Planning a Disney World vacation in August 2023? You’re in the right place. Guide2WDW is here with the August edition of our “This Month at Disney World” guide. We’ll cover everything that’s going on at Disney World this month, including crowd levels, ticket prices, deals, and more!
Find out if you should visit Disney World in August, what special events are going on, and tips to make your visit even more magical.
Is August a good month to visit Disney World?
August offers Disney World guests one very specific tradeoff. Over the past few years, August is the second least crowded month. This is mainly due to school starting back up in the United States, usually within the first week of the month.
Many families with kids have already taken a summer trip (or two) while school is out. So, a typical family wouldn’t take their children out of school right after it started for another vacation. This means that a large portion of potential WDW guests skip this month.
If your vacation schedule isn’t constrained to a school schedule, it makes a lot of sense to visit in August rather than July.
These lower crowds have another benefit: lower prices. Disney World tickets, Genie+, and hotels all have demand-based pricing. Prices for all of these should be lower-than-average during August, especially after school starts.
But here’s the catch: August in Orlando is hot — and I mean scorching. In exchange for some of the least crowded weeks at Disney World, you’ll get some of the hottest days of the year.
While August is light on crowds, it still features plenty of seasonal fun. There are two main special events: the kickoff of Halloween season including Magic Kingdom’s Halloween Party, and the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival. This combination makes for a really amazing vacation. Some of my favorite trips to Disney World have been while these two events are going on.
Should you visit Disney World in August? If you’re looking for low crowds and don’t mind the heat, plan your trip for the second half of August.
What’s happening at Disney World in August 2023?
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The Start of Halloween: Halloween isn’t just a day at Disney World; it’s an entire season that kicks off in August! So get ready for ghoulish decorations and hauntingly-themed foods all month long. Magic Kingdom goes all out for Halloween, but you can find some other fun decorations at the other parks and resorts.
Magic Kingdom in August
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party: Magic Kingdom’s Halloween Party begins August 11, bringing back the Boo To You Parade, the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, the Cadaver Dans, and more! This is a premium event, meaning it requires a separate ticket. All guests have the chance to dress in costume and experience the park in all its spooky glory. You can find out everything going on at the party in our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party runs on the following nights this month:
- August: 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29
Magic Kingdom Tip: Remember that party guests will need to join the Virtual Queue to ride Tron during the Mickey’s Not So Scary. Party guests can join the queue at 6 PM.
EPCOT in August
EPCOT Food & Wine Festival: Every foodie’s favorite EPCOT Festival is in full swing this August. At the start of the month, you can find 23 Global Marketplaces scattered throughout the park offering small bites and sips. On August 15, two more food booths will open up: Hawaii and the Noodle Exchange. You can find out everything that’s going on at the fest this year in our EPCOT Food & Wine Festival guide.
Eat to the Beat Concerts August Schedule: During the Food & Wine Festival, EPCOT hosts a free concert series in the America Gardens Theatre. Every Friday through Monday features famous headliners, while Tuesday through Thursday has local bands taking the stage. Some of the standout performers this month include Tiffany (August 6-7), The Fray (August 13-14), and Joey Fatone & Friends (August 18-21). Here’s the full Eat to the Beat lineup:
- August 1-3 – Funkafied
- August 4-5 – Southern Avenue
- August 6-7 – Tiffany
- August 8-10 – Champagne
- August 11-12 – Ruben Studdard with Haley Reinhart (NEW)
- August 13-14 – The Fray (NEW)
- August 15-17 – M-80’s
- August 18-21 – Joey Fatone & Friends
- August 22-24 – The Female Collective
- August 25-26 – Ayron Jones (NEW)
- August 27-28 – Phillip Phillips (NEW)
- August 29-31 – Element
Image via bioreconstruct
EPCOT Construction Update: Journey of Water Inspired by Moana started Cast Member previews in late July 2023. No opening date has been announced for the walkthrough attraction, although it would not be surprising to see it soft open at some point in August.
The center of the park, including CommuniCore and Mickey & Friends, is still under construction. It should be completed by September or October.
Tips for visiting Disney World in August
Here are a few of our favorite Disney World tips for visiting this month.
- Tip of the Month: Free Ice Water: This tip will help you stay hydrated and save a ton of money on Dasani Water Bottles. All Disney World counter service restaurants offer free ice water to all guests, even if you aren’t buying anything. Just go up to the counter and ask. Some of the bigger counter service restaurants will even have a big tray with cups of water available for guests to take.
- Focus on mornings and evenings: With the long and hot summer days, one of our favorite strategies for going into the theme parks becomes even more effective. Go into the parks as early as possible, especially if you are eligible for the Early Morning Entry perk. Lines will be shortest at this time, and the temperatures will be cooler. Since August usually has lower crowds, you can get a lot done in the morning. Then take a break in the afternoon! Go back to your hotel and enjoy the pool, or go resort hopping and get lunch while enjoying some glorious A/C. Then head back to the parks in the evening as temperatures are going down. This strategy will help you avoid getting exhausted from the peak heat of the day while getting a ton done while lines are lower.
