Should we do the "anti-EMH shuffle"?

[tinkerbelle22]

I'm so confused now. We were planning to do all the EMHs when we go next week. But having read some of the comments here about the crowded EMHs, maybe we should do, as suggested by FAMCRUISEFAN, the "anti-EMH shuffle" - you know, going to the parks that don't have EMH that day and going to the park in the morning that had a late EMH night the night before. This would mean, of course, that we would have to change our PSs.

It sounds like maybe we should avoid nighttime EMH at MK, but go to the night EMHs at MGM and Epcot because of the crowds. Then, maybe we should go to all early EMHs but also include going to the park in the morning that had EMH the night before.

I think that I need to just readjust my expectations - I thought that night EMH was going to be like E-ride nights but better - more rides and more time and same small crowds. I guess it really is the park staying open later - an extension of the regular day (which is fine!)

Please let me know what you think?!

 

[dcibrando]

that's exactly what I am doing...

 

[sunking]

There is lots of discussion about EMH and it's impact on the crowds. We were in the "World" last week and I would sum it up our experiences this way:

If you are going to a park in the morning that has EMH in the AM, then make sure you get there for the EMH hours. If you get there at "normal" opening time, the park will be crowded.

EMH evening hours were hit or miss. We had great luck with EMH evening hours for Epcot and MGM but MK was a bit on the crowded side. The crowds were bigger then the old E-Ticket nights but we were still able to visit the attractions that we wanted to during our time in the park at night.

Some have suggested that CM's are not checking for proof of staying onsite for the EMH evening hours but each time we got our wrist bands we were asked for our room cards. Mornings were another thing in that we just slipped our annual passes in the readers and we went in. I don't know how the CM's were verifying eligibility for the morning hours.

Crowds during our visit were moderate but with use of FP's we were able to do everything that we wanted to and had a great trip.

Hope this was helpful.

Sunking

 

[tinkerbelle22]

Thanks for the great advice - looks like I'm going to have to do some switching around on the ole itinerary. I think we will definitely skip MK late EMH - in fact, probably, skip it the whole day when it is a MK late EMH.

 

[dawgsgirl]

I will be at WDW in May and have planned to avoid all EMH like the plague. We were there the second week of FEB and stayed off-site. We did the same thing then and had great luck with the crowds. I was also there in Sept of last year and have this example. I was staying at POFQ. It was a Monday morning, which was the old schedule for early entry at AK. Got to the bus stop at about 8:15 to wait for a bus to Epcot. About 5 minutes later, a AK bus pulled up and EVERYONE at that bus stop got on the bus! Probably about 50 people! No way they were in the park before regular opening time. Later that day I talked with some folks at POFQ and they were complaining about how crowded AK had been that day. Made a firm believer out of me!

 

[tinkerbelle22]

Thanks Dawgsgirl! Do you think Epcot and MGM EMH are as bad or are they do-able?

 

[Fizban257]

We've always avoided the EMH days (even under the old mornings-only system) and Tour Guide Mike advises the same -- especially during busy times of the year. When we go in July we'll be headed for opening each morning at whichever park just had it's EMH night.

But the beauty of staying on site is that I just may go back out with my eldest (14), once the little ones are tucked in for the night. It would be strictly as an extra with no pressure to get on anything.

Our plan is always the same: avoid EMH mornings, get there at opening, have a definite ride plan, and anything you do after lunch is a bonus. It's sort of a "modified-commando" approach. We're all business in the a.m. and then relaxing afternoons and evenings. It helps that we're all morning people, though.

Edited to correct for my horribly dyslexic fingers.

 

[princess aurora]

Okay sorry to crash your thread Tinkerbelle22 but I just saw Wicked the week before last in Toronto. It was FABULOUS. I wish they could make it into a movie and then kids might not be so scared of the Witch when they see the Wizard of Oz. Anyway I loved it and wanted you to know. I need to go rent the Wizard of Oz now and look at it again with completely new eyes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I always try to use EMH mornings and then just hop out if it's too busy. I've been told the guides that say to avoid the EMH (morning at least) are for off-site guests. The parks are more crowded that day but if you can take advantage of the morning hours then you will get a lot more accomplished in a shorter amount of time. Haven't experienced EMH nights yet so no help there, sorry.

 

[tinkerbelle22]

Okay sorry to crash your thread Tinkerbelle22 but I just saw Wicked the week before last in Toronto. It was FABULOUS. I wish they could make it into a movie and then kids might not be so scared of the Witch when they see the Wizard of Oz. Anyway I loved it and wanted you to know. I need to go rent the Wizard of Oz now and look at it again with completely new eyes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I always try to use EMH mornings and then just hop out if it's too busy. I've been told the guides that say to avoid the EMH (morning at least) are for off-site guests. The parks are more crowded that day but if you can take advantage of the morning hours then you will get a lot more accomplished in a shorter amount of time. Haven't experienced EMH nights yet so no help there, sorry.

I'm so glad you liked it! Believe it or not, a lot of people I know don't like Wicked, so whenever someone likes it (or loves it) I feel very
Anyhoo, thanks for the help guys!

 

[cocowum]

Another vote for skipping EMH.