Evening Extra Magic Hour! (VERY LONG POST)

[oogieboogie]

I was lurking on another message board and this announcement came up. I hope it's true. That sounds wonderful, and will be right when we're there.

Company to test varied Extra Magic Hour schedule
Date: 04/16/2004

Lake Buena Vista, FL (Eyes and Ears) -- Walt Disney World theme parks will test a varied Extra Magic Hour schedule from May 9-22 to include time in both the early morning and evening. (The Extra Magic Hour offering lets many on-property Guests enjoy particular theme parks for an extra morning hour before the participating park opens to other Guests.)

Many Guests utilizing the Extra Magic Hour offering have requested the opportunity to enjoy this benefit in the evening, as well in the morning hours.

The revised schedule will give Guests eight opportunities to enjoy the Extra Magic Hour each week (one hour prior to and as many as three hours after regularly scheduled park hours). Guests staying at Disney-owned-and-operated resorts, as well as those staying at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, or the Lake Buena Vista Hilton, may enjoy both the morning and evening Extra Magic Hours at no charge with valid theme park admission. Guests staying at Shades of Green may participate in the morning offering only.

Guests using single-day tickets must visit the theme park presenting the Extra Magic Hour on that day to enjoy the offering, while Guests using multi-day and park-hopping tickets may visit any Disney theme park during the day and still enjoy the evening Extra Magic Hour at the participating theme park.

 

[oogieboogie]

Admittance: From May 9 through May 22, the Extra Magic Hour schedule will allow Guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resorts time in our Theme Parks in both the early morning and evening.

Morning Extra Magic Houroccurs one hour prior to regularly scheduled Park opening and Guests will need to present a valid Key to the World Card at the park's turnstiles.

Resort Guests wishing to enjoyEvening Extra Magic Hoursshould obtain a wristband at one of the following by presenting a valid Key to the World Card:

At the Main Entrance turnstile no sooner than three hours prior to Park close. At select locations throughout the park no sooner than two hours prior to Park close.


Offerings by Day of Week (May 9-22)

Sunday - Epcot (evening)
Monday - Disney's Animal Kingdom (morning)
Tuesday - Disney-MGM Studios (evening)
Wednesday - Epcot (morning); Magic Kingdom (evening)
Thursday - Disney's Animal Kingdom (evening)
Friday - Magic Kingdom (morning)
Saturday - Disney-MGM Studios (morning)


Morning Attractions Available:
Note: Park hours, entertainment and information are subject to change without notice.

Magic Kingdom®Park:

Astro Orbiter
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Cinderella's Golden Carrousel
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
"it's a small world"
Mad Tea Party
Main Street vehicles
Peter Pan's Flight
Space Mountain®
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
Tomorrowland Transit Authority


Epcot®:

Spaceship Earth
Test Track
Universe of Energy
Mission: SPACE®


Disney-MGM Studios:

Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster®Starring Aerosmith
Star Tours
The Twilight Zone Tower of TerrorTM


Disney's Animal Kingdom®Theme Park:

Discovery Island®Trails
It's Tough to be a Bug!®
Kilimanjaro Safaris®
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail®
The Tree of Life




Evening Attractions Available:
Note: Park hours, entertainment and information are subject to change without notice.

Magic Kingdom®Park:

Astro Orbiter
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Cinderella's Golden Carrousel
Country Bear Jamboree
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
The Haunted Mansion
"it's a small world"
Jungle Cruise
Mad Tea Party
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Peter Pan's Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Space Mountain®
Splash Mountain
Swiss Family Treehouse
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
Tomorrowland Transit Authority


Epcot®:

El Rio del Tiempo
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
Journey into Imagination
The Living Seas
Living with the Land
The Maelstrom
Mission: SPACE
Spaceship Earth, Test Track, Universe of Energy


Disney-MGM Studios:

The Great Movie Ride
Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D
The Magic of Disney Animation
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Sounds Dangerous - Starring Drew Carey
Star Tours
The Twilight Zone Tower of TerrorTM
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream


Disney's Animal Kingdom®Theme Park:

The Boneyard
Festival of the Lion King
It's Tough to be a Bug!®
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris®
Primeval Whirl
Tarzan Rocks!
Tree of Life
Triceratop Spin

 

[232271]

I do not like the idea of an extra magic hour or two at night,
I am a morning person and feel I get the most out of the
early am entry I really hope they do not change to this ,
but this only my opinion.

I am curious what other's think.

 

[cheerdaddy]

I think it's a pretty cool idea...I have always taken advantage of EMH in the mornings and enjoyed it, but, there is also something really cool about the theme parks at night and it always seems like we don't want to stop when the parks close...this also may work better for some of the guests who are not early risers...i'd vote for it, hopefully they will still be doing this in june and I'll let you know then if I still like the idea...

 

[InstImpres]

I don't think evening hours are going to worth the effort. The AM is just a room key check. PM will require extra staffing for wrist bands and than trying to get people out of the park. On know on E night people have given CM's a hard time but they can at least say "these people paid extra". I'm not sure that it's going to be easy.

JMHO
Sandy

 

[kiddoc]

What a great idea! My family and I are night owls and very seldom rise early when we don't have to. We would love the option of using EMH at night! I hope this idea lasts!

