EMH or Rope Drop??

[kristinradico]

I need some veteran DIsney advice.Were going the beggining of June and all our park days are estimated at an "8" for crowd level. Which would be the best option, going to the park with morning EMH or skipping that and going to rope drop to the park that is suppost to be the least crowded??? Thanks!

 

[JimmyV]

There is no "right" answer. My preference is to do RD at a non-EMH (a.m.) park. But part of that is because I have a teenage daughter and a wife who do not believe that vactions involve hair and makeup at 6:00 a.m.. This is not a battle I ever intend on fighting, so we skip the morning EMHs and try to make RD at a different park. Doesn't make us right. But it does keep the fights to a minimum.

 

[g-dad66]

When we went in August one year, we chose morning EMH park every day -- primarily to beat the heat.

Getting up early was not a problem for us, and this strategy worked very well for us. We were back at the resort swimming and resting every afternoon.

 

[bcrook]

I need some veteran DIsney advice.Were going the beggining of June and all our park days are estimated at an "8" for crowd level. Which would be the best option, going to the park with morning EMH or skipping that and going to rope drop to the park that is suppost to be the least crowded??? Thanks!

I think that off-site guests are going to be forced to go to rope drop now more than ever so they can battle for the scraps of the remaining FP"+".

So, as an on-site guest, I think I am going to the park that gives me an hour headstart on the throngs of off site guests ready to storm the castle.

I used to avoid EMH mornings, but I am going to utilize them more now. But, I always hop away to a calmer park in the afternoon.

Without APs or hoppers, I don't know what I do.

 

[bastos]

I am by no means a Disney veteran, but we have gone in June twice - in 2009, and in 2012. We hit rope drop on all days - as my kids are much more of the early risers than late folks. In 2009, we saw Illuminations and made it through MK evening parade and fireworks. This past time, we were pooped before Illuminations - and left halfway through fireworks - but did see Fantasmic.

We always went to parks that didn't have EMH in the mornings. We never had hoppers - so were locked into one park. But we saw almost everything we really wanted. If you are early risers, consider staying OUT of the EMH parks - they are nearly always more crowded in the mornings. Evenings aren't as busy - but for most of the day, they tend to be.

If you aren't late risers, or have hoppers, it changes things. With hoppers, you could easily hit EMH am, go for a nap, and then hit another park. Or, you could even hit BOTH EMH's in a day.

Perhaps more info?

 

[deltadisney]

If it is your goal to get the most done in the shortest amount of time, my opinion is to do EMH and be there early before or right at opening. I think one of the results of FP+ will be that more non resort guests will arrive at rope drop to try and secure their 3 FPs and get some things done. I also think some resort guests will be happy and content with their 3 FPs and less likely to get up early and make an EMH. I also think a lot of resort guests who failed to make EMH may stay away from that park or go later in the day. I also think most non resort guests shy away from EMH parks for obvious reasons. I know it goes against the grain of some, but I think EMH may be the way to go now as long as you get there in time to enjoy the benefit. Just my thoughts - we always go week of Christmas and it always amazes me how thin the crowds are at EMH and how much you get done. That, however, changes substantially come 10:00

 

[Dan Murphy]

I prefer low crowds to high crowds. I do not go to the emh park, but rather to the low crowd park.

 

[bcrook]

I prefer low crowds to high crowds. I do not go to the emh park, but rather to the low crowd park.

Do you hop at all? Just curious.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Do you hop at all? Just curious.

AP holder, so I have hop built in. If I do, it's generally later in the day. I most often stay at the Swan, so I may hop to Epcot or maybe the Studios late, and then walk or boat back to the Swan at end of the day. When I was there last April with my daughter and grandsons, 4 and 6, we did not hop any days.

 

[bcrook]

AP holder, so I have hop built in. If I do, it's generally later in the day. I most often stay at the Swan, so I may hop to Epcot or maybe the Studios late, and then walk or boat back to the Swan at end of the day. When I was there last April with my daughter and grandsons, 4 and 6, we did not hop any days.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[wdwforus2014]

Which crowd control calendars are you using? Wdwpreschool, easywdw, and undercover tourist all list different parks as the best ones for the days I'm looking at in August.

 

[think-like-tink]

Very good advice in this post. I enjoyed reading everyones thoughts.


