Early Entry - Is it really just for park guests?

[kazdan17]

Hi All:

I will be visting WDW for the first time in 15 years at the end of this month and understand that Extra Magic Hours are coming back. While all the stuff I read seems to indicate that wristbands are given out for evening extra hours to resort guests, I'm not sure if the same happens for the morning hours. Can off-site guests un-officially make use of this morning hour?


Thanks All...I appreciate the advice!!

 

[MommyBou]

No, you have to have a resort ID to get into the early mornings.

 

[Muffy]

They do check resort keys for EMH for early entry. EMH is a perk for onsite guest only.

 

[disneysnowflake]

Yep. We tried to do EE almost every day our last trip in Dec 04. Every time we were asked to show our resort ID to get in.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I think that is a great idea. Resort guests should have more perks.

 

[DemonLlama]

They weren't checking resort IDs on 12/19 and it was a madhouse. We are resort guests and will no longer bother with early entry. Its popularity has made the park of the day far more crowded than any other, even during the first hour.

 

[rkmassa]

We had our resort ID checked on the 19the of Dec for MK at the TTC. We also thought the park was extremely crowded. We had never done EE before, but were less than impressed. Just too crowded. We have always avoided the EE park before-stayed off property. I think sticking to that plan was better.

 

[eeyore0062]

They weren't checking resort IDs on 12/19 and it was a madhouse. We are resort guests and will no longer bother with early entry. Its popularity has made the park of the day far more crowded than any other, even during the first hour.

You went to WDW during a VERY CROWDED time of the year, huge crowds are anticipated no matter what time of day you choose to go. Most of the time, however EMH works very well... we use it every time we stay onsite and have never seen it overcrowded--- walked on everything we wanted to ride, and around noon when it was becoming more crowded we hopped to another park or went back to the resort and visited the pool... then again, we don't do the parks during Christmas, Easter or high times in the summer--- peak prices out of our budget and too many people~!

 

[mariethecat]

They were checking for resort keys last week but I don't remember having to show it on previous trips. We find it is definitely worth it to get up early and do the extra hour. Last week the early entry was at 7 am and by noon time it felt as if we had been at the park for a full day.

 

[erikthewise]

We did EE on 12/12 (the previous Sunday) and it was not crowded at all before 9:00. 12/18-19 was the beginning of the Christmas season. The EE attendance on 12/19 was probably 3 or more times what it was the previous week.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Yep. We tried to do EE almost every day our last trip in Dec 04. Every time we were asked to show our resort ID to get in.

Our last trip we showed the resort key every morning and we went to EMH 8 out of 10 mornings.

 

[stinkerbelle]

We went to WDW 3 times last year (Jan, Sept, Dec)...having an PAP...and we never had to show a resort key to get in early. (of course - we came in on a disney bus...from a resort...but there are ways around it)

not saying that's a way to "work the system"...just saying, I never had to show my room key.

 

[skiwee1]

We tried EMH for the first and last time in October. What a joke! No one was getting their resort IDs checked. No one! The place was mobbed and the lines were ridiculous. Never again will I get up that early to do that again.

 

[MarkLem]

I also note inconsistencies in their checking of ID's. Have been to EMH when they check and have been there when they do not. It's very frustrating when you pay to stay on-site, and the one big perk you supposedly get doesn't come through.

 

[pyrxtc]

After seeing all these EMH's change so much, I think I'll just keep the plans for each day that I already have and try not to worry about it. I have my park hoppers so I guess we'll just be hopping around more than I would have thought. So far I'm not likeing this EMH! Every day that I had on my plan to be at a certain park, it has turned into a EMH day!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

We have always been asked to see a Resort Key. But I agree those days the park is VERY crowded.

 

[fdecker]

I agree that the poster who would not want to take adavantage of EMH whent during the wrong week. I went during the busiest weekend of the year, New Years Eve weekend, and thought it was great. It funnels more people into the parks as the day wears on, especially for the extra magic hour nights, but it still is less people than the crowd that appears at any park an hour later. The throng quickly dissipates as it disperses throughout the park, though in Epcot and MGM, most people go to the same two rides. Still, taking out time, even at this busy time with people running behind us, we were able to ride everything with 10 minute or less waits. Just hop to another park when it gets busy around 1:30 or so if you want.

-f

 

[mariolatry]

We were there 12/2-12/9 and they checked our resort keys everyday. We saw everything we wanted to see by 1:00 everyday, around the time many people were just starting to arrive. The census was low then, though.

 

[Chicago526]

The usefulness of EMH depends on the time of year you go, both in terms of how crowded the parks are, and how late the parks are open.

For example, if you go during in the fall/winter, the parks tend to close early most nights. If you plan on a full day in one park, then the EMH gives you one more hour of park touring time, plus a jump on the off-site guests.

But if you go during summer, when MK can be open as late as mid-night, do you really need to get up for the EMH? If you have older kids or no kids, then head to the park later in the day and stay until close. After 10, the park starts to clear out as families with younger kids or parties that have been there since 8 AM get tired and head home. You'll have the park to yourself!

Another stratagy is to tour a park the day after it's EMH day. Since EMH days tend to be more crowded through out the day, be were the crowds aren't!

You can't make a blanket statement that EMH is all good, or all bad. You need to take a look at your personal situation and park touring preferances. When the parks are open late, I'd rather sleep in and stay until park closing. But I also don't have any kids! Best thing to do is step back and take a look at the big picture, then make your park plans based on your needs.

 

[js]

We were at Disney 11/26-12/5 and were at two EE days for MK. They were not checking resort IDs. We just put our passes in the turnstiles and went through.