Extra Magic Hours - always a good idea?

[mcfish]

I'm going to WDW in 3 weeks (Jan 18) and it's my first time actually doing the planning/organizing. I was hoping to not get the park hopper option. We'll be there only 4 nights/5 days, and I feel like I could easily spend a whole day in each park and use the travelling days for 1) extra time in Epcot and 2) Animal Kingdom before our 6 pm flight out.

That being said, are the extra magic hours "always" the best idea? Part of me says yes, always go to the preset park with EMHs. Is this true, or do so many people think like this that the park is overcrowded all day and I could have accomplished just as much by avoiding that park completely and going to a less crowded park?

Thank you all in advance - I'm looking forward to help from some Disney veterans! I'm sure I'll be back over the next three weeks now that it's all booked and ready to go!

 

[Robo]

I don't think I'd want to chance doing an EMH park without a hopper option (heck, its only about $44 per ticket TOTAL, not per day).
You can ADD the hopper option "instantly" at any time, so if you find that you DO need it, just add it at that time.

I always go to AM EMH (virtually every day of the trip that we did not do a PM EMH late the night before)... never ONCE regretted an AM EMH... they are amazingly empty and easy to ride the open attractions.
If that park THEN starts to fill 2 to 3 hours later...
Were happy with "doing" that park for the day and we can HOP elsewhere or do lunch and take a rest until later.

PM EMH's are a mixed bag. I've been when they were PACKED... but on other nights (sometimes within the same trip), the crowds were basically so low that it was like "free rides" on all the open attractions.

Those who have attended PM EMH's and say that "they are TOO CROWDED" are right... but ONLY for the nights they may have attended.
I can say, from personal experience, that they CAN be EMPTY, or FULL or somewhere IN-BETWEEN for attendance, often within the same week.

It can change so much (either way), that saying it was "like X" on a given night, can be meaningless on another night in the same time-period. So, you simply don't KNOW unless you go. Its similar to saying that you attended on a given night and it rained, so guests should never go on that night because it will probably be rainy.

And, considering EMH's are FREE to attend... if its busy, just people-watch or hit the exit (where ELSE are ya gonna go at 10pm, anyway?)
But if its not busy... you're ALL SET for EXTRA FUN!

 

[bobcat]

Robo said it better than I could! Morning EMH are the way to go if you want low crowds and to ride the attractions. Evening EMH are a bonus to be in the parks late and if there are low crowds so much the better, but if not then there are certainly other things to do other than the rides.

I have been to WDW once without park hopping and it was too restrictive for us. We like the freedom to change our minds while we are in the park.

 

[kathmzh]

I think if I didn't have the option to hop, I would avoid the EMH parks on those days. I think a lot of people now get tickets without hopping, go to EMH, and that park stays full the whole day. If you don't hop, I would suggest touring off the EMH schedule. Have a great trip!