First Extra Magic Hours at WDW now

[Kellyh123]

We are at WDW right now. We went to the MGM extra magic hours tonight. There were about 3 locations where you could go and get your wristband once you were in the park. It was fun but boy was it crowded. We did Muppet's and then had to wait for about 35 minutes for the next Mermaid show. Everything else we wanted to do had long lines that I wouldn't wait for during the day so there was no way I was doing it tonight. The parks were still pretty crowded today so that could have had something to do with it. It was fun but crowded.

Any questions let me know.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Did they have the restaurants and shops open during EMH? How did they handle those staying offsite?

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks for the feedback! Did each of the members of your party (especially kids) have to have their i.d. with them to get the wristbands or did one per party suffice? thanks. (I know the rule, just wondering what reality was tonight).

 

[Kellyh123]

Some restaurants and food shops were open also some of the stores. You had to have the wristband to ride. So if you were offsite you could still be in the park you just couldn't ride. A problem that I can see happening is that all you had to do was show your room key and you received a wristband. You hope people are honest and don't try to use other's room keys to recieve a wristband. Also at MGM there were just not enough attractions open for all of the people. I am sure they will fine tune things.

 

[Kellyh123]

Jillpie
Each person in your party needed their room key. At least older children did. Mine are 15 and 18.

 

[Jillpie]

ok, thanks. I wonder how flexible they will become with younger children.

 

[DisDarling]

Why so busy today?? Is it the first night for this??
D.D.

 

[kirbsam]

Thanks for posting this. I know a lot of us are interested in the crowd levels as we plan our vacations. Was fastpass operating for the evening EMH???

 

[Muffy]

Thanks for the report! I hope the evening crowd level goes down after the novelty of EMH has passed?!

 

[kathmzh]

thanks for posting! We'll be at a Sunday night EMH at MGM later this month, so I've been anxiously awaiting reports. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Thanks for taking the time to report on EMH!

 

[bubba's mom]

Thanks for posting this. Was fastpass operating for the evening EMH???

i'd like to know too!!

 

[aec]

Thanks - we'll be there later this month and I appreciate you taking the time to post.

 

[InstImpres]

Why so busy today?? Is it the first night for this??
D.D.

I am thinking with the new "no hopping tickets" the EMH praks may just become more crowded. It will be interesting if the reports continue this way, as I am thinking of avoiding the EMH days at any park, figuring the crowds may be less.

JMHO
Sandy

 

[DebbieB]

Some restaurants and food shops were open also some of the stores. You had to have the wristband to ride. So if you were offsite you could still be in the park you just couldn't ride. A problem that I can see happening is that all you had to do was show your room key and you received a wristband. You hope people are honest and don't try to use other's room keys to recieve a wristband. Also at MGM there were just not enough attractions open for all of the people. I am sure they will fine tune things.

I was wondering that too, if they somehow mark the resort ID that you already got a wristband.

 

[WEDWDW]

Does anyone know why they let off-site guests stay in the park during evening EMH?It seems like that even though they can only shop and eat,this will make the park more crowded and not make the evening EMH as much of a perk for on-property guests.It seems like they could clear the park of off-site guests like they do at MVMCP.Could this lead to Disney allowing off-site guests to eat and shop during morning EMH as well?Thanks.

 

[aec]

Back when they had e-nights at MK I recall when the evening started, people w/o wristbands were turned away at the rides. Then they had CMs posted at the entrances to the lands so if you didn't have a wrist band you would be turned away from entering any area where there were attractions. I assume they did not shoo them out of the park entirely and they would have been able to linger on main street to shop and eat, but there was not much available for eating. The park cleared out pretty quickly. Later in the evening there were charecters in the hub area and we had them all to ourselves. Of course e-nights were hard ticket events, so the crowds for EMH should be higher.

 

[disneyag]

I am worried that the EMH nights might be more crowded than E ticket nights. I am sure that charging for E ticket nights kept the crowds down sufficiently. Now that it's a "free" perk to onsite guests, will parks be miserably packed with people?

 

[kilee]

I think you will in general find the EMH nights more crowded than E nights. Basically because this is free. So many people don't want to pay extra (no matter how little the fee might be). I also think many more people (in my opinion) will take advantage of the evening EMH than the morning one. It is a lot harder to get up at 5am on vacation to be at the parks early for a lot of families. It's easier to stay up once you're already up and going.

 

[Muffy]

I am worried that the EMH nights might be more crowded than E ticket nights. I am sure that charging for E ticket nights kept the crowds down sufficiently. Now that it's a "free" perk to onsite guests, will parks be miserably packed with people?

Time will tell....