Visitng DW in August

[Frozen2014]

Hi,

We've been making plans to come to DW mid October. Our kids are young enough that we're ok to pull out of school for the week and we'll take some vacation ourselves. This morning we were talking about summer and as we always take the last week of the summer off, my husband proposed coming then. So obviously my question is...is last week of August an ok time to come? Or is it way too hot? And...are there ever any deals such as free dining at that time?

And as a final vote...last week in August or mid October?

Thanks.

 

[CanadianPaco]

We've been many times during the second last as well as the last week of August! It's definitely a great time to go.
Crowds are a bit lower (Florida schools start back no later than 2 wks before Labour Day) as summer crowds go.
Crazy hot but we are rope drop people who ALWAYS take afternoon breaks.

It seems to rain just about every day... OK it rains every day. We bring ponchos!

We have always lucked out with free dining but I noticed this past August (2013) Free Dining started in September. I may be wrong but that's what I recall.

Can't comment about October since we've never been but we LOVE August!

 

[guinness408]

We've gone the last week of August in 2008, 2010, and 2012 with free dining. It wasn't offered that week last year so I wouldn't plan on it. It's insanely hot and rains daily. We've had hurricanes cause significant rain a couple of days. With that being said, we'll be there this coming august since that's the best week for us schedule-wise. I'm just planning on no fd....which is a bummer! Crowds have always been low and I'm hoping the new Fp plus doesn't impact lines too much.

 

[Marthasor]

We've done both mid-October and late August multiple times. Mid-October is wonderful, though the weather can be iffy and I have heard the crowds have picked up in the last few years. (We haven't been in Oct. since 2010). We have been going the last week of August for the past 3 years and will go again this year. Yes, it rains almost every afternoon (though it didn't last year) and it's very hot, but a mid-afternoon dip in the pool takes care of that for us. Crowds are low and prices are good. I like both times of year, though if my son weren't in school, I would probably choose mid-October over late August. The fall decorations in the parks are so nice and the food and wine festival is a lot of fun!

 

[MiramarQE]

Throughout August you're in full Central Florida Summer - HOT, HUMID, it WILL rain - likely HARD rain for an hour in the afternoon (making somehow even more muggy) - and you're in hurricane season. Crowds can still be big (depending on school start in the north east - they usually start after Labor Day) and lines long.

If you can swing it late September before F&W starts is now the best season - yes it's still hurricane season (peak day is 10 Sep) but the humidity has begun to break, fewer afternoon showers and the crowds are way down as school as just started everywhere.

 

[Suellen]

We've been many times during the second last as well as the last week of August! It's definitely a great time to go.
Crowds are a bit lower (Florida schools start back no later than 2 wks before Labour Day) as summer crowds go.
Crazy hot but we are rope drop people who ALWAYS take afternoon breaks.

It seems to rain just about every day... OK it rains every day. We bring ponchos!

We have always lucked out with free dining but I noticed this past August (2013) Free Dining started in September. I may be wrong but that's what I recall.

Can't comment about October since we've never been but we LOVE August!

We start back August 18th, 2014

FWIW ~ I LOVE summer at DW! Drink lots of water and enjoy the late evening hours!

 

[Frozen2014]

Great responses. Thanks. I think you've answered my question than. I know there are no guarantees but the weather sounds better in October then. We'll definitely bring ponchos along but hopefully the weather will be a bit cooler and better chance of sunshine.

I've heard that they've had free dining in the October months the last few years...so fingers crossed for both.

Speaking of which...which dining plan does free dining cover?

 

[sharonabe]

Depends on where you stay. Values offer the QuickService Dining Plan and mods/delux offer the regular DDP. QSDP is 2 QS meals, 1 snack per night of stay and 1 mug. DDP is 1 TS, 1 QS, 1 Snack per night and 1 mug.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I've been to Disney the 2nd week of August and I can't imagine that the weather is substantially different from the 4th week of August. If you go in August, it is very hot. This can be managed with an afternoon break/swim in the hottest part of the day.

On my August trip, it only rained once during the day, for about an hour. So...don't automatically assume that it will rain all the time because it may not.

 

[karenklo]

We will be there in Aug too! We have done it before and it is hot. But the thing is at that time of the year it can be 90+ with high humidity here in IN! I'd rather be at WDW! We do RD and afternoon breaks, then go back till late!