How crowded are parks during EXTRA EVENING HOURS????

[kbuck]

Hi I have not been to Disney since lat November and now they added this new extra evenig hour. We are staying at Pop.

How crowded do the parks get during the extra evening hour? How long are wait times?

We have three days to see our favorite rides. Just wondering all about this extra evening hours.

Thanks for your information.

Leave July 17.

 

[monarchsfan16]

We only went to the extra evening hours at Epcot. We thought the crowds for that were manageable but heavier than we expected. We only rode Test Track, but we did it twice. As soon as Illuminations was over we went over to TT, grabbed a fast pass and then got in the standby line. Standby was about a 15-20 minute wait. When we got off our fast pass window was opening, so we quick hit the restrooms and then got on again. By the time we got off (a little after 10) the standby line was about a 40 minute wait. We didn't notice the wait times for the other open attractions; we'd done what we wanted to do so we headed for the bus.
That being said we saw the crowds pouring into the MK for those evening EMH and I would not have wanted to be there. As the other parks closed I think most resort guests headed for the MK. I expect that MK gets the heaviest of the crowds.

 

[Disney_1derland]

Our experience in May was that Epcot and MK were both packed but MGM was nearly empty on it's night. We didn't do AK that trip.

 

[reedycreek]

MK during EMH a few weeks ago was so crowded you could not move in the hub area. 95 min waits for all major rides, it was nuts.

 

[lilfroggie]

We were there last week and did EMH at all four parks.
MK did not seem any less crowded; Epcot was ok in the World Showcase, but if you went by TT and Mission Space, there were TONS of people! MGM was not bad. AK was by far the best!! We rode Kali River Rapids 3 x's without any wait! And Dinosaur with very little wait! The Boneyard was not overly crowded...and best of all...it was not scorching hot!

 

[disneyag]

We were there a few weeks ago. MK was a ZOO!! We stayed until 1:00am. During that time the waits were really long. Splash Mt. and BTMRR had waits of 45 minutes or more. I was kind of disappointed, because it wasn't at all like the Eticket nights were had loved. However, two nights later, MK was open until midnight and it was much less crowded.

 

[welovewdw]

We were there this spring - and it was just as crowded from 12 - 3 am at MK as ever - could not walk in main hub, 90 min. wait for space mountain - totally nuts. In contrast, even though crowds were heavy at the parks in general, we could ride easily if we got there 1/2 hour before opening - it didn't seem to get crowded until 11:00 am.

 

[OKSTATE99]

We were there this spring - and it was just as crowded from 12 - 3 am at MK as ever - could not walk in main hub, 90 min. wait for space mountain - totally nuts. In contrast, even though crowds were heavy at the parks in general, we could ride easily if we got there 1/2 hour before opening - it didn't seem to get crowded until 11:00 am.

The one night we tried it at MK it was very crowded so me and my wife just slowly made our way to the buses, Enjoying the atomphere the whole way and doing some shopping on main street, this my favorite memory of our last trip by the way.

Kim I noticed that your becoming quite addicted to WDW. We are doing the same. As we do a split stay in August. But hats off you to you girl Kim, I would like to got 4 times a year if we could. That sounds like a blast

Robert Pope

 

[welovewdw]

Kim I noticed that your becoming quite addicted to WDW. We are doing the same. As we do a split stay in August. But hats off you to you girl Kim, I would like to got 4 times a year if we could. That sounds like a blast

I'm a total addict! LOL (plus, I have a need to get our moneys worth out of our annual passes.)

This is our first year with annual passes - my husband & I had to go twice this year for business - so I managed to justify the passes for us, then bought the kids' passes when we went during spring break. (it spread out the cost a little) We really have had so much fun - everyone from the the 16 year old to the 7 year old absolutely loves wdw. (not to mention my husband & I!)

It's funny- we've found that we have fun in a more relaxed way the more often we go - the kids really get to "know" the parks, they have fun finding the hidden things that you just don't even notice on your first trip. (at least we didn't)

btw - my 7 yo's mothers day speech - she said "my mom's hobby is disney world" LOL.

 

[SorcererDonald16]

I just got back from my trip and did EMH at 3 of the parks on 4 different nights. i was dreading EMH at MK based on what i had read, but wow, it came in handy for me. here's what i saw re: wait times and what times i saw them at:

June 12th:
MGM; park closed at 10. went to 10:30 Fantasmic. Came back out a little after 11. 45 minute wait for the Great Movie Ride. Went over to Voyage of Little Mermaid and walked right in. Back to GMR and waited 30 minutes.

