As Disney travel bloggers (and now agents) we’re often asked when is the best time to take a Disney vacation. Frequently, travelers want to know about Disney in August and whether it is a good time to visit Disney World.
As with any other month of the year, there are pros and cons about a trip to Disney World in August, so we’re digging into the details and explaing just why August may be a good time to visit Disney World.
Disney in August – the Weather
When visiting Disney World in August you’ll want to consider the weather. While temperatures will undoubtedly be warm, you can also expect a fair share of humidity and pop-up showers.
According to Weatherspark, daily highs reach 90 degrees in August, and lows rarely dip below 73. Fortunately, temperatures may feel slightly cooler by the persistence of cloud cover. Sixty-three percent of days in August are cloudy.
When evaluating Florida weather, humidity is another factor to consider. Humidity can make a hot day feel hotter, especially when the sun is out. Weatherspark reports that oppressive humidity is highly likely throughout the month.
Those humid conditions can also spark popup showers which are common in the afternoon in August. However, the number of days with rain rapidly decreases as the month wears on and September nears.
August is also the start of hurricane season. While severe weather can impact your travel plans, it’s important to note that Disney World has closed only 7 times due to hurricane activity since opening in 1971.
Still, if you’re concerned about severe weather disrupting your trip, consider purchasing travel insurance. Just be sure to read all of the terms and conditions before signing on the dotted line to make sure that hurricane activity is covered under the policy.
When traveling, we use Squaremouth to research and quote available travel insurance policies. It’s a company with a strange name, but they certainly make it easy to find the right travel insurance. The company even allows you to view policy documents before purchasing, so you know exactly what coverage you’re getting.
While the weather may not be something to cheer about on an August trip to Disney World, there are a number of reasons why this could be a good time to visit. Keep reading to find out why you just might enjoy your hot and humid August trip.
Florida Weather in August, a Synopsis
- Average high: 90
- Lowest low: 73
- Oppressive humidity 90% of the time
- 5.7 inches average monthly rainfall
- Average daily chance of precipitation: 68%
- 60% of the days are overcast
How School Calendars and Events Like Halloween Parties Shape August Crowds
One factor to consider when deciding if August is a good time to go to Disney World is crowd levels. If you’re looking to take a trip with fewer crowds and lower wait times on popular attractions, this is your month to go.
According to popular crowd calendars, August is one of the least popular months to visit now. Crowds rarely reach higher than a 5 on a 10-point scale, and many days toward the end of the month sit at 1 or 2.
As kids head back to school, Disney World settles into a bit of a lull. Historically, crowds drop lower as you head into September, before surging again in October as cooler temperatures return.
To give a better sense of what these numbers mean, let’s look at a typical wait time on a popular attraction. We’ll choose 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. On a day that ranked as 7 out of 10 on the crowd scale, waits for Mine train ranged from 60 minutes at park opening and peaked at 115 minutes.
Compare this to a day when crowds at Magic Kingdom ranked as a 2 on the same crowd ranking calendar. Waits for Mine Train peaked at only 51 minutes under these conditions.
Wait Times Provide a Good Indication of Crowd Levels
August wait time comparison – 7 Dwarfs Mine Train
- Peak wait 115 minutes on a day ranked as a 7 out of 10
- Peak wait time 51 minutes on a day ranked as a 2 out of 10
What Should I Expect for Crowds in August of 2024?
For 2024, just keep in mind that we’ve seen anything but typical conditions across Disney World theme parks in recent years. Higher than average crowds have been witnessed at the start of the year and have continued right through April. In addition, special offers released for this time frame, have significantly reduced the cost of a Disney World vacation and attracted new visitors.
However, despite the cost advantage, August remains back to school month for many districts around the country. Since, most parents are loathe to take their kids out of school just as they are getting reaclimated to the routine, we predict that August crowds will remain quite manageable in 2024.
If you’re looking for low crowds and the chance to score some nice savings on your Disney World vacation, August is a great time to visit.
Is August a Good Time to Go to Disney World? Let Us Help You Decide
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Should I Stay Onsite at Disney World in August?
In our opinion, including a Disney World resort hotel stay in any Disney vacation is definitely the way to go. Not only do you wrap yourself in the Disney bubble for the length of your trip, you have the added advantages of Disney’s complimentary transportation system and the option of simplifying your vacation budgeting by adding on the Disney Dining Plan. However, August could add some additional reasons to your pro list for booking a Disney resort.
To cool off from the August heat, it’s advisable to take a midday break. You can head back to your hotel, take a dip in the pool or even a nap in the cooling comfort of your room. Either way, getting to your afternoon siesta is much harder when staying offsite.
For one thing, you’ll need to schlep through the heat to your car in the parking lot and traverse the traffic back to your hotel before taking advanage of your well earned rest. On the other hand, with Disney’s convenient transportation system, getting back to your room is a breeze. If you’re staying at many deluxe resorts, you can even enjoy a cooling and relaxing boat ride back to your hotel.
The same holds true for afternoon rain showers. If a storm pops up and you get drenched, staying onsite makes it much easier to head back to your room to change into dry clothing.
