August Heat

ElliottsMomma

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 7, 2015
Hi everyone! I just booked a trip staying at AOA for the first time. I will be traveling with my parents and my 2 5-year-old son's in late August of next year. We have never gone in the summertime because of the heat but because I have a new job summer is my only option. I plan on going back to the resort for afternoon pool time and relaxation but in all honesty how hot is it going to be?
 
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Hi everyone! I just booked a trip staying at AOA for the first time. I will be traveling with my parents and my 25-year-old son's in late August of next year. We have never gone in the summertime because of the heat but because I have a new job summer is my only option. I plan on going back to the resort for afternoon pool time and relaxation but in all honesty how hot is it going to be?
Mid to upper 90's and humid. Daily rains & accompanying clouds help temper the heat a bit, but not much. It'll be hot.

We still love our summer Disney trips, though. Prepare yourself to deal with heat, sun & rain (hats, sunglasses, ponchos, water-friendly shoes & clothing, staying hydrated, taking afternoon breaks, swimming, etc.) and you'll have a great time, too.
 
I was there Aug. 25-28 this year, and I found the humidity worse than the heat. It also rained a lot. But it was just my husband and I so we were not overly bothered by it. We were at Epcot from rope drop to park close and didn't wilt. :)

That being said, I would have found the trip miserable with our three young kids. Since you are talking about an adult trip, I think you'll be OK as long as no one (e.g. your parents) have any heat sensitivity issues. But be prepared to be uncomfortable and plan to get out of the heat at regular intervals.
 
We went 2 years ago in August and it was brutal. This past year it wasn't as bad. We had misting fans, cooling towels etc. We went to shows/rides just for air conditioning sometimes to take a break and cool off. My parents came with us and they didn't go to the park every day so they could rest and take a break from the heat.
 
It's going to be hot. But I say to myself, it is hot in CT in the summer and I am either in a pool or a/c and basically on Disney I am in a pool or a/c.

Make sure you go early, I mean the work opens at 8, be there for 7:30. Return at lunch time, nap, rest, swim, shower and return to a park around dinner time.

We do a park for a few days then take a dedicated pool day to recoup.

It is hot but most rides have a/c or shade so it's doable!
 
It is very hot! That being said, we have gone in August the last three years and always have a great time!!
 
I was there Aug. 25-28 this year, and I found the humidity worse than the heat. It also rained a lot. But it was just my husband and I so we were not overly bothered by it. We were at Epcot from rope drop to park close and didn't wilt. :)

That being said, I would have found the trip miserable with our three young kids. Since you are talking about an adult trip, I think you'll be OK as long as no one (e.g. your parents) have any heat sensitivity issues. But be prepared to be uncomfortable and plan to get out of the heat at regular intervals.


I edited my post. I actually have two 5-year-old sons.
 


We went there last Aug 10-20 or something similar and vowed to never ever go in August again. We felt we saw a lot less because of it. (went with 2 year old and 7 year old). We saw so little as a result. I'd have a touring plan where you did something outside, then time inside. We did TS for lunch because then it was a guaranteed air conditioned spot for a while.

Also, try to use all the air conditioned transportation that is possible. Sounds like a no brainer, but last year I drove to a park instead of taking a bus. Car was extremely hot when we returned.

My kids' appetite goes down in extreme heat.

I do think as adults it would be better because you don't have to carry a sweaty overheated toddler when you are really hot. There are lots and lots of shows, so I'd plan on doing those in the afternoon if you are in the park.
 
I am quite nervous about the August heat. We went in May and found it difficult. We are from the grey UK though! We have cooling towels, took water bottles etc. Would you recommend the misting fans from the park or cheaper ones? Also shoe recommendations? My kids are 9 and 6 when we go.

Is it a case of preparing for it, expect the worst and it won@t be as bad?
 
We've gone the last week of August for the past 7 years and after this past August, I won't do it again. It was oppressive to the point I almost had to give up on our plans and go back to the resort. Even sitting for the shows in the evening (I remember ROL distinctly) when the sun was down was difficult. Even early morning was bad. DS and I played basketball around 9:00 am one morning at WL and we had to give up rather quickly. If you are going to do it, get to the parks at rope drop, get out by 1 pm and don't go back in until the sun goes down. Both DS and I were soaking wet with sweat every day. It just wasn't fun at all.
 
August is brutal. It’s like being in a sauna on the surface of the sun.

Take advantage of indoor attractions to soak up the air conditioning. I’d also recommend you consider a tour that will let you in the FP+ line for popular attractions. The tours aren’t cheap, but in the August heat it might be worth it not to wait in line.
 
August is brutal! For us it was a one and done trip in August. If you have to go then, I would look at expanding your trip so you aren't as rushed and can plan more breaks/pool time - and this is from someone that is an open to close style visitor in the parks.
 
I am now really worried about August. I had a lot of people tell me it was no worse than May half term (which we did melt this year!). We only have 10 days and now thinking we won't enjoy it.
 
I am now really worried about August. I had a lot of people tell me it was no worse than May half term (which we did melt this year!). We only have 10 days and now thinking we won't enjoy it.

In our experience May was a lot more enjoyable weather wise than August. But 10 days is a long time and will allow for a lot of breaks, naps and pool time to cool off. No need to rush as hard then.
 
