*** The Official August 2018 Thread*** - let's have some fun....

[DisneyFan119]

I am probably going to try the late start a few days. It’s just once we do this, we are committed due to FP, at least for our top rides. So, decisions.

We are at Boardwalk for the first part, then Grand Floridian.

I've gone in August many times, and yes, it's HOT. But, it doesn't have to be miserable if you're anticipating it and are prepared - drink water, use cooling towels, fans, dress in cool fabric, etc. And forget looking nice - everyone is sweaty and sticky.

But also, my touring strategy in the extreme heat is different depending on the park. For example, in MK, I can go rope drop to close without an afternoon break because there are a LOT of places to get out of the heat for awhile (CoP, HoP, even inside queues...). However, AK is different - that park always feels 100 degrees hotter and stickier than the others, like the flames of Hades are consuming it. I usually try to do an afternoon break on AK days.

Just something to think about. Your touring strategy in the heat may vary depending on the park!

 

[Aladora]

What are your general time-of-day touring plans, fellow augusters?

Are you going to do rope drop to mid-day, then go back in the evenings?

Are you going to only go after 4/5pm?

Are you planning all-day-long days?

Or something else?

We haven’t gone in high heat before, and the “is August that bad” thread is making me rethink my plans.

We usually do rope drop to noon and then a few times we go back in the evenings.

I’m wondering if we should adjust our Park plans to start late afternoon/early evening after good late breakfasts and pool lounging. Have 2 kids, middle and upper elementary.

It would feel so strange to do. But certainly more relaxing not waking early. What is it like in the parks at 9 or 10am?

We have never done wdw in August but our typical touring plan for DL has us hitting RD or close to it and taking a break back at the hotel after lunch. DS (he’ll turn 13 just before the trip) needs a mid day break regardless of the heat, he is autistic so he tends to get overwhelmed after a few hours. A couple of hours back at the hotel is enough to allow him to decompress so we can go back just before dinner.

It’s easier at DL because we can just walk back to the hotel but when we took our wdw trip in 2015, we just took the bus back to AKL every day.

I have planned our ADRs with the break in mind, most of our planned meals are dinners back at whatever park we are hitting that day.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

What are your general time-of-day touring plans, fellow augusters?

Are you going to do rope drop to mid-day, then go back in the evenings?

Are you going to only go after 4/5pm?

Are you planning all-day-long days?

Or something else?

We haven’t gone in high heat before, and the “is August that bad” thread is making me rethink my plans.

We usually do rope drop to noon and then a few times we go back in the evenings.

I’m wondering if we should adjust our Park plans to start late afternoon/early evening after good late breakfasts and pool lounging. Have 2 kids, middle and upper elementary.

It would feel so strange to do. But certainly more relaxing not waking early. What is it like in the parks at 9 or 10am?

We have done August the last 12 years (and there is never a cool time of day lol). Our trip is 14 days and we plan to go rope drop to 2pm, then relax at pool/have a nice dinner/visit Disney Springs by boat (we are at PORS for 11 days). We are doing this for days 1 and 2, with day off parks for day 3. Repeat RD for days 4 and 5 with another day off parks for day 6 and so on... My DD's are older teens but still see the value for RD for our family, as long as they get every third day off to sleep a bit. On our day off we will enjoy our resort and pool, visit Disney Springs, go to a table service meal (maybe) and relax.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

I am probably going to try the late start a few days. It’s just once we do this, we are committed due to FP, at least for our top rides. So, decisions.

We are at Boardwalk for the first part, then Grand Floridian.

I agree re the committed due to FP comment. I like to do the planning before we go then not have to worry about changing once I'm there. Yes, I can but I'd rather not have to pull out my phone plus I have ADR's booked with the FP's planned etc.... I see you're staying at Boardwalk Inn. The last 3 nights of our trip are at the Beach Club and we are using those days to sleep in / swim and wander into Epcot whenever we feel like it. The 11 days at PORS are more structured but it's nice being close to a park (I guess DHS and Epcot, so 2 parks) which makes it easier to walk back to resort fairly quickly for a break. I'm looking forward to seeing Illuminations late at night and then just walking to my resort rather than dealing with buses. I've heard so many good things about Boardwalk Inn and it's on my bucket list to try but we keep going back to BC for the pool.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Hi All

Another August one here.

