Seriously Big Park Hours Update 8/29-11/2 - Daily AM EMHs added for DHS, DAK, & MK

[Rach3975]

We arrive Nov. 2. I find this news stressful as Nov. 3 hours and forward are not available on the Disney site. Will people decide to wait until our week for EEMH at 7 instead of 6? Or will there be paid extra hours which is so not cool when tickets cost sooooooo much. Prices has increased teice since I made the reservation and switching weeks raises the prices.

Wish they would've announced the entire month. ADR day is Monday for Nov.2.

We're arriving 11/2, too. The idea that they're abruptly going to go from extended hours/EMH at 3 parks every day down to nothing scares me, too. But it also makes me think that they're going to be extending hours when we get closer. It's just too big a change too quickly if they don't. (Or at least that's what I'm telling myself until I know otherwise!) Question is which parks and how long, since I don't know if they'll keep up the same level of extra hours that they do in the first few months.

If anything, I think the news about the EEMH will encourage on-site people to switch from our week to weeks that have the extended hours. It helps to remind myself that our FP day isn't for 4 months. We'll know so much more by then. Maybe we'll even have an advantage over people going earlier, because GE will have been open a few days by our FP day. I agree that picking parks for ADRs has been extra stressful for this trip, but ADRs are a lot easier to change than FPs!

 

[cdoc29]

Just get there earlier, take your photos, then go to breakfast.

LOL, that’s wishful thinking. Unless you are the first to enter the park getting empty, or nearly empty photos is impossible. With the 8am breakfast we were only competing against others with ADR’s now we are competing with every resort guest......

 

[ErinsMommy]

Wondering what the best option will be to get there - time wise and transportation wise, from Yacht Club.

 

[ErinsMommy]

Giving this more thought, if the park opens at 6:00 a.m., is 5:00 a.m. about right to arrive? If SWGE reaches capacity, will they give you some sort of ticket when to come back? Or if you don't make it in the 'first wave' your pretty much just standing there waiting? If it helps in answering my question, our plan is to be at DHS on 11/2.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I checked the crowd level calendar and the weekends have been increased to a level “9”. Not sure where you saw “1”.

Yeah but a girl can always try! As much money as we are spending, my efforts are all in!

People were posting screen shots on Twitter. I didn't fabricate it out of thin air. I'm guessing they scrambled to correct it.

 

[zobow02]

I am so excited about this! I find it funny everyone is complaining they aren't late extra magic hours. My parents hate staying up late but are definitely early risers so these extra magic hours are a game changer! We actually switched our POP stay because of these emh's and our flight was cheaper.

Feel bad for the cm's though, that'll be an early wakeup call...
I wonder if this has to do with the skyliner too! I know it sounds stupid but maybe...

 

[Disneylover99]

Wondering what the best option will be to get there - time wise and transportation wise, from Yacht Club.

I’d definitely walk.

 

[Disneylover99]

So will buses start running at like 430am?

Yes. More then likely, sometime between 4:30am and 5:00am.
We went to the MK for a 6am opening on Christmas morning. The first bus left POFQ at 4:51am.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I'm wondering what time the resort food courts will open. Cause right now, specifically at the value resorts, they open at 6/6:30 AM. I'm hoping with the early park hours they open the food courts an hour or two early, at least with waffles or something available.

Or that they have a breakfast menu at Galaxy's Edge like they did when Pandora first opened. We'll have to pack lots of snacks if we're getting up at 4 or 5 AM most days but restaurants keep their normal hours.

I know those of you with trips in September are unhappy with the early opening of GE. You have to do what’s best for you. No trip to Disney is perfect. Let that idea go.

I'm going in September. I'm thrilled. We thought we we're going to have to wait years to see GE, but now we're going to be some of the first to see it.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

These early hours sort of seem like getting up for a runD race. Probably on your own for food so best to plan ahead!

 

[Disneylover99]

I'm wondering what time the resort food courts will open. Cause right now, specifically at the value resorts, they open at 6/6:30 AM. I'm hoping with the early park hours they open the food courts an hour or two early, at least with waffles or something available.

