Strategy for DHS Extra Extra Magic Hours (6-9am Sept 1- Nov 2)

[jina]

With the new extra extra magic hours, any guesses as to how early we need to get to DHS for the 6am EEMH? Will huge crowds really swamp the gates at 6am? We will be there in late Oct, staying at Boardwalk fortunately so we can walk over. We're coming from the west coast so yes, until we beat jet lag, it's more like 3am for us.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

With the new extra extra magic hours, any guesses as to how early we need to get to DHS for the 6am EEMH? Will huge crowds really swamp the gates at 6am? We will be there in late Oct, staying at Boardwalk fortunately so we can walk over. We're coming from the west coast so yes, until we beat jet lag, it's more like 3am for us.

Huge crowds will swamp the gates long before 6am. As god awful as it may sound, I'm going to suggest being there no later than 5am...maybe even 4:45. I could be way off and we won't know till day 1 of SWGE, but it's just been suggested that crowds were going to start long before the 9am park opening. Now that 6am is that time....oh boy.....

 

[choirbird]

I’m just guessing, and look forward to hearing more educated guesses from people with data on Pandora & once DL opens BUT

I would expect that in August, yes, it will be swamped at 6 and well before, necessitating taxi service to arrive around 4 or even earlier to be able to get into the land itself.

By October, hopefully you could treat it like an AK rope drop or something, arriving at 5. Of course that’s up to you. By then, arriving later might allow you to see the land but wait several hours for the ride. By arriving at 5 you might get to wait 90-120m for the ride instead, closer to 90 on a weekday?. (I’m basing this off the fact that FOP had a 90m wait on a Friday morning last month at 8:50am with a 9:00 open)

Edited to add: I’m going in August but avoiding DHS, I think. However I’m a morning person and might consider going mega-early or returning in September just to go in the early morning hours. I’m so glad they’re doing this because many people won’t get up this early on a typical vacation and it might make the crowds tight but bearable instead of dangerous.

 

[Runnsally]

My guess - opening day will be packed well before 6am. After that, if you get there a little before six you’ll be fine. Reasonably crowded, but fine.

 

[SaintsManiac]

If I had to plan this for my group we would be at HS by 5am. If it were closer to opening day we would do 4am, but I think in late October it might settle a little bit.

If they extend these early mornings through November we will go at 5am.

 

[js]

With these new hours, and us being there September 5-14, staying at GFVs, I think I will need to skip MGM. I have no interest in trying SW this trip or SDD for that matter, and with the 6 am opening, even for TS Land, I will need to be at tap styles by 5:30 am gggrrr

I have AP and can go with FPs but do I really want to or maybe I do to see the craziness?

If I was staying at BW or BC, I may give it a try but how will this actually work for other resorts.

It is what It is.

 

[Littlelily]

Would it be totally useless to show up about 7am in the second week of September? 2 adults and 2 kids, 5 and 3. I assume this will have us in MFSR for at least 2 hours but if we got out of there around 9am to hit the rest of the park. Would that be so bad?

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

Just a guess but based on how they have been opening FOP and SDD I could see ppl being let onto smugglers run at 5:30... Disney does not want thousands of ppl waiting outside the entrance for security reasons... If you want to ride with anything less than a 4hr wait (were talking sept-nov) that means standing in line at DHS by 5am.

 

[TaraS29]

We’re going on 22nd Oct and I was thinking of getting up at 4.30 but yeah, it’s going to have to be earlier to make sure we’re there by 5am...ouch! Can’t wait for it to open so we can get proper info from people who’ve been.

 

[jimim]

so did they run busses that early too when pandora opened?

 

[rteetz]

so did they run busses that early too when pandora opened?

Yes

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Fortunately you will have several weeks of reports to help figure out optimal time.

We’ve decided to use Disney transportation for opening weekend rather than pay the inevitable surge pricing through Uber or Lyft. I’m assuming we will need to be at the bus stop by 4:30 am. We are going on the first EEMH day. I’m mentally prepared to be in long SW lines from 5am to 11am. I hope I’m wrong and will be done closer to 9 or 10. We plan on taking a nap after then hopping to another park later where our FP are booked. We will attempt other rides at DHS with FP the following afternoon.

 

[jina]

Thanks all! I’ll definitely be watching reports We do want to ride RnR a few times too but I assume If we walk over for a 2nd morning we’d have little to no wait at RnR that early since everyone else will flood SWGE. Also need to figure out when to get a FP for slinky dog which we’ve never ridden. Hoping if we make a fp for pm we’d be able to get through the tapstyles.

 

[jimim]

Yes

Thanks. I figured but u never know. So if park opens 6 buses start 5?

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Thanks. I figured but u never know. So if park opens 6 buses start 5?

I’m thinking 4:30 but I’m assuming we won’t get official word until much closer to opening date.

 

[jimim]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

 

[caylene44]

Fortunately you will have several weeks of reports to help figure out optimal time.

We’ve decided to use Disney transportation for opening weekend rather than pay the inevitable surge pricing through Uber or Lyft. I’m assuming we will need to be at the bus stop by 4:30 am. We are going on the first EEMH day. I’m mentally prepared to be in long SW lines from 5am to 11am. I hope I’m wrong and will be done closer to 9 or 10. We plan on taking a nap after then hopping to another park later where our FP are booked. We will attempt other rides at DHS with FP the following afternoon.

We are also planning on RD that first EEMH day. However, we aren't big SW fans so I'm hoping everyone rushes there and we can enjoy TSL, RNRC, ToT, etc. Then we will leave for a nap and maybe think about returning that night for F! if the park doesn't reach capacity (we have PHs though so we can go enjoy F&W at Epcot if that happens).

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I had originally planned for 2 DHS days this trip Wed 9/4 and Fri 9/6, with Wed being our SWGE day and Fri being TSL and rest of park. With the new hours I'm hoping that we might be able to just plan 2 mornings there and get out.

I have a F! lunch at Mama Melrose for 11:30 on 9/4 and I had been seriously worried about if we would make that even with a 7AM rope drop. I'm hoping that in 5 hours or less we will be in and out of SWGE, have lunch and then get back to the room for a nap and a swim. After F!,on the condition that the park isn't full and we can use our dining package passes, if I were to be able to score some SDD FPs we could go and do that and TSM standby to close out the night. LOL, the dreams of a Disney trip planner.....

 

[PrincessPauline]

Huge crowds will swamp the gates long before 6am. As god awful as it may sound, I'm going to suggest being there no later than 5am...maybe even 4:45. I could be way off and we won't know till day 1 of SWGE, but it's just been suggested that crowds were going to start long before the 9am park opening. Now that 6am is that time....oh boy.....

Any word on the Minnie Vans? Has anyone heard if they'll be running early? And what the hours of operation are?

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Any word on the Minnie Vans? Has anyone heard if they'll be running early? And what the hours of operation are?

I apologize, I'm not familiar with the Minnie Vans. I drive my own car down and rely on that or Disney buses for transportation.