FD PH EMH Strategy

[lovndisney12]

Trying to figure which strategy will be best 12/21 through 12/27 - we have been before so we do know what we will be dealing with in regards to the crowds . Since Park Hoppers (assuming most won't be opting for waterpark and more option in December) are required for FD - thought it might affect past strategies.

1) Do we go with the suggested park according to the various crowd calendars and stay in the park from RD to mid-day (or all day earlier in the trip - 25th and 26th we do not want to be in the parks after 2 PM)? This is what we would usually do. We might opt to PH to something in the evening if we felt up to it. (We are pretty flexible with what all we want to see and do) This has been a good strategy - and we did end up being at some EMH parks because of added EMH Christmas week that weren't posted well in advance.

Or

2) Do we go to the park with an AM EMH and then hop to the suggested park according to the various crowd calendar where we would have our FP+ and ADR if applicable? Just don't want to spend a ton of time hurrying off to one park and then another - especially later in the trip when it will be very crowded and we don't plan to spend all day in the parks.

Appreciate the thoughts and suggestions!

 

[sharonabe]

MK will have morning EMH most of the days you are there, so you won't be able to avoid that one. That EMH will begin at 7:00 a.m. If you can get up and be there for that 7 am opening at least one of your days, I think you'll have a blast for those first few hours. Personally, I would only plan one evening at MK for the evening shows, and I would try to do that on a day they don't have EMH (if there is one).

IF you can get everyone up and at the morning EMH park, I would definitely do that all week and hop to the more recommended parks in the evening. That may mean you need that afternoon nap, but most people just don't want to get up that early and all the parks will be less crowded in those early morning hours. In our experience, the evening EMH are not as uncrowded except for the really late ones at MK. If MK has an EMH that ends midnight or after, you may want to plan a hop to that EMH. But make sure you plan a sleep in for the day after.

 

[wisblue]

I think FD ends on December 21, so it's hard to say how many more people will have PHs (and use them) during your trip. I wouldn't let that factor affect the strategy you would usually use.

We like taking advantage of AM EMH whenever they are available, even (and maybe especially) during the most crowded times. For the MK you may not have a choice because it is common for AM EMH to be offered every day, usually at 7 AM. Those 7 AM EMH present a golden opportunity to do most, if not all, of the most popular attractions in the park within about 3 hours before the parks get too crowded.

So, I would vote for taking advantage of AM EMH, staying until the parks get too crowded, and then going to a second park. I would also make my FP and ADR reservations at the second park. That approach has worked beautifully for us at both Christmas and Easter on some of the most crowded days of the year.

 

[Lucius Best]

Our last trip we initially planned on hitting the morning EMH park for just a few hours, then hopping to a less busy park late morning where we would have our FP+ reservations and ADRs. But once at the parks (this was end of April) we decided not to upgrade to park hoppers. We felt it was worth more to have our first three FP before noon, so we could start getting additional FP as soon as possible.

Christmas will be so busy, I'm guessing once you use your first 3 FP, additional FP will have return times hours away, with no guarantee you can get anything good for what you want. I'm also assuming that all parks will be super busy, when Disney is at an 8 or 9, wherever you hop midday will be busy, regardless of EMH. And often around Christmas, MK will have EMH just about every day.

If I was going on Christmas, and forced to purchase park hoppers, I think I would want to be get to the parks as early as possible to maximize time. I would go to a morning EMH park, have my 3 reserved FP+ before noon, and maybe make an ADR for lunch. After lunch we would totally wing it: maybe stay at that park if the park wasn't a total zoo and there were additional FP available, maybe hop to a different park predicted to be less busy, or more likely go hang out at the pool and take a nap. At least one night we'd want to go to AK after dark. We'd make a few dinner ADRs on the MK monorail or at Epcot, with the plan to have dinner and then stay up late at MK or Epcot.

 

[lovndisney12]

Thanks for all the suggestions!