My son is starting Kindergarten this September and I'm one of those parents who won't allow their kids to miss a day of school. But in November, I feel like the airports will be busy due to the holidays, planes might get delayed due to the weather and the trip might feel rushed due to the break being only five days.

I need advice from people who have gone during either time. How was the experience for you? The weather? The crowds? Any information, please.

 

[lmhall2000]

Welcome! And wonderful blessings to you in planning this great family memory!

I vote for August...if you can go the last week of August. You can enjoy days at the pool to cool off...crowds are low...but I am from the South and the heat does not bother me...the storms are usually isolated to a quick 30 minute shower that is enough to cool things off....you're most likely to get free dining or bigger room discounts if you can travel late August than any other time...that would help me make the decision! More play money to enjoy the fun stuff!

Tara

 

[TJA]

Tough call -- I'd go with August too for the main reasons of lower rates and more free time to be flexible. If you just have 5 days in November, it will be hard to be flexible on dates to fly. We normally go to WDW in September and do love that time of year in Disney. Crowds are low, prices are right. To avoid heat, we go to the parks in the morning and then back to our resort in mid-afternoon for swimming or a break in our room. Then we head back to parks at night.

Oh, and welcome to the Dis! Glad you found us.

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

Ok, I will be the first to vote for November. We are currntly from Miami, FL, and let me tell you Disney is HOT in August. We went last August and we found that we were very tired and irratable b/c of the heat, especially our kids. We went again in November, and the difference was amazing. The weather was very nice, even semi-cold in the 50's during the early morning (I know...I'm a Floridian So, I would vouch for November 100%. The only concern that I have is taking your kids out of school, if you feel ok with that, then do it. But, me personally, I wouldn't. My kids are still not in school, but my husband and I have talked about it, and we really don't feel like we're comfortable doing that.

 

[nurse.darcy]

I vote for August and not being rushed. BUT, I am from the desert. It gets into the 120's here so we had no issue in Florida at this time. Last year was an exceptionally pleasant August. However, there are no guarantees. . .

 

[monorailsilver]

I vote for August too.

I won't take my kids out of school either.

And for those that say Florida is hot...well it is hot here in CT but I either sit inside in the a/c or sit in a pool & dread getting out so going to the hot, humid Florida is no different then going out my front door some days.

 

[Southerndisney]

Welcome.

My family does not like humid heat (August) or large crowds with long lines (Thanksgiving week). We have traveled to Disney when we could skip a few days of school and add it to a couple of days school vacation. We have gone to Disney in October and April doing this. Both were great times to visit. We have also missed the last two days before Christmas break to hit Disney before Christmas week.

My children go to a private school and taking elementary age children out for vacation is very common. The teachers tell us what we need to cover and we take our school books to Florida. Your child would probably just have work sheets. This is more difficult to do when the children are older and have more school work.

Whenever you go, you can beat the heat and crowds if you are at the park when it opens and take an afternoon break. Good luck and have fun.

 

[CampbellScot]

Welcome! And wonderful blessings to you in planning this great family memory!

I vote for August...if you can go the last week of August. You can enjoy days at the pool to cool off...crowds are low...but I am from the South and the heat does not bother me...the storms are usually isolated to a quick 30 minute shower that is enough to cool things off....you're most likely to get free dining or bigger room discounts if you can travel late August than any other time...that would help me make the decision! More play money to enjoy the fun stuff!

Tara

Welcome!!! I agree with this poster completely!! August IS hot, but it's not unbearable. You get used to it after a couple of days, you've always got the pools to cool off in, and you are going to be dealing with a lot LESS people.

We only go in August. My husband and I went during the holiday season once. It was SO expensive and I was pretty devastated by the crush of people. The crowds were SO insane. It was hard to enjoy the parks with such a mass of people.

I'll take the August heat and shorter lines any day!!!

Welcome to the Dis! It's a wonderful place to be!!!

 

[tigger32583]

Thanks everyone. I'm leaning towards August more then November, just because it seems like the better choice due to your responses. The humidity kind of worries me because we are asthmatic but I live in Boston, MA and we had some hot and humid days last summer. I planned on going to the parks early in the morning and back to the hotel to rest around noon time and then back to the park around six at night. Do you need a park hopper to go back to the parks after you leave them for a day? Like say I go to Magic Kingdom and then leave to rest and go back to Magic Kingdom at night, do I need the park hopper for that? Another thing does anyone know what the check in and check out times at the hotels are, I can't find the information anywhere. I plan on making this a road trip from Boston to Orlando, DH would rather take a plane, still undecided, as I dislike flying. But if we did drive I need to know when they allow you to check in.

I have to take my DS to Karate class now but I am coming back with more questions for you Disney Veterans . I need as much information as I can get. I haven't been to Disney in about 14 years.

Anyways, thanks to everyone who responded.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

I vote for November as we have done both times of the year. The humidity only rises as the day goes on in FL so while you won't have the sun beating on you at 6pm it still CRAZY hot!!

My DS will be in kindergarten this year too, and I guess if he was older I would probably feel differently about taking him out of school, but I much prefer the Winter months (and missing school) to the August heat.

As for checking in, you can do it any time or day or night. If your room is available they will give it to you then. If not bell services will hold your luggage for you until it is ready (call them from the room and they will gladly bring it up). Most hotels have an official check in at 3pm (but some are 4pm). We have always arrived at noon and gotten a room (but we have never traveled in peak season)

I know several years ago you used to get a hand stamp when you left a park for readmission later, but I am not sure they do that anymore. We always have hoppers and do one park in the AM through early afternoon and hop to a completely different one in the evening.

 

[tigger32583]

Just got back in from Karate, DS ate his dinner and is now relaxing, watching a movie and I'm back on this board, LOL. Funny thing is I originally posted this message on Craigslist.com and someone replied "Try disboards.com, you won't surface for hours!" LOL, so true.

So, I'm kind of thinking about going the last week of August. Still deciding if I want a dining plan and which one. I already know where I want to stay, "All Star Movies". My DS is going to love the larger then life Woody and Buzz. Any reviews on that hotel? As well as how busy is it during this time? I'm going to search this site to see how August is since I noticed a few threads about August already. Thanks again.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Tigger, we went the last week of August last year. Crowds were great! Heat was awful (and it rained 4 of our 10 days for 3 hours or more and a couple of more for about an hour or so). We prefer the slightly heavier crowds of early December to the heat of late August (not to mention the threat of hurricanes).

We do the deluxe dining since we prefer sit down meals to CS meals. Check out the menus here on the Dis boards and see which meals appeal to you and figure out which plan works best for your family. There are A LOT of opinions here one way or the other, but only you can decide what is best for you!

Also, in the past 3 years, WDW has offered the basic dining plan for free starting the last week of August and running through the end of September- no guarantees they will do it this year- but that is a huge savings!! In the past, this offer has been released in early April and you will read all about it here on this board!

Good luck!