Best strategy for lower line ups - go on magic hours days or avoid magic hours days?

[LHM2001]

Hi! first trip to WDW end of Jan 2013 (so excited!) we picked that time of year because we're hopeful to not have huge lineups and be able to see and do all the stuff we want to do. I've been planning out our itinerary (and booking dining around it) but then I just read that going on magic hours days are actually busier days for those parks - so does the extra hour in the morning make up for it being busier all day - or is it a better strategy for me to avoid the magic hours days.

Also, I'm guessing that MK is the busiest of all the parks? what are the best days to visit MK to avoid line ups?

[PixieDustFanatic]

Busiest days at MK are Saturdays and Mondays. If you have park hoppers, go ahead and enjoy the EMH's and then leave the park as it gets busier. If you don't have hoppers, I would avoid the parks with the EMH's. The amount of time you save in that hour isn't a good enough pay off in my experience. You'll get lots of opinions, and everyone has their own ideas about how they like to tour. So I'm sure you'll get different feedback. From what I've read, and experienced, the slower times of year, mean there are less offsite visitors, so there will be just as many people eligible for EMHs as busier times. Also, given the shorter park hours, more people will be of the mindset to go to the park with the longer hours....I.e. the EMH park, thinking they are getting more time for their money. But given that most people are thinking that way, the crowds are more apt to follow the EMHs and you are better off avoiding those parks.

Either way, if you have a good plan, you'll be fine that time of year. Check out www.easywdw.com to see which parks are best for your days. And have a blast!!

[LHM2001]

Thanks! I'm surprised that Mondays are one of the busiest days at MK? why is that? It thought it would be Friday-Sunday?

[siskaren]

Originally Posted by LHM2001

Thanks! I'm surprised that Mondays are one of the busiest days at MK? why is that? It thought it would be Friday-Sunday?

Josh at easywdw.com says that it's because a lot of people start their vacations on Sundays and like to do their first full day at MK. Saturdays are usually busy, but I don't think Fridays generally are.

[Missyrose]

Personally, I have found evening EMH is really only beneficial at MK (and typically only if the hours go really late).

The problem at AK, DHS and Epcot is that there aren't enough big rides to absorb the crowds, so the lines typically don't ease up until much later in the evening.

Morning EMHs can be much more beneficial simply because most people don't want to get up that early on vacation.

But with either EMH, you're better off using a park hopper. Go to the morning EMH then by about 10 a.m., switch to a less crowded park. Same thing with evening EMH, go to a less crowded park all day, then hop to the EMH park for those extra hours.

If you don't have hoppers, then I would avoid any parks with EMH. Lots of resort guest choose their parks based on which has EMH and they stay there all day, making it much harder to get anything done.

Happy planning!