Planning Schedule for Parks...need advice Extra Hour Parks

[my2boys1821]

Our June trip is slowly creeping up on us. I am starting to get my itinerary's ready. We already have ADR's made (Since January- cause I'm a PLANOHOLIC )

My thoughts so far are this: We have two small children, 4 and 6. We will definately need down time. So I'm thinking. Go to the park with EMH's first opening till about 11-12noonish. Get lunch and head back to the hotel, swim, nap, go have dinner at our reserved spot. Then hang out at a park in the evening.

Now my problem is that I've heard Extra Hour Parks are extremely busy especially when we will be there, end of June. Will we be in trouble going from open till about 11 or do you think that is foolish?

Should we avoid the late evening hours for the park we choose that night? I'm thinking we will probably be out till about 9ish each night and later 2 nights because we have to see Wishes and Illuminations. But we are normally early risers, early to bed too. I'd hate to wait in lines for two attractions then head back to the hotel. Just how bad are the crowds busy time of year for parks with Extra hours in the evenings.

Or will the parks start to dwindle down after dinner? So much to think about, but I know you all have the answers. What do you do?

 

[Robo]

MORNINGS are the BEST time to go to any park EMH or not.

Be at the ticket reader gates 20-30 minutes before scheduled opening (EMH or not).

Go and ride early, while MOST of the WDW guests are sleeping late.
Most people simply will NOT get up and go, so you can get more done in the first few hours than at any other time.

Evening EMH can be a mixed bag. The only way to KNOW, is to GO.
They cost nothing to TRY, if its too busy for you, head on out to elsewhere.

 

[my2boys1821]

Thanks ROBO! Anyone else like to add what they have found out previous experiences?

 

[mimif1]

That's what we do. We usually have an ADR for either the last breakfast time or the first lunch time depending where we're eating. We can usually finish Fantasyland and ride SM and BTMR before we eat. After we eat, we go to the hotel so the little one can nap and rest. We then go to a different park that does not have evening EMH around 3 or 4 and stay until the kids are ready to call it a day. I'm amazed at how many rides we can do in those first few hours. Our mornings are pretty commando but the afternoons we take it easy and relax and ride less popular rides between our fastpass times.

 

[DisTeach1]

Can your kids do Evening extra hours and still get up early the next morning for EMH? That's the only glitch that I've run into in my experience. We can't do both-get up early and stay out late. I'd rather get up early, do EMH, but go to a park that does not have the late evening hours. Otherwise, we burn out.