2 hour deluxe nights vs 3 hour ticketed events

[skellinton]

I am going in June, I have CBR and AKL reserved, need to cancel one.
For the dates I will be there I can stay at AKL and do EPCOT and MK 2 hour after close or EPCOT and HS 3 hour ticketed event.
Price would be a little cheaper for ticketed events, but not too much actually.

The rest of my group is staying at a deluxe and will not be doing the ticketed events. I am not even sure they will do the 2 hours.

At EPCOT I would probably just ride GotR over and over. I wouldn't feel the need to run around to do the other rides.

Which would you choose?

 

[Skippyboo]

You are probably only getting one ride on Guardians in that 2 hour extra hours. The lines don’t magically disappear at park close so everyone who got in line right before park close will be in that line for Guardians too. At least back in the VQ days, you had a separate 6 pm for evening extra hours.

 

[skellinton]

You are probably only getting one ride on Guardians in that 2 hour extra hours. The lines don’t magically disappear at park close so everyone who got in line right before park close will be in that line for Guardians too. At least back in the VQ days, you had a separate 6 pm for evening extra hours.

Wow, really? From what I have read people say that they can get in several rides at the 3 hour event.

 

[scrappinginontario]

You are probably only getting one ride on Guardians in that 2 hour extra hours. The lines don’t magically disappear at park close so everyone who got in line right before park close will be in that line for Guardians too. At least back in the VQ days, you had a separate 6 pm for evening extra hours.

I have not heard this. The first ride will take a while as the day guests who joined the line at the end of the day take a while to ride but also, LLs are not being used after-hours which makes a difference.

Looking at Thrill-Data, it appears average wait times for GotG during EEH are approx 45-50 mins so I would anticipate a guest could hopefully ride 3 times if they were in line before park close, immediately joined again and then hopefully could join the line one final time just prior to the end of the EEH event.

 

[skellinton]

I have not heard this. The first ride will take a while as the day guests who joined the line at the end of the day take a while to ride but also, LLs are not being used after-hours which makes a difference.

Looking at Thrill-Data, it appears average wait times for GotG during EEH are approx 45-50 mins so I would anticipate a guest could hopefully ride 3 times if they were in line before park close, immediately joined again and then hopefully could join the line one final time just prior to the end of the EEH event.

EEH? The Deluxe hotel 2 hours?

I have been able to find very little about the Deluxe hotel 2 hour thing, everything I can find is for the ticketed 3 hour events and how Guardians is basically a walk on. Same at HS.

Are the Deluxe Hotel evenings more crowded?

Just trying to decide which would be a better choice for someone who wants to do lots of rides. Deluxe Hotel 2 hour perk at EPCOT and MK or 3 hour ticketed event for EPCOT and HS.

 

[Skippyboo]

I was talking about the 2 hrs of Deluxe extra hours not the paid After Hours. You have stand by moving slowly with LL still in effect until park close, 2 pre shows, load process. Might be able to squeeze in 2. Frozen, Remy, Test Track and Guardians are really going to be where the majority of the people are going during their 2 hours. Plus lightning will take out Test Track as an option.

I would personally just use the free option that you are already paying for by staying in a more expensive hotel.

 

[jenljeffers1989]

I actually think the paid Epcot After Hours is a better deal if you're saving money on the hotel. It's not just 3 extra hours, you can get in at 7 PM, so you have the first couple of hours to do some stuff while the park is open, then you can spam Guardians. I got on like 5 times in January during an After Hours party and also rode everything else in those 5.5 hours

 

[skellinton]

I actually think the paid Epcot After Hours is a better deal if you're saving money on the hotel. It's not just 3 extra hours, you can get in at 7 PM, so you have the first couple of hours to do some stuff while the park is open, then you can spam Guardians. I got on like 5 times in January during an After Hours party and also rode everything else in those 5.5 hours

Thank you, I am thinking that is what I will do. It will be 200 cheaper than staying at the deluxe hotel and really with both nights it works out to 2 more hours than the deluxe hotel as well.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I am going in June, I have CBR and AKL reserved, need to cancel one.
For the dates I will be there I can stay at AKL and do EPCOT and MK 2 hour after close or EPCOT and HS 3 hour ticketed event.
Price would be a little cheaper for ticketed events, but not too much actually.

The rest of my group is staying at a deluxe and will not be doing the ticketed events. I am not even sure they will do the 2 hours.

At EPCOT I would probably just ride GotR over and over. I wouldn't feel the need to run around to do the other rides.

Which would you choose?

Ticketed events, no question. Being able to enter at 7 is a gamechanger. I rarely even do park tickets anymore.

 

[Lewisc]

The rest of your group will have 2 hour deluxe hours but not 3 hour event.

Are the rest of your group people you want to have some away time? OR Are they kids or grandkids you want to maximize together park time?

I'd strongly consider staying in the same hotel as the rest of your group.

Edited to add Price the Dolphin

 

[scrappinginontario]

EEH? The Deluxe hotel 2 hours?

I have been able to find very little about the Deluxe hotel 2 hour thing, everything I can find is for the ticketed 3 hour events and how Guardians is basically a walk on. Same at HS.

Are the Deluxe Hotel evenings more crowded?

Just trying to decide which would be a better choice for someone who wants to do lots of rides. Deluxe Hotel 2 hour perk at EPCOT and MK or 3 hour ticketed event for EPCOT and HS.

Please see the link I attached in my original post as that includes wait times during both EEH and AH events..

Guardians is an extremely popular attraction and many guests at both events will have the same idea as you in riding it multiple times. There will be a line throughout the entire event plus as @Skippyboo mentioned, there is the walk through the queue, 2 pre-shows, boarding the attraction, riding, exiting then re-entering the queue.

 

[Eno]

And don't forget - all the mickey bars, ice cream sandwiches, water, soda and popcorn you can eat once the official start of the event.

 

[skellinton]

We are all adults, I would be happy to have some.alone time one of the adults really slows us down!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

 

[kevtlas]

Personally, I’d do the 2 hour EEH because it’s included with the deluxe stay, but I agree that you won’t get much out of it for the first hour or so because of the day guests. If you’re really only planning to do GotG, you could probably squeeze out two rides. Our strategy is to try to hit the less popular rides during the first hour or so and then do the popular ones after most of the day guests have cleared out.

That said, in our experience, the lines are usually much shorter during the ticketed after hours. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll be able to walk on everything, but the few times we’ve splurged for it, the difference was definitely noticeable.

 

[PetePanMan]

Ticketed events have way shorter lines. Issue is cost if you already have an AP or multi-day ticket. We try to take advantage of deluxe EEH

 

[Indio]

Back in September, we went to Epcot EEH (2 hours) just to ride Guardians It took us an hour to get through the line and on the ride. We could have got in line for a 2nd ride, but 2 would have probably been the max we could get in the 2 hours.