June 13th:
MK; park closed at 11. Saw Spectro from near the castle, headed straight back to Timekeeper to get wristbands. About 8 minute wait for Buzz. Then we ate at Cosmic Ray's and headed back to WL

June 15th:
Epcot; Park closed at 9; Watched Illuminations, got wristbands immediately afterwards. went to Land for dinner; from 1o to 11:30ish, it fluctuated between a 45 and 60 minute standby wait for Soarin. left and walked right on to spaceship earth.

June 17th:
MK again; park closed at 11; got wristbands around midnight from timekeeper again. headed straight to fantasyland. about 8 minute wait for Winnie the Pooh, walked on Small Word, 25 minute wait for Peter Pan, about 5 minute wait for Mickey's PhilharMagic.

Best advice: Don't get wristbands before EMH start! Every time we went to get them it was massive, winding lines. When we waited until right when EMH started or a bit after, there was no lines. Hope this gives you some idea about wait times, even if it's not for all the attractions.

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh no!

 

[scanne]

My theory - you don't have to "pay" like when they had E-ride nights, so EVERYONE is there! When you had to fork over an extra $10-12 person, less people were willing to do that.

I'm planning on trying one EMH at MGM and one at MK. It will just be my and DH. The kids will stay back with my parents.

Where do you get the wristbands in MGM? Thanks!

 

[CinderellaPug]

Our understanding was that you had to get the wristband before th EMH started...is it ok to wait? Does this just mean that you can't get on a ride until you get the wristband?

 

[novastar]

In august it seems MK closes at 9 pm normally. How late would it be open with EMH?

 

[zurgswife]

In august it seems MK closes at 9 pm normally. How late would it be open with EMH?

Add 3 hrs to the official close time.. so it would be midnight.

We have tried EMH twice MK...both times packed to the hilt. Epcot once...we rode Soarin' once and got fastpasses, saw Crush the Turtle...then my younger son wasn't feeling well...so I took him back to the hotel and my oldest son....used all the fast passes on soarin and rode it 3 times in a row before it closed....he was in PIG heaven...

I don't think I'll try EMH evening again at the 3 main parks...sounds like AK might be good...

 

[eleanor]

in Apr Mk was a nightmare. You couldn't move in the hub. We tried to go on a couple of rides then gave up and went for the bus . It was packed with people who had had enough as well. Wont try that again.

 

[RevBob]

Our experience this past May, was this: Evening EMH's at MGM, Epcot, & MK were packed. (For example, at MK, before the EMH hours, wait times at most of the rides was 10 to 15 minutes. After EMH started wait times tripled for most of everything. We gave up and left after an hour and it was obvious as we left, that more people were arriving than were leaving. We experienced the similiar situation at MGM.) Evening EMH at AK was not, walked onto everything there. Morning EMH's were not packed at the parks we were there to try, (Epcot and MK). IMHO avoid evening EMH's at all the parks except for AK.
Nevertheless, have a great time.

 

[kbuck]

Thanks for all your advise. It has come in handy in my planning.

 

[novastar]

I a lot of people complain about how busy EMH are (especially MK), I have two more questions:

1. are the EMH parks less busy during the mornings on the days when they have EMH at night?
2. if you are spending two days at a park, does it matter if it is really busy on one of those evenings?

 

[SorcererDonald16]

Our understanding was that you had to get the wristband before th EMH started...is it ok to wait? Does this just mean that you can't get on a ride until you get the wristband?

to answer your question, the earliest you can get your wristband is 2 hours before EMH starts. then, after EMH start, you can still get them for, quote unquote per WL brochure "the duration of the event." this is true because one time i waited until an hour after it started to get a wristband. you just can't get on the rides after the park closes without the band (unless you're already in line for something, i'm assuming).

the CMs at Epcot when i was there didn't really check, they def. didn't check at MGM, and some did and some didn't at MK. all you do to get the wristband is show your room key to one of the CMs who is in charge of looking at IDs. a few times they shined a flashlight on mine, but most times they just read it for a second (checking dates, i assume because the days you're staying at a WDW resort are on the room keys) and let you through to get the wristband. it's not time consuming unless you're in a long line. without a line, it took maybe 2 minutes tops for the 3 of us.

at MK, they were across from Winnie the Pooh, at the Timekeeper, and several other places that slip my mind; got the MGM one near the entrance; Epcot on the bridge b/w Future World and World Showcase. no clue about AK since i didn't do EMH there.