Thinking about changing my Vacation Days from Early Feb to 2nd week of August 2026

[DaviVascaino]

Technically, only the owner can sell the reservation because they are the ones who would have to make all of the name changes. None of the online rental agencies will deal with a non-owner. But again, he sounds like a reasonable guy and might accommodate you.

Still, your best course of action is to contact him about your intended dates and find out whether he can handle your request. Until you hear from him it's not worth getting anxious about it.

good news. the seller just got back to me, he says his points expire exactly at the end of August 2026, so I will be fine!!!!

I am so relieved.

now I just need to decide if we will pick 3rd or 4th week of August, I prefer the last week (probably less crowded), but I need to check the kid's school schedule.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[AngieInOH]

Does your school get out for Martin Luther King day or President's Day? If so I would go during that week and only pull them for 4 days.

It sounds like your kids do exceptionally well in school. Personally, no way would I go in August if they feel they can handle the extra work and catch up of school responsibilities. Do not underestimate the toll the heat and humidity will have on your vacation.

 

[DaviVascaino]

Does your school get out for Martin Luther King day or President's Day? If so I would go during that week and only pull them for 4 days.

It sounds like your kids do exceptionally well in school. Personally, no way would I go in August if they feel they can handle the extra work and catch up of school responsibilities. Do not underestimate the toll the heat and humidity will have on your vacation.

President's day we get 1 day off, but it is CRAZY busy, I mean, it is disgusting lol. The friday before President's day is already horrible, the week of president's day is really bad.

The issue is not even the regular school, but the advanced math class. He is on the advanced math pathway, and taking a week off would make him so stressed and behind.

 

[elvispursley]

We were the parents that pulled our two boys from school, usually Oct, as the trauma center I worked at made it very hard to take summer vacation. TJ is worked well until my oldest was in 8th grade and he, too, stated he didn’t want to miss school (although I think he didn’t necessarily care for having “homework” time on our trips).

So going into high school years, we’d do trips as soon as school was out in early June. We never found the parks at all “crowded”, and although the weather was hot, it wasn’t nearly as bad as Aug.

July was a little warmer but we managed just fine. Crowds, to us, still felt light. We never did Genie+ at the time yet still managed the queues just fine.

Now just my mom and I tend to go and we prefer late Aug and early Sep and while the weather is horribly humid and hot, the extremely low crowds and discounts make it worth it for us—not to mention we always do MNSSHP.

 

[DVCjj]

No matter when you plan, FL is the most fickle state I've ever been in. We've done Disney often for the past 50 years and I could write a book about freezing cold when it should not be and insane, dripping down your face heat when it should not be.

No matter when you plan the trip for, you are guaranteed absolutely nothing. Even if your IPhone swears what it will be (it won't be....or at the very least, it'll be that way for one hour and then a horrendous downpour suddenly appears in a matter of seconds) & you and your shoes are soaked to the bone and you look like a drowned rat.

Florida keeps you on your toes, I can say that. I still love it very much but don't beat yourself up planning the exact perfect time to go because your odds are against you. I'm sorry. It's the truth.

 

[AngieInOH]

President's day we get 1 day off, but it is CRAZY busy, I mean, it is disgusting lol. The friday before President's day is already horrible, the week of president's day is really bad.

The issue is not even the regular school, but the advanced math class. He is on the advanced math pathway, and taking a week off would make him so stressed and behind.

I typically go Martin Luther King week and find the crowds manageable. If that's an option I would consider it. However, it looks like you've decided on not taking out of school. I'd go the first week they are out and splurge on Lightening Lanes. My kids would melt in August and it would not be enjoyable for them.

 

[DaviVascaino]

Hi there!
Sounds like you’ve got an awesome trip lined up, and big congrats to your son for being accepted into university-level math classes. That’s a huge accomplishment.

Here are some thoughts on your questions:

1. Tips for August weather
   It’s definitely hot and humid, but manageable with some planning. Stay hydrated, take breaks in the AC, and hit the parks early or later in the evening. Cooling towels, portable fans, and midday pool breaks will be your best friends.
2. Crowds in August vs February
   February (especially early) is one of the best times for low crowds. But the second week of August actually isn’t bad. Many schools start going back, so it’s a dip after peak summer. Lightning Lanes for the most popular rides can still go quickly, but with a 7 day ticket, you’ll have a good amount of flexibility to pace things out.
3. Availability for DVC in August
   Not totally sure on that one, sorry. But if the point cost is the same, that’s usually a good sign. Your seller being experienced and flexible definitely helps too, so it may be worth trying.
4. August perks
   MNSSHP is such a fun event and something you don’t get in February. Plus, the heat makes water parks and resort pools way more fun. The kids will probably love that part.

