Best day to visit each Disney park and Universal

[Petermgrady]

Hi everybody is is my first post. Can anybody tell what are the best day is visit each Disney park and the Universal ones.

 

[wilma-bride]

Hi Peter and welcome to the DIS. Regarding which park to visit on which day, this can be subjective. Some people say to avoid parks which have EMH but others say, if you are staying on-site, take advantage of EMH.

The Brits Guide, a fantastic book, has a (we've always found) useful light, medium and heavy crowd calendar, based on days of the week. The website www.askdaisy.net contains updates on the best days guide, depending on EMH and other factors.

Another good source of information for best/worst parks is touring plans although you can now only access 2 weeks of crowd calendars at a time unless you subscribe to their site or buy the UOG.

Feel free to ask loads of questions here - you will find that there is a wealth of information on offer here on the DIS

 

[Goofysmate]

We found that its been better to go to the parks on week days as the weekends seem to be busy.

 

[UKDEB]

Hi Peter and welcome to the DIS .

My strategy has always been to avoid EMH (Extra Magic Hour) at all costs, regardless of whether or not I have been staying onsite, and it has always served me well. On the odd occasion I've been forced to ignore my own advice, I've been proved right every time - the crowd levels at parks on their EMH days are significantly higher. Believe it or not, many people go to their EMH park even when they don't arrive in time for the extra magic hour. I hope that onsite guests continue to mob their EMH parks - it makes touring the non-EMH parks much better for me.

Are you staying onsite? If so, there is an argument for doing the morning EMHs, provided you get to those parks ahead of the official opening time, blitz some rides, and then move to another park mid morning when the crowds start to build up. You'll be extremely jet-lagged for the first few days and awake at the crack of dawn, so it would be easy to do the morning EMH's for the first 2-3 days. The evening EMH parks are usually open for 3 hours after they close to the general public, but trying to contend with the level of crowds they attract just makes me miserable. I do intend to make an exception for AK because it's rarely possible to be there during the evenings (the park tends to close early), so it'll make a nice change.

The Universal parks don't offer extra hours for onsite guests, and there are only two parks, so there's not such a marked difference in the crowd levels. They tend to be busier at weekends and around major holidays.

 

[sparkledpixie]

welcome to another newbie! We went to Orlando for the first time last year and was recommended to get the Brit Guide from someone else. It really is a brilliant tool... lot's of recommendations and times to go to each of the parks.

 

[Laurafoster]

I agree with what UKDEB has said, i avoid the EMH days!

I just tend to try and do the parks on a weekday and do an water parks/beach days or shopping days on the weekends!

 

[BoingBoingBaggie]

My strategy has always been to avoid EMH (Extra Magic Hour) at all costs, regardless of whether or not I have been staying onsite, and it has always served me well. On the odd occasion I've been forced to ignore my own advice, I've been proved right every time - the crowd levels at parks on their EMH days are significantly higher. Believe it or not, many people go to their EMH park even when they don't arrive in time for the extra magic hour. I hope that onsite guests continue to mob their EMH parks - it makes touring the non-EMH parks much better for me.

Are you staying onsite? If so, there is an argument for doing the morning EMHs, provided you get to those parks ahead of the official opening time, blitz some rides, and then move to another park mid morning when the crowds start to build up. You'll be extremely jet-lagged for the first few days and awake at the crack of dawn, so it would be easy to do the morning EMH's for the first 2-3 days. The evening EMH parks are usually open for 3 hours after they close to the general public, but trying to contend with the level of crowds they attract just makes me miserable. I do intend to make an exception for AK because it's rarely possible to be there during the evenings (the park tends to close early), so it'll make a nice change.

Out of interest UKDEB, as I am trying to form some sort of working, yet flexible plan for tackling the parks, would you stand by this info even if visiting the parks during late September/early October, or is it just main seasons that cause the problems with EMH?

 

[Cyrano]

Hi everybody is is my first post. Can anybody tell what are the best day is visit each Disney park and the Universal ones.

Welcome to the DISboard Peter
You'll find everyone here a great help with your trip planning

 

[paulh]

we have always found that if you get to any park early,it dosent matter how bussy it gets as youll have done everthing before its got too hecttic
Paulh

 

[UKDEB]

Out of interest UKDEB, as I am trying to form some sort of working, yet flexible plan for tackling the parks, would you stand by this info even if visiting the parks during late September/early October, or is it just main seasons that cause the problems with EMH?

Well, we've been going since 1992 and we've booked our 16th and 17th trips, and we've always adopted this strategy regardless of the time of year. Of course, it's less important when you go at quieter times, but it's just degrees of degrees. There are never actually quiet times at Disney, just less busy times .

