What time each day in August does it start to cool off? (Orlando vs. NYC)

[CTPoly425]

We are sailing on the Aug 4 Disney Dream cruise and were thinking of spending a few days in the parks before hand. That said, we have only ever been to Orlando in the winter and are not sure to expect.

I've read many posts about what the days are like (especially early to mid afternoon) but am having trouble finding out when the real "relief" starts to come in each day.

Is there a noticeable difference in heat and humidity by 5PM for example? Or is it oppressive even up until 9 or 10 PM?

Any feedback is really appreciated as this helps determine when we might come down and for how many days pre-cruise, and of course what our schedule would be. A family member does get heat sickness so we will be moving very slowly on those pre-cruise days no matter what, and only doing Fastpasses. (We are also a bit concerned even about the heat in Nassau and Castaway Cay).

On a side note, we are from the NYC/New England area so we have definitely experienced muggy summer days, just not sure how those days compare to an Orlando summer day. In NYC and New England you can at least start to expect some relief in early evening.

Truly appreciate the feedback of this wonderful forum ...

 

[dprincessmom]

Typically when the sun goes down so in August could be closer to 9. I wouldn't let that stop you though. Rope drop, back to resorts to rest, AC and refresh then back to the parks in evening. That's our standard summer touring plan and it works like a champ.

 

[kmb584]

We are sailing on the Aug 4 Disney Dream cruise and were thinking of spending a few days in the parks before hand. That said, we have only ever been to Orlando in the winter and are not sure to expect.

I've read many posts about what the days are like (especially early to mid afternoon) but am having trouble finding out when the real "relief" starts to come in each day.

Is there a noticeable difference in heat and humidity by 5PM for example? Or is it oppressive even up until 9 or 10 PM?

Any feedback is really appreciated as this helps determine when we might come down and for how many days pre-cruise, and of course what our schedule would be. A family member does get heat sickness so we will be moving very slowly on those pre-cruise days no matter what, and only doing Fastpasses. (We are also a bit concerned even about the heat in Nassau and Castaway Cay).

On a side note, we are from the NYC/New England area so we have definitely experienced muggy summer days, just not sure how those days compare to an Orlando summer day. In NYC and New England you can at least start to expect some relief in early evening.

Truly appreciate the feedback of this wonderful forum ...

Central Florida in August is very hot and humid. Average daytime temp is in the low-90's with a "real feel" of 100+, nighttime cools down to a balmy 80 or so degrees, but the humidity can be very oppressive. At its highest, in the mornings, the humidity hovers around 90% and drops to about 65-70% in the afternoon and evening. I live in PA and we have ridiculously hot and humid days all summer, but it feels downright pleasant compared to Central Florida.

Touring at night will be easiest for the person with heat sickness. It doesn't cool down a whole lot, but it's definitely much more pleasant than the morning and afternoon.

 

[ArwenMarie]

It never cools down really
80 degrees at midnight

That's the big difference between there and the mid-Atlantic (where I live) Very few nights where we don't get a cooldown, minus maybe those "heatwave" weeks. The "heatwave" weeks here are normal there

The best hours for the parks IMO are the early hours. Weather is the most settled and coolest (not cool)

 

[ucfknight]

What time each day in August does it start to cool off?

October

 

[Mome Rath]

I don't feel nighttime offers that much relief as far as temp, but the sun won't be hammering you, so about an hour after sunset.

 

[2manyprincesses]

Best time heat-wise is in the morning. In the evening and after sundown it's a little better than midday, but the concrete is still radiating heat, so.... We have been several times in summer and do the hit the parks in the early morning, back to the resort for midday and parks again in the evening after 5pm or so gameplan.

Above all:
Make sure you are hydrating!! CM's recommend 1 bottle of water per person per hour in the heat of the day. We do 1/2 that and are good. I require my crew to drink water during the day and then they can have sodas or whatever they want at meals.