 

[Chadsgirl44]

I LOVE this idea!! No one in our family likes to rise early on our Disney vacations and with 2 14-year olds this year it would be fantastic! I hope this stays through the summer - at least until after Aug. 8th!! We always do E-Nights multiple times during our summer trips and the options of having something similar at the other parks as well would be great!

 

[palmtreegirl]

I love, love, love this idea!!!!

We are not morning people on vacation and never take advantage of the EMH but this would be fantastic!

 

[momof3disneyholics]

The only way I could see this working is if they get everyone out of the park and then let the onsite guests come back in. You might not be able to see everyone's wrist bands if you were just looking, someone might have a big sweatshirt or jacket on and cover it up.

 

[hightown]

I think it's a great idea if this is true and will be really interesting on our upcoming trip...5/14-22!

However, I find it really hard to believe they would do this when they could do their E ride nites which would be about the same thing at MK and they would get $12 a head. Is this the Disney we've come to know in the past few years? Doing something that gives a benefit to the guest without hitting their pocketbook?

It would be terrific if true but I'll have to see it to believe it. I'd just be happy with an E night during our trip.

 

[Joyciemc]

What a great idea! Too keep both mornings, and add evenings- should make everyone happy (though nothing ever makes everyone happy ).

One of the most exciting parts to me is that AK would be having the evening EMH, too. How neat would it be to experience that park later in the day?

Too bad there's no way for me to go in May.. I wonder what the chances are that they'll make this some sort of permenant thing.

 

[oogieboogie]

Let's hope if the test go well they'll make it permanent. I think it's a great idea especially during value season when MK closes at 6 or 7pm.

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Where would we look to see if they are truly adding these Extra Magic Hours? Are they a "for sure" thing in May or are these just rumors? I would love to have the option of doing EMH in the evening as well as the morning. Who do I need to call to lend my support?

 

[HeadintoWDW]

Yes, I would like to know as well. DH and I had planned to be out of the park on Wednesday and in the MK early Thursday for EMH. Now it says nothing about morning EMH on Thursday and it mentions the evening extra hour for MK on Wednesday. I am very confused and wondering if they will make some sort of "official" announcement? Anyone know for sure?

Thanks!

 

[skiwee1]

Love it! I only wish I were staying past May 7th so I could try it out. We always stay onsite but never do EMH. We never wake up early on vacation so we miss out. On a survey I participated in this past October they asked about this evening hour for guests and I was all for it. I would much rather participate in the evening then in the morning. I hope this is still going on in October we visit.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by InstImpres
PM will require extra staffing for wrist bands and than trying to get people out of the park. On know on E night people have given CM's a hard time but they can at least say "these people paid extra". I'm not sure that it's going to be easy.

I kinda thought the same thing at first, but then it occurred to me that perhaps they will just police it at the attractions themselves. WDW could probably care less about non-resort guests shopping or dining during these hours. It will probably just be the CMs at the rides looking for a wristband before they let people board.

Granted distribution of the wristbands will require some extra staffing.

I think a test phase is a very wise move. I'm certain there will be a substanial degree of confusion among some guests.

We'll be there May 17-20, so I'm anxious to give this a try and see how it is perceived by others.

Originally posted by InstImpres
I do not like the idea of an extra magic hour or two at night,
I am a morning person and feel I get the most out of the
early am entry I really hope they do not change to this ,
but this only my opinion.

Night person here. We've never once been able to take advantage of EMH, and I don't see why the two systems cannot coexist on alternating days.

Sorry but getting out of bed at 6am to rush to a theme park doesn't exactly shout "VACATION" to me.

 

[eclipseSD]

Why wrist bands at all?

Just have CMs at the attractions making sure that all guests entering have a Disney/S&D room key valid for that time period.

Of course, then you have people who left their keys with a family member, in the hotel room, have expired keys, and all that other nonsense. However, checking room keys appears to be the most feasible and cost effective option for this.

 

[HeadintoWDW]

Has anyone heard anything official about this? I hate to start changing tee times and PS's until I hear something official from WDW.

 

[marciaje]

Any guesses on if they do this and find it successful if they will continue it in the summer? This would totally mess up my June touring plan, and I have some parts of the plan I can't change at the last minute (staying on-site only part of the stay, with Discovery Cove reservations for a specific day)

In general, If they were adding evening hours without taking away so many morning EMHs that would be delightful, but - I hate in particular to see the MK EMH morning go down to once a week, for us families with kids that still want to ride Dumbo. Losing some morning EMHs at Epcot and MGM seems like less of a problems since the EMH times at these park feature more older kid type rides.

 

[nasmith]

I think this would be great because I'm a morning person - and I think that fewer On-site people would show up in the Early mornings (because they could go at night instead) - and therefore make EMH less crowded......

Maybe they are trying to redistribute crowds that seem to descend upon the EMH park each day?

I'm not really pleased that folks staying at SOG can't take advantage of the Extra hour nights - (even though I'm not staying at SOG ) - What a "Nice" way to treat the military(sarcasm here)- (but Hilton guests CAN use the Extra night hour - that's ridiculous)