Go for early entry or avoid it completely?

[daisy2000]

Has anyone found that its actually better to avoid going to the park that has early entry and go to any other park on that day? Isn't the park that has the EE the most crowded on that day? We're talking peak time, too - Easter week.

What's your best strategy for EE?

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I think it is best to take advantage of the ee, do some rides, get a couple of fast passes, use them and then move on because it does become very crowded. But you can easily do a lot in three hours or so using ee, fp and then move on to a less crowded park or an early lunch.

We did this President's week and it worked out well. At New Year's they had two parks open at a time with ee so that really took the pressure off.

HBC

 

[jamsmom]

We only go to MGM for EE because we are not early risers. So, we go and get to do RnR and ToT over and over.

Otherwise, sometimes we try to avoid whatver park was EE.....but that is just us.

I WISH we were early risers so we could always do EE. But, I hate mornings.

 

[currycook]

Go, stay for a few hours. Then hit another park is what we do. You get the benefits of the EE and then avoid the park that will be more crowded that day.

 

[NotUrsula]

You can cover a LOT of ground in Fantasyland during EE, then leave when everyone else starts showing up, or book a breakfast right around normal opening time, and then leave after.

The only point of doing it at EPCOT is really TT. We don't bother there, we do TT during Illuminations instead.

 

[PlutoPal]

Yes you are exactly right, daisy2000. The park that has EE that morning is always more crowded than the other parks. It forces people that hate EE, like myself, to go to the other parks. EE is terrible, plain and simple. It messes up the crowds and not the whole park is open that early in the morning and it makes you tired the rest of the day to get up that early. ITS TERRIBLE.

 

[GoofysPrincess]

We almost always do EE at MK and MGM at least one day -- usually early in the trip when we're still full of energy! However, we almost always leave around 11:00 or so and do something else in the afternoon. Our family has always enjoyed getting to lots of our favorite rides early and then taking it easy the rest of the day. We aren't particularly early risers, but WDW brings out the best in us.

It really depends on how much you like to ride the premium rides and how little you like to stand in line...

 

[TreeOfLife]

We LOVE ee mornings. We get there early, leave by 10:30 or so.

In our experience, that gives us plenty of time to enjoy the attractions before the crowds arrive.

When it starts to fill up, go to another park, what's the big sweat?

 

[Eeyore2U]

During out trip 2/23-3/1 it didn't matter. We don't do EE. We prefer to sleep. We were in the EE parks later in the day and the croeds were still low.

 

[grinningghost]

I hate getting up early. DH loves it. So I drag myself out of bed and do EE's. Once I'm dressed and out the door, I'm fine. We do the biggies during EE then leave for lunch elsewhere. It's usually a roll of the dice what we do after that, whatever floats our boat at the moment.

This year I am going to have 2 teenagers with us, who I'm sure will be on their own most of the time. I'm very curious whether they will rise early to go to EE. Somehow, I'm just not seeing it.

 

[Piper]

I always do EE and get a lot done--then I leave that park after lunch, nap, and go to a different park that afternoon.

I usually leave the second park before it gets too late to avoid the exit crowds. I try to arrange myself arround the International gateway for Illuminations and leave that way. I go to the early evening parade at MK and wait until the crowds thin to leave. Usually right before the next parade. Haven't done Fantasmic yet...couldn't get anyone to go during my 2000 trip...but it is in my plans for this trip! I think I'll probably try to sit near the exit if I can.

I do everything I want to do with this plan. It allows me to do what I want without becoming totally exhausted--which is very easy for me to do. I wish I could last all day, but I can't and don't want to get sick, so EE works great for me!

 

[followme2disney]

We always do EE, stay until about 10-11, head bach to the resort until about 3, and then we are off again in the evening. We usually only do evenings at EPCOT. During off-season it is the only park open sort of late.

 

[photobob]

another option which we try to do is go to a given park the day after it has EE and be there at park opening. it has work well for us in the past..

 

[eeyore0062]

We always do EE mornings at MK and MGM, because we can get so much done in that time. Also, if you are going at a hot time of the year, it isn't as stiffling, either. When the park gets too crowded for you, hop to another park.

 

[ContempoSMT]

EE is awesome - it gives me more time to go on the big rides before the crowd gets there . Go EE

 

[DaveH]

I think the biggest question is, do you want to sleep later or not. If the getting up earlier is no big deal, I would do EE and geta fair amount done early and then go somewhere else late morning or after lunch. If you would rather sleep that extra hour, then go to a different park instead. I love doing EE at MK because I am an empty nester and I do not have to stand in long lines with the little folks in Fantasyland.

 

[snels]

We are early risers, so early entry works out well for us. We love ee at the Studios. We usually ride the RnR first, and then go on the Tower over and over and over and....
We also love to go to ee at the MK.
Space Mountain and Buzz are alot of fun for us.
We usually stay at the ee park until around 10:30 or 11:00, and then go to one of the other parks.
Sandy

 

[Pig Pen]

because EE (nor e-night) never appealed to me.

We are early risers and are usually in the parks by 9:00 or 10:00.

Maybe it's because we tour during off season with thinner crowds and never felt the need to get up even earlier!

Also, maybe because we go often and for longer periods of time, we don't HAVE to ride 14 rides before noon...we just ride our favorites or come back another day!

If you are "power-touring" then EE and Enights are probably a great tool. I prefer to slow down and enjoy the sights and sounds, even though I am an obsessive planner.

 

[Kallison]

It depends on the length of our trip, if is a short one we are EE commandos. If longer we might slack off a few mornings. Especially when the kids get too whiney about early rising. For some reason I'm never tired at WDW.

 

[sm4987]

Last year when they didn't have EE, we slept in every morning. This year I really want to take advantage of EE. I don't mind getting up early, but I will be back to the hotel so that we can rest mid-day.