Extra Extra Magic Hours! Post Your Experiences Here!

[McKelly]

Looking at touring plans now. They predicted a crowd level of 3 at MK Monday and it was actually a 10. Epcot 6, HS 7. Only AK was actually low - a 3.

I agree with this. We were at MK yesterday and I told my DH - this is Xmas crowds! But with heat!

 

[glamdring269]

I agree with this. We were at MK yesterday and I told my DH - this is Xmas crowds! But with heat!

We lucked up by going to AK yesterday. Actually slept in due to dhs eemh and Halloween party that night. Would have done everything except fop went down in the afternoon. Still annoyed by that because the fast pass they gave us said it was good through today but when I looked this morning it was gone. Knew I should have ridden soarin last night instead of trusting Disney IT!

 

[SarahD112]

I wonder how ride closures affect the “crowd level” (at least my understanding is it’s based on lines - but correct me if I am wrong). I noticed in the afternoon there was a huge list of rides temporarily closed yesterday. Would that make the crowd levels appear larger due to less ride options? Or have things really picked up that much since the weekend?

Good question - TP does says it’s the average wait time for the most popular attractions between 11am and 5pm, so a lot of afternoon closures could affect crowd levels I would think.

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Looking at touring plans now. They predicted a crowd level of 3 at MK Monday and it was actually a 10. Epcot 6, HS 7. Only AK was actually low - a 3.

See, this scares me because I know that next week is supposed to be busier! It was the only time we could go though. Thanks for sharing!

 

[glamdring269]

DHS ended up being successful today in spite of some ride closures that impacted the 6am open efficiency.

MFSR
SDD
TSM
ToT
RnR
TSM

All before 9. It doesn’t sound like a lot but I think given the closures we did well. It got kind of crazy after that though when we started doing our fast passes. We got more done in the next 3 hours than I expected to be possible given the posted wait times.


TSM
ST
Little Mermaid (scanned and walked)
Muppets (standby)
SDD
AS2
TSM
TSM

We’ve been in baseline for the past 30 mins cooling off and imbibing some celebratory porter. Have another SDD fast pass queued up for 2pm and deciding if we want to stick around. Crazy luck today.

 

[SarahD112]

See, this scares me because I know that next week is supposed to be busier! It was the only time we could go though. Thanks for sharing!

Same.

 

[AquaDame]

We went to EEMH on Sunday 10/6. Left POP via the buses since the skyliner isn't running and got to HS around 5:20. Bagcheck went quick and by the time we got in line they started letting people into the park. We were near the ropes since we didn't realize you weren't supposed to fill in the sidewalk (tons of space on the road at that point so we just hopped into the crowd) and waited until they started walking us towards MFSR exactly at 6am. We basically walked into the briefing room and onto the ride, then got back outside around 6:25 and standby said it was a 40 minute wait. Since we weren't coming back anytime soon we went ahead and hopped in line. It took 25 minutes to get back into the MF which was great! We then had breakfast as my husband needed coffee next door and decided to head over to TSL. Slinky said it would also be a 40 minute wait but in the end we waited about 20. TSMM said 30 minutes but we waited less than 10. We then headed over to RnRC - it was around 8:40 at this point - and were stopped in front of the fastpass merge. In and out of there by 9:05 and walked over to ToT for another 15 minute or so wait. After that we wandered back to GE and walked around before our 10am droid session and then wandered some more before our 11:30am cantina reservation. We actually were getting rather tired at this point as we hadn't sat down at all unless we were on a ride or at our very quick breakfast so we got in line at 11:10am and it was fine. We ended up staying inside longer than our 45 minutes - it was closer to an hour - but no one said anything. It took that long to get two drinks and pay.

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

DHS ended up being successful today in spite of some ride closures that impacted the 6am open efficiency.

MFSR
SDD
TSM
ToT
RnR
TSM

All before 9. It doesn’t sound like a lot but I think given the closures we did well. It got kind of crazy after that though when we started doing our fast passes. We got more done in the next 3 hours than I expected to be possible given the posted wait times.


