EMH - Take advantage or Avoid Those Parks

[aprilbabes]

I know that Touring Plans recommends avoiding parks with EMH because they tend to be more crowded on those days. In the past, we've always used that to help us select which park to go to each day. I try to get early ADRs in the parks to enter before rope drop. Am I doing this all wrong? Should I be taking advantage of the EMH? We are early birds and tend to go back to reosrt in afternoon when it gets most crowded anyway. We'll be going the last week in April, if that matters. Would love some input.

 

[cassie58]

If you are early birds and can get there before RD, it is a great time to tour. Even though resort guests can come then, many do not want to get up early on their vacation. You can get a lot done in that first hour before regular opening, and even for another half an hour to hour at least before people get through security and all the way to the back of the park, and it is still uncrowded. You can jump on rides you would usually FP(SDMT, PP, TSMM) and then use your FP to do them a second time, or have more options. On these days we will make the latest brft ADR, and take a break after getting a good amount done. We have used this especially when it's hot, and love it. We usually plan around EMH, although now with a tween and a teen, late EMH are a better option, as they do not want to jump up and go.

We have always done early ADRs as well to get into parks early if it's not EMH, especially MK just to see Main St. somewhat empty, but on our last two trips, hrs. got changed last minute, and parks opened earlier, which made them no longer pre-park ADRs, which was a bummer after working to get them way in advance. It was Thanksgiving week and week before Christmas, but we had been there before at that time and it had not happened. Parks opened at 7 as regular time last trip, so no way to even get an ADR earlier! I guess the higher crowds have changed it.

cassie58

 

[mshanson3121]

If I was on site, I would definitely use morning EMH. They're not crowded, you can get a lot done, and you're paying for the privilege so you might as well use it. Morning EMH do not affect crowd levels like evening EMH do. I would avoid parks with evening EMH (people are more willing to stay up late typically, than get up early).

 

[sharonabe]

If you have park hoppers, it's a no-brainer to me to do the early EMH and hop to the most recommended park in the afternoon/evening.

For night owls, I'd just do it in reverse.

 

[StuckInKS]

We always base our days around evening EMH because we like to get as much time out of our park day as possible, and rides are usually close to walk on by then. However, we tour the parks much differently than others here. We arrive late afternoon to early evening (besides the rare occasion that we have a late breakfast ADR or early BOG lunch ADR) and then stay till close.

 

[NewbieMouse]

For those that do EMH and then hop after an afternoon break, for what time do you make your FP+ reservations?

 

[pens4821]

For those that do EMH and then hop after an afternoon break, for what time do you make your FP+ reservations?

We start them about 4.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

We are early risers rather than staying up. We have never done evening EMH, usually in bed by 8 if we aren't doing fireworks or a night time show. This last trip we did morning EMH for AK, Epcot, and MK and got lots done especially at MK. I still make my FP for the headliners and then get as many of the smaller rides as we can done, especially ones that can build waits. As long as you are there for EMH rope drop, it can be very worth it. On our MK day we did PP, IASW, Pooh, Barnstormer, Teacups, and Dumbo during EMH. We were a group of 9 with 5 grandmas and grandpas, so we didn't move very fast. By the time we left at 2, we had eaten lunch, had a morning snack, met 4 characters, and rode 15 rides (4 w/ FP).

 

[NewbieMouse]

We start them about 4.

So you are in the "get them at the second park" rather than the "start early so you can get more later" camp?

 

[pens4821]

So you are in the "get them at the second park" rather than the "start early so you can get more later" camp?

Yes. We get there early, ride as much as we can, maybe see a show, eat lunch, then head out. If it's cooler season and we were going to MK after, we may try to make them in the early afternoon and get more. But, if it's hot or we're going to another park 3 rides (plus the ones in the AM) are pretty much enough for us. We just then take it easy, eat a sit down dinner, and play it by ear from there (actually didn't try to get more FPs). We always try to see a night firework show too.

We were just there in February and the weather was perfect. When going to AM EMH then another park we had our FPs starting at the earliest 2 I believe. Since it was nice we didn't go back the the resort, just rode what we wanted that didn't have a long line (which is much harder during busy times).

edited to add:
This works for us because we recently started trying to go every couple years. We go to the parks for 5 or 6 days, and don't do anything else others do while there (ie Universal, Sea world, legoland, etc). If this was a once in a lifetime trip, or we were only there for 3 or 4 days, I'd change my plans a little. I'd most likely make FP for the afternoon, try to get more, and try to ride as much as we could each day. I'd say if you have 5 or more days, you'll have enough time to see plenty that you won't have to rush from open to close (IMO).

 

[ITALIANNYC]

=]

 

[NewbieMouse]

Yes. We get there early, ride as much as we can, maybe see a show, eat lunch, then head out. If it's cooler season and we were going to MK after, we may try to make them in the early afternoon and get more. But, if it's hot or we're going to another park 3 rides (plus the ones in the AM) are pretty much enough for us. We just then take it easy, eat a sit down dinner, and play it by ear from there (actually didn't try to get more FPs). We always try to see a night firework show too.