I’m doubtful they’ll change food court hours, but I guess you never know.
Just thinking about Christmas weeks and our stays at Pop. Lots of people all week at the bus stops well before 6am.
The food court hours always remained the same.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'm wondering what time the resort food courts will open. Cause right now, specifically at the value resorts, they open at 6/6:30 AM. I'm hoping with the early park hours they open the food courts an hour or two early, at least with waffles or something available.

Or that they have a breakfast menu at Galaxy's Edge like they did when Pandora first opened. We'll have to pack lots of snacks if we're getting up at 4 or 5 AM most days but restaurants keep their normal hours.

I'm going in September. I'm thrilled. We thought we we're going to have to wait years to see GE, but now we're going to be some of the first to see it.

I doubt they'll open them early. Have something in your room that you can bring with you.

Glad to see someone with a September trip is happy about it!

 

[georgina]

I'm wondering what time the resort food courts will open. Cause right now, specifically at the value resorts, they open at 6/6:30 AM. I'm hoping with the early park hours they open the food courts an hour or two early, at least with waffles or something available.

Or that they have a breakfast menu at Galaxy's Edge like they did when Pandora first opened. We'll have to pack lots of snacks if we're getting up at 4 or 5 AM most days but restaurants keep their normal hours.

When I went early for TSL last summer, the Starbucks was open early so I was able to get coffee and something to eat while waiting for them to let us into the rest of the park (I think I arrived shortly after 6 AM for the 7 AM opening.

 

[lochneffmonster]

People were posting screen shots on Twitter. I didn't fabricate it out of thin air. I'm guessing they scrambled to correct it.

The initial email sent from TP made me double-take, but they did adjust it rather quickly

 

[KTR]

People were posting screen shots on Twitter. I didn't fabricate it out of thin air. I'm guessing they scrambled to correct it.

The had a post to accompany the updated hours and crowd levels. In the post they stated they moved to a new algorithm for crowd levels and it was in process of updating and there would be inaccurate numbers for a short time while they did the update.

 

[KTR]

I doubt they'll open them early. Have something in your room that you can bring with you.

Glad to see someone with a September trip is happy about it!

We are going September 7-14 and are thrilled with the new hours. Who knows how insanely packed or not all the parks will be, it’s just a guess from everyone. But whether it is manageable due to lower crowd time of year or insane the increased hours will help and be a major perk to everyone staying onsite. If you aren’t an early riser it will still help you. All of the early risers who get to the park at 5am will be wiped out and exhausted and needing to take breaks or leave earlier than they would have otherwise. We fully intend to be back at our resort in the pool or napping for the heat of the afternoons. Before this update we likely would have tried to stay in the parks through that time.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

So excited! I had wanted to cancel but DH really wants to see GE. I had previously secured an 8 am ADR, but that's canceled now and it's 6 am for us! Unfortunately, the night before our DHS day we have MNSSHP. We can sleep later, lol! I think we'll go early, leave around 10, 11 am, then head back in the evening.

Really depends on how crowded it is. We may not go back at all. I'll wait to see the first couple weeks worth of trip reports before i make a decision. Or, i may just have to upgrade to hoppers.

 

[Upatnoon]

The had a post to accompany the updated hours and crowd levels. In the post they stated they moved to a new algorithm for crowd levels and it was in process of updating and there would be inaccurate numbers for a short time while they did the update.

They don't need a "new algorithm," they need to put these in the dustbin of history.

 

[zippy99]

We arrive from the UK on 3rd September. So the jet lag is on our side!

In terms of other common thoughts - morning hours will always be better as it will be a clean slate, an empty park to start with - evening hours will always have residual visitors so never feel quite the same.

I’m sure groups of locals with annual passes can book a room for one night just to get this perk

 

[Remus]

Well, ticket prices are not changing for september dates, tho.

Could that maybe be any indicative of things being really not that crowded? Specially on the other parks.