We have done May...but have also done August pretty much every year since 2009. May is much more pleasant, but that doesn't make August unbearable.

I pretty much always give the same advice, but it's true: go to the Parks at rope drop. Either have lunch there, then leave for the resort pool, or have lunch at the pool. Enjoy your resort, the pool...the pool activities, etc., and come back to the Parks around or after dinnertime. It will be less crowded and once the sun goes down, less hot.

Wear what works in heat and humidity! Some prefer that dry-fit fabric, we find we do better in light colored cottons. My DD's and I honestly think sundresses with slip shorts underneath are far cooler than anything else. Sandals (the good supportive kind) work much better than socks and sneakers. Drink lots of water, slow down, and take air conditioning breaks often. We love our August trips! We can stay for 10 nights with no one missing school or busy times at work, and the Parks don't seem that crowded to us.

I will say, we had to go in July of 2016 instead of August, and I found it much worse! I was very happy to return to August this summer! Enjoy!
 
I am now really worried about August. I had a lot of people tell me it was no worse than May half term (which we did melt this year!). We only have 10 days and now thinking we won't enjoy it.
Don't be nervous. Just be prepared for the heat and manage expectations. Leave the parks for a mid-day break and take it easy if you feel the heat getting to you. Take a lot of pool breaks and be prepared to call it an early day if you feel overheated. Drink a lot of water. More than you think you need. Bring misting fans and cooling towels. We've been three times in August. It's was fine and we had a good time. We definitely want to try to go next during the cooler months, but WDW can be done in the heat with proper planning.
 
August is definitely hot!! We've done it twice thus far (in 2014 and this year) and are doing August again next year. We do use misting fans for the kids and cooling towels. We do pool/nap breaks mid-day to get out of the parks at peak sun hours.

The great thing about August (at least late August) is that the crowds are very reasonable. I will say that 2014 was especially bad for me because I was 5 months pregnant. THAT was a mistake, LOL.

Overall though, we love going at the end of August and are looking forward to it again next year! :goodvibes
 
How many days are you going?
We went in August for first time this year. We had been before and knew we were coming back this year so that let us tour differently. We did early am, lunch ADR and then pool/nap time until dinner. It was cooler after sun set but not a ton. Also-parks weren't open as late as they had been in past and that DOES make a difference! Going to a park at 7 and it closes at 10 is a bummer vs open til 11 or later-big difference crowd/heat wise.

Quick dry (think athletic clothes/fabric) clothes including undergarments! You will want to shower mid day and night-so plan at least 2 outfits per person per day (I plan a pool morning/day mid-trip to do laundry), changing into cool, fresh clothes does wonders. Lots of AC shows/shops. Strategic fastpasses (non ac lines or those that have super long waits typically). LOTS of water, use the flavor drops to get kids -and adults-to drink more. The misting fans aren't much help in humidity but a personal fan is. Hats to keep sun off face/head. Cooling towels.

Most of all-in the heat you will not be able to go-go-go or you will be miserable. Plan at least one full morning or evening by the pool - especially with your age kids. Take what you want to accomplish and cut it in half-then you will have a fabulous trip! The heat will get to you otherwise.

We had a great time on (family) August trip, I had fun on (girls) October trip (even though it was still summer hot!) but I definitely prefer our early June trips!
 
My park-touring wardrobe has changed since we moved from October to August trips. My typical at-home clothes are cotton – polos, cargo shorts, cotton boxers. But in August you will be sweating, virtually from the moment you walk outdoors. So as others have said quick-drying is a must. I’ll add loose fitting and ventilated.

And I particularly hate t-shirts and/or thin cotton in August, as it inevitably sticks to your body, instead of falls away. The products below are both quick drying and designed for ventilation

I pretty exclusively much wear these types shirts/shorts nowadays in the parks. LL Bean calls them tropic-wear:

ll shirt a.JPG ll shirt back.JPG LL Shorts.jpg

Columbia has a line called PFG, in their fishing shirts category:

colo front.JPG colo back.JPG colum short.png

Both LL Bean and Columbia have women’s versions of the above products.


Finally, I’ll add that I think some type of sandal (non-leather) is the best choice in August. You’ll inevitably be caught in some sort of downpour. Sneakers and sock will just absorb all that water. A good pair sandals will let you navigate through puddles, and will dry out soon afterward..My family each has a pair of Keens that we pretty much only u wear at theme parks:

keen snadals.JPG
 
It's gonna be hot and humid. We went Aug 15-23 this past summer. There were a few moments of "holy crap its hot". But there are lots of tricks. Walk through shops, ice water at QS, slow down your schedule and build in breaks each day and be okay with leaving the park sooner than planned if needed. We had the kids share carrying a mini backpack with bottled water that was in the freezer the night before which felt good on their back and kept them hydrated. We found that they drank more if they had water in their hand or in the bag at all times.Every meal chug a water right away. We were staying at Beach Club and often came back from MK via monorail and of course could walk back from epcot, so we'd walk through Club Cool on the way which was a big cool down. The nice part of a WDW vacation is that its so immersive you often forget about outside factors, so heat was only noticeable when at moments where tiredness or strain were setting in.
 

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