I never been to Disney in the summer so I expect this to be very interesting.

I expect very hot temps, some storms for 2 hours, and hopefully an amazing time.

I also got Disney after dark tickets for when I am there!

Staying at Wilderness

 

[DaniMoon]

We are first time Augusters, too. We were in June last year.

We do RD most days, we are early birds. Break and go back in the evening. We are there two weeks nad have some non-park days planned. I have a plan in my head, but weather may change them if there are any major storms in the area. With RD and FP, we get so much accomplished by lunch we are happy to take a break.

 

[Tomh]

What are your general time-of-day touring plans, fellow augusters?

Are you going to do rope drop to mid-day, then go back in the evenings?

Are you going to only go after 4/5pm?

Are you planning all-day-long days?

Or something else?

We haven’t gone in high heat before, and the “is August that bad” thread is making me rethink my plans.

We usually do rope drop to noon and then a few times we go back in the evenings.

I’m wondering if we should adjust our Park plans to start late afternoon/early evening after good late breakfasts and pool lounging. Have 2 kids, middle and upper elementary.

It would feel so strange to do. But certainly more relaxing not waking early. What is it like in the parks at 9 or 10am?

We have been in August every year for the past 9 years, and July the year before that, so we are pretty used to the weather.

We typically are in the park at rope drop, and stay until park close.

Is August that bad, it can be, but it doesn't have to be. Be prepared for it, drink drink drink. When you start to feel hot, or worn out, listen to your body, and find someplace to relax, cool off, have another drink, let your body recharge a bit.

Mid morning until early evening is the hottest part of the day, and generally the most crowded too.

 

[ColonelHathi]

What are your general time-of-day touring plans, fellow augusters?

Are you going to do rope drop to mid-day, then go back in the evenings?

Are you going to only go after 4/5pm?

Are you planning all-day-long days?

Or something else?

We haven’t gone in high heat before, and the “is August that bad” thread is making me rethink my plans.

We usually do rope drop to noon and then a few times we go back in the evenings.

I’m wondering if we should adjust our Park plans to start late afternoon/early evening after good late breakfasts and pool lounging. Have 2 kids, middle and upper elementary.

It would feel so strange to do. But certainly more relaxing not waking early. What is it like in the parks at 9 or 10am?

We have gone once in August and once in October as a family. I also worked at WDW Jan-July in college. Summer is disgustingly humid, but I like heat more than I do the cold.

For August, we tend to rope drop and take mid-day pool/nap breaks leaving at about noon-1, head back in the late afternoon around 4-5. If there is a mid-day shower we try to wait it out or whip out our ponchos. We have 2 kids, one mid-elementary, one middle school age this time. Last time they were early elementary/middle elementary. We live in MN (CST) so park open is early for us, but the crowds are much lower those first couple of hours.

We also bring Frog Togs and will at least bring 1 if not 2 squirt bottle fans. We freeze bottled water the night before and bring at least one bottle into the park each time - it melts as we're in the park.

We tend to do pre-park breakfasts (or a later breakfast before hitting the water park), and maybe a light dinner before heading back to the parks.

We are staying at the Polynesian this time which should be more convenient to get back to the resort mid-day, but when we stayed at POR last time it wasn't that bad and the mostly empty air-conditioned buses were relaxing to/from the parks.

