Are evening EMH at MK THAT bad?

[Betsyp]

I thought I was in good shape with my itinerarary - Sunday at MK, Monday - Epcot, Tuesday - MK, Wed. - Epcot, Thurs -DHS and Friday-AK.

MK is my favorite park and so it's always going to be the park I go to first. I thought that having evening EMH would be cool. I would get to the park at rope drop, get in lots of rides, etc.......Then, I'd take a break at the hotel, have dinner, come back to MK for the parade and Wishes and maybe ride some more. However, I've read so many more negative comments about evening EMHs (extremely crowded) that I wonder if it's going to be a problem. I KNOW I won't make it until 3 am - nor would I try given that I still need to rest up for the rest of my vacation. Am I worrying too much? I should have plenty of time to do the things at MK that I want to do - I have 2 full days there - so I'm kind of thinking that I'm only worrying because I've got little else to plan, lol.

 

[CandleontheWater]

It will be croweded, but not impossible! My favorite strategy for evening EMH at MK is a reverse rope drop. Start with the least popular attractions, and then as the crowds thin out, go for the headliners. You could go and plan an enjoying rides like Pirates, HM, and Its a small world. I personally think they would be worth it!

 

[Nadjalu]

For me it doesn't matter if it is crowded. If I am there I am in MK for EMH at night....period. Can't get enough time there.

 

[gkrykewy]

Yes. Yes, they are. I really miss the prior version of EMH (with the wristbands). Much less crowded.

 

[puffkin]

They will be very crowded. If there are parades/fireworks prior to the EMH expect gridlock in the hub/mainstreet area. Tomorrowland is always a zoo on EMH. Usually after about 11 things start to clear out significantly and by midnight crowds are much more manageable.

 

[cdrn1]

Did my first and only MK EMH in September. Empty. We did SM and BTMRR several times without exiting the ride vehicle. It was wonderful. We stayed until it closed with no lines and no crowds.

 

[texasteacher35]

It seems like it is always crowded....but we also always go anyway! (Just as PP's have stated)

 

[Betsyp]

They will be very crowded. If there are parades/fireworks prior to the EMH expect gridlock in the hub/mainstreet area. Tomorrowland is always a zoo on EMH. Usually after about 11 things start to clear out significantly and by midnight crowds are much more manageable.

Aren't there always a parade and fireworks, though?

Candle, are you referring to when the EMH actually starts - which is I guess at 9 pm? That makes sense - I would feel no urgency to do some of the most popular rides right away as I would have done them during the day (though I would imagine there's a totally different vibe riding Big Thunder or even SM at night_.

 

[Betsyp]

For me it doesn't matter if it is crowded. If I am there I am in MK for EMH at night....period. Can't get enough time there.

I don't think I'll change my itinerary at this point because (a) it's too much work and I'd have to change my dinner ADRs and (b) the idea of being at MK late at night is kind of cool, hanging out with people who just want to have fun (like I do). I think I just have to be patient - and relax; I'm in the most magical place in the world.

 

[Betsyp]

Did my first and only MK EMH in September. Empty. We did SM and BTMRR several times without exiting the ride vehicle. It was wonderful. We stayed until it closed with no lines and no crowds.

I guess it's just a matter of luck..........there's only one way to find out and that's to go, lol. I just can't see myself not going to MK on my first full day......

 

[Betsyp]

Yes. Yes, they are. I really miss the prior version of EMH (with the wristbands). Much less crowded.

How so? Did they limit the # of people who could come in at a certain hour?

 

[Miss Hunnybee]

I may be more of a hindurance than a help here, but it REALLY depends on when you go. For example, in December we went to EPCOT EMH, this was during Pop Football and it was a MADHOUSE. One look at the line for Soarin' and we turned around and left The Land. Nemo wasn't much of a problem, and it was way too cold to ride Test Track (We're Floridians, so we're whimps), but the rest of Future World was packed. Even Mouse Gear was mobbed. In early January, after the holiday crowds, we did EMH at EPCOT again. GHOST TOWN! It was like we had Future World to ourselves. Even Soarin's line was tolerable. My advice, if it's offseason, hit up Extra Magic Hours!!!

 

[PixieTl]

we had really good luck with evening EMH at MK, and it was July! the longest line was HM and TMR, every thing else was pretty smooth!