We are staying onsite and we are EMH people. We went in July of 2010 and we had our list of FL done by 10 or a little after. Rode some headliners with FP and were out by 1.

THIS time, I am having a hard time picking our 3 FP+.

 

[mullysisters]

As a solo Disney fan my experience may not apply to families. I go to almost all morning and some evening EMH. I've always found the crowds to be lower, especially at HS and EP. MK can be just as busy as daytime until about 1am if you are lucky enough to get an opening that late!
The EMH have their own magic,
* ridng Splash Mountain in the dark
* eating a funnel cake in Liberty Square watching the mist rise off the river in front of Tom Sawyers Island at 8am
* Epcot Future World in the dark, trying to get in one last ride at 11pm!
* watching Miss Piggy fountain all alone in the morning at HS

You always get a chance at a shorter line. Even with FP+ I think I'll continue to go to these just for the quiet.
You get about 30 mins before the crowds catch up to you
RD always seems to be a mad crush and rush? But that's just my experience.

 

[vicb]

I always get hoppers but rarely do we hop parks mid-day. We use ours to eat dinner and do evening in second park. Example: rope drop at MK, back to resort by 3pm, hang at resort, enter Epcot 6:30ish for dinner in WS and watch Illuminations. If there is an eve. emh we will utilize that. We rarely ever do morning emh, just don't want to get up an hour earlier.

 

[kristinradico]

Thank you all for your replies. We want to be able to do as many things with the least amount of wait times! Between our 3 kids, 1 is always awake by 7 so early hours are fine with us! We may have to try both strategies and see which we like best!

 

[bcrook]

Thank you all for your replies. We want to be able to do as many things with the least amount of wait times! Between our 3 kids, 1 is always awake by 7 so early hours are fine with us! We may have to try both strategies and see which we like best!

And I would love to know the results! Because I have always wondered about this too.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

I need some veteran DIsney advice.Were going the beggining of June and all our park days are estimated at an "8" for crowd level. Which would be the best option, going to the park with morning EMH or skipping that and going to rope drop to the park that is suppost to be the least crowded??? Thanks!

~I prefer rope drop at a non EMH morning park, instead we opt for RD at the evening EMH park -- but we haven't used park hoppers in a while. If I were to park hop, I would choose rope drop in a park with no EMH and then hop to the evening EMH park later.

~The only exception is on departure day -- we always choose the morning EMH park. It's important to arrive before the park opens -- it is so empty that early. We accomplish so much during EMH mornings before heading home. Have fun!

 

[Nemo32]

I'm so conflicted now! I avoid EMH like the plague, but with FP+ not so sure anymore. It also doesn't help I have all my days planned already and all my ADRs booked.

I'm going in May, what if non-resort guests can pre-book by then? Switching to EMH won't matter.

 

[nickcirc]

I'm so conflicted now! I avoid EMH like the plague, but with FP+ not so sure anymore. It also doesn't help I have all my days planned already and all my ADRs booked.

I'm going in May, what if non-resort guests can pre-book by then? Switching to EMH won't matter.

Why do people dislike EMH

I've gone about 12 times to WDW in the last 3ish years, including 4th July week twice and Spring Break with and without FP+, EMH is the Single most best part of an On Site stay.

and now with FP+ EMH is actually _better_ imho, because we no longer have people getting up early to go get a FP since its like "Meh, We have them booked for later in the day, we can sleep in"

EMH in the summer months when they used to do the midnight - 3am. AMAZING!!

My normal trip routine is landing on a sat morning, heading to DHS for EMH, and easily getting onto TT and RnRC finishing both within 15 mins, a quick 2 or 3 runs Star Tours, and then a nice relaxing power nap in Muppets. Thanks to FP+ I'm no longer that crazy kid running to TSMM to grab a FP. Then either do TSMM if I absolutely wanted to, or simply leave the park and still be at MK before rope down there

as for the summer months? I once arrived at the MK at about 11:30pm, and did every single EMH night ride twice and it was still before 3am.

EMH, It's the huge perk, use it.


my 2c

 

[moriaw76]

I never understood why people hated EMH. I love them. We are always up early at Disney so get try to get in as many hours as possible. The last time we went to DAK we were able to ride EE 6 times and do the safari with morning EMH.