Weather in August 2011

[disneymad1998]

Hi All,

We have booked WDW for the first 2 weeks in August 2011 yay!! (3rd August - 17th August in SSR).

We have always gone in September around 16th every year but for two reasons we have had to book for August this year.

Firstly - Our DD10's school in the UK will not allow us to take her out of school in September and secondly I will 40 on the 7th August and have always dreamed of celebrating it there - so we did!!

We are kinda worried about the weather - Coming from the UK where we experience about 10 hot days a year (lol) how will the weather be in August?

Also in 9 visits to the WDW in September we only ever experienced one hurricane (Jeanne) but are they more likley in August?

And lastly - The rain and the crowds - Does it REALLY rain at 3PM EVERY day and what are the crowd levels like / queues for the rides.

Any advise much appreciated!


Jayne, Darren & Ellie Mae xx

[buzznwoodysmom]

August is going to be HOT and humid. I live in Louisiana, weather here is much like Orlando. August is our hottest month. However, if your used to going in September then your already used to heat and humidity, it just might be a bit hotter. My very first trip to WDW was in August and I remember saying "Never Again". We've never been again in August, and we've never experienced a trip hot like that first one. If its the only time you can go then you can definitely make do. Try to spend time at the waterparks, go back to the room for a swim during the hottest parts of the day, and drink lots of water.

Hurricane season is from June to November, but peak hurricane season seems to be August and September.

Good luck and I hope you have a fabulous birthday in WDW!

[Strmchsr]

I can say with about 95% certainty that your weather for August will be highs in the mid 90s, lows in the low to mid 70s, and a chance of thunderstorms every afternoon. No, they don't happen every day, but most days they do. It's called a sea breeze thunderstorm. The sea breezes from the Gulf and the Atlantic meet right over Orlando, which results in a pretty intense thunderstorm most days between 3 and 5 pm. The good news is they don't last very long.

Unless you're from Florida (or the Deep South) it's not the heat that's so bad. It's the humidity, which will make the weather feel 10-15 degrees hotter than it really is. Most days the heat index in Florida is 105-110 during August and July. The humidity in Florida in July and August is so high that, literally, your body loses the ability to cool itself. Your body cools by the sweat evaporating off of your skin. But, in FL the humidity is so high that the atmosphere cannot absorb any more water and so your sweat no longer evaporates, causing your body to overheat. Heat exhaustion and stroke are very common in Florida during the summer among tourists from other climates, both USA and abroad. The way to get around this is to drink a LOT of water, take frequent breaks, and go back to your room between 1-5 pm (the hottest part of the day) for a break. You'd do much better going back for a nap or a swim, then coming back for dinner and an evening in the park. Also, arrive at park opening so you can have some fun before getting your lunch and leaving for a break.

As noted, peak hurricane season is August and September, so you're no more likely to experience one in August than in September, but that is peak season so the chance is there.

Crowds will probably start off a little heavier at the beginning of your trip and then thin out. A lot of folks in the US go the first week of August as it's the last week before many schools start. Once schools start back, though, crowds slack off.

The heat is miserable, yes, especially if you're not used to it (I don't like it, but being from Alabama I've learned to tolerate it). But you can still have a great time if you'll follow the tips I gave you.

[NJGIRL]

I believe most hurricanes that hit FL are in Aug/Sept. I don't think that Orlando has had a big one for a few years now (Charlie??) but I could be wrong. I went once in Aug (the last two weeks) and it was very very hot. I remember it raining a couple of days but not everyday. They were downpours that lasted less than an hour, sometimes the sun would come back out and sometimes it didn't, but it was always very humid after. As I said I was only there in Aug once so I'm not sure if my experience was typical.

[princessgirls]

August is HOT, Steamy...HOT, Hazy, Humid...did I mention HOT?????

Showers in the afternoon.

However, it is NOT awful. Disney is very air conditioner friendly, and there are lots of places to cool off. The threat of a hurricane runs straight through until the end of November, just not limited to August.

August=Value Season...it's HOT, not too crowded because a lot of schools are back in already and Cheaper. I got to look at the cost factor...
Julie

[disneymad1998]

Thank you all - you are all so fabulous on here - any question is answered immediately and so well - thank you thank you thank you.

One more Q, When are the American children off of / go back to school please?

[MarkC]

School calendars are set by the individual school district, so it varies widely. However, schools start to return the week of August 8th. The crowds will be a little above average that week and average at best the week of August 15th.

Go to a local sporting goods store when you arrive and ask them for something that will help keep you cool. We bought an item last year called a Frogg Togg, which worked great. You wet it and put it around your neck and it helps keep you cool. I'm sure there are similar items as well. Good luck.

[joonyer]

. . .
One more Q, When are the American children off of / go back to school please?

Anywhere form the first week of August up until Labor Day (first Monday in September) Depending on the State and the local school systems. Schedules vary from place to place. I'd guess by mid-August probably half of American schools will have started their fall sessions.

When I was a child growing up in the south (Alabama & Georgia), we did not have air-conditioned schools and we did not start back to school until after Labor Day. It was still hot but not as hot as August.
Now our schools are all air-conditioned and our local system starts back on August 1.

[NJGIRL]

In the north east our children don't go back until after Labor Day.

[twinboyz]

My kids go back just before Labor Day. August is very hot but there are lots of places to cool off and just be sure to drink lots of water.

Be smart about your day. If you are feeling a little overheated, just hit an air conditioned store or snack bar. Just do what you would normally do at home. Use your instincts.

We went last August and had a great trip. I have lots of pictures with all of us sweating like crazy, but we were smiling in every one of them and still had a great time. We missed out on RnRC at DHS because of the heat. We stood in line for over an hour and had about another 45 min wait, but I couldn't do it anymore. We hopped out of line each got a bottle of Powerade and downed them.

We too had reasons we we had to go in August, but no regrets! We had a fantastic time!

[CanadaLovesDisney]

We love august. Of course it is hot and it rains a bit but it doesn't rain long usually a bit in the afternoon!

[buzznwoodysmom]

One more Q, When are the American children off of / go back to school please?

Here in Louisiana we go back around the middle of August. I don't think you'll see light crowds because of schools being back in session. If I'm not mistaken we are one of the states that go back to school the earliest, and we don't go back till August 15th. Many, many schools will still be off during the first two weeks of August. But with summer winding down you never know, it may not be too crowded. Good luck.

[TracyL]

The rain question is really interesting in the last few years. Yes, normal summer pattern should have afternoon showers and thunderstorms almost every day -- all that heat and humidity creates convection, goes up, comes down. But these last few years have been really dry. Yes, you get rain regularly and you do need to plan for it, but I remember a whole lot of days last year wondering when the rain was going to come, and it never did. It was just brutal last year. The thing about that afternoon rain is that it's kind of a relief from the heat, no different than going on Splash Mountain or Kali River Rapids!

The key to surviving the heat is to take it seriously. Drink more water than you think you need. Take it slow. Take afternoon breaks back at the resort and hit the pool. SLATHER the sunscreen! I've lost count of the number of glowing red Brits I've seen in the parks -- most folks from the UK are pale like me and for some reason they never quite use enough sunscreen. It is miserable to be sunburned. Err on the side of covering up. "performance fabric" clothing is great for that - brands like Columbia and Ex Officio make shirts with built-in venting and very light weight, wicking fabric that helps a lot. Some garments will even have a sunscreen treatment in the fabric.

Good luck and stay cool!