EMH - enjoy or avoid?

[DisneyJade]

me again! more questions!
My unofficial guidebook is advising me to AVOID parks with EMH.
This is a very short trip and we need all the time in the parks we can get, so I was planning to take advantage of EMH. But from what I gather from the Unofficial Guide, I'll actually be able to see LESS during EMH b/c of the huge crowds and long lines. is that really true??? (I'm going in August)

Thanks!!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I say enjoy.

We always take advantage of EMH.

 

[PolyFish]

Well,

When we went to WDW in April 2006/May 2006 the first Saturday we were there we went to MK because it was EMH Nighttime. It was a disaster because of the crowds. We wanted to watch the fireworks and we couldn't move and people were smashing into each other and nobody would move. We ended up leaving and it took like 30 minutes to leave.

Sad

Poly

 

[Conservative Hippie]

In general, I think morning EMH are better than evening. But I enjoy both. Leaving a park near closing is always hectic, IMHO, EMH or not.

 

[Samsma]

Definitely do MK mornings. We haven't done the evenings yet, so no advice there.

 

[satman1962]

Mornings are best because the entry is limited to resort guests, the evening hours are open to anyone to stay and enjoy the parades, restaurants fireworks etc. it's just resort guests who can ride, so the park is much more crowded in the evenings.

 

[PolyFish]

I thought I was the only one saying it was really crowded at nighttime.

 

[DisneyJade]

i don't mind the crowds so much as the long lines for the rides. even though evening EMH is only for resort guests, are the lines still insane?
also, i read somewhere that you have to get a wristband for evening EMH about 2 hours before the park's regular closing time. does that mean i can't show up, as a resort guest, just before closing to participate in EMH? would that be too late to get a wristband?

 

[PolyFish]

Well, you'd probably want to beat the crowd. I got mine 2 hours before Park Closing.

 

[PocahontasLookALike]

I thought the evening hours were only for Disney Resort guests as well. When we were there last year, we had to show our DVC room key to get a wristband in order to get on the attractions.

I believe that anyone can stay in the parks, but if you want to get in an attraction, you must have the evening wristband.

 

[DrTomorrow]

I thought the evening hours were only for Disney Resort guests as well. When we were there last year, we had to show our DVC room key to get a wristband in order to get on the attractions.

I believe that anyone can stay in the parks, but if you want to get in an attraction, you must have the evening wristband.

This is correct. Disney wants non-resorts guests to stay and spend money; the place is still crowded, but actual ride lines are shorter....

 

[scheddj]

We did both morning and evening EMH's during Easter week of 2005. All were very enjoyable. The only rides I remember with lines were TT, ToT and RnRC. We didn't do the MK EMH at night though, but only because I didn't think my kids would make it til 3am.

 

[lovevacations]

We did MK EMH on Friday May 26 from midnight to 3:00am and it was great. About 1:00am the park was EMPTY! My daughter rode Dumbo at least 4 times. SM was empty, some of the boats were going empty. We had a blast!!!

 

[tink1978]

I have never had a problem with EMH, except it in the mornings. I think this is because it is only one hour and every one is trying to do the same things in that one hour. Evening EMH is great!!

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

We are not morning people so we have never done AM's, but we always do the evenings and have had minimal problems. The only problems we ran into were last June when they were still ironing out the logistics. They ran out of wrist bands, lines to get the wrist bands were horrible and they weren't checking room keys. However, the last two trips (August and this May) went real smooth. Very short lines and they were checking everyones room keys.

I know the parks will probably be crowded towards the front, but once you get past the hub bub leaving, we have not seen crowds at all.

The one bad thing that I will say is that be prepared that some of the shows are limited. I think with at Animal Kingdom, there is only one show of the Lion King during the EMH, also I know at MGM some of them are closed during the EMH. So my advice is to look at this time as just extra time with short lines at the park, not as the best time to see the park for the first or only time on your trip.

Each time we were at MGM, there was always a second showing of Fantasmic for the EMH guests which was always great. However, there was not a second parade at Magic Kingdom. I am not sure if there was a second showing of Illimunations at Epcot though. We were usually in buildings and didn't notice.


We like the evening magic hours.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

On my last trip to WDW in December 2005/January 2006, my family & I did EMH in the morning for the Magic Kingdom. We got to go on at least 4 or 5 attracations with little or no wait. I also thought it was great because once we saw everything we wanted to, we could relax more & takin in the Magic Kingdom because it's my favorite WDW park to go to.

 

[pafer]

I am glad I checked out this thread it has helped to answer some of my questions about the evenings. I am going in two weeks does anyone know what the regular hours are and how long they are extended for the EME? I have not been in June since my honeymoon 7 years ago.

Also does anyone know what attractions are open later in Innoventions and future world at Epcot? Do they still close at 7PM in June or are they open later?

 

[Alice Sr.]

I am glad I checked out this thread it has helped to answer some of my questions about the evenings. I am going in two weeks does anyone know what the regular hours are and how long they are extended for the EME? I have not been in June since my honeymoon 7 years ago.

Also does anyone know what attractions are open later in Innoventions and future world at Epcot? Do they still close at 7PM in June or are they open later?

Here you go.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm#hm-parkhours-quicklink

to the OP, we love the EMH mornings because we can get back to the pool earlier. We also always take advantage of the EMH PM at MK, it might be busy for the 1st hour or so, but then it's great.

 

[candykisses]

We love EMH. We are early risers, so doing the AM hour is great . We do 4-5 rides with little or no wait. Grab fastpasses for a few more attractions and are back to the resort by 2:00 at the latest.

Our favorite PM hours are at MK. Like others have said the first hour is crowded, but the crowds decrease as the night goes on.

 

[DisneyJade]

candykisses.. when you say you ride 4-5 attractions, do some FP and are back to the resort by 2... in which season is that?

i ask because, last time i went, in 2002.. it was january, right after the christmas rush.. and we literally walked on to everything. i am just wondering how much worse the crowds/lines will be now that i'm going in august.
can you usually get back to your hotel by 2 in peak season?

my dream plan is to ride all the headliners in each park and be back to the resort by 1pm. (edit -- one park per morning that is)

likewise, for our evening "outings"... what can we expect for lines after 4/5pm in the parks?