Crowd Calendar - Early Entry

[Vicki Rickerd]

I am obsessing and over thinking our trip in February. Looking at a couple different crowd calendars, I am thinking of switching things around and not using early hours since that is when the crowd calendars say are the worst days. Does anyone have any experience with this.

 

[Lashed34]

Having just returned and crowd calendars showing SLOW for most days I really wouldn't take much notice of them because they were completely wrong and the parks were BUSY.

Crowd Calendars are based on previous years and with lots of changes, additions etc lately it's very difficult to make any predictions for the parks.

I would go with what suits you and your family/group the most, I really wouldn't get frustrated in your planning because there is nothing you can do about the crowds - and weather is a big issue that no one can foresee, so do what suits you best.

Use your FP+ as early as you can so that more can be added whilst you're in the parks. You may not get all the rides you want, but they may pop up the night before or on the day you're there and you can queue standby for others you want.

I would also rope drop MK because it's the busiest park by far.

Someone told me recently that there are no Slow days anymore - I'm sure there are but finding them has become tougher.

I hope you have an amazing time.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

If you’re going to use the EMH, then go on those days. The advice to avoid EMH is outdated based on 2 of the crowd calendar folks who review wait time data (EasyWDW and touring plans).

 

[sethschroeder]

If you’re going to use the EMH, then go on those days. The advice to avoid EMH is outdated based on 2 of the crowd calendar folks who review wait time data (EasyWDW and touring plans).

Where is this info on now going to EMH parks instead of avoiding them.

Calrifying we are talking about normal park hours not during the EMH.

Our last trip had probably the lowest crowds of the year and it was dead so didn't matter where we went (were there for 9 days around Dorian)

 

[Lashed34]

Generally the data collected for crowds is out of date because of the DHS expansion, After Dark, parties etc. So EMH are used by some but not by others. The data collected over the years doesn't equate with what is happening in the parks as of now.

 

[Vicki Rickerd]

We are early risers which is why I was using the early entry hours, but I really want my boys to enjoy Galaxys edge, so I switched from Sunday to Thursday. We already has a reservation for Ogas Thursday evening, so instead of leaving AK to go to HS, I just switched everything to HS. Instead of park hopping we can just enjoy the day. Thanks for all the responses. Still not sure I like everything I have set up, but have a little time to tinker. I hate being in charge.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Where is this info on now going to EMH parks instead of avoiding them.

Calrifying we are talking about normal park hours not during the EMH.

Our last trip had probably the lowest crowds of the year and it was dead so didn't matter where we went (were there for 9 days around Dorian)

It's not that the recommendation is to go instead of avoid, it's that EMH days aren't noticeably worse so you can go those days if you want (and especially if you plan to use EMH). See the link below for the EasyWDW post on crowds that includes information on EMH crowds. There is also an AK analysis that Josh did around somewhere. TP has been saying in various blog posts that they've been seeing a trend away from EMH days being worse for a while now but I don't have a specific link.

EasyWDW Crowd Analysis Post

 

[kboo]

We are early risers which is why I was using the early entry hours, but I really want my boys to enjoy Galaxys edge, so I switched from Sunday to Thursday. We already has a reservation for Ogas Thursday evening, so instead of leaving AK to go to HS, I just switched everything to HS. Instead of park hopping we can just enjoy the day. Thanks for all the responses. Still not sure I like everything I have set up, but have a little time to tinker. I hate being in charge.

There are a few GE and RotR planning threads (all sticky) here that are really helpful. Current patterns (we just rode RotR early today, 12/23) suggest that if your kids are early risers, you may want to park hop and go to GE as early as possible. It’s unclear whether HS will have any morning EMHs any time soon, but they’ve been opening pretty early anyway. We rode a few rides between 7-10am and had breakfast, but hadn’t really planned our time well, and the park and especially GE were quite crowded. The line for Smuggler’s Run was over 100 minutes very quickly, and I regretted not getting in line for it right at 7. Our FPs were for EP and so we hopped over to Epcot on the skyliner around 11:30.
I would keep watching these threads because everything keeps changing. We are going to rope drop HS at least twice on this trip in order to have a chance to see GE more, and maybe hop to Epcot later. If you’re going at a busy time of year, I’m not sure you’ll see much difference. GE will be busy from park open, you may have 1-2 hours right at opening where it’s better, and then some time at closing.

 

[gharter]

In general, if you are going to go to a park on an EMH day, be there for EMH. We arrived to MK on an EMH day about 15 minutes before normal park opening time and the lines were about where they normally are an hour after park opening.
If you aren't going to do EMH, then i would go to a different park.

 

[Klayfish]

Don't plan your vacation around what a crowd calendar says. They're misleading wild guesses at their very best. Go to the parks you want to go to on the days you want to go. My experience says EMH makes no difference in crowd size, but you'll have to make that judgment call for yourself.