Quick and convenience access to the parks also makes it easier to enjoy evening dining in the parks if you choose to leave for a bit during the day or to take advantage of the extended summer hours by visiting the parks at night when temperatures are cooler. Overall, you’ll find the proximity of Disney’s onsite resorts a boon when combatting the heat and rain showers prevalent to August.
What Does It Cost to Visit Disney World in August?
If you’re looking to trim your costs on a Disney World vacation, August also scores some points here as well, particularly if you travel toward the end of the month. Disney prices everything from theme park tickets to hotels, and even sometimes the cost of food, on a sliding scale. The more people there are traveling on a given date, the higher the cost.
We can best demonstrate this by again comparing and contrasting rates on hotels at Disney World. May through July, when summer vacation crowds swarm the parks, we see room rates ranging from $176 to as high as $243 a night at Disney’s All Stars resort (weekends are always priced higher). After August 6, the nightly rate drops slightly to 174 for weekday stay Monday through Wednesday, but drops to $153 a night after August 17 for the same stay.
We see a similar trend with ticket pricing. In July, a 5-day base ticket runs between $122 and $124 per day. Beginning August 12, the per day cost drops to $109 for a 5-day base ticket and goes as low as $100 beginning August 20.
The bottom line is this. Late August is a great time to travel to Disney World if you’re interested in saving money over peak travel times.
Does Disney World Offer Discounts for August?
Prior to the COVID-19 closures, August was a big month for discounts at Disney World. It wasn’t uncommon for the free dining promotion to begin during this month, allowing guests to receive one of Disney World’s dining plans included in the cost of their resort stay.
However, in 2024, we saw free dining offered much earlier in the year. August travelers instead received a generous discount on a Disney resort stay and specially priced 3- and 4-day tickets. To help you find the best price for your August trip, we track discounts and report them on our Disney World discounts blog, so be sure to bookmark that page and check back throughout the summer.
You can also book your vacation with a travel agency that is an authorized Disney vacation planner. For example, those of us at Mickey World Travel will monitor discounts as they are released and automatically rebook your resort or package reservation if new offers become available and provide a cost advantage.
Typical August Refurbishment Schedule
Keeping the parks looking and running in top form takes a concentrated effort. That’s why Disney regularly closes attractions to perform extended maintenance, upgrades and aesthetic enhancements. Fortunately, of anyone considering a trip to Disney in August, most of these improvements tend to be made when temperatures are cooler.
That means, you should find very few attractions down for refurbishment. The only exception would be rides that have been closed due to nearby construction. For example, the Disney World railroad in Magic Kingdom experienced a multi-year hiatus as crews worked to construct the new Tron coaster. Splash Mountain also closed in 2022 for the remake into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and will not reopen until summer of 2024.
Are There Any Special Events at Disney World in August?
Even as summer heat continues, the holidays are kicking off at Disney World in August with the start of the after-hours Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party. Guest can trick or treat throughout the park and visit with rarely seen Disney characters, such as the 7 dwarfs.
It all happens after regular hours, so this specially ticketed event does require a separate admission ticket. The good news is that crowds are typically lower, making it possible to ride all of the rides you want with minimal wait, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the extra Halloween activities, food and events this party offers. One thing you won’t want to miss is the evening parade as the headless horseman trots ghoulishly down Main Street.
Another plus for an August visit is the EPCOT Food and Wine festival. If you enjoy eating and drinking your way through the World Showcase, this special event makes August a good bet for a visit. Crowds at the festival get pretty crazy as fall wears on and temperatures cool, but August is a relatively serene time to hop around the various food stalls and enjoy food and beverages inspired by world cuisines.
Best of all, attending the Food and Wine Festival is included in the cost of your theme park ticket.
Advantages of Visiting Disney in August
With hot and humid weather guaranteed for the month, one of the best things about visiting Disney in August are the resort pools. From fabulously themed waterslides to quiet tropical oases, you’ll find just what you’re looking for when taking a dip in one of Disney’s hotel pools.
And if you like to take water activities to the extreme, both of Disney’s water parks are open in August. Later in the year, one will close for refurbishment, meaning August is the perfect time to visit the different attractions at both parks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.
You can even attend a special after dark party at Typhoon Lagoon. Light up the night with Disney H2O Glow After Hours, at a specially ticketed party held on select nights. Experience water slides and other attractions after hours as well as special party entertainment and snacks.
Also, thanks to warmer weather, you’ll be able to visit the regular parks for longer each day. Throughout August, many parks will stay open after dark, allowing you to experience more of the magic without attending a special event.
Lower costs on hotels and tickets toward the end of the month provide an additional incentive for traveling in August.
Disadvantages of Visiting Disney World in August
When considering whether to visit Disney World in August, many vacationers are immediately turned off by the thought of high heat and humidity. The persistent threat of daily rain is another deterrent for some travelers.
Weather would be the biggest disadvantage of visiting Disney World in August, but given the large number of benefits, it certainly isn’t a month that should be ruled out on weather alone. If you’re accustomed to the heat and humidity of the southern US, why not take advantage of lower crowds, reduced rates and longer park hours to visit Disney World this year?