 

[MinnieWebster]

Getting closer! Can't wait until our trip this summer. I am looking for a lunch ADR for 2 for BOG, one day Aug 20-24. I have a 1:15pm for 8/25 at BOG that I will be cancelling...
DH and I have been going over menus to plan out possible meals. We have the QSDP for this trip, our 2nd time with the dining plan. Way behind compared to our usual planning, but DH just got home from a trip overseas. So we have some work to do, but we'll get there Super excited for this summer

 

[DisneyObsessed87]

We are doing AK, Typhoon Lagoon and HS on this trip. On our AK day I plan to do lunch at Yak and Yeti, followed by FPs for Kali River Rapids and FoP/Navi (my parents and youngest DS will do Navi while DH and oldest DS do FoP)... As long as I can get FPs for these times. Then we will leave for a break and come back after dinner. I can't decide if our HS day we will take a break or not. We do not usually do breaks. We tried them our first trip and found it more hassle than good, but we have not been during Summer yet. (We have done Novemeber, January x2, February, March and April.) I feel like too much is up in the air with Toy Story Land. Plus I want to sign up my boys for Jedi Training. It is the first year my youngest can partisipate and the last year my oldest can do it again. But I figure HS at least has a lot of indoor options to stay cool if we decide to stay all day.

100 days to go!!!

 

[jbeyes]

You may want to hold on to that 08/25 BOG resservation- last I saw BOG will be closed 08/20-08/24 for a brief refurbishment. Unless anyone has updated info?

 

[MinnieWebster]

You may want to hold on to that 08/25 BOG resservation- last I saw BOG will be closed 08/20-08/24 for a brief refurbishment. Unless anyone has updated info?

I would, but our annual passes expire on 8/24. So we won't be going to any park on 8/25. I originally grabbed it because we were debating renewing our passes vs taking a year off.
I hadn't heard about the refurb, but I guess that makes sense for why I didn't see any ADRs available for those dates at 180 days. Thanks for letting me know!

 

[DaniMoon]

Double Digits!!

I was also unable to get BOG reservations for 8/20-24. I did get a dinne for 8/26, but after seeing the menu changes we dropped it. Not for us.

So, as we are getting closer to our trip I am rethinking our first couple days. This is the first trip we are not getting to our resort in the AM, the arrival of our flight is 8:30--not too late. We have a 13 night stay -- 10 day PHs.

Originally, I was thinking our first day should be a resort/relax day since we like to do rope drop and the kids will want to hit the pool when we get to the resort, no matter what time. Now I'm thinking I should put pepper another "off" day in the middle of the trip, on a day after we do a night show -- we want to do Fantasmic, Illuminations, and HEA.

Plus, I think everyone will be wanting to go to a park that first day and up bright and early. (and I just entered the "what if I did this or that or maybe that" stage of planning)

 

[DisneyObsessed87]

Plus, I think everyone will be wanting to go to a park that first day and up bright and early. (and I just entered the "what if I did this or that or maybe that" stage of planning)

The "what if" stage of planning is my husband's least favorite part. It coinsides with his "will you just pick something" stage. Lol. Glad I am not the only one.

 

[disneyjr77]

The "what if" stage of planning is my husband's least favorite part. It coinsides with his "will you just pick something" stage. Lol. Glad I am not the only one.

I'm also in the what if stage and second guessing everything and getting on DBF's nerves. His fav response is i haven't been and you've been a thousand times so you tell me...which doesn't help lol

 

[disneyjr77]

Here is my tentative plan, what do you guys think? I'm not sure about some of the timing.

Friday - flight lands at 10ish am, so i'm guessing Magical Express will get us to Pop right around lunchtime. We're planning on a resort day, lunch at Pop then heading over to AoA since DD wants to do the animation class and we'll have dinner there.

Saturday - AM EMH at AK, so up early and at the bus stop by 6:30. I'm thinking go until noon-ish, and head back to the resort for a break. Our ADR at Sci-Fi is at 5:15 so what time should we leave Pop? I was thinking 4? Hit a few rides, watch Fantasmic, and end the night.

Sunday - Late start with breakfast in our room, then head to MK for a 1:55 BOG ADR. Stay at MK all day, but head over to CR for dinner at their QS place, then back for HEA.

Monday - This day i'm torn between doing HS in the AM, then heading over to Epcot or just starting late at HS. We have an ADR at 50's PT at 1:25. I was thinking hit rope drop or a little after, have lunch and use the friendship boats to go to Epcot and finish the night there. Lunch and the boat ride would be our mid-day break.