We were just there in February and the weather was perfect. When going to AM EMH then another park we had our FPs starting at the earliest 2 I believe. Since it was nice we didn't go back the the resort, just rode what we wanted that didn't have a long line (which is much harder during busy times).

edited to add:
This works for us because we recently started trying to go every couple years. We go to the parks for 5 or 6 days, and don't do anything else others do while there (ie Universal, Sea world, legoland, etc). If this was a once in a lifetime trip, or we were only there for 3 or 4 days, I'd change my plans a little. I'd most likely make FP for the afternoon, try to get more, and try to ride as much as we could each day. I'd say if you have 5 or more days, you'll have enough time to see plenty that you won't have to rush from open to close (IMO).

This is our first time there in about 20 years and I have really struggled with this decision, which is why I ask. I have done a bit of both - on the day I am doing AK I got FP+ for HS since I feel very strongly about those rides (ToT & TSMM), and on the Epcot EMH day I got MK FP for the early evening. But for the MK Days (one EMH and one non-EMH) I got FP+ for late morning there, and same for the HS (non-EMH) start day. I did this because in one case we plan on doing Epcot WS, the other evenings I want to be more flexible as we have never been to Epcot or AK, and may really want to return. But I have really struggled with the park pre-planning - it seems hard so far out.

 

[pens4821]

This is our first time there in about 20 years and I have really struggled with this decision, which is why I ask. I have done a bit of both - on the day I am doing AK I got FP+ for HS since I feel very strongly about those rides (ToT & TSMM), and on the Epcot EMH day I got MK FP for the early evening. But for the MK Days (one EMH and one non-EMH) I got FP+ for late morning there, and same for the HS (non-EMH) start day. I did this because in one case we plan on doing Epcot WS, the other evenings I want to be more flexible as we have never been to Epcot or AK, and may really want to return. But I have really struggled with the park pre-planning - it seems hard so far out.

Sounds like youve thought it out quite well. Have a couple full days planned, but leave some open time too. Especially since it's been so long since you've been there. You'll be glad you have that free time scheduled so you can do things you may have missed, or things you want to re do.

Some people love planning every moment of their trip, some don't plan at all. I'm in the middle, and feel your plan will work. This way you're not busy every minute so you can see some things you want to, but will have FPs for the musts.

Just remember too, you're going to miss some things. Just make sure you have a list of things you would be upset that you didn't do and make a point to do those.
That advice was from my first trip back in 15 years a few years ago. Wanted to do it all, and it just doesn't work for us and our touring style.

 

[Floridadreaming2016]

I love EMH because even that little jump means I will have more space to revel in the atmosphere and I love me some REVELIN!

 

[PSUGuy]

From 1999 through 20014 we attended EMH, actually Early Entry at that time and we toured 'Commando Style'. In 2005 we arrived on New Year's Day and from thye 2nd day on crowds were so low there was no need to get up early. From then on, during March, Oct. and Nov trips we never went to EMH parks at all. We're better rested, do more in the PM and haven't missed a thing.

Bill From PA

 

[Dan Murphy]

We look at a trip to WDW more as a vacation than a mission. We prefer visiting the non emh parks, leaving the higher crowds for the parks that Disney is steering people to. We get to the parks early and enjoy lower crowds all day. We like lower rather than higher crowds.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

If you have park hoppers, it's a no-brainer to me to do the early EMH and hop to the most recommended park in the afternoon/evening.

For night owls, I'd just do it in reverse.

This is why we get hoppers. Total freedom to eat and play where and when we want, when we want. You miss a broke down ride one, come back on emh the next.

 

[maltdizzy]

Touring Plans, Undercover Tourist and easyWDW (my fav) are right to recommend against visiting EMH parks. The difference in crowds for parks on EMH days and non-EMH days is very obvious, and it's night-and-day comparing EMH days and days the park closes early.

We usually skip morning EMH parks these days, one extra hour (often with some attractions still closed) really isn't worth the hassle. When we did go, we were in a 2nd park before we ate lunch.

Evening EMH's, with 2-3 extra hours of all attractions running...much harder to skip out on. We'll usually book a dinner in that park...show up for dinner, then play. If we didn't have Hoppers, I dunno what we would do...is is worth a much bigger crowd and longer lines all day just for two hours? It's kind of a push. These are excellent days to use the mid-day hours at the water parks.

 

[jsmla]

I love morning EMH but do tend to hop around lunch time. I make my FPs for the second park.

 

[DisDad4Life]

Quick question on morning EMH at MK - last time we were in WDW we hit the MK for morning EMH in hopes of riding our favorite Thunder Mountain RR a couple of times before the regular crowd hit. We were surprised/disappointed to see that they had Frontier Land roped off until 9:00. When the roped dropped for that section the size of the crowd waiting to invade was insane. Is it typical that they have Frontier Land excluded from EMH or was that an unusual circumstance that we were just unlucky to hit? We're heading back down in late June and need to decide if we should get up early for MK EMH or not. Thanks!