July vs. August (not late August)

[scubamouse]

We've been to WDW several times in late August but I keep feeling like I'm pressing my luck on the hurricane front so we're looking at earlier in the summer. We're in NY so my kids don't get out of school until late June and go back after Labor day.

We are trying to plan a mid-summer trip so it would be about 10 days either in late July into August or early August.

Any recommendations on when the crowds will be slightly lower?

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Aug will be better than July simply b/c international travlers (read tour groups) will be less prevelant in Aug than in July. Both will be much more crowded than what you have experienced in late August.

FWIW hurricaines at Disney aren't that bad. In the occasional instance once pops up and goes over Orlando it's just some rain and wind and WDW knows how to handle it and keep guests comfortable. We have done 2 hurricaines at WDW and still gamble and go around Labor Day every year, the lower crowds are worth the trade off of potentially missing a day or two due to hurricaine rains and conditions.

 

[photo_chick]

We went the third week of August in 2010 (first week of free dining that year, the last week before a lot of schools started) and then the last week of June/first week of July (for July 4th) in 2011. With the exception of July 3rd and 4th the crowds were very similar on the two trips. Dining was the big difference for us. I had no problem getting ADR's on the trip that was not during free dining (June/July). Wait times at table service restaurants were also less overall when it was not free dining and I saw empty tables.

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

Fellow NY'er here, so we have the same basic constraints. We have been in July, early August, and late August. What I have noticed is that July is pretty crowded, early August is less crowded, and mid to late August is quite a bit less crowded. That being said, we try to go during middle August, but often think we are taking our chances with hurricane season.

 

[scubamouse]

It sounds like the later we go in August the better, am I reading that right? Once we hit 8/15, I feel like we're really chancing hurricanes. We've done late August a few times but I so feel like we're pushing our luck that that is what has me thinking of a slightly earlier trip.

 

[J3nn78]

I would go in late August. Less crowds is far more important to us than weather.

FYI, Hurricane season is from June-November, so there is gamble of encountering no matter what month in summer. September is actually the peak.

 

[Art 1]

Either or, not a big difference.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I would go in late August. Less crowds is far more important to us than weather.

FYI, Hurricane season is from June-November, so there is gamble of encountering no matter what month in summer. September is actually the peak.

 

[serene56]

Hurricanes happen in July too. (just so you know that you could pick a week in July that will get a hurricane.
Although August is more so then July.

I too would go later in August. THe crowds are just so manageable

 

[Laura727]

Another vote for late August. We did a two week trip August 2011 spanning from 8/18 to 9/2. What a difference from the start of our trip until the end. At the beginning we had to worry about getting FPs but by the end of the trip, everything was walk on. You have Florida schools going back into session at the end of August - usually around 8/20. I will say that the weekend before Florida schools went back into session was crazy busy. A CM explained that for AP holders, that is the first weekend in the summer that isn't a blackout date.

 

[raidermatt]

We have similar restraints and have being going between late June and mid August for the last 10 years or so.

The crowds decrease as you move through August, but then so do the operating hours and show schedules. Lines will get a bit shorter but the parks will also close earlier, and you have a greater chance of having attractions down for maintenance. It can actually become more difficult to see shows like Fantasmic and the MK fireworks/parade if the schedules are reduced.

I personally prefer late July and early August. Crowds have started to decrease a bit but the hours and schedules are usually still at the max.