Disney World in August 2026 (Weather, Crowd Expectations, and Details)
August has always been an interesting month at Disney World. It’s the month that feels like everyone else will be busy getting ready for back-to-school, so you can just sneak the family down to the parks for a last summer hurrah! Once you arrive, you realize you’re not the only one who had the same idea. August. It’s gonna be a hot one and likely busier than you would expect.
This month kicks off the Fall and Halloween season at Walt Disney World. Yes, it’s early, but it also allows guests a larger window of time to experience it. Halloween decorations go up at Magic Kingdom fairly early in the month.
This guide has been updated for 2026 pending news and announcements. We’ll provide those updates as they are announced. Halloween details are generally released about halfway to Halloween. We anticipate knowing more after Easter and before mid-May.
The Weather In August
As far as the weather is concerned, the heat will be intense. Both August and September are the worst months of the year to visit Disney World in terms of high temperatures. I say it often in our newsletter and here on the site, but I’ve seen numerous guests pass out within a few steps of me due to heat exhaustion and dehydration. The heat affects everyone to some extent. So remember:
- Hydrate ahead of time and continue to stay hydrated during your trip. (This is so important.)
- Take breaks as needed. Check in with everyone in your party often. Some might need more breaks than others.
Hurricanes are also possible in August, so you’ll want to remain weather-aware. If you’re investing a decent amount of money in your trip (regardless of when you visit), you might want to consider purchasing trip insurance. To be fully transparent, as regular visitors, this is not something we do often for Disney World. But it is something that adds an extra layer of protection when we cruise or plan once-in-a-lifetime trips to other destinations. An authorized Disney travel planner can help you better discern if you have any questions.
Crowds in August
As mentioned above, we find the crowds to be moderate, especially in the first half of the month. Then, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party season brings a whole new wave of guests. If you’re visiting during this time, you need to be aware of party nights. There are advantages and disadvantages of visiting the Magic Kingdom on a party date. As far as negatives, the park closes early. So if this is your only day at Magic Kingdom, we recommend choosing a non-party date. It would be a shame not to see the fireworks or explore the park after sunset.
That said, if you have more than one day to spend at Magic Kingdom or have the park-hopper ticket, you might prefer to take advantage of lower crowds on a party date. While there are no guarantees, the party dates tend to be significantly slower at Magic Kingdom because not everyone is willing to burn their ticket on a day when the park closes to the general public at 6:00 p.m. This same fact will make non-party dates busier through the end of the year, during both the Halloween and Christmas party season.
Other Reminders
Complimentary Water Park Perk Benefit: Guests visiting an eligible Disney Resort Hotel between May 26th and September 8th can enjoy water park admission on their check-in day, included with their stay. Additionally, guests will be able to choose which water park they want to visit because both Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park will be open simultaneously during these dates. (See the complete 2026 water park perk announcement for hotels, eligibility, and dates.)
A new scene on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run debuted in May. You might want to check it out if you’re visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
A new destination called Soarin’ Across America debuted on Soarin’ at Epcot in May. Make sure to check it out.
Cool Kid Summer is in full swing this month at all four parks and the resorts. This special Disney promotion allows for more surprise character pop-ups and activities in the parks and resorts geared toward children. If you’re visiting anytime this summer, see our guide: 5 Ways to Celebrate Cool Kid Summer at Disney World.
Extended Evening Hours
We’ll list the dates for extended evening hours for August as they are posted:
- TBD
Extended Evening Hours are offered twice weekly for deluxe and deluxe villa resort guests. If you would like to learn more about this benefit, see our guide to Extended Evening Hours at Disney World.
Disney After Hours Dates in August
Disney After Hours will be held on the following evenings in August 2026. They will not affect park hours, but you might see more crowds at the park between 7:00 p.m. and regular park closing times as guests begin to arrive for the event:
- Magic Kingdom: The last Disney After Hours for 2026 at Magic Kingdom was in July.
- Epcot: August 6th and 13th
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: August 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th
If you would like to learn more, see our guide to Disney After Hours in 2026.
Mickey’s Halloween Party Dates
Mickey’s Halloween Party will return to Magic Kingdom in August. We will list the dates below when they are announced. Unlike Disney After Hours, these dates could affect your touring strategy. Make sure you read over the section about crowds in August above for planning details.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Dates in August 2026: TBD
Ride Closures:
Magic Kingdom Temporary Ride Closures: TBD
Epcot Ride Closures: TBD
Hollywood Studios: TBD
Disney’s Animal Kingdom: TBD
- Reminder: The entirety of Dinoland U.S.A. closed in early February 2026. A new land is being constructed in that area of the park.
Significant park construction continues throughout 2026 at Magic Kingdom (Villains Land and new Cars area), Hollywood Studios (Monsters, Inc.-themed land), and Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Tropical Americas-themed land).
For all scheduled refurbishments for the year, see our list of Disney World Ride Refurbishments. For ongoing and upcoming refurbishments at the various resorts, see our list of Disney Hotel Refurbishments.
Final Thoughts
We will update this calendar as more announcements are made. As always, we hope that these timelines will serve not only as a current reference but also as a future one. If you’re thinking about visiting in August of next year, the majority of the information we’ve discussed outside of refurbishments and slight date changes will be similar, especially regarding weather and crowds.
If your dates are flexible, our guide to The Best and Worst Months to Visit Disney World compares crowd levels, seasons, and major events throughout the year. It is a helpful starting point when deciding when to visit. You can also access the other months individually below.
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
Make sure to check back with Resorts Gal soon for the latest Disney news, planning, and reviews. You might also enjoy joining our newsletter list.
In the Comments
Did you find this August planning guide helpful? Will you be visiting in 2026? Let us know in the comments below.
