Magic Morning = more crowds

[dlawallace]

I was wondering if anyone had experience with bigger crowds on the MM days? I know that with WDW in Florida we avoided the Extra Magic Hour Morning Parks and did notice bigger crowds on the days we could not aviod it.

I just wonder if the crowds are so much larger on these mornings that it actually doesnt save you any time for doing the Fantasyland attractions first thing in the morning?

Any thoughts???

(BTW I am talking about summer months)

 

[jason417]

If you're the type that gets to the gate early and is one of the first to be let in, then yes there will be a big difference between what you get done in that first 30 mins on a MM day vs a non-MM day because on MM days there is already a crowd of people in FL when the park opens. Aside from that, I don't typically notice much of a difference on MM days vs non. However, it should be noted that I typically do FL after 10:30pm rather than in the mornings so perhaps someone else can give you more info more specifically related to FL.

 

[avalon451]

MM is very different from EMH at WDW. It's the BEST time to do FL, and not to be squandered sleeping in or eating breakfast!

Because of the different crowd makeup at DL-- mostly locals with APs who don't have access to MM-- it's much less crowded. The lines to get in might LOOK huge, but once you get in and spread out, it seems so uncrowded that first hour! You can do ALL of Fantasyland and often Buzz and Space also, and be poised to grab that first FP at the stroke of regular opening (last time, I was able to get a FP a couple of minutes BEFORE regular opening, bonus!).

Read these excellent tips threads: DLR29's Magic Morning Super Thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1675403 and Hound109's Critique of MM: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1392671

We love Magic Morning! So fun to get there early and enjoy walk-on crowds for Dumbo, Alice, Matterhorn... and Peter Pan first, always first!

Hope that helps!

 

[ylatan]

we have only ever done 1 mm, so this is just my tiny experience, but i thought it was great. we didn't rush to get there and got there at about 9:20 and walked right in, and then got back to nemo, where there was a 20 min wait. not bad! we also managed to hit up the other rides in tomorrowland my kids love a few times.

my only regret was that we did not go on peter pan!

 

[teatime]

Yep, magic mornings at Disneyland are way different. we do the MM in Disneyland, and find we get a ton done before the gates are open. then we grab fast passes to a big ride,head to eat something and walk over to DCA when the crowds come. This way we get our shows in, tough to be a bug, and those things...... then its lunch time we do lunch, out side the parks ( unless its monte cristo day) then go back in later on after we swim and relax. Spend the rest of the night in the parks ( until fire works are done, then head back to our room to snack or stop off at mimi's then to sleep.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

I avoid EMHs at WDW, but I take advantage of MMs at DLR. (At DLR I stay off-site, so I wish I had more than one MM.)

Here is what others have said about the Exta Magic Hours (EMHs) at WDW. At WDW there are 30,000 on-site rooms. If each room has 3 Guests (at 90-percent occupancy) -- then 80,000 Guests have the exclusive EMH benefit each day. There are people at WDW who love EMHs (although the lovers of WDW's EMHs will acknowledge that the morning EMH park tends to get very crowded, and they tend to parkhop to quieter places.) FWIW, TouringPlans.com, RideMax.com, and TourGuideMike.com recommend avoiding EMHs at WDW.

As I understand it, DLR doesn't really advertise the MM perk to on-site Guests. I have heard that some CMs on the telephone really aren't up to speed about on-site Guests being able to go to MM on each morning that it's available. On-site guests at DLR are given some written information about MM when they check in, but it isn't heavily advertised like it is at WDW. (This way DLR, in the future, could change MM for on-site Guests, and there would be less disappointment.)

Also, at WDW each park has EMH about 1.5 or 2 times per week.

AT DLR, DL is the main park, and MM is offered 4 days per week.

From what I have heard, DL really isn't more crowded on Tuesdays and Thursdays due to MM days. (Saturdays and Sundays are more crowded, but that's because it's the weekend, and not because of MM.)

When you're eligible for the Magic Morning, I would definitely take advantage of it. The general idea is to get to the DL entrance area at least 30 minutes early --although in the summer I would get there about 45 minutes early (but that's just my preference). I would recommend using MM for Fantasyland -- I would rather go to 6 FL attractions instead of using most of the time just for Finding Nemo. Another nice thing about MM is that at DL's regular opening time you are already inside DL, so you also get a head start. Also, the FP machines open at DL's regular opening time, so you have a great opportunity to get an early FP (with a shorter return time).

Here are 2 excellent threads about MM:

"Critique of MM/EE" by Hound 109
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1392671

"Magic Morning (Early Entry) Super Thread" by DLR29
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1675403

On Magic Morning days, when you don't have the privilege, I would avoid FL and TL, and start the day on the left side of DL.

Sorry for being so long.

Hope this helps.

P.S.: I see that Avalon451 already posted, so this post will be a little repetitive.

 

[MathomAndStuff]

I am NOT in any way, shape or form a morning person... but when we where there for Spring Break (the week after this past Easter) we did take advantage of it every morning that we could. (The front desk CM that we had at the DLH was very careful in explaining how great it was and how we could go each day).

