Skipping Parks on EMH Days?

[HoundDog83]

Hello Everyone! My family and I are planning our first ever trip to Disney World in Mid-May. In doing some reading across different sites, there seems to be a mixed set of opinions about going to a park on the day that it offers Extra Magic Hours. More than a few have recommended avoiding the park that offers EMH in order to avoid the accompanying extra crowds. This is our first time and I have no idea what to expect. We are going to be there May 12th through May 17th, so we can juggle around a few of the parks assuming I can change a few reservations. With younger kids (>1, 4, & 7) we will probably not be looking to take advantage of the EMH anyways especially since two of the days have the nighttime EMH.

What are your thoughts on avoiding Parks with EMH?

Our Current Schedule is as follows:

Sat. 12th - Hollywood Studios (half day after arrival)
Sun. 13th - Magic Kingdom - - (already have CRT & BBB booked)
Mon. 14th - Animal Kingdom (EMH 8-9am)
Tue. 15th - Epcot (EMH 9-11pm) - - (Akershus Lunch Reservations)
Wed. 16th - Undecided (EMH MK 9-11PM)
Thur. 17th - Magic Kingdom - - (Pirate's League Reservations, & Lunch at Disney Springs for My Son's Birthday- T-rex Café)

I can juggle around Monday, Tuesday (assuming I can reschedule Akershus), and Wednesday to avoid the parks with EMH - Just wasn't sure if it would help or not in reducing wait times.

Thank you all in advance for your advice!

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Avoid? I plan my days because of EMH. Especially the early ones. The parks are fairly empty until 10-11am and it's a good way to beat the crowds and heat. Late night can be a different story, but I'll still take the extra hours. Families tend to clear out in the early evening, so you can lay low for a while or plan your trip back to the resort for then. Beware of lines to re-enter the park upon your return, however.

If you have the Park Hopper option, it's a good way to take advantage of (by jumping to a different park that has late hours) - or beat a hasty retreat if it doesn't work out.

 

[ELG13]

Keep in mind also, that with fast passes and reservations at different locations the travel time. I feel many people visiting for their first time don't realize how massive the property is and how long it can take to get from one place to another. If you are using their buses I would give yourself an HR for traveling. So be sure to take that in to account when you are planning on hopping. FWIW I've never used hoppers with my littles. We generally did one park at a time and took our time. I just never thought we would get the value out of them.

 

[joejccva71]

Avoid? I plan my days because of EMH. Especially the early ones. The parks are fairly empty until 10-11am and it's a good way to beat the crowds and heat.

I'm not sure which parks you're going to for morning EMH but it's not "fairly empty" at Animal Kingdom. Nights are WAY lower in crowds. In fact, the standby queues for FoP drop in avg wait times to about 60-90 minutes after about 7pm.

 

[Master Yoda]

I'm not sure which parks you're going to for morning EMH but it's not "fairly empty" at Animal Kingdom. Nights are WAY lower in crowds. In fact, the standby queues for FoP drop in avg wait times to about 60-90 minutes after about 7pm.

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AK is an anomaly right now due to Pandora. However, if you were to go to an early EMH at AK, Pandora would be a zoo and the rest of the park is a ghost town.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

I'm not sure which parks you're going to for morning EMH but it's not "fairly empty" at Animal Kingdom. Nights are WAY lower in crowds. In fact, the standby queues for FoP drop in avg wait times to about 60-90 minutes after about 7pm.

It's easy to show a picture of the Pandora lines and claim the park is packed. But I think we both know that's not true...

AK is an anomaly right now due to Pandora. However, if you were to go to an early EMH at AK, Pandora would be a zoo and the rest of the park is a ghost town.

Because this.

 

[joejccva71]

It's easy to show a picture of the Pandora lines and claim the park is packed. But I think we both know that's not true....

You said the parks are empty until 10-11am on EMH mornings and that's just simply not true. EMH mornings in every park are busy and have lines. So what are you talking about?

 

[BoarderPhreak]

You said the parks are empty until 10-11am on EMH mornings and that's just simply not true. EMH mornings in every park are busy and have lines. So what are you talking about?

I've been in MK, AK and Epcot from opening and were relatively empty until later in the morning. Clearly when you go can play a part, but that's been my experience more often than not. What are you talking about?

 

[joejccva71]

I've been in MK, AK and Epcot from opening and were relatively empty until later in the morning. Clearly when you go can play a part, but that's been my experience more often than not. What are you talking about?

I mean if the park opens EMH at 8am, is the entire park going to be a zoo by 8:15? Obviously not. Will SDMT have a pretty good line by 8:30am? Um yes. By 8:30-8:45am SDMT will have a atleast a 60 minute wait by then, Frozen at Epcot will be the same if not 90 minutes, Flight of Passage worse.

Obviously not every square inch of a park will be jam packed, but the main attractions will have significant wait times. And that's really what people are going to EMH for. They aren't going to stare at birds chirping in the wind.

To the OP: We're going to be in the park the same week pretty much. I'm interested in seeing how EMH at AK will be on that Monday.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

I mean if the park opens EMH at 8am, is the entire park going to be a zoo by 8:15? Obviously not. Will SDMT have a pretty good line by 8:30am? Um yes. By 8:30-8:45am SDMT will have a atleast a 60 minute wait by then, Frozen at Epcot will be the same if not 90 minutes, Flight of Passage worse.

Obviously not every square inch of a park will be jam packed, but the main attractions will have significant wait times. And that's really what people are going to EMH for. They aren't going to stare at birds chirping in the wind...

Obviously the more popular attractions (that you can get to) will begin forming lines from the get-go. You either need to get on one of them or have FP already. But pretty much every other ride and the rest of the park will be pretty sedate until easily 10am. My strategy is just that; get FP for the E tickets and get on one of them that I don't have one for early (or two, depending).

The thing is though, most of MK isn't open (e.g. Adventureland and Frontierland) and neither is Epcot (majority of WS) if you're there early enough. So you have plenty of time to get to them and as good a chance as anyone to be first in line. Your odds will not improve over the rest of the day except towards park closing.