EMH for Dummies...

[DISoriented]

Can someone kindly take the time to explain how EMH affects how you plan your trip? I get the concept of entering the park one hour before the general public. I get the concept of staying an extra 3 hours after the park closes. Sounds like a great perk.

But I'm confused as to why some resort guests would avoid the park with the EMH. And how EMH affects PS?

Any takers? Break it down to me like I'm 5. Thanks!

PS: I'm trying to plan which days we'll be visiting MK, MGM, Epcot and AK. We'll be arriving the afternoon of Saturday, May 21st and leaving early on May 28th.

 

[sunny04]

EMH parks are the busiest parks on that day. For example, if MK is having an EMH morning hour, most resort guests will go to MK. If you plan to get up early and utilize the extra hour, then plan for going to MK that day and when it is first open for you. However, if you don't want to get up early, then avoid this park, because it will be busier due to the EMH.

 

[kirbsam]

My family always go to the early emh park. The park will be busier than normal by noon. So, we get in, do our thing when it is relatively noncrowded, and then hop to a nonemh park for the rest of the day. This has worked wonders for us, and you really can get a lot done in the first couple hours of early morning emh. At this time, it seems that evening emh is a little more unpredictable, but I think if you are in the parks to the bitter end on a emh evening, except for AK, you will ride and ride with little wait. If you plan on starting your day at noon or so, avoid the park that has early morning emh as that will be the more crowded than normal.

 

[rkrivas]

On our most recent trip, we avoided the parks on the days with the late night EMH's because we knew that our kids wouldn't last that late, so we figured if we couldn't stay the whole time, we would avoid the crowds.

 

[TrickyFish]

can someone also explain EMH at Epcot...? Since Epcot has the two different closing times for Future World and World Showcase?

 

[Princess Wannabe]

can someone also explain EMH at Epcot...? Since Epcot has the two different closing times for Future World and World Showcase?

Although the official closing time of Epcot will be midnight (3 hours past the 9 pm closing of WS), there will ONLY be certain attractions open during the EMHs:

El Rio del Tiempo
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
Maelstrom
Mission: SPACE®
Spaceship Earth
Test Track
Universe of Energy

As far as the World Showcase, note that only 2 rides/pavilions are open: Mexico and Norway. Some previous posters have mentioned that the CM's will rope off the WS at Norway, not allowing anyone to even stroll through the World.

So, although you get an additional 3 hours, you have to make the decision if the above attractions are worth it...to each his own!

Hope this answers your question!

Sherri

 

[queenvic]

Does early entry still affect the crowd in the parks now that the evening EMH is on the scene? I would think that less people would do early entry now and opt for the evening EMH instead.

Queenvic

 

[rgf207]

Would it be a good idea to visit a park during the day that had EMH at night? I am planning on MGM for a day when it has EMH in the evening. I am also planning on AK for a day when they have EMH in the morning but we will be there at opening so we should be able to get in the rides we want with little wait

 

[DISoriented]

Does early entry still affect the crowd in the parks now that the evening EMH is on the scene? I would think that less people would do early entry now and opt for the evening EMH instead.

Queenvic

Good question. Bumping for a response.

 

[MELSMICE]

Does early entry still affect the crowd in the parks now that the evening EMH is on the scene? I would think that less people would do early entry now and opt for the evening EMH instead.

Honestly, I think this depends on the ages of your children. My kids are 15, 12 & 12 & don't get up early any more. They would rather stay late & sleep in.

I would tend to think that younger children usually get up earlier & these families would utilize the earlier hour more frequently. JMO!

BTW - we loved the evening EMH - which I have stated in a separate thread!!!

 

[Pixiedusttravel]

MELSMICE and anyone else who has been there for the EMH evenings, are the parks that have the evening hours extended very crowded? Can you tell that some people have left the Park? I'm wondering if we should avoid the Parks that have evening hours when we go in May....

 

[SamanthaL]

Trying to figure out myself and this is helping. Interested in crowds during the night EMH too.

 

[MELSMICE]

MELSMICE and anyone else who has been there for the EMH evenings, are the parks that have the evening hours extended very crowded? Can you tell that some people have left the Park? I'm wondering if we should avoid the Parks that have evening hours when we go in May....

We were at MGM this past Sunday & found extremely light crowds during the EMH. Official park closing was 7 & we arrived about 10 minutes before that. We literally walked on RNR - right up to the queing area & rode the ride.

Fantasmic started at 7 p.m. & after Fantasmic let out Hollywood Blvd. (I think that's it) was crowded, but many of those people left the park. The longest we waited for was Star Tours & that's because they only had 1 station going. We waited about 10 minutes & that was it.

Like I said, my kids are older so this is a real plus for us. They don't want to get up early for the early hour. At each attraction the cast members checked to make sure we had a bracelet on saying we were resort guests.

Tip - make sure everyone in your party has a room key. Each person has to present on to get a bracelet!

 

[Pixiedusttravel]

Thanks for posting this information on the evening hours. We just might try it when we go since my family does not like getting up early at all!!

 

[DISoriented]

Thanks for the feedback. I have two little ones. My oldest (age 5) wakes at 6:30am every morning. Like. Clockwork.

 

[Keokagal]

Hi Melsmice, you stated ea. person in party must have room key to get bracelet. what about children who would not have a key?

 

[MELSMICE]

Hi Melsmice, you stated ea. person in party must have room key to get bracelet. what about children who would not have a key?

I even saw little ones in strollers holding room keys. You can request them at check-in. Just keep them with you. I would imagine if you don't need them for younger children they would tell you at check-in, but when we were getting the bracelets everyone had to show one & I did see small children with them.

 

[wdwcindy]

Are evening EMH hours always an extra three hours after official close? Most statements say somthing like "up to an extra three hours" and I wondered how common shorter EMH's were.

Thanks!

wdwcindy

 

[Princess Wannabe]

I guess you can 'never say always', but I have really never heard of them shortening the 3 hours. You can pretty much count on getting 3 hours on your EMH nights!