 

[bffdisney]

Another thing to keep in mind is it can rain for a short time every day, but this does not cool it down, but rather makes it more sticky. My advice is be at rope drop, go til you are too hot, then seek a break or air conditioned shows. It can really catch up with you if you don't hydrate!

 

[maltdizzy]

All good answers so far.

For the OP, the best thing to compare it to is when you get a heat wave with multiple days of no real break from the heat and humidity. Except you'll have the sun baring down on you the whole time. Rope drop, leave for or after lunch, pool time (if you don't swim, every pool has a bar; if you don't drink, I hear some people actually swim), and return to parks for dinner and more rides. The downside to this is it will be peak Summer season and pools will be crowded and harder to get umbrellas/tables.

Myself? I love it. I grow up with hot, humid summers and it just feels like "summer vacation" weather. I am to understand that others may feel differently.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I have lived in Manhattan and places near the Gulf Coast that have similar weather as Orlando. In my time in NYC, summer did not compare at all to the heat and humidity in Orlando in August. Days in NYC summer that would be reported as being oppressively hot and humid would have been considered a lovely break in Orlando.

 

[jods]

I live in NYC as well and always go in august as I work for the schools. We do many nights in the park. If you remember the heat wave we had in august last yr (in nyc), that's what Orlando feels like. We only rd AK and HS. My kids aren't morning people. Its bearable by around 6 but is better the later you get.

 

[CTPoly425]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for this helpful feedback. As the OP, I was wondering, do you all feel like the AC in the Disney hotel rooms can keep up with the August heat - especially at night while sleeping? I have read some posts about the new thermostats that have motion sensors and shut off the AC at odd times, like the middle of the night.

 

[dreiwhit]

October

I was thinking November.......

 

[ArwenMarie]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for this helpful feedback. As the OP, I was wondering, do you all feel like the AC in the Disney hotel rooms can keep up with the August heat - especially at night while sleeping? I have read some posts about the new thermostats that have motion sensors and shut off the AC at odd times, like the middle of the night.

The AC works well if it stays on. The sensors sometimes get in the way of that I would say if you can be comfortable sleeping at 72-74 you will be fine even with the sensors. Wear very light PJs and just use the sheet. Bring a small fan like a Vornado and shoot it at yourself. Don't set the thermostat lower than 72. Then you will go to sleep cool and wake up burning hot.

 

[maryj11]

I know when we were at BC last June we would turn up the thermostat because we were cold and when we got back to the room it was cold again. We had to cover up good at night because we were chilly. I dont know if the sensor was setting it back or the mouse keeper.

 

[LISAMWDW]

Florida in August.....it doesn't cool down.

 

[CAS239]

It doesn't cool down at all in August. You can be out at 2am and you'll still feel the heat and humidity.

It might not be mid 90's at 10pm, but it'll be high 80's

It doesn't start cooling off until around November or December, then it won't be chilly until Jan/Feb

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

It cools down some after it rains - and it will rain pretty much everyday. I have to say that we love when it rains - we put on our rain ponchos and hit the rides (that are open). The ride waits do go down after it rains as well. We are from NYC and started going in the summer once the older ones started college - since the schedules were off. We don't mind it now - we just take it slow and have sit down midday meals.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We've gone the last week of August every year for the past 6 years and will go again this August. We find it best to get to the parks right when they open, be out by 1 pm, rest at the hotel until about 5 pm, have an early dinner and then start touring again. Or we'll only do half days in the park and either swim in the a.m. with touring at night or tour in the morning with an event at night (like HDDR). I find the evenings to actually be quite pleasant. It's still hot, but once the sun goes down (around 8 pm), it feels fine. This August, we will just do half days. If you are used to spending a full day in the parks, I would just be prepared to adjust that schedule and avoid that mid-day sun.

 

[TiffanyA]

If I'm at Disney in the summer and it's daytime, you can find me at one of the water parks. Around 4PM, we start packing up, go to the hotel, refresh ourselves and get dinner. Parks after that!