Old dog, new tricks - morning EMH? Or not?

[2vets]

Hi, all -

For as long as I've been going to Disney (which - without aging myself - is a long time), I have largely managed to avoid the highest crowd times. My ex-husband and I would show up for morning EMH, ride everything we wanted to, and book outta the EMH park for someplace else by 11 or so, when crowds built. We split 5 years ago, yadda yadda, and since then, I have only been to WDW once, last year, and only for 3 days. I miss it!

I am headed down in a few weeks for a family thing (including many young nieces/nephews with a lot of 5:30/5:45 pm dinners other than one night that I designated as our date night) with my new DH, who has never been to WDW. NEVER been! Gasp! We're at WL CL for 5 nights, only 4 days in the parks (we'll arrive the first night at 6 pm...and my lobby to go to a park that night was vetoed...because he thinks I'll be tired. Right...) . He went to DL once over 20 years ago and described it as crazy, so you can imagine how he'll feel about WDW. I know he will love it, and he is excited to go, but...

He is willing to deal with some type A planning and happy to get up early - but there will be a limit to how much I can march him around, and I suspect that he also will not be big on doing much nighttime park stuff. I am tasked with trying to show him the highlights whilst keeping my type A stuff to a dull roar. In late June. Super fun, and not a challenge at all, right?

My question: I have always read about avoiding the EMH parks, but my experience has been that in the morning, the EMH park was a pretty good choice. My strategy this time was going to include 2 morning EMH parks, with FP+ tix for those same parks starting at 10:30-11 am for ride repeats, beating it out of the parks for the pool as soon as the FP+'s are used, 2 or so. Now I am wondering about the wisdom of this plan. It seems like WDW is much busier than it was years ago, and the summer thing...maybe there is something to the EMH advice, and even if not, maybe minimizing running him around is advisable...and that gives us an extra bit of time in the morning. I am torn!

Has anyone got advice for me? Will sticking with non- Am EMH parks make things that much more pleasant for DH? We go to Orlando once every couple of years for work in autumn, and it would be great to ensure he has a good experience so that I can go to Food and Wine again! Thanks a million

 

[mesaboy2]

In my opinion the key to AM EMH is simple: be there for the entire EMH or don't bother.

 

[get_us_to_WDW]

I like your idea of EMH and then 3 FP's and then leave! Given the crowds and the heat I might suggest setting your FP times to 10,11 and 12. If it is not too crowded at 10 you can enjoy a few more rides stand-by and use the 1st FP by 11. But, if it is crazy, you can start FPs at 10 and be on your way back to the pool by 12:15!

If the popular attractions are packed during EMH, enjoy some of the wonderful "off the beaten path" spots in the morning and then enjoy FPs and exit.

Even if you don't fit every last thing in, remember that you are laying the groundwork for (hopefully) lots of future trips! The more hubby enjoys this trip the greater your odds will be!

Good luck!

 

[Drinehart811]

I have been in June twice over the last few years and IMO morning EMH were fantastic...if you get there early. And by early I mean 10-15 minutes before morning EMH begins. To me the key to not feeling stressed by crowds and overwhelmed by the heat is to not be in the parks between 1-4. Period. Leave, take a break, go swimming. It's sooooo hot and crowded even I start to feel crazy in the middle of the day. My major strategy is to get there early, either have lunch in the park and then leave, or got back to my resort and lunch there, then plan to head back to the park around dinner time.

Also if you like late nights evening EMH can be great, especially at MK if you stay til 1-2 am! It's not so hot or crowded and towards the end of the EMHs, but if you don't plan on staying that late I would avoid them. Also most evening EMHs at HS there is usually a 2nd fantasmic show that can be easier to get into.

 

[2vets]

In my opinion the key to AM EMH is simple: be there for the entire EMH or don't bother.

Ha - saw this, then I reread my post and realized that I wasn't clear - I meant that of the 4 days we're in the parks, on 2 of those days I was hoping to attend the morning EMH parks for the hour, then a few extra hours until crowd ultra-insanity ensues.

OK, so I have a few people saying that the strategy we're going with is fairly reasonable. Thanks, guys - best to know that I'm not doing something in high season that is better suited to a less busy time. Now, if I can just keep from grabbing DH by the hand and dragging him around at a pseudo run, I'll be all set...

 

[lilkitty819]

I always do the park that has emh...But I never get fast passes for that park. We usually head back to resort when the crowd picks up and relax for a couple hours. Then we head to another park late in the afternoon or early evening, and that's the park I have fast passes for. So if you have park hoppers you can get 2 parks in and not wear yourself out. Have a great time!!!

 

[heidijanesmith]

I completely understand touring like this. I am type A and DH is not. We do like to get up for rope drop and hit every early AM EMH that we can. I do not get FP+ for these mornings, just hit the most popular rides 1st thing. We tour until we are tired or go for lunch and then hit a different park at night and use the evening FP+ times.

This was before you could use all your FP+ and then go to a kiosk and get more FP+ if available. When we went in Oct they were still working the kinks out and we did not find that changing FP+ times on the fly to work at all.

 

[2vets]

Thanks, you guys.

I have been debating about how to do FP+, honestly. I was initially worried that I wouldn't be able to get DH to go back into a park after a mid-day break. There was one day, though, we were planning to do our own thing in the evening, and I had FP+ set up for that afternoon, assuming we'd go all day - maybe I should shift them a bit later and allow lunch/pool at the hotel..?

Is it awful that I am assuming that what works for little kids will work for DH? Hmm, don't answer that... I love that man, but he goes at his own pace and can't be rushed around!