August good or bad time to go

[doggy]

I have never been to DisneyWorld/Florida in the summer months. I am sure the weather is pretty hot and humid. Could those of you that have been to DisneyWorld during the first part of August or last part of July, please tell me what I can expect for crowds and weather? Is there better days of the week to go the parks than others? What are the water parks like for crowds then too? Any information that you are able to share with me for this time of year I would greatly appreciate!

 

[Babblin'Boo]

It is hot, but it evens out: You don't have to wait as long outside to get in the cooled buildings!

I went last year and a bottle of ice water and Powerade did just fine. I am going back this year, at the end of August.
Winter temps were high this winter in the east coast, I may take a guess and say they'll stay high in the summer as well... But we won't be on the surface of Venus! Nothing a popsicle and Powerade can't heal.

 

[Mercy]

We went in August, and yes, it was hot and crowded, but if you take it easy and know what to expect going in, you should be fine.

As far as water parks go, we went (I think) twice to get into Blizzard Beach and could not get in because it had reached capacity. So if you do decide to go to a water park, either get there early in the morning or later in the afternoon. We tried to get in around 11-12:00 and it was already full. When we finally did get into BB one day, it was a sea of wet bodies...LOL! I had trouble keeping track of the kids and actually lost my youngest son (10 y/o) for about an hour... I panicked, cried, reported him to lost and found... then he came wandering back from one of the water slides (which he forgot to tell me he was going to) like nothing had happened....KIDS!!! So anyway if you do let your kids go to a water slide (that is if you have kids), just remember it will take them a long time to get back to you because of the lines.

 

[Cindy B]

We went the last week of August, and it was fine. Not many lines, and it wasn't that hot either. (In fact it was hotter in PA than it was in FL, and we don't have air conditioner here in PA either)

It was fine, nothing a water bottle can't cure.

I didn't think the lines were that bad either.

 

[deena]

some considerable crowds due to a lot of school systems around the country being out for the summer at this time still so a good deal of people are trying to get that last minute vacation in right before the crunch as the season winds down. So, you will run in to more crowds in comparison to latter part of August for instance when most if not all being back in the classroom as I have been during this whole month; however don't know anything about last of July.

As far as weather goes for August be forewarned that you can expect on average temperatures of actually 90 degrees plus so you will be in the midst of heat and humid everyday. But there are different ways to become acclimated to the daily hot atmosphere thereby offering some relief such as hats, water mister fans, taking breaks, cold bottled water, swimming at the hotel, and taking advantage of much airconditioning on rides/shows whenever possible to diffuse body heat. It has become our favorite time to visit WDW.

 

[Humpbacks1962]

Towards the end of August the crowds aren't that bad. Kids are getting ready for school beginning the first week of September anyhow.

The heat is not so unbearable. You can get by drinking lots of fluids and wearing cool, light colored clothes. The lines aren't as full. What was nice about staying onsite were the breaks that my son and I took last year, going back to the resort to cool off and nap, and returning to the parks after 6:00 until they closed.

Wanda

 

[2minnies]

We have gone the last week in August 3 times and have enjoyed every trip. It is hot and humid, however we have always taken a break midday to rest and swim. The lines were not bad...it seems many schools are already in session by this time. We don't start until after labor day.

We haven't even bothered with the misting fans, etc. All we needed were a stroller, hats, sunscreen, and lots of water!!!

 

[Cindy B]

I do believe the Southern school get to school earlier than early mid-September, so you won't have many school kids.

We went last year, August 25-30th and it was mostly British visitors!

 

[Robinrs]

August 12th is the first day of school for my area of Georgia so you can bet it'll cut into the crowds!

 

[JADEMM]

The last 10 days of August are lower crowds-Fla goes back to school. We went the last 2 years the first week of August and it was still great. Swim shorts, sandels and short hair. Just get wet as often as you can-its awsome.

 

[Disneydenise]

We have been to WDW numerous times in August. At the beginning of August thru the middle the parks are open later than usual. It is a good time to get on the more popular rides. We have also been towards the end of the month and the crowds diminsh considerably. The hours however, are lessened aswell as the crowds. It is still a great time.

 

[musicfan]

We LOVE going in July and August because:

1. Even though there are crowds, rides are at full capacity and move people faster.

2. It's ALWAYS warm enough to swim -- day or night!

3. LOTS more parades, fireworks, etc.

We've been in the "off-season" (Oct. and Feb. in non-vacation weeks) and had a much worse experience. Rides are at half-capacity and you wait FOREVER in line, parades and fireworks are run very infrequently, and chilly weather can ruin your day at a water park.

ONE THING TO BE AWARE OF is that crowd patterns are different in the summer than in the off season -- in the summer they start the day very low, then build steadily into the evening, when they are absolutely packed. This has happened every time we've been there in the summer. In the off-season, the crowds are heavy in the morning and into the afternoon, then decrease again towards evening (and the parks close earlier, too). Who knows why?

Enjoy your summer visit! Maybe we'll see you there!

 

[Humpbacks1962]

Rides are at half-capacity and you wait FOREVER in line

What did I miss here? I have been to the parks during very slow times and they always start the rides on schedule, things don't seem to slow down that much! Often the rides and attractions have only about a dozen people, and that is very nice! I did nto notice the lines moving slower at all, but the opposite.

