August is the hottest month of the year in Orlando, and it is also the wettest. If you are bringing little ones to the parks this month, the difference between a great day and a miserable one comes down to timing. Here is what the weather actually does, and how to plan around it.
The Numbers You Are Planning Around
- Average high of 92°F, average low of 76°F
- Average humidity around 79 percent, the highest of the year
- Roughly 7.8 inches of rain across the month
- The record August high in Orlando is 100°F, set in 1980
- August is Orlando's least windy month, so there is very little natural relief
That last one matters more than people expect. In a lot of hot places a breeze takes the edge off. In Orlando in August, it usually does not.
The Morning Humidity Trap
Here is something most visitors get backwards. Humidity in Orlando usually peaks around 93 percent first thing in the morning and drops to about 60 percent by early afternoon.
So the 8am air feels thick and sticky even though the temperature is lower. That is normal, and it is not a sign the day will be unbearable. Go early anyway. The temperature climb is what wears kids out, not the morning humidity.
💡 Freeze a few small water bottles the night before. They keep the rest of your bag cool in the morning and turn into cold water by lunchtime.
The Hour by Hour Plan
Before 8am, get there
Sunrise in early August is around 6:47am. The first two hours in the park are the coolest and the least crowded of the entire day. This is when you ride the things everyone else will queue an hour for at noon.
8am to 11am, do the hard stuff
Big rides, long walks, anything outdoors. Kids have energy and the heat has not built yet. Keep water going even if nobody says they are thirsty.
11am to 2pm, get indoors
This is the stretch that ruins park days. Move to air conditioned shows, indoor rides, a sit down lunch, or head back to the hotel pool. Do not fight it.
2pm to 4pm, the storm window
Afternoon thunderstorms in Central Florida form when sea breezes from both coasts collide over the middle of the state. They are common in August, they usually last from 30 minutes to two hours, and most subside within about an hour.
The good news is that a storm clears a park out. If you can wait it out somewhere dry, you often come back to noticeably shorter lines.
4pm to close, the best part of the day
After the rain passes the temperature drops, the light softens, and a lot of families with young kids have already gone home. Sunset in early August is around 8:16pm. The last few hours are usually the most comfortable and the least crowded of the whole day.
What to Actually Bring
- More water than you think. Every quick service restaurant in Disney and Universal will give you free cups of ice water
- Ponchos, not umbrellas. Umbrellas are awkward in queues and useless in wind
- A cooling towel. Wet it, wring it, and drape it on the back of the neck
- A clip on stroller fan
- SPF 50, reapplied. The UV index in Orlando peaks high from May through September
- A second set of clothes for the kids. Getting out of damp clothes at the end of the day makes a real difference
- Electrolyte packets. Water alone does not replace what you lose sweating all day
💡 Storms in Florida are usually short and localised. Check the radar before you leave the park, because it often clears in twenty minutes and the crowds do not come straight back.
Why a Stroller Matters More in August
In cooler months a stroller is mostly about tired legs. In August it does more than that.
The canopy gives your child shade all day, which matters when the sun is at its strongest. It carries water, snacks, ponchos and the cooling towel so nobody is hauling a hot backpack. It gives a child somewhere to rest during the worst hours instead of standing in the heat. And a deep recline means a genuine nap through the 11am to 2pm stretch, which is often the difference between finishing the day and going back to the hotel at 3pm.
Plenty of five and six year olds who never use a stroller at home end up riding through an August afternoon in Orlando. That is not a failure of planning, it is just the heat.
One Last Thing About Hurricane Season
August sits inside hurricane season, but the odds on any given trip are low. There is roughly a 2 percent chance a hurricane comes within 100 miles of Orlando during August, and about a 1 percent chance of a major one. Worth knowing, not worth worrying about. Keep an eye on the forecast and get travel insurance if it would help you sleep.
Shade, Storage and a Nap Spot
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