EMH question

[lilclerk]

Okay, I see a lot of people on here saying to avoid the extra magic hours because the parks are so much more crowded. I've never stayed in a Disney hotel, so I've never used EMH.
But which do you think would be worse, morning or evening? :veryconfu
I was trying to plan around going/hopping to at least one evening EMH per park during our next trip because I loved the parks at night last time I went. But if it's really horrible, I'll deal with going somewhere else instead.
Granted, we are going in February so it will get dark early.. but the more time in the parks, the better IMO :animwink:

Also, which do you think would be easiest/cheapest: Calling a taxi or booking a towncar to get to Universal?

 

[Master Yoda]

I use the morning EMH pretty much anytime I can get the rest of my family up and moving in time. Every time I have been to an early EMH, the only exception being MGM during SWW, the parks have been ghost towns. You can really get a good head start on a park in that hour.

 

[Jessie&Buzz]

I just got back from WDW on Sunday. We used the EMH at night. We walked on or had little wait for lots of things. We also went to Mickey's Christmas party and walked on Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear. It was around 11:30 and many people had left long before that. We didn't use the morning ones. We just couldn't get everyone up and moving that early.

 

[slappy magoo]

Evening EMH tend to be v. crowded at first, especially if the park had a late closing time to begin with, like the times when the MK closes to the general population at midnight at EMH lasts until 3. By 1:30, most people are done. You need to rest up beforehand, maybe even not show up until 45 minutes after the EMH begins. But also walk in knowing things might get crowded, but at least you're in the parks and out of the sun!

 

[lilclerk]

Thanks everyone! These are the responses I was looking for, haha. :lol:

 

[durangojim]

One other little bit of advice that we like to do is enjoy a late dinner the night of an EMH. Then when we're done, we can usually hop on the rides with little wait.

 

[nibblesandbits]

I just wanted to let you know...I think what most people talk about when they say the EMH park is crowded is that it's more crowded during the day. Since most people are not buying PH anymore, they are going to the park with EMH and staying there. (This is especially true in the case of Evening EMH).

The morning EMHs are a little less crowded than the Evening EMHs though. Especially the first hour or two of the Evening ones. Usually any major crowds die down after an hour and a half or so.

 

[hokielutz]

The thing about Moring EMH's that you have to know is that you have most of the early morning resort guests in the EMH AM park... and when the general population comes in.... it makes the headlining attractions that much more backed up.

Example on Saturday at the Studios EMH AM: At 8:40AM the wait for RnRC was 10 minutes. Well in a short period of time after 9AM, the wait was 40 minutes. Also... I think that the RnRC was not operating at its full capacity this morning either. I've seen it run the cars faster and much more efficiently during the summer.

I was at the MK Evening EMH on Sunday and I can confirm that the later you stay... the shorter the lines are. Splash mountain after 11 was a walk on... even though the board said 20 minutes. Actually it was better than a walk on because you could opt to stay in the logs and run through it again and again since the new riders were only trickling in.

 

[wilary]

Believe it or not, EMH is a benefit. Despite what you might have read, I find it a valuable tool, coupled with fast pass, in riding the big E tickets multiple times.

For instance, if you get to the Studios at morning EMH opening, you can usually do RNRC & TOT three times each before regular park opening. You can then enjoy the rest of the park while the majority of the regular crowd is heading towards Sunset Blvd.

At MK, we can usually get through Tomorrowland and half way thru Fantasy land before opening.

If you park hop, you can get want you want done early (or late) and get to you next destination usually before noon.

I personally enjoy EMH.
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As for your second question, I would look a renting a car from National either at the Dolphin or the Car Care Center. Knowing that it costs about $50 one way to the airport, I can only assume that Universal is in the $30-$40 ballpark.

 

[monorailguy01]

Go to all the EMH you can, they are so worth it, and if u get the park hopper it is even better, you can do what my friends and I do when we go to the World....

Go to morning EMH get on all the popular rides stay for about a hour after we rode all the rides we wanted to then parkhop to the next park this gets ride of the crowded lines and what not.

 

[lilclerk]

This is all awesome advice, thanks everyone!
I'm starting to think that we can do some of the morning hours, get some rides in, then just wander around and soak up that Disney atmosphere. I love the atmosphere more than the rides -sigh-
Then for the evening hours, do the opposite. Wander around, then try to get in some rides before we're completely worn out :snore:

 

[WDWHMFan]

I've been to both EMH mornings and evenings and the mornings are definately more crowded. I have to agree with one of the other posts that said early evenings can get very crowded. The last time I was in WDW I did EMH evenings and went to the parks around 9:30pm ish. It was great. I don't think I waited for a single ride. One would have to take into consideration though, I was alone. The DW and Dkids were fast asleep. Believe me, I definately felt my late nights the following morning.:snore: :dazzle:

 

[Dwarful]

I have already planned out our upcoming trip. We always use the EMH, sometimes grandma takes the youngest back to the resort for bed and others stay for the big rides. I love the Early entry in AK for safari...haven't been there yet to see Everest...soon..but not soon enough!
At least give the EMH a fair try. I do agree that those who don't pay the extra for park hoppers will cause a morning park to stay busier through out the day.

 

[nibblesandbits]

At least give the EMH a fair try. I do agree that those who don't pay the extra for park hoppers will cause a morning park to stay busier through out the day.

Trust me...I say from personal experience that it's not just the morning park that gets crowded from people who don't buy PHs. The evening parks are just as crowded.

And Dwarful, you're still bleeding blue? With how lousy the season's been...I didn't think any one was! :lol: Maybe the new coach will help...we'll see...

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I second whoever said to enjoy a late dinner before an evening EMH. By the time you're done, the crowds have thinned noticeably. The later into the EMH you get, the less crowded the parks become.

The Unofficial Guide tells you to avoid the morning EMH parks, but I've found that to be untrue, as you can generally get many of the big rides done before the regular park opening.

 

[NadieMasK2]

Last trip we were able to hit Everest three times in the morning EMH. It was awesome! But then the crowds sure did seem high come 9:00.