Summer crowds in the morning

[czmom]

We will be staying at VGC for our trip, so we can take advantage of EMH every day if we want. That being said, we do not want to miss the night stuff and my kids are young. I am worried that it will not be enough sleep with such an early morning. We plan to take naps/rest in the afternoons, but I am wondering if we did a couple early entries at 7:00 and then a couple regular entries at 8:00 (in the park that opens at 8, of course). We have 4 full park days.

Is there a big difference in the 7:00 crowds for on site guests vs 8:00 opening at the non EMH park?

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Doing 7 AM everyday just wouldn't be feasible for my family. I think you will get the most benefit from early entry at DCA since it is open ONLY to on-site hotel guests whereas early entry at DL is open to both on-site hotel guests and anyone with advance-purchase 3 day or longer park tickets.

 

[jeffg4]

Don't worry about early entry and just go to the parks without EE. You'll get an extra hour of sleep and the park without EE tends to be less crowded for the rest of the day than the one with EE, so you'll make up the time you missed throughout the rest of the day. EE isn't all it's cracked up to be unless you want to shell out the extra cash and park hop, which is not worth it IMHO.

 

[camouseketeer]

There's a big difference if you enter DL at 8:00am when it has EE at 7:00am, but if you go to the park where everyone has entrance at the same time (no EE or EMH for anyone). then you will be fine.

 

[jeaneg]

The DL EE aren't that great, in my opinion. Not that much is open, and lots of off-site guests are using their Magic Mornings. I'd probably do it once but not bother every day. We loved the EMH in DCA. It's a great way to get to ride Toy Story several times in a row. (Toy Story did have problems several mornings last week and wasn't open until later in the morning.) I'd probably plan to use EMH my first two mornings and then sleep in the other two.

We found WOC not worth it for kids. With kids on shoulders, the view was blocked for kids and adults even if you were at the front of a section.

 

[czmom]

Thanks for the replies so far! We did EE last December and thought DL was still crazy crowded with so few rides open. DCA was better!
I like the idea of using them the first 2 days and then sleeping an extra hour the next 2 days.

Summer is all new to me though! And if it's totally worth 7 AM every day then we can make it happen.

 

[arichau]

If your kids want to ride RSR or Toy Story I would try to get into the parks before 8 - even if it's 7:45 (which I have done many time - I'm in the same boat as you with kiddos). If you want to get a FP for RSR they usually let the early entry people line up shortly before 8am and it makes it all go much faster.

I agree about early entry for DL - it's not always that great, especially if some of the rides are closed down (like Peter Pan).

I'm not sure what we'll do on our trip. I'd love to use early entry and have the kids see some of the night shows and have them just take a long rest mid-afternoon but in the end I'd rather let them sleep in if it's clear that's what they need.

 

[czmom]

Bump! Any other opinions?

 

[gerilyne]

The past 2 years we have gone in august and stayed on site with EMH; one year the parks opened at 8am with a 7am EMH and then last year for the same week, the parks opened at 9am with an 8am EMH and I thought there was a big difference between the two years. In 2013, getting to rope drop at 7am at least at DL was a huge advantage because there just didn't seem to be as big of a group trying to get in. Of course we got to the gates about 30-45 minutes early so we could be close to the front and often times were. We a lot done between 7-9am so around 10am when the crowds started getting heavier, we were able to slow down since we'd done most everything we wanted. Last year, there were more people lined up for the 8am EMH/MM, and so we didn't get as much done between 8am-9am most mornings before the wait times started increasing and people started filling up the park.

For DCA though, there wasn't a big difference between a 7am and 8am EMH. DH and I are not fans of TSMM so we would hoof it to RSR which was open every day on time, and then it was like we had the park to ourselves, just not a lot of foot traffic since most people were still in line at RSR or TSMM.

Since we have no small children, it is easy for DH and I to get up for the 7am EMH, take an afternoon break and then stay until park closing only to do it again the next day, and the last 2 years we did it 5 days in a row, though I admit there are times near the end of our week I wish I could sleep in just for one day

 

[lorijohnhill]

Our most recent trip was the first time we took advantage of EE. We have a difficult time getting up early! We really enjoyed it! It was so nice being in the parks with so few other people.

I was waiting outside of Star Traders while my family rode Star Tours when suddenly this large mass of people came running down the pathway. I was wonder what was happening to cause all these people to be running. I was starting to worry there was a fire or something when I finally realized the park had just officially opened. I was so relieved and started laughing at myself!