Question about Extra Magic Morning Hours

[musketeer]

Could someone explain what happens when the extra magic hour starts? If I arrive before, is there a separate line for hotel guests? Is it clearly marked? What happens if I arrive after it begins, how will I know where to go?

What exactly happens when the park opens for the extra magic hour, not the normal park opening.

Thanks

 

[AEfx]

The difference is you cannot enter the turnstyles without showing a valid resort ID as well as your ticket.

Don't bother arriving after it begins - pick another park if that happens. You will defeat the whole purpose. Whatever park has morning EMH pulls people in all day long, long after the one hour benefit is over. What happens is people figure, "Oh, we'll get up early tomorrow and do the MK EMH!" and end up sleeping until 10, rolling in at 11...when EMH is long over just because they had already planned on that park that day.

If you want to see the worst lines this side of a holiday, try to arrive at the MK on EMH morning day at 10:30 and you'll see this perplexing situation in action.

You'll be fine - just get there by quarter of 8 and you'll get more done in the first few hours than many people will accomplish all day. If you start riding right at 8, by the time everyone else is still arriving you'll be in the back of the park and you'll still be ahead of them for a good portion of the morning.

AEfx

 

[tkdmom]

You asked if there was a "hotel only" line. Remember, early entry is just for Disney resort guests, not outside hotels. Please remember to bring your resort ID. There is no special line.

 

[mr_grey]

How can I fid out which parks open early/close late? I am going in feb 07
thanks!!!:sohappy:

 

[ilovepluto23]

When I went this year in February, Epcot had an EMH in the morning.
When we arrived to Epcot, they didn't check any resort I.D. at all...just took our ticket, went through the turnstyles, and we were in.
I don't know why they were doing that but I wish they had been checking...people staying off-site were probably let in as well as those staying at a Disney resort.
I'm not trying to be mean, but it just seems pointless to have an EMH and not check I.D.s; you may as well have just opened the park an hour early to everyone.

 

[AEfx]

How can I fid out which parks open early/close late? I am going in feb 07
thanks!!!:sohappy:

Go to the WDW website, and click on "calendar". I don't believe February's EMH's have been posted yet, however. They should be soon.

Count your blessings, we only used to know a couple of months in advance, not a half-year - so you'll have plenty of time to plan.

Have a great trip!

AEfx

 

[Bill Smugs]

When I went this year in February, Epcot had an EMH in the morning.
When we arrived to Epcot, they didn't check any resort I.D. at all...just took our ticket, went through the turnstyles, and we were in.
I don't know why they were doing that but I wish they had been checking...people staying off-site were probably let in as well as those staying at a Disney resort.
I'm not trying to be mean, but it just seems pointless to have an EMH and not check I.D.s; you may as well have just opened the park an hour early to everyone.

Was your ticket on your "key to the world" card (ie your room key) if so the CM probobly saw it when you put it in the reader.

 

[shoppingnut]

I don't know why they were doing that but I wish they had been checking...people staying off-site were probably let in as well as those staying at a Disney resort.
I'm not trying to be mean, but it just seems pointless to have an EMH and not check I.D.s; you may as well have just opened the park an hour early to everyone.

Since most people now buy their tickets as part of a package they tend to be encoded on their room keys and the CM can clearly see the room keys as you put them in the turnstiles without grabbing them out of your hand for microscopic examination. I seriously doubt if there were any off-site folks let in and if there were, it would have been very minimal because you can never tell if they will be checking id's or not, so risking early entrance is a gamble. It's not like huge tour buses were rolling up because they know when the park opens and get their accordingly, yes they may show up a bit early for people to buy tickets and all, but they don't show up with the intention of sneaking into the parks during EMH.

 

[Scott M]

How does the "after hours" portion of it work? With a park full of people, how is it determined how people that are staying in a Disney resort can stay in the park, yet those staying off property are to leave?

Scott

 

[Tigger1988]

How does the "after hours" portion of it work? With a park full of people, how is it determined how people that are staying in a Disney resort can stay in the park, yet those staying off property are to leave?

Scott

You get a wristband, and those without wristbands are not allowed on rides

 

[LilRoo714]

Wristband distribution happens throughout the parks starting a few hours before EMH hours do. You'll show your resort ID card, it will be scanned for validity and then you'll get the wristband. All the details should be on the Disney website and you'll see notices posted at the parks for where to get your bands. Without a band guests cannot ride the rides, although they can just stay in the park, so they don't actually kick anyone out!

 

[Scott M]

Tigger1988 & LilRoo714,

Thanks for the info!

I hadn't been down to WDW in quite a few years (not since 2001) , and I don't recall if this was an option then.

I'm trying to plan a trip for sometime next year, and I'll definitely being staying at a Disney Resort. I'm looking to get all the information that I can in the meantime.

Thanks again,

Scott