In the off-season, the crowds are heavy in the morning and into the afternoon, then decrease again towards evening (and the parks close earlier, too). Who knows why?

There are fewer people, and the numbers of those taking midday breaks or leaving early with tired and cranky, smaller children are more noticeable. Since the crowds thin out, they go through the rides sooner and are "done" with that park sooner as well.

Wanda

 

[doggy]

hey music fan had some questions for you if you would not mind emailing me?

 

[musicfan]

Sure, I'll e-mail them. How do we set that up?

Oh, and Humpbacks1962, maybe you go in January? All I know is that October is horrible (been there in October 3 times -- will never do it again) and February (twice) and it was mobbed. They had to close the MK to non-resort guests on October 10th a couple of years ago because the crowds were so large. It's very frustrating when there are huge crowds and they will only open up one side of a ride because it's officially "off season".

 

[kgkmom]

I've been to WDW twice in August, and it's great! Heed the advice about going early to the parks (especially the water parks), and I agree that the evenings are probably the busiest times. I would absolutely recommend doing E-ride night (if they are still offering it-not sure). The lines in general were not bad at all. We only waited longer than 20 minutes once (Rock N' Roller Coaster), and that was because it was mid-afternoon. I was all set to do the 'get there early, leave at noon, come back later' thing, but my DD wanted to 'go, go, go!' So, we kept on going. Eat lunch early as well (11:00) and you'll get the double bonus of smaller lines due to lunch and noon-naps.

Absolutely drink lots and lots of water. All the time. Drink when you are not thirsty, because if you wait until you're thirsty, it's too late. One thing that worked for me, was making sure we took a little drink at least every half-hour, more if needed, but not less than every half-hour. My daughter and I never got sick, or even too tired, and we didn't take any more bathroom breaks than usual. The Brita water bottle was the best money I ever spent for a vacation item. I got mine at Wal-Mart, but I'm sure they're everywhere. On the hottest day (97-98 degrees, humid of course!), I kept refilling the bottle with ice chips from the vendors. They weren't happy, but I was hydrated! And the water was always cold!

I've also traveled in March (pretty good) and April (way too crowded-won't do that again), and am probably traveling this year in October, so I'm concerned about the previous post mentioning horrible crowds! I'd go in August instead, but my cousin is getting married in October (he's a CM-lucky guy!), so that's when we're going.

Have a great time!

-Sarah

 

[kgkmom]

I've been to WDW twice in August, and it's great! Heed the advice about going early to the parks (especially the water parks), and I agree that the evenings are probably the busiest times. I would absolutely recommend doing E-ride night (if they are still offering it-not sure). The lines in general were not bad at all. We only waited longer than 20 minutes once (Rock N' Roller Coaster), and that was because it was mid-afternoon. I was all set to do the 'get there early, leave at noon, come back later' thing, but my DD wanted to 'go, go, go!' So, we kept on going. Eat lunch early as well (11:00) and you'll get the double bonus of smaller lines due to lunch and noon-naps.

Absolutely drink lots and lots of water. All the time. Drink when you are not thirsty, because if you wait until you're thirsty, it's too late. One thing that worked for me, was making sure we took a little drink at least every half-hour, more if needed, but not less than every half-hour. My daughter and I never got sick, or even too tired, and we didn't take any more bathroom breaks than usual. The Brita water bottle was the best money I ever spent for a vacation item. I got mine at Wal-Mart, but I'm sure they're everywhere. On the hottest day (97-98 degrees, humid of course!), I kept refilling the bottle with ice chips from the vendors. They weren't happy, but I was hydrated! And the water was always cold!

I've also traveled in March (pretty good) and April (way too crowded-won't do that again), and am probably traveling this year in October, so I'm concerned about the previous post mentioning horrible crowds! I'd go in August instead, but my cousin is getting married in October (he's a CM-lucky guy!), so that's when we're going.

Have a great time!

-Sarah

 

[kgkmom]

So sorry about the double post!

-Sarah

 

[Humpbacks1962]

No, I never go in January. In fact, a little common sense tells us that even during value season dates, the parks can be as packed as other dates, only because the time converges with some school vacation or long holiday. And on top of it all, hotel rates are lower.

I have visited the parks right after Thanksgiving, the first week in December and see none of what you describe. Emptier parks do not mean longer lines and waiting times, at all! I have also been there at the end of August, after some schools have started. It is very comfortable, except for the heat which can be easily ignored with icy water.

In fact, the first week of December is the best time to go , ever, in my experience. The parks are already decorated for the holidays but dead empty! The longest line we ever waited in was for Splash Mountain, a staggering 20 minutes! We went right through Space Mountain, Alien, TOT, Test Track, Dinosaur, etc., like a breeze.

Bottomline is, pick your dates avoiding school vacations and breaks (regardless of the season classification) as much as possible.


Wanda

 

[musicfan]

I will clarify, though -- my experiences with extremely crowded conditions in February and particularly October were during periods that DID NOT intersect with school vacations and/or holidays -- they were specifically planned with that in mind after our experience in November (very uncrowded conditions during the second week in November, but as soon as Thanksgiving week began, crowds increased dramatically). I stand by my post and would never again visit in October, and only under protest in February.