Ugggg! Disney Switched EMH Days

[crazycatlady]

We plan around EMH in a way it NEVER matters. Always plan ADR's at a normal operating time for the parks. Don't count on getting to BOG before the park opens and the stress is gone...

.. Then it comes back when you've planned a long night at MK and it's switched for EPCOT....sigh

And that is exactly the problem! I like AM EMH at DHS because we don't have to worry about all the FP+ people inflating the stand-by lines for the 1st hour when we are trying to get RNR, TSMM, and TOT done. By the time the park opens and the FP+ lines start, we are at the 2nd tier rides ahead of the crowds. I can't change my days around because we are planning on late EMH at MK on Wednesday and the new AM EMH day for DHS is Thursday. Oh well! We will have a great time regardless of what changes Disney makes to the schedule, but I agree with pp who said that this has been the hardest, and most frustrating, trip to plan. It is definitely more stressful than planning our two Universal trips from the past 2 years.

 

[DVC4US]

If that stands and I was going in June, I would not be a happy camper.

We went last year in June and the park was open until midnight. I probably wouldn't plan a trip in June if the park wasn't open later. We try very hard to avoid being out in the peak heat of the day.

It does stink and if it stands Disney will definitely be hearing from me. I have gone several times in June and never has the park closed at 10pm. Also, how can April and May be open until 11pm or 12am but the summer only open until 10pm. Doesn't make any sense.

 

[Terpsichore]

Probably just a glitch - AK is actually open until 11pm in June.

Thank you! We are hoping to check out the JB show and ride EE and KS at night. Since we like to PH, this gives us more flexibility. Now we'll hope for the later MK hours that our night owl DS loves.

 

[geenerbell]

I am surprised that MK closes at 10pm in June. I usually go Sept. or Oct. I honestly thought the park would be open later during the summer.

This is making me crazy! How can the MK be open till 11pm and 12am in May and not in June?

 

[BethR9]

I'm pretty positive it will be extended. Maybe Disney is doing this to try to keep the crowd calendar "predictors" on their toes... Disney hates to think anyone can one up them or take "advantage" of something.

 

[Ambear]

We plan around EMH in a way it NEVER matters. Always plan ADR's at a normal operating time for the parks. Don't count on getting to BOG before the park opens and the stress is gone...

.. Then it comes back when you've planned a long night at MK and it's switched for EPCOT....sigh

I'm actually trying to use crowd calendars this trip and am finding adr's are kind of the problem. I'm making certain food reservations for days I know I'll be in the parks. So I made a yak and yeti for a day AK is a recommended park, but now if emh change that could mean AK isn't recommended anymore. Yea this definitely doesn't ruin my vacation, but it makes me feel like my attempts at planning are worthless...

 

[Steffiesunshine]

That stinks! Disney has now made it difficult to plan a vacation with the 180+10 ADRs, and FP+, and releasing schedules and special event tickets after a lot of your ADRs and park days need to be planned, and then they go one more and just change schedules on the fly. I miss the days of spontaneity!

 

[mousefan73]

And people question why some hoard ADRs when you can't 100% plan which park which day. Not everyone falls prey to the park hopper. We give this flexibilty up to save 100s. Our trips are at least 9 days. Allowing us to do everything. But an accurate schedule is a must in plan ing.

 

[BethR9]

Another reason I'm glad we don't do ADRs...

 

[ParrotBill]

We all need to give feedback to Disney that unstable park hours and EMH are making it impossible to plan ahead as FP+ now requires. A change 2 weeks prior is a planning disaster, even a chance 2 months prior puts plans at risk for not being available on a different day. Certainly ADRs are ruined for popular restaurants as far as 4 or 5 months ahead.

AK hours are likely being returned to 5 or 6pm closings since the Rivers of Light will not debut this spring, or summer, (at all this year?)

MK hours are often hedged against night time events and private parties in the Spring and Fall. They may open up later but hard to plan around this.

 

[luvallprincesses]

Thank you for the alert. I chose Epcot for June 9 to utilize EMH in the morning. That's a bummer. I won't be changing my plans for the day at this late, but am disappointed that I planned for it and it's been changed.

 

[DVC4US]

We all need to give feedback to Disney that unstable park hours and EMH are making it impossible to plan ahead as FP+ now requires. A change 2 weeks prior is a planning disaster, even a chance 2 months prior puts plans at risk for not being available on a different day. Certainly ADRs are ruined for popular restaurants as far as 4 or 5 months ahead.

AK hours are likely being returned to 5 or 6pm closings since the Rivers of Light will not debut this spring, or summer, (at all this year?)

MK hours are often hedged against night time events and private parties in the Spring and Fall. They may open up later but hard to plan around this.

AK hours have not returned to earlier closings. AK is open until 11pm from Memorial weekend until July 2nd(right now) which is what they released last weekend. I am sure the rest of the summer will have extended hours whenever Disney gets around to updating the calendar.

