Has "Magic Your Way" changed your strategy?

[LAinSEA]

I was trying to help my parents plan their week in August at WDW with the granddaughters and the Disboards are the best for information. I'm noticing a trend since the Magic Your Way tickets have been introduced along with the EMH (morning and evening). Since it is more cash to add park hopping privileges, do you feel that families staying onsite have foregone paying for paying for park hopping in favor of making the decision to frequent the park that has the extra hours in the morning or evening?

How has MYW changed how you plan your visits?
Do you feel it is worth the cash to pay for park hopping privileges?
How does EMH affect your planning? (staying onsite or offsite)

BTW, parents are staying at a timeshare near Universal. I've recommended, based upon a review of many of the trip reports, that they plan to visit a park that is not open early or late. Do you agree with my assessment?

Thanks!
-Laurie
(and yes, I wish I was getting to go too)

 

[Buttercup Roberts]

Hiya folks,

I will *never* go to an evening EMH park again, after getting a taste of those crowds over Memorial Day weekend and then again two weeks later in mid-June.

I feel really sorry for the newbies who may only come once or twice in their lives, and think they are doing something smart by not paying the extra $$ for Hopping and then going to the EMH park. They are in for a rather low-quality Disney experience I'd say.

There is now no perk for me staying on site, either -- we always have our own car and would never rely on Disney busses, and now EMH is a bust. It's getting to the point where the only reason we get excited about going is if we can get a killer AP rate on a Deluxe. If they ever eliminate that, I think we'll be doing a lot less visiting.

DBF has been wanting to check out Disneyland Paris, DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland, and the new Hong Kong park!!

 

[Bouncing4Tigger]

I bought an AP last year and I am buying another one this year. But if I was to buy the MYW pass I would pay the extra for park hopping as I like to hop parks if I want too. I will hop if i find a park too busy, or decide I just want to do a different park that day or to see a night time show at the other park.

 

[cranbiz]

No it has not. I have AP's and will continue to do so.

PS: EMH at MK on Monday (6-27) was not really crowded at all, except for Space Mountain everything was walk on.

 

[kdk1188]

We were in WDW in mid-May. I would definitely recommend the hopping option. It gives you MUCH more flexibility. We used the option almost every day we were there. As for the EMHs, we avoided parks the days they had them with one exception. I had a PS for Restaurantasaurus at AK the day the park had EMH in the evening. We ate around 8:30 and had our run of DinoLand after breakfast. We hit a couple other things without much wait, but by 11:30/noon, the park was crazy...ie. 55 min. wait for safari. You could barely move there were so many people in that part of the park. Also, we stayed off site and I don't think it affected our stay at all...and we didn't have to rely on the busses to get us around! Hope this helps.