EMH Question

[jcjohns91107]

It seems to me that most people use the EMH in the morning. My family and I aren't morning people but could see oursleves staying in a park until midnight no problem. I planned to avoid the EMH parks during the early hours but then migrate over there for dinner and the nightime EMH. I actually booked my dinner ADR's at EMH parks for that reason. Am I wrong?

 

[BradyBz12]

Always depends on when you're going and what might be going on that particular day. But I can tell you that DH and I never do AM EMH and always do PM EMH. We tend to go in early Dec (fairly quiet time) but find PM EMH to be very enjoyable, and after the first hour or so, not particularly crowded.

In fact, we've done walk ons for very popular attractions in that last hour of PM EMH. Exception to that is TSM - which still had waits of 90 mins 30 mins before park close.

 

[DISdreamin']

I'll second the EMH park in the evenings. My dad and I did Epcot in January and were walk-on for EVERYTHING we went on. We didn't wait in one line except for Soarin' where we simply had to wait for the next load, which might have been ~2 minutes. It was great!

We didn't do any morning EMH at all, we just made sure we made it for park opening (didn't actually do the rope-drop itself, but were in the park at opening) and it was wonderful. We went at a quiet time of year, but we had the best time without having to get up too awfully early.

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

If you are going during a busy season the evening EMH can be a waste of time.

Our last trip was in June and we tried the evening EMH at the Studios. We were fortunate enough to grab FP for TOT when they re-opened the machines. We were able to go right on when the EMH began and then used our FP for a second ride. After the second ride the return time for FP was WAY into the night. We checked the wait times on the board they have at the Studios and everything was insane with long wait times. We just left and went back to our resort.

Another evening we were at Epcot (not planning on staying for the evening EMH) and the crowds pouring in was unbelievable. The park was getting very crowded and this was still a couple or so hours before the EMH began.

On the other hand we have used morning EMH and were able to ride non-stop on all our favorites at all the parks. We also found that if you arrive at any park before opening you will have no waits at all for the first couple of hours. If it is a morning EMH you have an additional hour before the outside crowds arrive around 11am.

 

[GazerBeam]

We do the evening EMHs pretty frequently. Absolutely nothing wrong with heading there, and having dinner. The park has never felt crowded when we have been there, but the waits for some rides can be long. But on some nights, everything was a walk on.

GB

 

[TheWog]

Our first real night there we are going to do just that. EPCOT is the EMH and we will be leaving MK for EPCOT to grab a bite and then check it out until midnight or whenever we quit. I don't think what you propose is too bad.

 

[purplevalentine]

I'm not a morning person either. On my last trip to Disney we did nothing but the evening EMH. It was in July/Aug. and the Magic Kingdom stayed open until 2AM! LOVED IT!! Walked on and off rides with ease. Planning to do nothing but evening EMH for my trip this June!


Karen

 

[penfren]

Do you have to be in the park before closing to stay for the evening EMH? For example, if MK has EMH from 9-12, could we enter MK around 9:30, or do you have to be in the park prior to closing?

 

[mass02703]

We just came back from the World. We are not morning people either and on the days of EMH in the evening we enjoyed our days elsewhere, went to dinner and then over to the parks for fireworks, parade and rides. Easter Sunday MK had EMH from 12-3. We walked on rides without any lines. The kids must have done the tomorrowland cars 5 times in a row and Buzz another 5. We practically had the park to ourselves. We did get Fast passes for Space Mountain but even that time was only 45 minutes after we picked them up. It was great if you can stay out that late.

 

[purplevalentine]

Do you have to be in the park before closing to stay for the evening EMH? For example, if MK has EMH from 9-12, could we enter MK around 9:30, or do you have to be in the park prior to closing?

The last time I went to Disney you had to be in the park before closing to pick up your bracelet. Not sure if you can punch your ticket (your key to the world) after the park has officially closed to outside guests.


KAREN

 

[jenseib]

We never do morning ones either. but love the evening ones. I will say I've been told to avoid HS for evening hours though because not much is open and the lines get really long, but the other parks are great.

 

[thepwa]

Love PM EMH! Yes, usually at first it is really crowded, but the later it gets, the more the crowds thin out and the more we get to ride headliner attractions with very little wait time. Usually, we just walk on again and again.

We have even been know to do a very late EMH and be up just a couple of hours later for AM EMH. Since we go in the summer, and it's very hot, this works perfectly because we can spend the afternoon in our AC sleeping, or at the pool.

I may not have continued to stay on site year after year if it were not for EMH's. To me, it is the biggest perk offered for staying on-site.

I would also like to add that I firmly believe that having the Park Hopper option is equally important to making EMH's work to the fullest , because I can get out of a crowded EMH AM park after the general public is admitted to the park. Same with PM...I can be at a less crowded park until the PM EMH, then head over to that one after that GP crowd starts to exit.

 

[torsie24]

We never do morning ones either. but love the evening ones. I will say I've been told to avoid HS for evening hours though because not much is open and the lines get really long, but the other parks are great.

That's interestiong about HS - thankyou!

We will be doing more AM EMHs as the time difference will mean we'll be awake before sunrise for the first few days, but when we do PM EMH (will do an EPCOT one at the very least) I don't really plan on getting there much earlier than an hour before official closing.

 

[MelanieC]

We went to one at DHS (evening EMH) and yikes - it scared my family for life, lol.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

If you are going during a busy season the evening EMH can be a waste of time.

While your experience could have been very different, I 100% disagree with this statement. I have gone to WDW 1-2 times a year and always during the peak/busy season because I am a teacher. This is when the eveing EMHs are very late (i.e. MK from 12 midnight to 3 a.m., etc.). We relax, sleep in, and do a few attractions during the day along with meals. We get the entire parks done at EMH that night. Everything is always a walk-on with the exception of Soarin', but that we usually fast pass. Nighttime EMH is the best thing ever!

 

[serene56]

Is everything still opened at night or just a few choices like the early am hour?

 

[mass02703]

They no longer give bracelets you just have to show your room key before getting on every ride. You can still enter the park after hours. Generally only certain rides are open for EMH but this past Sunday (Easter) every ride was open until 3 AM. I think that it was because of park attendence. It was fantastic. We had an 18 month old that fell asleep in the stroller (with blanket and pillow) around 10 while the older children (5 and 11) continued to walk on rides until nearly 3.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Since my kids are early risers (with the sun), we tend to do am EMH. In January our first day was a PM EMH at MK, so we went over late afternoon and stayed through the fireworks. That's when the crowds will diminish, as the off-site people have to leave. We had been up so early that day, we couldn't do much that night though. Someday! I wish I could stay up past midnight! In the winter, non-peak times, the hours are shorter anyway. So p.m. EMH was from 9 - 12 some nights. I guess we'll hit the am EMH and you guys can have the p.m.
I know some of the tour plan guides will say to avoid the EMH. I found the a.m. to be no problem - I suppose more people want to sleep late on vacation! We did go to the non-EMH parks in evenings, and they were not too bad. Exception - DHS! Because of Fantasmic being only shown a couple times a week, any Fantasmic night was jammed!

 

[ColoradoDis]

Is everything still opened at night or just a few choices like the early am hour?

Here's the link to what is open for each EMH - morning and evening:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/calendar/extramagichours/

 

[jenseib]

SHHHH! maybe we shouldn't let poeple in on our secret! LOL!