Morning EMH - Is this now a must?

[TraderE]

So over the past 5 years or so, we always made it a point to bypass parks that had morning EMH. Most crowd calendar sites agreed with that.

Now with the new system of FP, I'm wondering if I need to rethink that plan. If we get to the park at 8, that's an hour of riding with minimal crowds and nobody riding FP.

Does anyone who use to think like I did now think morning EMH should be done?

 

[Robo]

So over the past 5 years or so, we always made it a point to bypass parks that had morning EMH. Most crowd calendar sites agreed with that.

Now with the new system of FP, I'm wondering if I need to rethink that plan. If we get to the park at 8, that's an hour of riding with minimal crowds and nobody riding FP.

Does anyone who use to think like I did now think morning EMH should be done?

My wife and I love the morning EMH's.

We go nearly every morning when there is one
available.
We used to go to "EE" (early entry) back before EMH
was started.

But, she always warns me to NOT TELL EVERYONE about how
fun and easy the AM EMH's are, because then the early
parks will be too BUSY for us to enjoy.

But, I always tell HER not to worry.

Most folks simply will NOT get up early on vacation!
Nothing will change their minds.

So I am here to say,
"THANK YOU" to all of the sleepy-heads...
They make my AM EMH's about the best, most private and
carefree times we ever have at the parks!

And I know I won't be seeing them coming in until,
oh, 10:30-11:00am, when I'm on my way Park-Hopping OUT of that park!

 

[Always Dream]

Yes! With the reports of FP returns bumping up wait times immediately after the parks open, I have been wondering the same thing.

 

[TraderE]

Yes! With the reports of FP returns bumping up wait times immediately after the parks open, I have been wondering the same thing.

I had to convince my family to go along with it since we enjoy our sleep but we're going to give it a shot. We have park hoppers so if it gets crazy at one park, we'll just leave and go somewhere else like Robo.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I think avoiding the Morning EMH park is sound advice for non-resort guests who can't do EMH. It's true that by the time non-resort guests enter the park the major attractions will already have lines. I do not, however, think that is good advice for resort guests who are willing to get out for EMH.

Take DHS for example. Last week we did one EMH morning. From 8:00 to 9:00 we were able to do TSMM, ToT, and Star Tours (some in our party did RnR instead of TSMM). We also did one non EMH morning, where the only thing we got done between 9:00 and 10:00 was TSMM.

On the EMH morning come 9:00 were there more people in the park than a regular morning? Sure. Did TSMM/RnR/ToT/Star Tours have longer lines at 9:00 then they did on a non EMH morning? Sure....... But it didn't matter. Come 9:00 we moved on to things like the GMR and Backlot Tour. We were free to see the first Indiana Jones or Frozen Singalong. Getting 3 biggies out of the way in the first hour frees you up to get so much other stuff done with the crowd a couple steps behind.

Same holds true at MK. EMH morning we did BTMRR 3x (while some in our group did Space Mt. 2x), then Splash, HM, Small World and Pooh all before 11:00. That isn't happening on a regular morning.

Yes, in terms of general atmosphere and annoying crowd levels the EMH park may be a congested nightmare by 1:00.......but that's why you take a midday break to go back to your resort to swim and relax, and hit a different park in the evening.

 

[btk2333]

morning EMH is a great tool; however, ONLY I if you will arrive BEFORE the park opens- preferably 30 minutes. I say this because if you are parking or getting off the bus at 815 or 830, then you are not going to have much of an advantage. The plurality of people will go to the EMH park, regardless of whether or not they intend to take advantage of EMH. Additionally, people who THINK they are going to take advantage of it, will get to the bus stop at 750, see a long line and not actually get to the park until 830 or later. When we do EMH, we go for like two and a half hours, then hop to a recommended park (where we have our FP+ reserved). Best of both worlds- low crowds at RD and then lowish crowds the rest of the day.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

I prefer the morning EMH to the evening ones, no non resort guests can enter and try and get on rides, ergo the lines will be shorter, also you cannot do a FP+ during EMH, but, if you have a 9am one for something like TSM you can get in line just before and get it done. Being an early bird type I like to get in bright and early and do as much as I can, then chill out in the afternoon ready to hit the parks again later.

 

[ghtx]

I have always been a fan of AM EMHs (especially since I have little kids who are awake at 6am anyways). But, I have also always had hoppers and have hopped out of the AM EMH park after lunch. If you don't have hoppers, then there is a trade-off.

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

We are up with small children, so it's a good plan for our family.
We can't hang with the late EMHs.

 

[katt789]

I LOVE emh, specifically in the morning! There's no one around! Sept 2012 we did EMH pretty much every morning of the trip, and in MK were able to complete all of Fantasyland & Tomorrowland & be in line for Merida right at 9, it's amazing the amount of things you can do just because other people don't like to get up early!

 

[Robo]

-it's amazing the amount of things you can do just because other people don't like to get up early!

Yup.

 

[MouseClubMama]

Making the effort to be an early bird is well worth it especially with little ones. We breeze through all of our favorites in the morning, and go back to the resort for a swim/nap before returning to the parks. Works like a charm!

 

[KeroKero]

I love morning EMH, I find that we're able to get 2-3 big attractions out of the way without crowds - which really helps with the rest of the day