Are extra magic hours worth it?

[homemaker]

We have been to wdw several times in the past but we have never used the EMH. Our trip is planned for August 22-30. We did not get the park hopper option on our passes so we planned to do each park on its day of evening EMH. How crowded will the parks be on these days? Do EMH make for larger crowds during the day. I know in general the parks at the end of August are not crowded. We even have all our dining planned and I would hate to have to change it. Should we add the hopper and change our itinerary to avoid the larger crowds?

 

[AJKMOM]

If the search is working, you will find many opinions about EMH. We always try to utilize the early ones and avoid the late ones. Once, we stayed and the park was more crowded than during the day.

 

[Third times a charm]

We just did the EMH hours at MK Sunday Night. They were open until 2:00 am, we stayed until then. Between 9 and 2 we did the Hall of Presidents, the Magic Carpets, Its a small world, the rail road all the way around the park, saw part of the electric light parade, dumbo, TTA - three times around while waiting for our space mountain fast pass time of 1:35 am. The longest line was for Peter Pans Flight and we had already done that on Friday.
As we left the park we walked right up to our bus stop and a bus was waiting, we all got seats there was noone standing up that night.

 

[ttfn3]

We just got back and just did EMH pm at MGM. We went at park opening and stayed until about 12:30 pm. Did quite a few things, then went back to the resort to hang out by the poo. Back to MGM around 7:30, to hit the 9 pm Fantasmic. It was PACKED!!! We made the mistake of standing in line to enter Fantasmic. They had a 7:30 show, and didn't open the gates for the 9:00 show until about 8:40 p.m. We should have waited until about 5 min before show time and entered the theater. After the show, the park cleared out a bit in the walkways, but the lines were long for the rides. We avoided EMH the rest of the week, and had a great trip with little lines. I think everyone heads to the park with EMH, so I say avoid them.

 

[dizenthusiast]

I agree with the comment about the evening EMH at MGM -- too crowded!

I don't think you really need park-hoppers, though. Just avoid the EMH parks altogether and you should be fine!

The parks are so much LESS CROWDED if you can simply avoid the EMH parks, and get there by opening time!

 

[kellyf2626]

Last August, we did the EMH nights - and they were CRAZY! We had been used to the E-nights during previous trips (I wish they would bring this back!!), which were so nice b/c the parks just felt empty. Now that anyone staying at a resort can go to the EMH nights, it was much more crowded. And, we were there the last week of August!

But, in contrast, the morning EMH hours were great! I would recommend doing those for sure!

 

[mybgirl]

Last August, we did the EMH nights - and they were CRAZY! We had been used to the E-nights during previous trips (I wish they would bring this back!!), which were so nice b/c the parks just felt empty. Now that anyone staying at a resort can go to the EMH nights, it was much more crowded. And, we were there the last week of August!

But, in contrast, the morning EMH hours were great! I would recommend doing those for sure!

YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN! e -ride was great we did it two night in JUNE 2004 .

MY DS and I will do EMH morning ,

EMH Night never again , JUNE 2005 crazy night !!!!!!!!!!

just get up Early,


HAVE A GREAT TRIP
MARY AND DS

 

[MOmousefan]

We use the early EMH and get several rides done before the rush. We have never stayed for the late EMH as we are early to bed and early to rise.

 

[byoung]

I agree EMH for us.

 

[simzac]

We are also eary birds, so the morning EMH fit our schedule great. Tried evening EMH twice in 2 years, never again. JMO