Experienced the NEW Extra Magic Hour

skipperg

Member
Original Poster
WDW is testing a new version of the Extra Magic Hour. Each park is offering 1 day each week through May 22nd where they open 1 hour early as they have done in the past plus each park is staying open 3 extra hours to WDW Resort Guests after normal park closing hours. Today Thursday May 13 the Animal Kingdom stayed open 3 extra hours from 5 pm to 8 pm for WDW Resort Guest.

Most attractions were open, but our best experience was Kilimanjaro Safaris. We were on one of the last Safaris and this was the most active we have ever seen the animals. The Trucks had to stop several times as the animals were so active they were crossing the roads constantly. First time I have ever seen the Cheetah moving about along with the Male Lion. The Rhino's were moving about and eating both in the water and on land. Best experience we have experienced on the Safari.

The park wasn't overly crowded and the Disney survey people asked us several questions on our experience.

Overall everything was fine. Only thing that I think was missing was a bit more advanced information to both the guest and the Cast Members.

Looking forward to trying it at the other parks.

Current Schedule for the 3 hours extra after normal closing are.
Epcot on Sundays
Disney - MGM on Tuesdays
Magic Kingdom on Wednesdays
Animal Kingdom on Thursdays

Current Schedule for the 1 hour extra before regular opening time:
Animal Kingdom on Monday
Epcot on Wednesday
Magic Kingdom on Friday
Disney - MGM on Saturdays

Regards,
Joe
 

David

Active Member
Originally posted by PhilharMagician
Does anyone know how long this schedule is going to run for?

It's has a trial run for the month of May. I hope it goes over well and they implement it on a continuing basis by October.
 

awallaceunc

New Member
I think this sounds like something I'd want to see made permanent. However, I don't see why they couldn't still keep E-Ride nights, but maybe just a little less often. After all, MK Would be getting the EMH once a week, and E-Ride nights often take place more frequently than that anyways. Disney can still profit off it, and it offers something very cool for their guests.

-Aaron
 

bhg469

Well-Known Member
Is there a way for annual pass holders to take advantage ofthe extra magic or is it strictly just people staying at the disney resorts?
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
This is a perk exclusive to guests at the Walt Disney World Resort Hotels. They would not have E-Ride Nights and Park After Dark because Park After Dark is at all four Theme Parks, which costs more than having E-Ride Nights at the Magic Kingdom two nights each week. More rides and dining venues are also open for Park After Dark. Furthermore, it's free, more people can enjoy it (and they are!), and it's a much more sellable perk for the Resorts since it is so much more frequence (the last E-Ride Night was last summer) and it is actually included in the price of your hotel, no strings attached. The only times I would expect to see E-Ride Nights is during the busiest seasons when they don't want to pay a large CM staff to stay in the parks till 2 am and keep all of the rides open--they could opt to just keep the Magic Kingdom open late two nights, have only 9 attractions open, and charge people for it.
 

trendymagic

Member
I am not really a fan of these new EMH's, but if they work the bugs out, good. I really enjoyed having a park everymorning to go to early. That was just me though.

Also the have announced dates for e-ride at MK:

May: 31
June: 2, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30
July: 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 30
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
These Evening EMHs are, however, QUITE a bit more popular than both the E-Ride Nights and the morning Extra Magic Hours, of which the E-Ride Nights see 5000 guests max and the morning Extra Magic Hours probably see up to 10,000 guests. Even during these test periods, the Evening EMHs have seen as many as 15,000 guests. I would be money on this being the permanent system come August or September.
 

pppapazo

Member
Originally posted by ISTCNavigator57
These Evening EMHs are, however, QUITE a bit more popular than both the E-Ride Nights and the morning Extra Magic Hours, of which the E-Ride Nights see 5000 guests max and the morning Extra Magic Hours probably see up to 10,000 guests. Even during these test periods, the Evening EMHs have seen as many as 15,000 guests. I would be money on this being the permanent system come August or September.

Any word yet on whether the Extra Magic Hours will be coming back to WDW, say, sometime in late August maybe?

Peter
 

tomm4004

New Member
Joe,

Just curious. I've read that the animals usually head for the exits at 5pm in anticipation of dinner. I wonder how keeping them out there for three extra hours affected them. Perhaps that's why they were so mobile - they were antsy to get to their pens and dinner! It would be neat to see them that active. Were the cheetahs and the lions up and around?
 

Disnycrazy

New Member
I will be at Disney the Middle of Agust is there any word that this will be made permanent. I would love to see this made a permanent thing, it really sound cool.
 

tbell

New Member
when we were there in May we were able to go to the EMH at Epcot....it was really packed but it was nice....fun riding Test Track at night...but are they still going on?? I would think that they extra hours should be a perk for resort guests year round.... I bet that would fill the resorts...but it might make AP discounts for rooms harder to get...
 

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