I guess I became a "Disneyland morning person".
In a word, it was amazing. Small to no lines... cheery CM's... fresh streets... everything sparkling...
(even though it was 7am)

It was great to be done and have fastpasses for Space Mtn in hand then head to the bakery for treats and coffee. We'd sit at the tables and watch the crowds stream in at opening and know we'd done so much already.

We also found that there was not much difference to getting there 30 min before MM gates opened or 5 min before gates opened... perhaps that was just an anomaly?

I wanted to show you a picture of the 2nd MM we did... how could you resist an opportunity to be in the park when the "crowds" are like this?? Not a soul around...

 

[DangerMouse]

Just thinking . . . if I were a local with an AP, and I could choose a day mid-week to go, I would definitely choose a non-MM day, so that I could have an even playing ground in the mornings. I wonder if other locals think this way, and therefore make the parks more crowded on non MM days?? Just thinking out loud here . . .

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

The crowds at DL aren't really affected by MM days.* Disneyland opens before DCA, so people will usually go there first no matter what day it is, as opposed to WDW, where there will be bigger crowds at the Early Entry parks. The only difference at Disneyland would be that the hour before the park opens there will be people, so the normal public would have bigger lines to contend with at the start of the day, and then the lines would normalize after that.

* Some people who have a larger itinerary might choose to do something else on a non MM Disney day, so that would (IMO) very slightly affect the crowds.

 

[Hound 109]

I am NOT in any way, shape or form a morning person... but when we where there for Spring Break (the week after this past Easter) we did take advantage of it every morning that we could. (The front desk CM that we had at the DLH was very careful in explaining how great it was and how we could go each day).

I guess I became a "Disneyland morning person".
In a word, it was amazing. Small to no lines... cheery CM's... fresh streets... everything sparkling...
(even though it was 7am)

It was great to be done and have fastpasses for Space Mtn in hand then head to the bakery for treats and coffee. We'd sit at the tables and watch the crowds stream in at opening and know we'd done so much already.

We also found that there was not much difference to getting there 30 min before MM gates opened or 5 min before gates opened... perhaps that was just an anomaly?

I wanted to show you a picture of the 2nd MM we did... how could you resist an opportunity to be in the park when the "crowds" are like this?? Not a soul around...

I very much agree with this post & all the other posters above me.

Regarding the bolded item above.....IMO, the reason to be at the gate 30+ min. prior to MM opening is to be one of the first on Peter Pan. (which begins to form a line almost immediately). Then the rest of the Fantasyland rides are toured smoothly & normally w/o a hitch.

Also, being one of the first ones in line at the turnstiles lessens my stress level. The Commando in me prefers to see crowds behind me instead of in front of me.

And the 30 min. passes quickly:

- Munching on McBreakfast items.
- Applying sunscreen lotions.
- Sending family members off to take a pic next to the letters.
- Chatting with other happy & enthusiastic DisNuts in line.

But....if Pirates is down...... &/or sleeping an extra 20 min. is important....then most definitely walking into MM at MM rope drop is still way better than not using your MM at all.

MM rocks.

 

[bumbershoot]

I am NOT in any way, shape or form a morning person...

I guess I became a "Disneyland morning person".

That is me, exactly.

Just thinking . . . if I were a local with an AP, and I could choose a day mid-week to go, I would definitely choose a non-MM day, so that I could have an even playing ground in the mornings. I wonder if other locals think this way, and therefore make the parks more crowded on non MM days?? Just thinking out loud here . . .

It would depend on if the AP holder had a yearning to go into FL or on Nemo. Even though we're not local, we grow tired of Fantasyland quickly, and so when it's an MM day and we don't have access, we still try ot get there early, to hit the "left side" of the park while all the MM-goers are stuck in their last lines of the hour.

But if the AP holder wanted to go on Peter Pan or Nemo first thing, they'd be best served by going on a non-MM day and be there early.

IMO.

 

[MAH4546]

Just thinking . . . if I were a local with an AP, and I could choose a day mid-week to go, I would definitely choose a non-MM day, so that I could have an even playing ground in the mornings. I wonder if other locals think this way, and therefore make the parks more crowded on non MM days?? Just thinking out loud here . . .

I'm a local with an AP and I don't think that way at all. MM don't effect crowds at DL the way they do at WDW. And even on an MM day, if you arrive when the park opens to everyone, you'll still be able to do most FL rides with no lines.

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

We were first at the gate...we did a photo op w/ Mickey & Chip...then SPRINTED to Fantasy Land & went on every ride w/ close to a zero wait (in January BTW) ....I would NEVER miss MMEE bc of this experience! It enabled us to slow down later bc we'd already finished FL by the time others arrived!

 

[Hester]

Are MMs offerred every morning for resort guests, or only on certain days?

 

[Miss_Mouse]

Are MMs offerred every morning for resort guests, or only on certain days?

Currently, MMS are offered on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

3+ day parkhoppers come with 1 admission to MM; resort guests can take advantage every day that it is offered during their stay.

Hope this helps.