CA Adventure - Extra Magic Hour Confusion

[Sherlee]

As a guest of the Disneyland Hotel, we got to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hour at Californina Adventure last Friday. We lined up at about 7:20 am for the 8:00 am opening and were quite far back. When the gates opened at 8:00 am, we were shocked at how many people were being turned away because they mixed up EMH with Magic Morning. I am sure members of these boards know the difference, but we sure felt sorry for all those people.

 

[MacMama0930]

When I was there last week, there was one family in front of us for DCA (they were FIRST in line!) and had been waiting for close to an hour when they realized they had magic morning only for Disneyland (the one that comes with multi day tickets). They had three kids, one in a stroller. The mom looked like she was fighting back tears. I felt AWFUL!!!

 

[SMD]

If you'd never been before or you didn't look at the park hours before getting there, wouldn't it make sense to get in line where you see a line?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

If you'd never been before or you didn't look at the park hours before getting there, wouldn't it make sense to get in line where you see a line?

Or at least to ask someone, maybe a CM if you see one at the gates, to make sure that you're in the right place? Not everyone follows these boards, but anyone can ask a question.

 

[eeyore70]

I am still confused at this. I will be staying at the Disneyland Hotel and have a 4day hopper. Do I get both Magic Morning and EMH???

 

[grnflash]

I am still confused at this. I will be staying at the Disneyland Hotel and have a 4day hopper. Do I get both Magic Morning and EMH???

Yes, as an on property hotel guest you have early entry every day incl. check in and check out days.

 

[gottalovepluto]

This is one area where I lack sympathy for people. A little bit of research, even just clicking on "more info" about MM on disneyland's website would prevent people from ending up at the wrong park.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you'd never been before or you didn't look at the park hours before getting there, wouldn't it make sense to get in line where you see a line?

Yes. Getting in line where there is a line is part of being in a theme park. Disney isn't helping this. The EMH/Mm thing is mind boggling and nonsensical. They need to find someone new and reimagine it. Because the early entry descriptions as they are are ridiculous.

Or at least to ask someone, maybe a CM if you see one at the gates, to make sure that you're in the right place? Not everyone follows these boards, but anyone can ask a question.

But you're coming at it opposite from the person you responded to. They are saying that it makes sense to go to the line. You are saying that it makes sense to ask questions. But people don't HAVE questions. They think it's simple. They don't know that Disney calls "early entrance at Disneyland" MM for those offsite and EMH for those onsite. Who would??? They don't know that early entrance at DCA is EMH and tickets don't give you that. It's a horrid system and a worse explanation.

I am still confused at this. I will be staying at the Disneyland Hotel and have a 4day hopper. Do I get both Magic Morning and EMH???

You get early entrance to both parks on the days each park has early entrance. Because of your hotel stay.

This is one area where I lack sympathy for people. A little bit of research, even just clicking on "more info" about MM on disneyland's website would prevent people from ending up at the wrong park.

I disagree. I have huge empathy with people on this. I do not think that looking at the site helps at all with this.

 

[Nevada Jen]

The cast members were going through the line asking to see hotel room keys last week to avoid that problem. I feel like if Disney wanted it to be clear they could say "MM allows early entry to Disneyland only, not California Adventure." Its three extra words. I am sure I am not so much smarter than them, that I am the only one to figure that out. Which makes me think they leave the confusion on purpose.

 

[Nonsuch]

...When the gates opened at 8:00 am, we were shocked at how many people were being turned away because they mixed up EMH with Magic Morning...

EMH for onsite hotel guests has existed to over 5 years, yet I see guests turned away every visit. Recently, I was behind 3 groups (over a dozen total guests) that were all turned away.

...I feel like if Disney wanted it to be clear they could say "MM allows early entry to Disneyland only, not California Adventure." Its three extra words. I am sure I am not so much smarter than them, that I am the only one to figure that out. Which makes me think they leave the confusion on purpose.

You might be correct. It is also possible Disney (for whatever reason) does not want to put up signs such as: "Disney Hotel Guests only 8AM to 9AM"

 

[Donalyn]

I think that the website description of Magic Mornings is pretty clear. It only says Disneyland Park. It says the days of the week it applies. Now, I haven't seen the tickets to know what they say. But if people come without understanding that DCA is a different park from DL, I'm not sure that I have much sympathy either.

