Help! EMHs...to go or not to go?

Lucille

Member
A while back we decided which parks we'd probably visit each day of our trip. We made our decisions based on park hours and stuff.

(Wait...let me back up a bit. In January 2008 we went to WDW around the same time. We thought the crowds were nice and low on every day except one. It was the Sunday we were there. We went to the Magic Kingdom because we wanted to do the evening Extra Magic Hours. They were the only EMH's we did the entire time. I'm not sure if the park was crowded because it was Sunday or because of EMHs.)

We really liked the extra magic hours even though the park was crowded during the rest of the day. I'm not sure if we ended up in any parks last time on the same day as any extra morning hours (we aren't early risers.)

So this time we wanted to use some more of the EMHs. But today I saw touringplans.com had the chart up for the days of our trip. And basically they say to avoid the parks that have EMHs...which of course, we had planned on actually using.

Yeah...so now I'm not sure if we should just go on the EMH days or avoid those parks. Hmmmm....

We do have park hoppers but we don't want to park hop every single day as it does waste a bit of time.

Here's a little chart (it has the info from touringplans.com and also the parks we had planned to do each day. Saturday we plan on resting and heading to Epcot in the evening for dinner. We planned on park hopping only on the last few days of the trip.)

WDWplans1.jpg
 

Lucille

Member
Original Poster
It seems like we used this strategy at least once last January and again in May with success. Also, in talking with other guests at the bus stops and such and comparing notes it seems to be a recurring hint. At least 4 times last January we'd be on a bus talking about how busy a park was the day before with fellow guests who told us how dead a different park was. I've also decided that if a park is too busy for my liking I'll be happier to hop to a different one than keep fighting the masses. It seems if 1 park is crazy another is bound to be better. Hopping doesn't have to take forever either. If time is that much of an issue just spring for a $25 cab ride. You'll be to your next destination in no time with a quiet, relaxing ride to boot.

((The hubby & I spent some time researching rental cars for hopping & early reservation purposes last week and found we could take 2 cab rides per day for what we would pay to rent a mini-van for our party of 6. Just a thought for ya! :D))

On our last trip we hopped twice. One day we took the monorail from Epcot to MK and I didn't feel like it took that long. We also took a bus from AK to HS and I don't remember thinking it took forever either.

We only have three ADRs we'd like to keep. So if a park is really bad I could see up leaving and switching things up.

this might be our last trip for a long time so I just want it to be fulfilling. I don't want to leave wishing I'd spent more time at a specific park.
 
Upvote 0

RiversideBunny

New Member
The best procedure has been to be at the park that has morning EMH, as soon as it opens, do as much as possible, then leave for another park about noon when that park starts getting crowded.
The late sleepers and the off site guests start showing up by then and it gets crowded so move on.
Thank you, Park Hopper.

:)
 
Upvote 0

Lucille

Member
Original Poster
The best procedure has been to be at the park that has morning EMH, as soon as it opens, do as much as possible, then leave for another park about noon when that park starts getting crowded.
The late sleepers and the off site guests start showing up by then and it gets crowded so move on.
Thank you, Park Hopper.

:)

Unfortunately, we are the type that stay up late and sleep in a bit (and take our time at breakfast and stuff.) Getting up at the crack of dawn on vacation is not appealing at all. Plus we aren't really the type that try to get any many rides in as possible, per se. We the laid back sort that enjoys the atmosphere a lot.
 
Upvote 0

WDW 3

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, we are the type that stay up late and sleep in a bit (and take our time at breakfast and stuff.) Getting up at the crack of dawn on vacation is not appealing at all. Plus we aren't really the type that try to get any many rides in as possible, per se. We the laid back sort that enjoys the atmosphere a lot.

Us too!!! Maybe it's the midwestern in us:) That is why we have never hit morning EMH just evening and agian love them. AK is great since they usually close at 5. Only problem is TSM at DHS but we can live with it since we would rather relax than rush in the mornings.
 
Upvote 0

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom