Another Epcot pm EMH question!

[Verytallallguy]

Back in the day, before EMH existed, (when there were just EE days) our family found that arriving at Epcot on a non EE day, around 4pm, Future World was reasonably quiet as most guests arriving in the morning were in World showcase or had left the park. We were able to ride Earth, Ellen, Horizons etc with short lines. The park would then get busy again by 7pm, when guests arrive for WS ps's & illuminations.
This was the scenario in 2000, our last visit.

My question is this...
If I visit Future World on a day when there is an evening EMH, is there still a lull in the crowd like above & before all the folks arrive to get their wristbands for the long night ahead?
If so, what time does the park start getting rammed?

Furthermore, is it correct that FW will stay rammed for most of the EMH night until say the last hour, when rides could become walk on's?

Our next Epcot visit will be on 20th March 2008...I expect things to be busy!!
Thanks for all your help.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Back in the day, before EMH existed, (when there were just EE days) our family found that arriving at Epcot on a non EE day, around 4pm, Future World was reasonably quiet as most guests arriving in the morning were in World showcase or had left the park. We were able to ride Earth, Ellen, Horizons etc with short lines. The park would then get busy again by 7pm, when guests arrive for WS ps's & illuminations.
This was the scenario in 2000, our last visit.

My question is this...
If I visit Future World on a day when there is an evening EMH, is there still a lull in the crowd like above & before all the folks arrive to get their wristbands for the long night ahead?
If so, what time does the park start getting rammed?

Furthermore, is it correct that FW will stay rammed for most of the EMH night until say the last hour, when rides could become walk on's?

Our next Epcot visit will be on 20th March 2008...I expect things to be busy!!
Thanks for all your help.

In my experience you still get the nice little FW lull in mid-late afternoon. But when EMH gets going (8pmish) it gets crazy in FW. There's a big wave of riders after Illuminations. Last hour can be more sane. All in all, not worth it IMO.

 

[Verytallallguy]

Thanks for the reply.
So you recon arrive at 4pm & give up at 8pm...grab a bite & head for illuminations & then leave the park is a good plan?

I assume there will be no FPs being issued during the above slot so if so, does Soariin & Mission space have single rider lines?
Cheers!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Thanks for the reply.
So you recon arrive at 4pm & give up at 8pm...grab a bite & head for illuminations & then leave the park is a good plan?

I assume there will be no FPs being issued during the above slot so if so, does Soariin & Mission space have single rider lines?
Cheers!

Sounds like a good plan to tour FW from 4-8, although depending on the season you might want to give yourself a wee bit more time to stake out a spot for Illuminations. Maybe you could get your spot for Illuminations set and send someoen from your party after supper (if you're doing counter service) Try over near Japan or Germany -some place with an unobstructed view. That part seems to fill up a bit more slowly.

I don't think Soarin or M:S have single rider lines. If you've got FPs for Soarin from earlier in the day, it would be good to use them. Otherwise be prepared to wait in one othe longest standby lines around. As far as M:S goes, I've never seen much of a line for it -especially if you are going for the milder (green) experience. You'll probably walk on to it.

 

[Verytallallguy]

Thanks Zippa,
What is the latest time I could arrive at Epcot & be certain of getting a Soarin FP?
Infact same question for TT & Mission Space (barf bag version)?

When I was last there in 2002, TT FP's were being issued till about 1pm, but if the ride went down (melting tyres usually) access without long lines was only via single rider route.

On another matter; AK morning EMH.
We have always arrived at 2pm, did a few shows & rode headliners without much lines from 5pm till closing...we never bothered with EE as it was called then, because it was the only EE that most guests would make the effort to get out of bed for (presumably to see less sleepy animals on the safari).

But how is AK am EMH these days?
Is it like MK...be there for rope drop & then leave at 11am?

What if I used my old plan & arrive at 2pm, but on an am EMH day!
Will the crowds be less in late afternoon because the rope drop guests, being so exhausted, have gone back to their resorts?

Sorry for being so 'analysis paralysis' but such insights can really improve crowd avoidance.

 

[Robo]

But how is AK am EMH these days?
Is it like MK...be there for rope drop & then leave at 11am?

Sure.

If it gets too crowded. It might not.

 

[Verytallallguy]

Thanks Robo,
If I did AK am EMH rope drop, headed for EE, will my first ride be almost a walk on? If I go straight back on, what will the line be then?
When is it best to get an EE FP, before first ride, after first ride & how long is the window likley to be?
What proportion of the rope drop crowd head for EE versus Safari?
Cheers,

 

[Robo]

Thanks Robo,
If I did AK am EMH rope drop, headed for EE, will my first ride be almost a walk on? If I go straight back on, what will the line be then?
When is it best to get an EE FP, before first ride, after first ride & how long is the window likley to be?
What proportion of the rope drop crowd head for EE versus Safari?
Cheers,

I've had no problem riding EE twice within, say 30 minutes during AM EMH, first-thing.

If you are among the first in the group to arrive at the EE entrance, get the FP after the first ride.

The return time may be within the hour... or within 2 hours, depending completely on how many others are grabbing FPs.

 

[Verytallallguy]

Thanks Robo,
A clear & concise answer with real advice...excellent!

Can I chance my luck & quiz you a bit more, as you seem to know how to minimise line time;
After doing EEx2, what is your proven tour plan for the rest of the park?
My priorities are Dino, Bugs life & Rapids, & fit shows around these.
Thanks.

 

[Robo]

Thanks Robo,
A clear & concise answer with real advice...excellent!

Can I chance my luck & quiz you a bit more, as you seem to know how to minimise line time;
After doing EEx2, what is your proven tour plan for the rest of the park?
My priorities are Dino, Bugs life & Rapids, & fit shows around these.
Thanks.

By the end of the first hour (EMH or regular) the park crowds will be pretty spread between all the attractions.

You didn't mention SAFARI in your list.
That's where I'd head after EE.

Then, read the show-times for Lion King, Nemo Musical and Flights of Wonder... and ride attractions in-between.
Bug is usually a walk-on (with a wait for the next show.)
Dino runs either way, use FP if its really backed up, otherwise a 30 minute standby is fine.
If the day is warm, Kali can be backed-up so use FP.


Nemo requires a 45 minute before-the-show arrival (depending on crowds) and Lion King, 30 minutes.

to the DISboards!

 

[Diznut84]

Sounds like a good plan to tour FW from 4-8

Beware of the closing times for many FW attractions. Some close as early as 7pm.

 

[Robo]

Beware of the closing times for many FW attractions. Some close as early as 7pm.

Commonly thought, but simply not true.

FW does not fully "close" at 7pm on ANY night of the year.

The following attractions stay open until IllumiNations begins every night:

Space Ship Earth
Mission: Space
Test Track
Soarin'
The Seas Pavilion

Ellen and Imagination close at 7pm

 

[Raenstoirm]

I personally love evening EMHs. By the last hour you can walk on anything (although we did face a wait on RnRc, one evening MGM emh since it had been down for part of the day). The last hour at Epcot we did Soarin, Mission space and test track twice and we managed to get go on maelstrom as well. All in one hour! And we probably could have gone on one or two more, but we have been out all day and were just exhausted! I found that true for 3 of the 4 evening EMH (not AK). We walked on ToT and all the MGM stuff with no waits and MK at 2 am is completely dead. But we also went in April last year, and it wasn't all that crowded during the day (30-45 min wait for things).

 

[Verytallallguy]

Thanks for your replies guys...really helpful.
Those of you that do am EMH and pm EMH;
What time in a pm EMH, do crowds drop to am EMH numbers & is the answer different for each park?
Cheers

 

[Robo]

Thanks for your replies guys...really helpful.
Those of you that do am EMH and pm EMH;
What time in a pm EMH, do crowds drop to am EMH numbers & is the answer different for each park?
Cheers

As a generalization-

If the PM EMH begins at or before 9pm, the crowds will likely hold strong until the last hour.