It sounds like August could be a great option for your family this time around, especially with the school schedule in mind. Either way, you’ve got a magical trip ahead.

Hope that helps a bit!

that is very helpful, thank you!

 

[CarolynFH]

that is very helpful, thank you!

Something else about August - it's peak hurricane season, so make sure you have trip insurance or refundable reservations or at least a Plan B, in case you have to cancel or change arrival or departure dates at short notice. You can Search these forums for "hurricane" in the thread title to get some ideas of how things have transpired in the past, keeping in mind that every hurricane/tropical storm is different and impacts WDW in different ways.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Something else about August - it's peak hurricane season, so make sure you have trip insurance or refundable reservations or at least a Plan B, in case you have to cancel or change arrival or departure dates at short notice. You can Search these forums for "hurricane" in the thread title to get some ideas of how things have transpired in the past, keeping in mind that every hurricane/tropical storm is different and impacts WDW in different ways.

I will say anytime my Disney trips have been affected by a hurricane, Disney was 100% helpful in altering my vacation without any trip insurance at all.

 

[CarolynFH]

I will say anytime my Disney trips have been affected by a hurricane, Disney was 100% helpful in altering my vacation without any trip insurance at all.

Yes, but OP is renting DVC points, which complicates things. He mentioned in one of his threads that the owner's points expire at the end of August, so that would make rescheduling even more complicated.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Yes, but OP is renting DVC points, which complicates things. He mentioned in one of his threads that the owner's points expire at the end of August, so that would make rescheduling even more complicated.

You're quite right. I'd forgotten that. Thanks for the reminder. I've never rented DVC so forget about it's restrictions.

 

[Willow Ufgood]

You're quite right. I'd forgotten that. Thanks for the reminder. I've never rented DVC so forget about it's restrictions.

DVC has a hurricane policy in place. Members can cancel without penalty or reschedule a visit based on available rooms.

They have "unborrowed" points and allowed members to bank their points after the banking deadline. They were especially accommodating when they shut down for the pandemic. But that isn't guaranteed to happen. They will not bank points a second time. IOW if 2024 points were banked into 2025 and then used for the reservation, they will not bank those points again into 2026.

Many members will advise one another not to book reservations at the end of their use year because you could lose those points if you had to cancel and could not travel before they expire.

 

[leebee]

We've been in May, June, July, and August, and the weather is pretty equal, temperature-wise. Go in August, as late as you can, for lower crowds. It's going to be hot, but only marginally hotter than June. We just got back from a trip and it was 90-95 each day, and I can't tell you which day was cooler. After a certain point, hot is hot. You can buy neck fans on Amazon for about $25 (it's like a collar you wear around your neck) and O2Cool sells a small fan that hangs on a cord around your neck that blows air directly up on your face. Both are "hands-free" and move the air around well. Yes, it's hot air, but at least it is moving and cooler.

Regarding rain... During most of the summer, it rains every day, for about 30 minutes in the afternoon. Put on a poncho and keep going (I like the $7 "emergency ponchos" made by FroggTogs, sold at Walmart. They are more paper-y and less plastic than Dollar Tree or Disney ponchos, so less sweaty to wear). Also put a pair of dry socks in your backpack, in case you need a change.

The last time we took DD out of school for a trip was when she was in 8th grade. She said "never again" as doing all that homework on vacation was too much, even though she understood the work there was still so much day-to-day teaching information that she missed, too much work when she got home even if she got all the assignments finished. SO... we became August travelers, just like that!

 

[DaviVascaino]

Which travel insurance do you recommend?

Would it cover renting DVC points even if I sent payment via PayPal and not done through a regular travel agency?

 

[CarolynFH]

Which travel insurance do you recommend?

Would it cover renting DVC points even if I sent payment via PayPal and not done through a regular travel agency?

Because we're owners, we don't insure our DVC trips, so I haven't purchased travel insurance for a DVC vacation. I do remember posts saying that as long as the renter (you) had an invoice stating they paid $xxxx for their accommodations (DVC resort) and it was nonrefundable, the insurance company accepted it just as they'd accept an invoice from a regular hotel.

There are a couple of agencies that I've read can be helpful in finding insurance to cover travel (nonrefundable expenses). You might want to check them out.

https://www.insuremytrip.com/
https://www.squaremouth.com/