Disney World Monthly Snapshot: August 2025
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.
The first Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party kicks off on the 15th. The 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.
As far as the weather goes, 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 should you have any questions.
Here’s what we have so far for August.
August 2025 at Walt Disney world
Other Reminders
Cool Kid Summer: Disney’s Cool Kid Summer promotion features numerous activities and character interactions designed specifically for children. For more on what to expect, see our guide to Disney’s Cool Kid Summer. (This is the last full month for this event. It ends on September 1st.)
Extended Evening Hours for deluxe and deluxe villa resort guests are all over the place in August. We have a separate overview of what to expect here.
Magic Kingdom Temporary Ride Closures This Month: The following attractions are closed for refurbishment:
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is closed for a lengthy refurbishment until sometime in 2026.
- Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin closes in early August, as noted in the timeline above.
- The Dumbo Play While You Wait Area (indoor children’s playground) remains closed. It is scheduled to reopen “later this year,” per Disney. (The ride is open; this is only specific to the play area.)
Magic Kingdom Permanent Closures: The Liberty Square Riverboat, Tom Sawyer Island, and Rivers of America all permanently closed in July of 2025.
Epcot Ride Closures in July: Spaceship Earth closes on August 25th for refurbishment. It is expected to reopen later this year.
Hollywood Studios: You may remember that Muppet*Vision 3D, Pizzerizzo, and Mama Melrose have all permanently closed. No temporary closures are currently scheduled.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom: You may remember that the following attractions closed permanently earlier this year:
- TriceraTop Spin
- It’s Tough to be a Bug
- Chester and Hester’s Dinosaur Treasures
- Fossil Fuel Games.
Planning for Next Month
- September 1st: Cool Kid Summer ends at Walt Disney World
- September 2nd: The Boneyard Playground and Dig Site permanently close at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (Announcement Here)
Final Thoughts
We will update this calendar as more announcements are made. We’ve updated our July 2025 timeline to include major items announced throughout the month. We hope that these timelines will serve not only as a current reference but also as a future one.
Previous months:
Or you can return to our Disney World Timelines page.
For planning a Disney World vacation, you might also enjoy our Disney World Resorts Guide. It provides an overview of our coverage of the resorts. Our Disney World Dining Guide is a good resource for planning all your meals. For more on the theme parks, start with our Disney World Parks Guide. It leads to coverage of all four theme parks. If you or someone in your party has an interest in meeting characters at Disney World, that guide will help you locate options. Lastly, our Disney Water Parks Guide will help you get started planning a trip to either of Disney’s two water parks.
Whether you’re new to the world of Disney or a seasoned pro in search of a new adventure, their goal is to help you plan a tailor-made experience like no other. Check with our travel partner, Firefly Travels, to begin planning.
In the Comments
Are you visiting Walt Disney World this August? Let us know in the comments below!