If the PM EMH begins at or after 10pm, the crowds will likely hold strong only for the first hour.

But, as always, this is affected by the date, the weather & temperature, and just the general whim of the thousands of guests who happen to be vacationing at WDW when you are.

 

[Verytallallguy]

Thanks Robo.
Been away for a few days.
Try this one on for size!;
For anyone who has had an am EMH with a 7am start.....what time did the park actually open?

In the olden days of Early Entry, if the official opening was 9am, the official EE opening was 8am. BUT the ACTUAL opening was 7.30am.
If this principle still prevails today, then the turnstyles would open at 6.30am on say 18th March 2008 for MK & 19th March for AK.

What's the real story?

 

[Robo]

Thanks Robo.
Been away for a few days.
Try this one on for size!;
For anyone who has had an am EMH with a 7am start.....what time did the park actually open?

In the olden days of Early Entry, if the official opening was 9am, the official EE opening was 8am. BUT the ACTUAL opening was 7.30am.
If this principle still prevails today, then the turnstyles would open at 6.30am on say 18th March 2008 for MK & 19th March for AK.

What's the real story?

Disney does not open the attractions early anymore.
You will likely be let in thru the gates about 10 minutes early, but everyone will be "held" inside at some point until "straight-up" opening time.
There can be an Opening Ceremony (Rope Drop) at selected parks on selected days that will be timed to end at nearly the "straight-up" opening time.

But the rule-of-thumb is to always arrive 30 minutes before opening time (EMH or Regular) and be in line to get into the park ahead of the stragglers.

 

[Verytallallguy]

That is a fast reply Robo..thanks!.
So, 6.30am at the turnstiles for the week of March 17th....lets hope it's not a cold snap like this year!! Looking on Weatherunderground, its 8 degree Celcius three times out of the last 5 years!...pants & sweatshirt time, problem is by 9am it's 20 centegrade!

 

[Robo]

That is a fast reply Robo..thanks!.
So, 6.30am at the turnstiles for the week of March 17th....lets hope it's not a cold snap like this year!! Looking on Weatherunderground, its 8 degree Celcius three times out of the last 5 years!...pants & sweatshirt time, problem is by 9am it's 20 centegrade!

We have learned to EXPECT ANYTHING as the weather goes in off-season Orlando.
We always pack winter and summer-wear.
In Dec/Jan/Feb we have even worn LONG THERMAL UNDERWEAR (after sundown)... we now pack it for any off-season trip.

Typical day:

Cool outside at 7am.
Wear shorts and Tee's.
Over that add a thin nylon wind-breaker
We put our "chilly-wear" and RAIN ponchos in a back-pack.
(Rain ponchos are REALLY cheap in hunting section of discount retailers.
You can buy BIG THICK ones to allow covering large jackets... more later.)

"Chilly-wear" is a nylon cotton-lined warm-up suit with zipper legs and a cotton-lined windbreaker.
We buy OVER-sized in these so they can easily be put on OVER other clothing.
After standing in the sometimes chilly "early-entry" lines we can usually take off the wind-breakers.
We always rent a locker at the park(s) and leave our "chilly-wear" in the locker 'til sun-down.
If it looks like rain (in Florida? Who'da thunk?) we take the Ponchos.

Much later, if its a warm night, we're just fine in the shorts.
If it turns windy/cool... we can visit the locker and choose which level of "chilly" OVER-WEAR to add to our clothing.

If it turns really COLD (windy 30's-40's not unheard-of at certain times of the year) we can make a restroom trip and slide-on the long underwear... OR... we can even add the final outer-layer of the RAIN ponchos (with their HOODS)... OVER everything else.
That trick (along with ear-muffs and gloves) has allowed us to "comfortably" stay and enjoy Fantasmic! or IllumiNations when others (less-prepared) have been "frozen-out."

 

[Verytallallguy]

Now that's preparation!
Being from the UK, the worst low in mid/late March at WDW is our high, even so, your 'layers' strategy is still the way to go.
Thanks for all the advice.