Tuesday - 9:45 breakfast at 'Ohana, maybe do a DVC tour, then pool until it 's time to get ready for MNSSHP.

Wednesday - late start then head to AK for the day, no ADR's

Thursday - 8:30 breakfast at Akershus, spend most of hte day at Epcot then may be hop somewhere else or just head back. If we don't do Epcot monday night then i'll try to get them to stay for illuminations, so we would prob need a break at some point. I'm all for breaks, but at what point are they more of a hassle than a benefit?

Friday - do whatever we want!!! The only thing we have planned is a 6:25 dinner at Chef Mickey's.

Saturday - ME picks us up at 9:35 am


I tried not to plan too much since this is DBF's "first trip" (he hasn't been in 33 years) and it's August and hot. My goals were a morning at each park and a night at each park to see the nighttime shows, with some pool time thrown in somewhere, and no early mornings after late nights. I also want to see all the shows if possible. I want to see Star Wars, but if we don't it's no biggie we'll get it next time, since Fantasmic is my super must do.

 

[Tomh]

I do a lot of what if's and my wife just kind of takes it in stride, and trusts me to make the right choices. Silly woman she is lol.

 

[ColonelHathi]

Here is my tentative plan, what do you guys think? I'm not sure about some of the timing.

Friday - flight lands at 10ish am, so i'm guessing Magical Express will get us to Pop right around lunchtime. We're planning on a resort day, lunch at Pop then heading over to AoA since DD wants to do the animation class and we'll have dinner there.

Saturday - AM EMH at AK, so up early and at the bus stop by 6:30. I'm thinking go until noon-ish, and head back to the resort for a break. Our ADR at Sci-Fi is at 5:15 so what time should we leave Pop? I was thinking 4? Hit a few rides, watch Fantasmic, and end the night.

Sunday - Late start with breakfast in our room, then head to MK for a 1:55 BOG ADR. Stay at MK all day, but head over to CR for dinner at their QS place, then back for HEA.

Monday - This day i'm torn between doing HS in the AM, then heading over to Epcot or just starting late at HS. We have an ADR at 50's PT at 1:25. I was thinking hit rope drop or a little after, have lunch and use the friendship boats to go to Epcot and finish the night there. Lunch and the boat ride would be our mid-day break.

Tuesday - 9:45 breakfast at 'Ohana, maybe do a DVC tour, then pool until it 's time to get ready for MNSSHP.

Wednesday - late start then head to AK for the day, no ADR's

Thursday - 8:30 breakfast at Akershus, spend most of hte day at Epcot then may be hop somewhere else or just head back. If we don't do Epcot monday night then i'll try to get them to stay for illuminations, so we would prob need a break at some point. I'm all for breaks, but at what point are they more of a hassle than a benefit?

Friday - do whatever we want!!! The only thing we have planned is a 6:25 dinner at Chef Mickey's.

Saturday - ME picks us up at 9:35 am


I tried not to plan too much since this is DBF's "first trip" (he hasn't been in 33 years) and it's August and hot. My goals were a morning at each park and a night at each park to see the nighttime shows, with some pool time thrown in somewhere, and no early mornings after late nights. I also want to see all the shows if possible. I want to see Star Wars, but if we don't it's no biggie we'll get it next time, since Fantasmic is my super must do.

Here's my feedback:

Saturday - I would head back ~ 4 pm to make your 5:15 ADR and maybe sneak in a ride or two

Monday - it might depend on what you want to do at HS and what FP+ you are able to get. I have a couple of days tentatively planned like that contingent on when we can nab some popular FP+

Breaks - we took them EVERY day the last time we went in August unless we were at a waterpark, and planning to do that again. My kids aren't little, so they don't nap, but they enjoyed the breaks too. It's a nice way to enjoy the resort and keep things at a relaxed pace. They are a life saver and you would get so sluggish if you stayed in the parks anyway (nearly everyone looks like a hot zombie mid-day), so the pool or a quick nap is a nice reprieve. I would say a MUST for Epcot specifically because of the lack of shade and amount of walking. You can still fit a ton in. I would plan for a longer break on Monday to relax and cool off, rather than just the lunch and boat ride, but that is me.