I have been trying to figure out why they have done it this way. Is it only to encourage on-site for early access to DCA? (If so, then it worked for them for our trip next month.)

 

[gottalovepluto]

... They think it's simple...

Alas I feel you've hit the heart of the matter there! Maybe I do have some empathy for those who find themselves in that predicament. (I think I read too much politics last night, it's making me way too grouchy today! Mickey for President anyone?)

 

[planningjollyholiday]

What i don't understand is that most places that sell tickets has on their website that mm is on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. So why are people even coming early to the parks on the other days for mm? I agree with the poster who said that Maybe it would be a good idea to ask questions to see if you are in the right line, it's just common sense

 

[5forMickey]

Some, not all by any means, are playing dumb. They have heard a story that someone got confused, was let in by a nice CM, and are trying it out to see if it works for them. I can kind of see how it is misleading but I still don't really understand how you can be informed enough to know about early entry and not about magic morning (but I'm grouchy like gottalovepluto cause I watched President Snow and President Coin last night and can't figure out how we got here with those two).

 

[cruisehopeful]

Some, not all by any means, are playing dumb. They have heard a story that someone got confused, was let in by a nice CM, and are trying it out to see if it works for them. I can kind of see how it is misleading but I still don't really understand how you can be informed enough to know about early entry and not about magic morning (but I'm grouchy like gottalovepluto cause I watched President Snow and President Coin last night and can't figure out how we got here with those two).

I was actually thinking same thing. People always tell about how they game the system, etc. It leads other people to believe that rules can be bent for them, too. I know some people are there on a misunderstanding, but I think there are plenty who know what the rules are and are hoping for an exception.

I think there should be a sign that says early entrance for Hotel guests only and specify the 3 hotels by name. That helps with the confusion and also give more advertising for the hotels.

 

[agamble]

I do not think it is that difficult to understand, however I can also see how people get confused.

The cast members were going through the line asking to see hotel room keys last week to avoid that problem.

I was thinking this is what they need to do to help guests get out of line before the park even opens. There should be more of this in general as guests often seem confused about simple things.

I think there should be a sign that says early entrance for Hotel guests only and specify the 3 hotels by name. That helps with the confusion and also give more advertising for the hotels.

This would also help with the people who think that because they're at a "Good Neighbor" hotel they have this perk too. I wonder how many of the confused families have stayed at WDW and honestly think the Good Neighbor hotels give them the extra hour.

(but I'm grouchy like gottalovepluto cause I watched President Snow and President Coin last night and can't figure out how we got here with those two).

LOL!

 

[Nonsuch]

...(but I'm grouchy like gottalovepluto cause I watched President Snow and President Coin last night and can't figure out how we got here with those two).

South Park premier episode this season featured characters: Giant Douche and Turd Sandwich.
These names are reused from the episode prior to the 2004 election: Douche and Turd.

 

[Angrose]

This is what it says right on the ticket. This was on an e-ticket that was emailed to me and linked to the app. I honestly think people just don't take the time to read the details.

 

[minnieralyks]

I didn't know the difference between the two, and I'm an avid Disneyland fanatic. Probably because even when we've had non-AP multi-day tickets, we've never used MM (the one associated with multi-day tickets I believe) because it's just not worth it to us. Anyway, I could see myself getting confused between MM and EE.

 

[lalasmama]

Personally, I'm on here nearly every day for the last 5 years (yikes!), and I *still* get Magic Morning and Extra Magic Hour mixed up. I know that if I stay onsite, I get an early entry to whatever the "park of the day" is. And if it's a 3-or-more day ticket, I get into Disneyland on select days. However, I have to stop and really think about which is which, and often refer to it as MM/EMH instead of trying to figure it out.

However, for the casual, no-dis-er guest, I can see them thinking it's a tow-may-toe/tow-maht-toe. That is, two different ways of saying the same thing. I don't know that I would think to check the website in the morning to make sure my ticket is the "right" ticket for the "right" day if, for example, my travel agent told me I would get one morning of early entry, and the sign says that MM/EMH is at ________ park on the following day. Again, as a casual visitor, I would assume it was a different name for the same thing. I mean, c'mon, how often does a name change, but the message behind it stays the same? I'd just assume they were in the process of changing the name, since (again, as a casual guest) they appear to be the same thing. And, if you aren't an on-site guest, your travel agent says you get in an hour early one day because of your ticket, you wouldn't necessarily know that on-site guests get that every morning.