To EMH or not to EMH?That is the question

[Biscuitsmom31]

All of the guides I've read say to avoid the extra magic hours like the plague but I spoke with a friend who just returned from WDW Sunday and she said they got more done during the extra magic hours than at any other time. So, who's right?

 

[Robo]

All of the guides I've read say to avoid the extra magic hours like the plague but I spoke with a friend who just returned from WDW Sunday and she said they got more done during the extra magic hours than at any other time. So, who's right?

The person who reported from the park is right... on that particular day.
Other days the park(s) could have been over-run and the "guides" would be right for those days.

The fact is, NO ONE can accurately predict exactly what an ever-changing universe of guests will or won't do on a given day.

For me, I ALWAYS attend MORNING EMH... they are the best times of the trip.
Evening EMHs can run from "nobody was there" to "everybody was there".

Since EMHs are FREE, go and see for yourself on the day(s) YOU are there.

 

[KarenAylwood]

We always skip morning EMH's since we're slow movers anyway and end up being about 45 min behind schedule anyway, which would put us at the regular park opening since morning EMH's only run an hour long to begin with!

The only EMH nights we'll do are ones at the Magic Kingdom. The other parks just don't have enough big rides to make it worth it to me. MK is the only one that has rides open during EMH that I love to ride over and over.

Even then, we go to another park and hop over to MK for the EMH only- I have usually found it to be more crowded during the day for those not on park hoppers that want to take advantage of the EMH. It's not busy DURING the EMH, but usually is during the DAY of the EMH.

 

[mmmears]

We had the same confusion over Spring Break this year.

EMH in the MK was unavoidable since it was offered daily. We got Buzz and all of Fantasyland done before the lines! It was great!

We also used EMH in MGM -- it is worth it if you have people who want to do RNRC and ToT. My husband and daughter were finished with them before the park even opened! That being said, the park was PACKED by noon and we left around 1pm because we couldn't take the crowds. We did get in almost everything we wanted to see by then, though.

I think it is worth it if you are really interested in the specific attractions that open early, especially if they are the kind of rides that develop ridiculously long lines during the day. If not, I would avoid the park and go another day.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

Okay, so extra magic mornings = good
extra magic evenings = bad
We have park hoppers so we could do the extra magic morning and then hop to a different part after our afternoon break. The two parks I was thinking of doing this are MK and AK. Epcot and MGM don't "feel" as crowded to me as MK and AK so I am fine doing regular opening for them.

 

[glencoe]

Here I am to burst your bubble, I say the morning EMH are too crazy, everyone is squeezing in everything in 1 hour, however I love the evening EMH we were able to do so many attractions at MK and Epcot that we avoided during the day my kids loved it and I felt more relaxed. Alot of the time my 2 yr old (now 3) was sleeping, but the other two (9 and 5 -now 10 and 6) got a second wind!! The only bummer is the little shops and stands close and the parksare so desolated and sad with all of it not opened!

just mho

 

[tinkerbell60]

If you are good at getting up and going, morning EMH can be beneficial, especially in Fantasyland at MK where many of the rides load slowly. I would also think that it helps at Epcot to do Soarin and Test Track early.


We found going to the park the day after that park had EMH helpful - we did not want to get up super early last trip.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

I've also heard that the time of year makes a difference. Are the EMH more benefitial during slow (no such thing at WDW!) times or busy times?

We're going August 13 - 22. I expect it to be busy, especially with the free dining. Hmmm...

 

[KarenAylwood]

I've also heard that the time of year makes a difference. Are the EMH more benefitial during slow (no such thing at WDW!) times or busy times?

We're going August 13 - 22. I expect it to be busy, especially with the free dining. Hmmm...

We used to visit that time every year and it was hardly ever very busy- EMH nights were the best! Of course this was before free dining so who knows!

 

[Lizzybee]

The only EMH that we swear by is early EMH at MK. We used that very effectively over Spring Break 2005 and in August 2005 too. I tried AK early EMH on the Saturday before Easter during Spring Break 2005 and that was a huge huge mistake. I can't comment on any Late EMH because we are more morning people than night owls (especially my 8 yr old can you say "drama queen"). We had no problem doing what we wanted at MGM and Epcot without using EMH. For our next trip I have planned our AK day on a day that does not have any EMH. One thing that I did notice about early EMH at MK compared to AK is this: people split up and go to all different areas of the park at MK and AK when we went 90% went to the Safari and the other 10% went to It's Tough to be a Bug. So my vote for EMH is yes and no

 

[traviesojmt]

Our family loves the morning EMH. We ride more in the first couple of hours than we do the rest of the day. I wouldn't spend the entire day at the EMH park though. We always leave the EMH park after lunch. We tend to take a break at the resort and then head to another park in the afternoon. I believe that you can ride most of what you what during the morning EMH without waiting very long at all. We have never done the evening EMH though.

 

[Terk-1]

I always do the EMH (when it was called early entry) when I go to WDW. I have not been when there is evening one's just when it was in the mornings. We swear by it. When I went with my sister and her family in 2004, we got all of Fantasyland (some attractions more than once), as well as most of Tomorrowland done before the gates opened. It was more of a relaxed feeling, rather than rushing through the attractions. I still do EMH even when I go solo. You just get so much more done. Also, as I'm there solo, it also allows me to take my time and really take in the parks, such as strolling down Main Street (rather than running) admiring the windows on the upper floors. At EPCOT, being able to wander around while it's still quiet. At Animal Kingdom, taking my time and walking all the way around the Tree of Life. Usually I can get done all the musts on my list during EMH and shortly after that, then will head back to my resort after lunch, take a break, then head to a different park later that day. It helps break up the day.

 

[WDWguru]

Any time you can get to a park early and be done before the big crowds arrive at 11, it's good. We always do morning EMH and rarely do evening EMH. We do often hop to another park after the crowds start to arrive. Another good trick if you want to avoid EMH altogether is to go to the park that had evening EMH the day after and get there at open.