 

[DaniMoon]

Here is my tentative plan, what do you guys think? I'm not sure about some of the timing.

Friday - flight lands at 10ish am, so i'm guessing Magical Express will get us to Pop right around lunchtime. We're planning on a resort day, lunch at Pop then heading over to AoA since DD wants to do the animation class and we'll have dinner there.

Saturday - AM EMH at AK, so up early and at the bus stop by 6:30. I'm thinking go until noon-ish, and head back to the resort for a break. Our ADR at Sci-Fi is at 5:15 so what time should we leave Pop? I was thinking 4? Hit a few rides, watch Fantasmic, and end the night.

Sunday - Late start with breakfast in our room, then head to MK for a 1:55 BOG ADR. Stay at MK all day, but head over to CR for dinner at their QS place, then back for HEA.

Monday - This day i'm torn between doing HS in the AM, then heading over to Epcot or just starting late at HS. We have an ADR at 50's PT at 1:25. I was thinking hit rope drop or a little after, have lunch and use the friendship boats to go to Epcot and finish the night there. Lunch and the boat ride would be our mid-day break.

Tuesday - 9:45 breakfast at 'Ohana, maybe do a DVC tour, then pool until it 's time to get ready for MNSSHP.

Wednesday - late start then head to AK for the day, no ADR's

Thursday - 8:30 breakfast at Akershus, spend most of hte day at Epcot then may be hop somewhere else or just head back. If we don't do Epcot monday night then i'll try to get them to stay for illuminations, so we would prob need a break at some point. I'm all for breaks, but at what point are they more of a hassle than a benefit?

Friday - do whatever we want!!! The only thing we have planned is a 6:25 dinner at Chef Mickey's.

Saturday - ME picks us up at 9:35 am


I tried not to plan too much since this is DBF's "first trip" (he hasn't been in 33 years) and it's August and hot. My goals were a morning at each park and a night at each park to see the nighttime shows, with some pool time thrown in somewhere, and no early mornings after late nights. I also want to see all the shows if possible. I want to see Star Wars, but if we don't it's no biggie we'll get it next time, since Fantasmic is my super must do.

Looks good to me. HS has 7 am hours most of August (not the last week, as of now) so getting there early for RD is going to be fun . I am planning HS on a day after a resort day. We take breaks every day. 4 pm works for heading back over (if it were me, I'd probably meander to the bus stops 3:30-3:45). Look for FPs for HS as soon as you get on your last FP ride at AK.

 

[disneyjr77]

Here's my feedback:

Saturday - I would head back ~ 4 pm to make your 5:15 ADR and maybe sneak in a ride or two

Monday - it might depend on what you want to do at HS and what FP+ you are able to get. I have a couple of days tentatively planned like that contingent on when we can nab some popular FP+

Breaks - we took them EVERY day the last time we went in August unless we were at a waterpark, and planning to do that again. My kids aren't little, so they don't nap, but they enjoyed the breaks too. It's a nice way to enjoy the resort and keep things at a relaxed pace. They are a life saver and you would get so sluggish if you stayed in the parks anyway (nearly everyone looks like a hot zombie mid-day), so the pool or a quick nap is a nice reprieve. I would say a MUST for Epcot specifically because of the lack of shade and amount of walking. You can still fit a ton in. I would plan for a longer break on Monday to relax and cool off, rather than just the lunch and boat ride, but that is me.

4 gives us a couple hours, so that's perfect

Maybe Monday we'll do lunch, break at resort, then bus it back to HS...if we decide to hit Epcot that night.

Looks good to me. HS has 7 am hours most of August (not the last week, as of now) so getting there early for RD is going to be fun . I am planning HS on a day after a resort day. We take breaks every day. 4 pm works for heading back over (if it were me, I'd probably meander to the bus stops 3:30-3:45). Look for FPs for HS as soon as you get on your last FP ride at AK.

I forgot to put in that we're there the last week of august, soooooo fingers crossed for an 8a open.

Good to know about FPs for HS while we're at AK.