Two examples spring immediately to mind. In October 1998, we visited MK on a Saturday because it was younger dd's 11th birthday and we'd booked a character breakfast at Crystal Palace. Not only was it an Early Entry day (forerunner of EMH), but it was a Saturday - historically a big no-no for MK. Never before or since have I seen MK so busy. I can't even begin to describe it - wall to wall people. Wow!

Last October we visited Epcot for IllumiNations on three occasions within the space of a week or so. The first time was during an EMH. I felt hemmed in and miserable. The other times were dead. Halloween night in particular was unbelievably quiet and immensely more enjoyable. Of course, that's just me and I'm sure that not everyone gets as stressed by crowds as I do.

 

[BoingBoingBaggie]

Well, we've been going since 1992 and we've booked our 16th and 17th trips, and we've always adopted this strategy regardless of the time of year. Of course, it's less important when you go at quieter times, but it's just degrees of degrees. There are never actually quiet times at Disney, just less busy times .

Two examples spring immediately to mind. In October 1998, we visited MK on a Saturday because it was younger dd's 11th birthday and we'd booked a character breakfast at Crystal Palace. Not only was it an Early Entry day (forerunner of EMH), but it was a Saturday - historically a big no-no for MK. Never before or since have I seen MK so busy. I can't even begin to describe it - wall to wall people. Wow!

Last October we visited Epcot for IllumiNations on three occasions within the space of a week or so. The first time was during an EMH. I felt hemmed in and miserable. The other times were dead. Halloween night in particular was unbelievably quiet and immensely more enjoyable. Of course, that's just me and I'm sure that not everyone gets as stressed by crowds as I do.

Thanks for the quick reply UKDEB - that info is greatly appreciated!

*runs off to completey re-organise his plan of attack*

 

[crabbie1]

Well, we've been going since 1992 and we've booked our 16th and 17th trips, and we've always adopted this strategy regardless of the time of year. Of course, it's less important when you go at quieter times, but it's just degrees of degrees. There are never actually quiet times at Disney, just less busy times .

Two examples spring immediately to mind. In October 1998, we visited MK on a Saturday because it was younger dd's 11th birthday and we'd booked a character breakfast at Crystal Palace. Not only was it an Early Entry day (forerunner of EMH), but it was a Saturday - historically a big no-no for MK. Never before or since have I seen MK so busy. I can't even begin to describe it - wall to wall people. Wow!

Last October we visited Epcot for IllumiNations on three occasions within the space of a week or so. The first time was during an EMH. I felt hemmed in and miserable. The other times were dead. Halloween night in particular was unbelievably quiet and immensely more enjoyable. Of course, that's just me and I'm sure that not everyone gets as stressed by crowds as I do.

Well I think I need to reorganise mine as well I have only stayed onsite last year and didn't really have enough time to worry about EMH with my wedding etc,but this time I have arranged that we go for an evening meal and then go onto a park with EMH.I think I may change my mind especially as we are going end July/August
Deb-What are the normal closing times for Epcot and MK?Never going at a peak time the parks have normally closed about 21.00.If they don't close till 22 or 23.00 thats fine and I will change plans and not go to the EMH
You would think the parks would be quieter with just disney guests and the odd disney recognised hotel but they must all come out the wood work.
Great advice

Off to change my plans as well

 

[PoppyAnna]

Welcome, welcome, welcome.
We've only been twice and both times the first two weeks in May. This is a light to medium time.
We just got back and the crowds were so light. You're probably wondering how I know this as I have no busy time to compare with. Well, we went to MK last Sunday to say our goodbyes before going to the Airport and I had forgotton it was Mothers day and bump bump.....wall to wall people. 90 min wait for everything and fastpasses already gone. When we did MK 11 days before on a weds everything was a walk on, the longest wait we had was to get meet characters!
I based my itin on the busy days calendar and the info in the brits guide and the unofficial guide, and it worked well. I never took EMH into account - I forgot! I was lucky.
We also stayed away from ALL parks (water and all) on the weekend. We spent time swimming at the hotel and we found Downtown Disney was very quiet on a saturday, not much to do there during the day but we had the bibbidi bobbidi booked for our DD so we killed some time there and headed over to Fantasmic at MGM.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

I agree with what UKDEB has said, i avoid the EMH days!

I just tend to try and do the parks on a weekday and do an water parks/beach days or shopping days on the weekends!

Hi Laura - Just wondering - I read somewhere to avoid the water parks at the weekend as that is when all the locals go - would you say not to worry about that??

 

[Claire L]

Hi Laura - Just wondering - I read somewhere to avoid the water parks at the weekend as that is when all the locals go - would you say not to worry about that??

I also agree avoid waterparks at the weekends as the lcoals tend to go there then. As for the 4 main WDW parks I would suggest going to the park that has had EMH the previous day. But if onsite EMH mornings are quite good for the first few hours then if it gets too busy head off to another park.

As for Universal early in the week is best Mon - Thurs. If you plan on going to Seaworld then the weekend is fine as it is such a huge park.

Claire