- Pay attention to the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Schedule: Magic Kingdom’s Halloween Party will mean that the park closes early for non-party guests. If you don’t have a ticket to Mickey’s Not So Scary, you’ll be asked to leave the park as early as 6 PM. So pay attention to which days
Crowds at Disney World in August 2023
As we showed in The Best Months to Visit Disney World, August has had the second lowest wait times at Disney World over the past few years. August follows a fairly predictable crowd pattern each year due to the school schedule.
The first week of August is typically a moderate week. Nothing crazy crowded, but definitely not empty. Summer in 2023 has been pretty soft attendance-wise, especially through June and the beginning of July. However, the last 10 days of July has seen an uptick in crowds and wait times. Speculation: It’s possible that all the news of “Disney World feeling empty” spurred a lot of people to book last minute trips to take advantage of the deals Disney is running.
Whatever the reason, it’s possible that the late July crowds may spill over into the beginning of August, but we would still expect crowds to not be too bad.
Once August 9-10th hits, school is mostly back in session around the country. With back to school, WDW crowds will drop, and the last few weeks of August are some of the slowest of the year.
Wait Times by Day of the Week in August
When we plan out our Disney World trips, we try to visit each park on days when each park will be the least crowded. For example, Mondays are typically the most crowded day at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, so we try to plan on doing Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom those days. Here’s how everything shook out last year at Disney World:
August 2022 – Average Wait Time
| Day of the Week | Magic Kingdom | EPCOT | Hollywood Studios | Animal Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 35 Minutes (Longest) | 31 Minutes | 45 Minutes | 37 Minutes |
| Tuesday | 27 Minutes | 27 Minutes | 44 Minutes | 40 Minutes |
| Wednesday | 34 Minutes | 28 Minutes | 42 Minutes (Shortest) | 37 Minutes |
| Thursday | 32 Minutes | 32 Minutes (Longest) | 46 Minutes (Longest) | 43 Minutes |
| Friday | 24 Minutes (Shortest) | 28 Minutes | 43 Minutes | 47 Minutes (Longest) |
| Saturday | 33 Minutes | 26 Minutes | 44 Minutes | 39 Minutes |
| Sunday | 31 Minutes | 25 Minutes (Shortest) | 43 Minutes | 36 Minutes (Shortest) |
Wait times via Thrill-Data
You can read more about the best and worst days to visit each park in our When to Visit Disney World Guide:
- The Best Days to Visit Magic Kingdom
- The Best Days to Visit EPCOT
- The Best Days to Visit Hollywood Studios
- The Best Days to Visit Animal Kingdom
What’s the best week to visit in August?
If you want the lowest crowds, visit Disney World during the last week of August. Yes, that is the week leading up to Labor Day weekend. Labor Day is September 4th this year.
Conventional wisdom would say that the weeks around a holiday weekend would be more crowded. After all, this is what happens on Presidents Day Weekend in February, which is one of the most crowded times of the year. However, Labor Day doesn’t have the same effect at Disney World. Instead, its surrounded by two of the least crowded weeks at Disney World.
Disney World Ticket Prices This Month
Disney World tickets have variable pricing based on the first day you go into the parks. One of our favorite money saving tips is to choose your starting date carefully. If you have some flexibility in your vacation schedule, picking the cheapest day to start going into the parks can save you a lot of money.
Here’s the per-day price of a standard 4-day ticket, based on the starting date.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $134+ | $133+ | $132+ | $131+ | $129+ | ||
| $128+ | $127+ | $126+ | $125+ | $124+ | $124+ | $125+ |
| $125+ | $125+ | $125+ | $123+ | $120+ | $118+ | $115+ |
| $114+ | $115+ | $115+ | $115+ | $115+ | $115+ | $118+ |
| $119+ | $120+ | $121+ | $121+ | $121+ |
Disney World Deals – August 2023
4 Park Magic Ticket – Disney World is running a promotion this summer with a 4 park ticket that requires no theme park reservations. You can use this ticket at one park per day, and you have to go to a different park per day. This is a great option if you want to experience each of Disney World’s theme parks. The regular price is $99 per day, and tickets cannot be upgraded to a park hopper. Our friends at Undercover Tourist are selling the 4 Park Magic ticket for $15 off versus the gate price.
Disney World is also running a few room-only promotions at their resorts for Annual Passholders and other guests.
- Annual Passholders: Save Up to 35% on Rooms at WDW Resorts
- All Guests: Save Up to 25% on Rooms at Select Disney World Resorts this Summer
US Military Discounts – Active or retired military members can get great deals on hotels and tickets that can be used by themselves or their families.
August Ride Refurbishments and Closures
Magic Kingdom
- Haunted Mansion: August 7-9th (Note that the Hatbox Ghost will not be completed
- Splash Mountain: Permanently Closed. Will reopen as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in late 2024.
Water Park Schedule
August is a great month to plan a visit to one of Disney World’s water parks to help cool off. However, recently Disney has not been running both water parks at the same time. Here’s Disney World’s water park schedule for this month:
- Typhoon Lagoon is open for the summer at Disney World, including all of August
- Blizzard Beach is closed for the season.
We want to hear from you!
Let us know in the comments below: Do you have any questions or advice for visiting Disney World in August?
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