 

[cindyfan]

And Disney wonders why people are getting SO FRUSTRATED with everything FP+ and park hour related!!!!

 

[butterfly71076]

Thanks for the info! My PPO breakfast at H&V on 6/9 is now useless. We will still be going to HS that day, but don't want to waste time eating during EMH!

 

[mousefan73]

Another reason I'm glad we don't do ADRs...

We always do the FD offer in the Fall and love disney dining..when it's "free". For us it's a great deal when you do the math.
But there is a part of me that wishes in a way we would give up TS and just do QS.. We would save a lot of time and maybe be able to experience more.. but the food always sucks us back in.. we just love places like Boma, Cape May, Tusker.. and these are ones that you have to book 6 months or so ahead to get the times you want...

 

[mousefan73]

AK hours have not returned to earlier closings. AK is open until 11pm from Memorial weekend until July 2nd(right now) which is what they released last weekend. I am sure the rest of the summer will have extended hours whenever Disney gets around to updating the calendar.

and that is the problem.. FD was released last week.. So good luck now getting tusker, Yat Yeti, or Boma at good times from end of Aug and beyond Fall. .. and for people like us ( sept) what times do we book dinner now?? it was always a given AK park closes at 5pm so for ex. an ADR Boma anytime 5:30 on was good to go.
Now we have no idea what is coming. Our "normal" ADR might now be in the middle of some new show.... so what do I do? book at 4pm ( leaving the option to eat and come back) and/or book a 6pm assuming AK is closed... So here is one example where people book two...

 

[whiporee]

The solution to this is simple: Don't plan around EMH and do assume the park will close at 10.

If you end up with bonus hours, awesome. But don't count on them, don't plan on them, don't work under the assumption they are coming. And if you don't see value in 9-10, then don't go. But WDW is going to shuffle EMHs around, and they're going to be quiet about extended hours, too, until they make a real call on DAH, and I don't think they've made that yet, no matter how unsuccessful it's seemed so far.

Crowd calendars have been wrong, park hours are subject to change and a whole lot of Disney scheduling is in flux these days. You've got EMMs and DAHs to consider, too. So plan around what you know, not what you expect.

As far as I can tell, nobody's ADRs are affected, just their presumptive plans. And there's one thing that's become apparent to me this year is that presumptive planning doesn't work at WDW nearly as well as it used to, so it might be best to plan around what you KNOW will happen -- plan for 9-10, and adjust from that on the fly. I think anything else is a recipe for going crazy.

 

[DVC4US]

and that is the problem.. FD was released last week.. So good luck now getting tusker, Yat Yeti, or Boma at good times from end of Aug and beyond Fall. .. and for people like us ( sept) what times do we book dinner now?? it was always a given AK park closes at 5pm so for ex. an ADR Boma anytime 5:30 on was good to go.
Now we have no idea what is coming. Our "normal" ADR might now be in the middle of some new show.... so what do I do? book at 4pm ( leaving the option to eat and come back) and/or book a 6pm assuming AK is closed... So here is one example where people book two...

I totally agree. I am going in 38 days and I have several days where I have multiple ADRs cause Disney won't post updated park hours and show times.

 

[crazycatlady]

The solution to this is simple: Don't plan around EMH and do assume the park will close at 10.

If you end up with bonus hours, awesome. But don't count on them, don't plan on them, don't work under the assumption they are coming. And if you don't see value in 9-10, then don't go. But WDW is going to shuffle EMHs around, and they're going to be quiet about extended hours, too, until they make a real call on DAH, and I don't think they've made that yet, no matter how unsuccessful it's seemed so far.

Crowd calendars have been wrong, park hours are subject to change and a whole lot of Disney scheduling is in flux these days. You've got EMMs and DAHs to consider, too. So plan around what you know, not what you expect.

As far as I can tell, nobody's ADRs are affected, just their presumptive plans. And there's one thing that's become apparent to me this year is that presumptive planning doesn't work at WDW nearly as well as it used to, so it might be best to plan around what you KNOW will happen -- plan for 9-10, and adjust from that on the fly. I think anything else is a recipe for going crazy.

But I did plan for what I "know". I know that the Disney website has had the am EMH at DHS on June 5th for the past 6 months. I pay the more expensive rates to stay on-site to take advantage of the extra hour that EMH brings, so why shouldn't I plan on what Disney has been telling me is true for the past 6 months? Instead I should just plan all of my FP+s and ADRs any random day and hope that Disney decides to move the EMH to the day that I decide to plan for? Disney is the one who has "forced" us (or suffer the consequences of not being able to eat where we want or experience attractions with longer waits) to plan so far in advance instead of going with the flow and being able to switch around plans on the fly, so why shouldn't I be irritated that I am not able to "count on them, plan on them and work under the assumption that they are coming"?

 

[BigAlsGal]

I'm glad I don't pick parks based on EMH.