Extra magic hours - to do or not to do?

[janelcrompton]

We are going to WDW for the first time on August 16th 2009 for 2 weeks.We didn't realise how much planning/reserving was needed so have done this relatively late after reading "the Unofficial Guide" - now I am panicking a little!! We are mum and dad with a girl aged 5(6 at Disney next week!!) and boy aged 3.We managed to book a few character meals and other good restaurants as we booked the deluxe dining plan, but they don't really tie in with the extra magic hours in any of the parks.Should we stick with the meals we've booked or is it better to do the EMH's?I did see one suggestion to arrive at a non-EMH park 30 mins before opening and avoid EMH parks altogether.Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Danauk]

If you have already booked your meals I would stick with that. During the time you are there free dining is on so it will be next to impossible to swap your ADR's around to eat in an EMH park. Personally I would stick to the plan you have and arrive at the non EMH park gate 30 minutes before the park opens so you are there for rope drop.

 

[bartleby1]

I have always found it best to avoid EMH with real young children. It is hard to get them up and out in time for morning EMH and they are too tired by evening EMH. And, if you do manage to stay for evening EMH, they are too tired the next day.

Keep your dining reservations and schedule your park days around that. Do you have ALL of your table service ADR's booked? You are going during free dining so the restaurants are going to be busy. Be sure to have all of them in place before you go since availability will be slim pickings.

If you haven't done so already, check your children's heights so you know what rides they can go on and which ones they can't. If they are over 40 inches, it opens up a bunch of bigger rides like splash mountain, soarin, test track, etc. You can also use child swap if your little one is too small to go on.

Also, be sure to read up on how the fastpass system works. It is your best friend!

After that - relax, start packing, and have a great trip!

 

[janelcrompton]

Thanks for your reply - that's really helpful. I see you've stayed at the animal kingdom lodge which is where we will be - we have a savannah room - any tips re the hotel and getting to the parks? - we have rented a car. Do you think we will be able to dine in Boma for breakfast/lunch without reservation - it was tricky to get reservations for dinner,which seems ridiculous when you're staying in the hotel!!!Hope you don't mind me picking your brains,but it's feeling more like mission impossible than a holiday!!

 

[janelcrompton]

Thanks to you both!! Looks like I misread you Danauk - you WILL be in animal kingdom lodge - Happy Anniversary!! - we may see you next week!!

 

[Jenngoofys]

Thanks for your reply - that's really helpful. I see you've stayed at the animal kingdom lodge which is where we will be - we have a savannah room - any tips re the hotel and getting to the parks? - we have rented a car. Do you think we will be able to dine in Boma for breakfast/lunch without reservation - it was tricky to get reservations for dinner,which seems ridiculous when you're staying in the hotel!!!Hope you don't mind me picking your brains,but it's feeling more like mission impossible than a holiday!!

In order for you to be sure you have seats and not be waiting in a dining line your whole trip I would book all your Table Service meals now. Other wise you risk waiting 30 - 60 minutes while others dine and you wait in line.

And as far as extra magic hours just upgrade your passes to park hoppers, and utilize the evening extra magic hours only. The parks are less crowded and it is cooler. As far as little kids just take a afternoon nap when parks are the most crowded,and hot, it will give them the extra energy to make the later hours. Hope this helps

Also if you have a stroller the later hours are great the kids sleep in the stroller and the adults get to take turns riding the rides that the kids cant go on.

 

[darkkskyzz]

Going from 12/25-1/1

I assume the EMH schedule will be posted in Sept...

I have heard (since this is our first Christmas trip) that once I pick a park, stay there due to the crowds...not going to the parks Christmas Day or New Years Day

 

[Hopefully]

First of all Welcome to the DIS!!!
As a PP has said, you need to have your ADR's in order before you arrive.
It is possible, but very unlikely to be able to get into Boma for breakfast without an ADR. It is VERY popular. Most WDW restaurants do NOT hold aside tables for walk-ups. This includes the resort restaurants. They do not have tables reserved for guests of the hotel.
Some seem to have luck by arriving before the restaurant opens and asking, but it is a risk.
Good Luck

 

[Danauk]

Thanks to you both!! Looks like I misread you Danauk - you WILL be in animal kingdom lodge - Happy Anniversary!! - we may see you next week!!

Thanks, maybe we will see you there! I have been to AKL before to dine at Boma and loved the restaurant. With it been free dining when we are there I really suggest trying to book as many table service restaurants as possible. If I were you I would check out the availability on line (go to the disney site, at the bottom click on international sites and choose USA, then at the top of the page it will say visit US site. Click on that which will load the US site up. Then click on discover, choose dining and you can book restarants and check reservations on there.) At many of the restaurants in the parks they will not be taking walk up's, so be aware of this. Also remember you can dine in the hotels. If you are in MK you can easily get to the Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Poly and Wilderness Lodge to eat, if you are at Epcot and DHS you can easily get to the Boardwalk, Yacht Club and Beach Club.

We too have rented a car as AKL is quite far out from most of the parks, but for MK and AK we will take the bus. For MK if you drive you have to park at the ticket and transportation centre anyway, then catch either the boat or monorail to the parks. The bus drops you off at the front gate.

Seen as you have young children make sure you check out the activities at AKL, they have some really nice things for children, craft things, African story telling around the fire pit, using the night vision goggles to watch the animals when it is dark etc.

When in the parks it would be best to have a plan of what you want to do. Get fast passes early (you can use them after the end time on the pass), look at the times for parades, shows, character meet and greets etc. We have been to Disney parks quite a few times and I am a total planner! I use a programme called Ridemax (www.ridemax.com) in which you choose the park you are visiting on what day, select the rides/attractions/shows you want to do and it tells you the best order to do things in.

Also seen as it is your daughters birthday when you are there do you know she can get either a birthday fastpass for the rides or a birthday gift voucher to spend on merchandice (I would choose this option) on the day of her birthday? The details for this are on the disney site.

 

[bartleby1]

Thanks for your reply - that's really helpful. I see you've stayed at the animal kingdom lodge which is where we will be - we have a savannah room - any tips re the hotel and getting to the parks? - we have rented a car. Do you think we will be able to dine in Boma for breakfast/lunch without reservation - it was tricky to get reservations for dinner,which seems ridiculous when you're staying in the hotel!!!Hope you don't mind me picking your brains,but it's feeling more like mission impossible than a holiday!!

Definitely try now for ADR's for ANY and ALL table service meals you want to have. You are going during free dining and restaurants are fuller than normal. Honestly, you don't want to be told you have to wait an hour or more (or even be turned away) from restaurants. Especially when you have hungry kids. You also want to minimize wait times so you have more time for FUN.

 

[Jenngoofys]

Going from 12/25-1/1

I assume the EMH schedule will be posted in Sept...

I have heard (since this is our first Christmas trip) that once I pick a park, stay there due to the crowds...not going to the parks Christmas Day or New Years Day

We went for Christmas and New Years you are smart to not go to the parks on these days as lines top out at 3 hours each and there is no room to breath on those days it is body to body everywhere. we will never go again for chrisntmas or new years the parks closed the gates at 11 am because the park had reached capacity. We were lucky we knew how to work the fast pass system so we didnt wait in any lines the whole day. But I feel bad for those who had to wait in lines and only got on like 3 rides for the whole day. Once you pick a park dont leave you may not get back in even if your family is inside. That is the busiest time of the whole year. Good Luck.

 

[janelcrompton]

Thankyou for all your advice - you're very kind! Back to the dining plan it is then!!! Happy holidays!!