EMH -- just how does that work?

[toothboy2k1]

No doubt this information is somewhere on the vastness of these boards, but I am somewhat lazy (OK, very lazy) and was wondering just how Extra Magic Hours worked. I've got the morning figured out (arrive early), but are there long waits for the wristbands in the evening? Are there so many Disney resort guests that the hours don't have much impact on the crowds?

It may seem like I'm stressing (yeah, probably), but we're just two weeks away from our visit and this is pretty much one of those once-in-a-lifetime trips for me and my 10-yr-old DS. I know it can't be perfect, but through planning I am trying to attain a level that will hover around 8-ness on the 1-10 scale.

Oh, and we're staying at BWI, likely taking afternoons off from the parks to stroll around the grounds and swim. Is BWI a good choice? Despite my obsessive-compulsive nature when it comes to planning this trip, DS chose the hotel because "it has a really cool slide."

Thanks for any and all help.

 

[Jrsy Boy]

are there long waits for the wristbands in the evening? Are there so many Disney resort guests that the hours don't have much impact on the crowds?

Can't answer all of your questions, but I can tell you this much: we did evening EMH at Epcot earlier this month. When the wristbands become available, you just need to know where you can get them so if one location has a long line, you can try another. We went back to the front gate and there was no line, but both breezeway locations had long lines each time we went by.
We found that the park was still pretty crowded after EMH started, but wristbands were checked on all of the remaining open rides. We thought the wait for Soarin' was long, but learned later that it actually wasn't compared to the middle of the day.

 

[jmclester]

Can't answer all of your questions, but I can tell you this much: we did evening EMH at Epcot earlier this month. When the wristbands become available, you just need to know where you can get them so if one location has a long line, you can try another. We went back to the front gate and there was no line, but both breezeway locations had long lines each time we went by.
We found that the park was still pretty crowded after EMH started, but wristbands were checked on all of the remaining open rides. We thought the wait for Soarin' was long, but learned later that it actually wasn't compared to the middle of the day.

How do you know where all of the places are to get wristbands?
How long before reg park closing do they start giving them out?
Is FW open til 10 and WS open until midnight or how does that work?

 

[grimley1968]

How do you know where all of the places are to get wristbands?
How long before reg park closing do they start giving them out?
Is FW open til 10 and WS open until midnight or how does that work?

This link should give you all the info you need: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/earlyentry.htm

 

[jmclester]

Got it, thanks!

 

[grimley1968]

Got it, thanks!

No problem. Now if someone could just release the October EMH hours early for me ...

 

[jmclester]

Heck, I can't even get September!!