just returned...some things i noticed

[think tink]

hey, we just returned from wdw today. we spent 2 nights at polynesian and 2 nights at port orleans french quarter. i thought i would mention some things i noticed that might help others of you on your next trip. the first thing we noticed was the lines to get into the park were very slow due to the new finger scan machine everyone now has to do. it reminded me alot of the lines when they first started checking bags a few years ago. there are definately some glitches to work out!! also the evening extra magic hour at magic kingdom was INSANE!!! i don't know if it is always like that or if we just ran into a bad night?? we watched wishes from fantasyland then proceded to walk right on to pooh..by the time we came out the line was wrapped around the turnstiles. it looked as if someone had opened the flood gates to fantsyland. there were definately more people coming into the park then leaving, and not many people were leaving either. so we ended up leaving after about 30 minutes and went back to our hotel. the morning extra magic hour was much better, we did everything in an hour!! i'll be happy to answer any questions you have :thewave:

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

My resources tell me to avoid the night EMH pretty much. It makes sense. Although seeing Magic Kingdom at night is special in its own way, maybe you cant do rides and you have to walk elbows a kimbo- but it's still cool to see everything lit up.

 

[Evil Queen]

Only from what I read the first hour of night EMH is bad, then many people start heading out. Not that I have tried yet, that's what I gathered from some other post.

I appreciate the post, because the older boys going with us may hop to catch these and I'd like to tell them what's happening. Youngest son and I will probably avoid EMH all together.

Thanks for the update!

 

[DisneyPhD]

We just got back too, (Friday night at midnight really) and I am working on a trip report.

I noticed the same about the tickets. The start of the week was better, then it got wrose.

We did EMH in the evening Wed for MK. We ate at CRT for dinner (7:00) and when we came out the lines were longer then I wanted to wait for in FL (30 min or so) so we left for tmw land. They weren't long there and there also was a ton of charaters around. By 8:30 things had cleared out and we got a ton done in the last 1 and a half. For us the only place that is really worth it for extra magic hours is MK since the other parks don't have much open kids can ride.

They guys and my friends sister went to MGM EMH for the last hour and rode TT and RR twice in the last hour. It was walk on.

I think this was the most construction walls I have ever seen on a trip before. (and we have been many times in the winter.) However things seemed to be fine.

Hubby peaked in IASW when they opened the doors to let some cast members with hard hats in, it didn't any where close to being ready to open.

There is a ton of exhcange CM from Disney Hong Kong. (Everywhere you look almost, every place.)

They hung the mirror on the castle the day we left. (hubby was wondering why the hands weren't on the clock. )

 

[xraydave]

This is probably out there somewhere (Isn't everything?) But how do you know what nights at what park?

 

[ncbyrne]

This is probably out there somewhere (Isn't everything?) But how do you know what nights at what park?

Click on "Park Hours" at the top of this screen.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Just want to add my 2 cents here. I was at Disney for Presidents weekend & did the extra magic hour at MGM...OMG!!!!!l, it was less crowded during the day. The lines for ToT & RnR were crazy. I went on RnR as soon as Fantasmic got out, by the time I came off (I waited only 15 minutes), the lines were close to 60 minutes. Same for ToT. I would not do that again. Early entry yes, extra magic....no way

 

[Tinkim]

We were there last week also and we did EMH evening at MK. After Wishes we felt like salmon swimming upstream. There were droves of people leaving the park. We headed over to Fantasyland and ate at Cosmic Rays and then went on a bunch of rides and didn't find it very crowded at all. The only rides that had a line were Dumbo (40 minutes) and Peter Pan. We skipped Dumbo and got a FastPass for Peter Pan. We thought it was pretty empty. We stayed right until 10 p.m. and felt like we were there with only a few other people.

 

[iluvdiznee]

If the fountains were on? The last time we went, all fountains were off and dry. It kind of disappointed me.

 

[luv2nascar]

we're early risers not late nighters. good to know not to bother to waste our time with the evenings.

 

[DrTomorrow]

We are hoping to visit the AK on an EMH (Emergency Medical Hologram?) night - I think that the AK all lit up in the dark will have a very cool feel to it.

 

[DMRick]

We too were there Presidents week, and MK was open til 3am. At 11 pm, it really emptied out and we owned the park. AK late nights were also very quiet.

 

[liveforthemagic]

So if there is an am EMH at MK, it looks like the park closes at regular time? Cause we wanted to stay on a day when there is an am EMH for parade/wishes--and are wondering if anybody has any experience with crowd levels on those days?