 

[ashenbiez]

last spring was our first time using the EMHs at all and we LOVED them!
we did a PM EMH at MK and it was amazing - once the fireworks crowd cleared out, it was empty and so fun! I felt like a little kid breaking the rules and staying up past bedtime

there were characters EVERYWHERE, too! at least all around fantasyland.
We finally pooped out around 1230am (was open until 2) but got some awesome castle photopass shots on the way out - castle all lit up and no crowds in the photos

it was early/mid april - so not a particularly busy time which might be part of it.

 

[JenSop]

We LOVE evening EMH at MK!!!!!!!

But we like to stick it out til the end - 2 or 3 am (depending on how late it's open that night.)

We don't go to evening EMH (anywhere) to get tons of rides in. It's more to be able to take in the beauty of MK at night. We spend lots of time in Adventureland. Last year we had Swiss Family Treehouse completely to ourselves. So fun - felt like I was 9 years old again! Relaxed with some Dole Whip Floats. And we usually like to ride Pirates over and over again!

And we usually do Splash Mt. later during the EMH - it's hardly ever crowded and DH agrees to do it, since he won't be walking around wet for too long.

 

[MikeandSulley]

We usually do an evening EMH at MK once a trip, we love it, its has never been crowded for us. We go in May if that helps. I remember one year riding Splash over and over no one was in line so we stayed on, it wasn't too late in the night either maybe 11:30 or 12:00.

We stay till the end though, and usually Peter Pan is really busy but by 2:30 you can just walk on it.

It depends on when you visit, but totally worth doing, even if it is crowded, what else would you be doing?

 

[mastermind307]

I'm think about going to MK on our arrival day. It's a Sunday and it will probably have evening EMH (nov. hours aren't out yet). Are the resort buses any less crowded going back to the resorts after Wishes since resort guest don't have to leave? Just wondering because we want to see a fireworks show, but don't want to deal with heavy crowds leaving and having wait a long time for a bus back to POFQ.

 

[WickedDreamer]

How crazy/full are EMH in February?

 

[Betsyp]

I may be more of a hindurance than a help here, but it REALLY depends on when you go. For example, in December we went to EPCOT EMH, this was during Pop Football and it was a MADHOUSE. One look at the line for Soarin' and we turned around and left The Land. Nemo wasn't much of a problem, and it was way too cold to ride Test Track (We're Floridians, so we're whimps), but the rest of Future World was packed. Even Mouse Gear was mobbed. In early January, after the holiday crowds, we did EMH at EPCOT again. GHOST TOWN! It was like we had Future World to ourselves. Even Soarin's line was tolerable. My advice, if it's offseason, hit up Extra Magic Hours!!!

I'm going end of May, so that's not off-season nor is it in-season. I guess if I find it too crowded after the parade and wishes, I can just leave - it's not like I won't have done what I needed to do that day. Getting there at rope drop should guarantee that I can get on the "big" rides more than once even without undue waits.

 

[Betsyp]

We LOVE evening EMH at MK!!!!!!!

But we like to stick it out til the end - 2 or 3 am (depending on how late it's open that night.)

We don't go to evening EMH (anywhere) to get tons of rides in. It's more to be able to take in the beauty of MK at night. We spend lots of time in Adventureland. Last year we had Swiss Family Treehouse completely to ourselves. So fun - felt like I was 9 years old again! Relaxed with some Dole Whip Floats. And we usually like to ride Pirates over and over again!

And we usually do Splash Mt. later during the EMH - it's hardly ever crowded and DH agrees to do it, since he won't be walking around wet for too long.

I like that idea of being at MK during the night- I'm sure it can be really beautiful. Also, I kind of like that idea of just relaxing and taking it all in -going on a few rides, sure, but not sprinting trying to do it all. Oh, the Pirates at night must be really cool - now I'm really getting excited about evening EMH at MK. Dole Whip floats- man, those sound good. Since I'm walking back to the CR after I leave, I can also do SM late at night - how great, lol.

MikeandSulley, the only thing I'd be doing at 2 or 3 am would be sleeping, lol. If I stay that late, I will never be able to get up for rope drop at Epcot and still be a normal human instead of a zombie. Of course it's a couple of months away and I don't need to plan exactly what time I'm staying until.

Now I'm more excited than I was before - and I didnt' know that was possible