Hi Jackie,
I'm so glad you had a good time and are planning a repeat trip! There are definitely people who avoid Disney during the summer to stay away from crowds and high temperatures. My family, however, almost always takes an August trip. (My parents are both teachers, and if I pulled my kids out of school very often, I think I'd get detention from my mom!) I won' lie, the weather in August is hot, with afternoon highs in the 90s. Crowds generally start to thin out toward the latter part of the month, however, when many schools are back in session. We have found the crowds toward the end of the summer to be completely manageable.
I've amassed a ton of "tips" for negotiating Disney in the heat. Here are some thoughts:
- Hit the parks early in the day, and sandwich a trip back to your resort for a swim, rest, lunch, etc. in between a return trip later in the day when the sun isn't so strong.
- Take advantage of Disney's water parks. It's hard to be hot when you are soaked!
- Use a stroller for your kids. I know, they are way too old under normal circumstances, and they likely won't be sitting in it the entire time, however, it gives them a place to cool down and take a break when it's really warm. When your kids aren't sitting in it, it provides a good way to haul your park gear. The double rental stroller is a good choice.
- Bring along "spray" fans. These really do work well when it's hot. They sell them in the parks, but can be found for much less in stores like Walmart.
- I'm a big fan of "open" shoes (flip-flops, Crocs) when it's super hot versus socks and sneakers. I know the topic of feet is semi-gross, but I'm telling you, this is one of my favorite hot-weather tips!
I would absolutely encourage you to try a late summer visit. We do it every year, and, in fact, will be there this August, so say hi if you see my clan traversing the parks!
Tanya