EMH or recommended park?

[momto3jboys]

My family and I have a trip scheduled the first week in April. This will be our first time staying on Disney property. 5 prior trips staying off property. We have always used undercover tourists crowd calendar and gone to the preferred park of the day. Since we are staying on property this time does it make more sense to use the morning EMH and then hop to the preferred park where I will have my FP+ scheduled? I will have a rental car. Thanks for any help!

 

[James65]

I have basically the same question, but using Easy WDW for the crowd calendar. Can't wait to hear from experienced Dis'ers.

 

[PictureJumpr]

I'll preface this by saying: I have read touring plans, many of them, over the years. I understand that they all avoid EMH days like the plague when suggesting parks. Also, I refuse to "commando" tour.

That being said, hogwash to avoiding them, especially in slower weeks like yours (first week of April).

We love late-night EMH. Never miss it. Although, according to the touring plan writers, we should?

We also tend to travel in lower-attendance weeks, and by about an hour into those late EMH periods you are walking on rides.

Can't necessarily speak for early EMH, because in my 40-odd trips when they were available, I have taken up the offer exactly twice. I don't like getting up early on vacation.

I plan trips using EMH parks - even ones that had early EMH before we arrived - if that's where we want to go that day. I usually start the plan with the MK days - first full day, last full day, and maybe one in between, making sure to hit the late-EMH days there - and then plan a rotation accordingly to avoid the same park two days in a row. I have an AP, but the various folks who accompany me on these trips generally buy base tickets, no hopping (except my mom, who understands and willingly hops with me).

I sometimes, for fun, will compare my plans with the "suggested parks" lists - but I don't get too worried if they don't match up (they usually don't). That's part of the joy of traveling off-peak - there aren't as many crowd issues.

 

[BrianL]

THe EMH is great, but afterward the park will get more crowded than usual befcause of all the resort guests who took advantage and the non-resort guests filing in. In early April, if crowds are expected to be low, I peronally find is does not matter. If you have hoppers you can always hit the EMH park early then transfer. If the crowd levels are under 5 I would say just stay and enjoy. If they are higher, it might be advisable to avoid.

 

[DisneyKidds]

We always do EMH in the am. We are big midday break fans, and it would make sense to hop to a different park later in the day, with FP+ in hand....and if you can, a park with Evening EMH. Works for us.

 

[morethananyonex]

Going to a recommended park before or after EMH is probably the best use of EMH. I would always recommend it if it's possible.

 

[ladeedeb]

We are AM EMH fans! We get so much done. If it starts getting busy or it is already a very busy time- we go spring break/Easter, we hop to a recommended park. We use Touring Plans and Easywdw. We only don't do evening EMH because DH can't handle anything past 9 or 10pm.

So my 2 cents is plan your FP+s for recommended parks in the afternoon or evening and go to am EMH at offered park. Of course, this only works if you actually are there and ready to go when they open. If you can't get there before they open, don't bother doing EMH. At that point, just get to opening at the recommended park. Since your FPs are already for that park, you won't lose anything. If crowds are looking low for time you are going, you could make your FPs for EMH park and just stay there, but if crowded time of year, I probably would opt to hop.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We've had two visits to WDW - both in October both on site stays, we've never attended an EMH park, we have never hopped either. We visit the recommended park for the day.

 

[sharonabe]

The first week of April will not be "low" crowds. But neither will it be "highest" crowds. easywdw has the first week at 7's. That's 7 out of 10, so that's still pretty crowded.

IF you can get your family up and going and be AT the park 30 min before open, then early EMH will be your friend. You'll get so much done in those first few hours. When the park starts to feel crowded, hop to the preferred park for the day or head back to the resort for a rest or swim before going to the preferred park.

 

[btk2333]

My family and I have a trip scheduled the first week in April. This will be our first time staying on Disney property. 5 prior trips staying off property. We have always used undercover tourists crowd calendar and gone to the preferred park of the day. Since we are staying on property this time does it make more sense to use the morning EMH and then hop to the preferred park where I will have my FP+ scheduled? I will have a rental car. Thanks for any help!

We always stay on site.

We would recommend getting to the morning EMH park half an hour before park open, stay there for about 2 hours, then hop to a different park where we have FP+ scheduled.

We almost always avoid evening EMH- it is worth it at MK when it's open from like midnight- 2 AM (Used to be better when it went until 3 AM!); however, evening EMH at DHS is pretty much just as crowded as normal hours in our opinion. Evening EMH at EPCOT we would only use to enjoy World Showcase at night- EPCOT at night is awesome!