TSM
ST
Little Mermaid (scanned and walked)
Muppets (standby)
SDD
AS2
TSM
TSM

We’ve been in baseline for the past 30 mins cooling off and imbibing some celebratory porter. Have another SDD fast pass queued up for 2pm and deciding if we want to stick around. Crazy luck today.

Thank you for sharing your day! This gives me hope for next week! I know when we have gone during fall break over the last couple of years it was crazy busy, but we were able to feel good about knocking out a lot during the first few hours. Looks like that is what you did too! I hope to be this successful next week!

 

[sophy1996]

If you can go without bags, you’ll save time at DHS. We arrived at 5:55 this morning. I didn’t have a bag and was through security in 5-7 minutes even though the line was long. My DH has a bag and it took him more than 20 minutes (the bag lines were not only slower but longer too).

 

[kayemgi]

We just got back from our 9/29-10/7 vacation. We did EEMH at MK on 9/30, AK on 10/3, HS on 10/4, and MK again on 10/6 with varying experiences. 10/6 was our best day, both for EEMH and overall all day at the park. We arrived around 6:30, lucked out with our bus dropping us off not at our designated spot but right next to the bag check line, so we didn't have to wait in the long, LONG line winding back on the left from the regular bus stops and got right through bag check. Then we lucked out again and had tapstiles open up right in front of us as we walked up and got right into the park. We headed to the princesses first as it was our last park day and we had already hit the big rides or had FPs for them for later in the day, and my DD5 wanted to meet princesses. We walked right in on both sides. I think we were the very first people to meet with Rapunzel and Tiana, and then we went over to Elena and Cinderella and had lovely, personal visits with each of them as well. Then we walked onto Winnie the Pooh, waited about 20 minutes for Mine Train, walked on to Big Thunder (about 8:15 at this point), walked on to Pirates and then Jungle Cruise (helped out here by a downpour that kept everyone not realizing they'd be baking in the sun in 20 minutes under awnings and in stores!), cut back across the hub to get a donut at Cheshire Cafe and then waited about 10 minutes for Buzz (9:20 am), moved our FP for the Speedway from the afternoon to 9:30 and rode that (posted 5 minute wait but honestly the queue looked more like 15-20 minutes with how slow they were loading), rode the People Mover, moved another FP up and rode the Tea Cups at 10:20 and then headed down to Crystal Palace for our breakfast ADR. It was a VERY successful morning and our day continued on a great path, which is more than I can say for earlier in the week at HS, where we walked onto Smuggler's Run, Swirling Saucers, and Midway Mania but then encountered a closed SDD and long lines for RNR and TOT. We did get through all of the characters in the Launch Bay before 11 am though, so the morning wasn't a total loss.

At AK we also did great, walking onto FOP once and River Journey twice (each parent with my DD while the other parent rode FOP), and then we went to Everest and did that several times (again taking turns and using single rider) while waiting for my extended family to arrive. Overall EEMH was great and I wish they had them all the time!! It's nice when you're getting up that early with a young kid anyway.

 

[magsnwonderland]

We went 9/30-10/4 but only managed to actually get into the parks for EEMH 10/3 and 10/4. 10/3 was HS - DS and I got up early, through security at 5:58 after a 20 minute wait for the bus at WL. We booked it (as much as a 4 yo can) to SDD, arrived at 6:07 and were on the ride at 6:18. We then rode it 5 more times in a row with wait times increasing by about 5 minutes with each ride. (This would not have been my choice, but it was how he wanted to spend his time and he was willing to wait.) We were finished with 6 rides at 8:20, rode AS2 twice, potty break then had breakfast at Woody's all before 9am.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

Any info today? I have been watching this thread for our upcoming trip in 7 days and hope that it is updated through the entire time that EEMH are available. It seems like the last few days times have been changing as the Oct. crowd comes in. Really concerned about Columbus day crowds. Any help would be great, I so appreciate everyone sharing the wait times and their experience. It really does help shape touring plans as the latest info becomes available.

 

[wisblue]

I’ve been watching the posted wait times in anticipation of a trip that starts a week from Saturday.

Today looked fairly typical for the last few weeks with the waits for Slinky and MFSR growing fastest and reaching 50-60 minutes after an hour or so and then leveling off until the regular park opening.

