Should you schedule your Disney World Trip for August?
First check out the calendar below to see what crowds and weather might be like in September. Then see our recommendations below.
Please read this first: Remember that our crowd projections charts are “guesstimates”. Many times in the past I consulted other well-known crowd projection charts, and would get to the parks only to find that reality was completely different from the estimates. Regardless, the general trends I saw on the charts effectively helped me choose the best travel dates for me. So please refer to our estimates only as a general planning guide. Know that accuracy is not a guarantee here or on any crowd projection calendar you’ll see, and everything below is subject to change.
Click on the calendar to enlarge it:
Weather Considerations for August at Disney World:
- Average Rainfall for August: 7.1 inches with daily thunder storms.
- Average high temperature is 92. Average low is 74.
- August is within Hurricane Season.
Special Events during the month of August at Disney World:
None at this time.
Other Considerations:
August is one of our LEAST SUGGESTED times to go to Disney World. Here’s why:
- It’s brutally hot, hot, hot and it’s also extremely humid. It’s very uncomfortable, and may even be a concern for those with some health conditions. It rains almost daily. Storms are usually temporary, happening in the afternoon for an hour or two, but they can last all day. See the Weather at Disney World & Picking Travel Dates page for details on what it’s like.
- It’s very crowded for the first few weeks of August, and crowds change the quality of your trip. The waits for rides can be very long. The walkways in the parks are more crowded. The resorts and parks are crowded. Lines for quick service food are longer. You’ll spend a lot more time waiting. If you plan to go in August, choose the last 1 1/2 weeks if at all possible, because the crowds dramatically reduce when kids return back to school.
- Hurricane Season starts in June, and August is a part of hurricane season. See the Weather at Disney World & Picking Travel Dates page for more details.
- Some costs will be higher for the heavy crowd days. Ticket pricing tends to be higher during higher crowd periods. The resort prices rise, especially for the value and moderate resorts. You can check out the changes in resort prices here on mousesavers.com. Again, if you must go in August, choose the end of the month to save money.
That being said, you can still have fun at Disney but you’ll need to adjust your expectations and plan extremely well. Consult a site like touringplans.com for daily touring plans of the parks to cut down on your wait times. Make strategic use of FastPass+. Recognize that it will probably rain every day at least for a few minutes in the afternoon, and plan accordingly.
Health considerations when visiting Disney World in August:
Those who have sensitivity to heat, humidity or light should avoid Disney World in August. We’ve found that the heat can be extremely intense this time of year, even for those without health issues. Heat stroke is possible for anyone, so care must be taken. The combination of heat and humidity can make everything feel much more intense.
Keep in mind that when you’re walking the paths in the parks, most are uncovered. Also some attraction queues are uncovered. Not only will you be dealing with the sun beating down on you, you’ll experience the heat that’s reflecting back up from the ground. The intense heat lasts late into the day. If this is a problem for you physically, I’d suggest scheduling your trip in the cooler months.
Since mold grows in moisture, those who have mold sensitivity may want to avoid Orlando in August because it’s so wet. It’s not that you’ll see the mold, but there may be more spores in the air in the wetter months. If you’re sensitive to mold, choose a month with low rain averages like November, December, January, and February.
If you’re riding a mobility scooter or wheelchair, consider that it can be more difficult in the rain. Keeping your wheelchair dry can be a challenge, and the electronics of an ECV need to stay dry. Steering an ECV while holding an umbrella can be difficult. If you choose to use a rain coat instead of an umbrella, your feet will most likely get wet, and your face can get pelted with rain. It’s kind of miserable according to my wife! If you have the option, though there’s no guarantee, I’d recommend visiting Disney in a dryer season.
Recommended websites and references:
touringplans.com – detailed day by day crowd calendars (paid service) with various park touring plans.
easywdw.com – Free detailed crowd calendars with best and worst parks each day, and other details and recommendations.
wdwprepschool.com – Excellent planning site with some great information.
www.disneyworld.com – Disney’s official website.
Mousesavers.com – Great information on how to save money at Disney World, including resort pricing calendars.
www.accuweather.com – Weather averages for each month and each day of the month.
Weather.com – Good site for weather averages and you can get a 10 day projected forecast.
Do you have more tips or thoughts on this topic?
Please feel free to post them in a comment below. We’d love your input.
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