Hello, we will be there from August 14 to August 24. I was wondering What anyone who has been in August thinks the crowds will be like. This site says it will be a little busier than another site I had checked. A little worried since we usually go at the end of April into the beginning of May but can’t this year.
This will be our 5th time going in August. It’s always super hot and the crowds range between 8 and 9 at the beginning of the trip and then go down slightly right at the end. Last year 6 and 7s were predicted, and then right before we left they went up to 8 and 9. We are assuming the same will happen this year. But honestly, I don’t know if I ever really noticed the difference between a 7 and 9.
With that being said, we have never experienced huge wait times…we followed our plans and tried to RD as much as possible. We usually use the extra morning hours since we stay on site, and had great luck at Epcot last trip with the evening hours. We thought the evening hours at MK were crowded at the beginning, but by the end we had the park to ourselves! DD is all about character meets so those tend to be our biggest time suck when we don’t have FPPs…characters in WS can be a bear! We have also learned to stay out of the gift shops at closing time! Yikes!
We have never gone at any other time so I have nothing to compare it to…but we always have a great time!! I’m sure you will too…it will just be a bit different!
To me, in August, a couple of points difference in crowd level comes in WAY behind the unbearable, just crossed the River Styx and entered into the mouth of Hell, heat and humidity. I went in August once, when I was in my 20s, and it was miserable (and I was living in NW FL at the time) and swore I would never do it again. I haven’t. Now, in my mid-50s, the only way you could get me to WDW for a planned trip from June through September would be to offer me an all expense paid deluxe vacation.
When we have been in August, we tended to do late touring (or you can do early, we are not early risers!) It does get crowded but if you plan well it should be ok. I agree with @bswan26, the hardest thing to deal with, is not the crowds but the heat! You have to be really prepared for this or your energy will be really zapped and touring (even with a plan) will be super hard. In comparison we have been to WDW over Christmas and New Year and though it was more crowded than August, we seemed to deal with it better because it was much cooler. You will still have a super time!
I’m with the folks above ^^^^ While the crowds will be larger than say, September, the heat is going to be your biggest problem. Although, I guess you could say that the crowds will exacerbate the heat because you’ll be spending more time in line. However, follow your TouringPlans to the letter, and you’ll minimize that time in line!
You could also consider the mid-day break (back to your hotel from 11am-3pm for a swim/relaxation/shower).
We went in late Aug last year for the the first time… crowds were very manageable… however, if you are used to going in the spring, don’t forget to factor in the inevitable afternoon thunderstorm every day! Keep that in mind for your touring plans, so that you have a backup plan for indoor shows/rides, late lunches/early dinners, etc. if you have a storm roll in. You can poncho up and still tour normally for rain, but for thunder and lightening, you’ll need to go inside. Also, if you plan to visit a water park, choose 2 possible days on your plan for the same reason! The good news is they clear out as fast as they roll in!