The EEMH waits seem to have been a little longer this week than in most of September, but not enough to sway me from my intended plan of SDD first, then TSMM, TOT, RNRC, and then back to GE for MFSR. I’d rather spend the longer wait for MFSR, where we can take our time going through the queue, than at SDD, which we have done a few times before.

 

[Dirtyrug33]

Hi there. Can anyone confirm whether or not Minnie Vans begin running early on these EEMH mornings? I have no reason to think these hours will be available for our December trip (although I hold some hope), but I want to plan for it just in case. We like to take the vans for EMH.

I've searched and read through this thread, and I found a couple references to Minnie Vans but no answers to my question.

TIA!

We had to take a Minnie Van to MK on Monday morning. Our driver said they start running at 0630 even with EEMH

 

[Dirtyrug33]

Adding on to that, if you are staying at Coronado Springs, make sure you pay attention to bus stop order. We planned on being at MK at 0630ish on 10/7. We arrived at bus stop 4 at 0607. We had to watch 2 busses (which I assume were full) pass us before ordering the Minnie Van at 0650. We got into the park about 0730, so we still got to use some of EEMH, but nowhere near what we expected. Just a warning to those staying at Coronado. Don't plan on taking a bus from stop 4 (or 1 most likely) for EEMH.

 

[Davey Jones II]

So it seems that the crowds are back. Has anyone stayed until closing time and gotten in line for headliners just before closing? How are you experiences with that?

 

[only hope]

Wait times on Friday 10/11. Anything not listed was 10mn or less. Reminder- only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open during EMH at MK.

6:37
SDD 40
SR 50
RnR closed

6:55
SDD 45
SR 50
RnR closed

7:11 AK and MK now open for 7-8 EMH
15mn Meet Ariel/Cinderella & Elena
25mn TSM
30mn 7DMT
50mn SR
55mn SDD
60mn FoP
RnR closed

7:20
13mn ToT
15mn Meet Ariel/Cinderella & Elena/Mickey
30mn TSM
45mn 7DMT
55mn SR. SDD
75mn FoP

7:31
13mn ToT
15mn RnR. Meet Mickey/Ariel
40mn TSM, 7DMT
45mn SDD
55mn SR
75mn FoP

7:39
13mn ToT
15mn Meet Tink, PP, RnR, Speedway
40mn 7DMT, TSM
55mn SDD
75mn SR
90mn FoP

8:05 AK and MK open to everyone
15mn Saucers, Enchanted Tales, Pooh, Meet Mickey, Na'vi
20mn Meet Rapunzel & Tiana/Cinderella & Elena
25mn PP, Speedway
30mn RnR, TSM
35mn Meet Tink
45mn 7DMT
50mn ToT
55mn SR
60mn SDD
150 FoP
Closed: BTMR, Carpets

8:37
15mn Astro, Celebrity Spotlight, Dinosaur, Meet Mickey/Tink, TSM
20mn Saucers, Enchanted Tales, EE, Meet Rapunzel & Tiana/Mickey & Minnie at HS
25mn BTMR, PP, RnR
35mn Safari
45mn ToT
50mn SR, 7DMT
55mn SDD
65mn Na'vi
180mn FoP
Closed: Carpets

11:40 everything 85mn and up:
FoP 135, Safari 175 (wonder if that was right?), Na'vi 120, 7DMT 105, Test Track 90, SDD 90, Kali 85

 

[chimoe]

I think this weekend is going to be an anomaly as it’s Columbus Day on Monday and schools are out. I would think many families booked this weekend and maybe next few weeks might be even lighter crowded?

still nice to see HS EMM somewhat OK. SR still under 1hr.

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Has anyone been to HS in the last couple of days? We will be there Tuesday and my plan was to go to SDD first and then SR, but now it is looking like SR is keeping a steady wait time and that it is higher than we would like to wait w/ kids in tow... Any advice? Should we stick to the idea of hitting other stuff first and come back to SR toward the end of EEMH? Or not risk it and head there first? I think I lean toward sticking w/ my original plan, but DH and the kids are itching to hit SR early.

 

[Foxfiregrrl]

Also, Thanks @only hope for posting the times! I've been checking, but I am not usually up early enough to catch some of those early hours!