Early Entry Question

[kabbie]

Do DISers avoid EMH parks? Are the parks thought to be more crowded? I was planning on going to MGM all day on Saturday, Sept 30, which is EMH day. Should I rethink this? I have ADR's for lunch at Primetime and plan on going back to POR for afternoon break before returning to for Fantasmic.

Touringplans.com rates it as a 4 and says to avoid DS for that day. Of course it says to go to EP (1st weekend of F&W) or MK. Don't want to do that.

Any wisdom to share about EMH Mornings at MGM?

 

[Robo]

Touringplans.com rates it as a 4 and says to avoid DS for that day. Of course it says to go to EP (1st weekend of F&W) or MK. Don't want to do that.

Well, then, don't DO that.

I simply ALWAYS go to AM EMH's.
Best time ever, to ride the attractions that are open.

If it gets crowded later, I take a break or HOP.

AM EMH's are virtually always less crowded because so many guests just will NOT get up early on vacation.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have been to MGM on EMH days and it all depends on the time of year you are going. During the summer it should probably be avoided but during Sept and Oct it generally isn't too bad. I would say keep you original plans and have fun.

 

[Bete]

I would never miss the morning extra hour. The best plan is to get there early for the early hour. Be one of the first ones in the park. Know which rides and attractions are open for EMH and have a strategy of what you want to see and proceed without back tracking too much. Don't eat or shop at this extra hour. Move towards the back of the park by the time the park officially opens to all. Be at the ride of choice when the 9am whistle blows for the big surge. Enjoy what's available in the back of the park and work your way to the front for your exit out of the park for your break.

With that said the free dining package crowd may make busy at all the parks especially the EMH park. Sometimes, you need to make these decisions once you can get a feel for the place when you go. I will adjust if it seems too bad and I'll avoid the EMH parks.

 

[Kick Save]

Kabbie, you're going to get every response from "We love EMH!!" to "avoid them like the plague." But here's the thing to keep in mind when weighing all this: The responses here are from the posters' personal experiences over a few days at WDW. Touringplans.com and TGM have their data from years of park attendence and observation. Those two sources are going to have infinitely more info on EMH for the purposes of your planning.

That said, given the time of year you're going, probably not a big deal.

Oh, and we're in the "avoid like the plague" camp. (Especially the evenings.)

 

[westjones]

We ONLY went to MK on the EMH mornings. We could walk right up to rides for the first hour and even the second hour wasn't too bad. By 10:00 it was getting crowded and we were out of the park by 11:00! They had two early mornings for MK so we went to both of them and that was our MK time.

We went to the late EMH at Epcot and it was crowded. We were at BWVs so we could just walk 'home' when we got tired so that was nice and we didn't try to do too much; but the early mornings were great!

DJ

 

[kabbie]

I would never miss the morning extra hour. The best plan is to get there early for the early hour. Be one of the first ones in the park. Know which rides and attractions are open for EMH and have a strategy of what you want to see and proceed without back tracking too much. Don't eat or shop at this extra hour. Move towards the back of the park by the time the park officially opens to all. Be at the ride of choice when the 9am whistle blows for the big surge. Enjoy what's available in the back of the park and work your way to the front for your exit out of the park for your break.

Thank you for your advice. That was pretty much my plan was to ride ToT and RnR during the EMH hour then experience Voyage, Muppets, One man's dream, Disney Animation and hopefully WWTBAM (if it hasn't closed by then, ) before lunch. Then go back to hotel after lunch to rest and maybe return to MGM for Fantasmic!.

 

[Robo]

Thank you for your advice. That was pretty much my plan was to ride ToT and RnR during the EMH hour then experience Voyage, Muppets, One man's dream, Disney Animation and hopefully WWTBAM (if it hasn't closed by then, ) before lunch. Then go back to hotel after lunch to rest and maybe return to MGM for Fantasmic!.

You should be able to do Muppets in the first hour as well, even if you ride ToT a couple of times and RnRC once or twice, too.
Just be AT the GATES by 30 minutes before EMH open time... you'll get the "jump" on the stragglers. (And grab a FP for RnR or ToT after you've ridden it... so you can do it again on your way out for lunch later.)