I find that your feelings about the heat will depend on your local weather. I'm from NJ, so I don't seem to find the heat and humidity as shocking as some people do. Unfortunately for me, I sweat. I like August because everyone is sweating and I don't feel self conscious about it like I would in March or November. I bring a cooling towel and it works wonderfully to cool me off.
Since the parks are usually not open late during the last week of August, I don't see the point in taking a mid-day break. A table service lunch and a long indoor attraction, like Universe of Energy, the Lion King show, The Great Movie Ride, Carousel of Progress is enough to rest, cool off and recharge if you need it.
Last year, it rained! Seemed like all day everyday, but not really. We spent a few hours in AK in a downpour and it was so much fun. Everest at night in the rain was wild! It was raining so bad we ditched the ponchos and just accepted the wetness.
Some suggestions:
1. Take your rain gear seriously. We have giant box of disposal ponchos for days when it is just a chance of rain. These fit in your pocket. For a day that is scheduled to be rainy, my big kids prefer a real rain jacket, little one still wants the cheapo poncho.
2. Anyone who wears glasses needs a hat or visor for rainy days. It's awful when I forget one. I can't see and then I have buy a hat. You also need something to dry off your glasses.
3. Pack extra shoes. Figure out what your people like to wear in the rain. My kids want to wear socks and sneakers to the park, but they never want wet socks in sneakers. So on rainy days they wear crocs or a good pair of sandals. However, there are still pop up showers, your sneakers get wet and you will need a back up pair of something. For our 14 day trip we bring one pair of sandals, and 2 pairs of sneakers.
4. Pack something to help you hang up your wet things in your room. I pack cheap wire hangers and clothes pins. To dry the sneakers, I first pull out the insert and pat it dry. I try to pat down the insides. Then STUFF with paper towels. Leave them upside down overnight. IF they are really wet, change out the paper towels before you go to bed, or in the morning before you go to the parks.
5. Think about your electronics in the rain. We all have water proof phones cases so I don't worry about that. I keep a large ziploc bag, the clothing storage kind, in my camera bag in case of rain.
6. We drive to the parks usually. Thank goodness I had large trash bags in the car to cover the car seats. They were for dirty laundry originally, but after a few rainy nights, they became seat covers.
Don't leave the parks when it rains. So many people left, it made the parks empty. Last year on Sunday of Labor day weekend, it rained leading up to the 9pm parade at MK. The parade was cancelled, mass exodus ensued and the rides were a walk on the rest of the night. The 11pm parade felt like a private showing.
But yeah, the pools are nasty in the summer, cloyingly warm, to put it mildly.
