Extra Magic Hours

[nicolet]

I'm trying to figure out a tentative schedule for my family. There is DH and I, my DS that is 4. Should we try to figure out a schedule using the extra magic hours? Is it really worth it. Is so hard because of one park having morning and another evening.

Should I just plan 1/2 days and let DS go back and swim? Split days up with the parks that have the extra magic hours?

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

My best advice is to make sure to take advantage of the EMHs in the AM. The PM EMHs seem to be very crowded (at least at MK while I was there). The AMs were better. I wouldn't totally plan your entire trip around EMHs, but if you can make it to one or two, it would help a bit.

Hope that helped! Have a great trip!

 

[clonetothebone]

It would depend on how many days you are going to be there. If you are going for less than 5 days I would try to take advantage of the EMH mornings. If you are going for more than 5 days I would avoid EMH morning and evening like the plague.

Our experience in June was that it wasn't worth losing the extra hour of sleep for the morning EMH and the crowds were shoulder to shoulder by 11 am. We went to Epcot and rode Soarin' once and got in the line for Test Track in the first hour. The day before we went to MK on a non EMH morning and had 4 rides done in the first hour.

We were never at a park during the actual EMH evening hours but went to Epcot the morning they had an EMH evening and again by 11 am crowds were shoulder to shoulder so we left.

We had 8 days in the park so having enough time to see everything we wanted was not an issue. If you are going for only a few days then the extra hours might be worth it but with a 4 year old I would think making sure he had plenty of rest would make your trip more enjoyable.

Unless your son is full of energy burning the candle on both ends will just end up with a crabby kid. Definately do the afternoon break even if you don't go to the EMH parks but I wouldn't do both morning and evening EMH with a young child.

 

[Caitsmama]

I would personally do the A.m. EMH, at MK.. Go right to Fantasyland, ride DUMBO first!! Then get on Peter Pan, Pooh, Small world etc... Then that is done while he is in a good mood..
And i would DEFINATELY suggest an afternoon swim break! We started bringing my dd when she was still 3, and we do swim breaks every day. I also try to plan my schedule, that if we are out later one night, we can sleep in a little the next day.. You do NOT want a cranky kid, that will totally hinder everyones enjoyment!! How many days are you going? What month? This will greatly affect the crowds as well. Like i said, if i know we are going to be out later at night, we swim and take a short nap before venturing out at night.. it is soooooooo worth it!!!!

 

[Cool-Beans]

I don't like evening EMHs. Too crowded and we can't burn the candle at both ends.

So, we do morning EMHs where available and hop in the afternoons on those days.

 

[MickeynMinnie]

When we went in march we took advantage of the EMH-PM at the magic kingdom. We slept in a little bit know that we could stay in the park until 2am! When the park closed to the non resort guest we headed right to space mnt. skipping this during the day because the line was 80 mins. long everytime we went over there. We walked right onto the ride!! Next we headed over to Slash mnt. and big thunder railroad.. walked right onto those as well!! another ride we walked onto was HM. which is our favorite!! every ride that was open durning the EMH we got onto at least twice!! HM we rode like 5 times!! After that was done we headed out towards the castle where there are some characters! we got our Pictures taken with Mickey and Minnie, donald, goofy, chip and dale, timon, pludo and rafiki!! we headed back to POP around 1:30 no like for buses either!! All in all it was a perfect night!! except for the fact that EMH-AM was at AK and we wanted to get there to ride EE!! we ended up not going for the EMH and geting there around 9 am and just getting fast passes for the ride! So i say i guess it depends on when you are going if you should take advantage of the EMH... March is a good time to do it!!! have fun!

 

[Lorelai]

When we went in march we took advantage of the EMH-PM at the magic kingdom. We slept in a little bit know that we could stay in the park until 2am! When the park closed to the non resort guest we headed right to space mnt. skipping this during the day because the line was 80 mins. long everytime we went over there. We walked right onto the ride!! Next we headed over to Slash mnt. and big thunder railroad.. walked right onto those as well!! another ride we walked onto was HM. which is our favorite!! every ride that was open durning the EMH we got onto at least twice!! HM we rode like 5 times!! After that was done we headed out towards the castle where there are some characters! we got our Pictures taken with Mickey and Minnie, donald, goofy, chip and dale, timon, pludo and rafiki!! we headed back to POP around 1:30 no like for buses either!! All in all it was a perfect night!! except for the fact that EMH-AM was at AK and we wanted to get there to ride EE!! we ended up not going for the EMH and geting there around 9 am and just getting fast passes for the ride! So i say i guess it depends on when you are going if you should take advantage of the EMH... March is a good time to do it!!! have fun!

This is good to know because typically March is very crowded with Spring break revelers. Especially if Easter falls in March or early April. Sometimes it seems like it is just the luck of the draw I guess.

 

[MickeynMinnie]

This is good to know because typically March is very crowded with Spring break revelers. Especially if Easter falls in March or early April. Sometimes it seems like it is just the luck of the draw I guess.

we went march 23-29th... we thought it would be busy as well because it was at the end of march, but not that busy!! yay!!!
this year we are going in the begining of march so i hope its the same!

 

[badblackpug]

hat would depend entirely on you and your schedule. I am not, by nature, a morning person. We have always slept in and done Pm EMH I never found it to be ridiculously crowded. My youngest will be 5 (almost 6) this year, and can "hang" if he sleeps in a bit!

 

[Loves Disney]

We go down in July and the EMH (pm and am) have seemed to show no difference in crowd level to that of the day. We still use the EMH however, because it's extra time in the parks.