advice on Extra Magic Hours over Easter

[KalBen]

We are spending a week at WDW over the Easter holidays. (I know, I know, but being a teacher, our options are only the busy times!) We are usually early risers, so should we go to the parks with the morning Extra Magic Hours or should we avoid those parks on those days due to the crowds? (We have 3 children ages 8 and under which means we won't be doing the evening Extra Magic Hours) Also, how much earlier than the regular hours do you think the parks will open. Thanks for any advice anyone can give me!

 

[Dismom63]

Well, here's how we usually do Easter week (for what it 's worth): Go to early entry park very early when it opens and leave that park by 11ish when it gets nuts! Especially, MGM & MK - actually those are the only parks we do early entry because of the rides you can hit. Then we very often go to the park that had EMH the day before. You of course would know to avoid MK on Easter Sunday Epcot is usually not to bad on Easter...Are you staying at the Dolphin or Swan w/ the awesome teacher discount? Last year we had the teacher rate and got upgraded to a balcony room facing Illuminations and Crescent Lake - to die for!
Have a ball

 

[snappy]

EMH is open just one hour before regular park opening. Were you asking about whether the park with EMH would open to all guests even earlier than normal opening times?

This has happened to us at Thanksgiving and Easter.

I would plan to be MK anyway well before EMH starts (at the gate 20-30 minutes before). You may just get in even earlier but even if not you will be well ahead of the crowd, and through the gate before the rest. My experience was that they would let guests go through the turnstiles and on up to help disperse the crowd. You were stopped further up and then later before getting into any of the lands.

Be sure and have a plan as to which rides you are going on during EMH mornings. Only certain rides are open, so have a plan so you are not wasting time walking to an area that is still blocked off (in MK no access is allowed to both Adventureland and Frontierland during the EMH).

Maybe they'll changes things up a bit, add more rides during this really busy time? Anyone care to guess?

 

[Dismom63]

Forgot the other ? you had...The EMH park opens 1 hour prior to the usual opening but remember you can in the gate half hour before that and you need to factor in transportation. So for instance, MK would have EMH at 8am and you can get in the gates @7:30 'cuz those lines will be forming at the rope drop- then you need to be getting to your bus stop by 7 am

 

[peter pan217]

were are yall staying during easter

 

[zurgswife]

I haven't experience the new EMH system but it looks as though you no longer have the option of a park every morning....The pattern for Easter seems to be as follows.

Sun. AM N/A PM MGM
Mon AM Epcot PM N/A
Tues. AM MGM PM AK
Wed. AM N/A PM MK
Thurs AM N/A PM Epcot
Fri AM MK PM N/A
Sat AM AK PM N/A


Early entry has lost 3 mornings...you used to get 2 mornings at each park except Epcot?? Now you only get 1 morning at each park.

Park opening seems to be listed for 9am...which means technically 1hr early would be 8am...but it has been my experience that you need to be there by 7:30 because some times they do open early entry days sooner...

See ya there...

 

[cudworth]

When we went at easter last year the only park yet let you past the turnstiles before the entry time was MGM, Magic for early entry was 7am and they did not start taking tickets until after after 7 as the opening music was not qued up so the official opening had to wait our 2 children were the dixie dust kids.

 

[danny1649]

You can get alot done those early hours,when crowd stars to build around 11:00.Stop for a early lunch then back to your resort for some rest and quite time.This is just a suggestion I know Disney offers a great baby sitting service,I mention this maybe you and DH could go back to a park staying open late extra hours and do some things the little wouldn't enjoy or couldn't do,Maybe a nice late dinner and then go tour the park.

 

[minivan3]

Should we really avoid the Mk on Easter Sunday??

I have a PS for the LTT for Easter dinner at 7ish. Should I reconsider and do another park?

 

[cudworth]

We went last easter sunday and it was full by 11am . We were leaving then and we had a hard time getting out.