Using Morning EMH and Switching Parks?

[samara]

This will be our first time staying on-site, so in the past I have just avoided the parks with morning Extra Magic Hours, and I am now trying to figure out how to plan to use them best. I have read that the best way to use morning Extra Magic Hours is to head to that park first and then hop to another park, because the park with EMH will be the most crowded that day. I made up a plan that does that, but it seems like an awful lot of moving around and I'm starting to be afraid that we'll spend way too much time in transit. Can anyone please let me know if this way does work best or if there is a better strategy?

 

[MommaBerd]

I am going with this strategy! In the past we haven't stayed on-site to take advantage of EMH. But, I *always* get PHs. What we typically do is RD first park, go "home" mid-day for lunch/rest and then back to second park. I don't think we've ever done more than 2 parks in a day, and we didn't hop every day. But, if you think you'll be taking a "break" mid-day anyway, then it can work really well.

ETA: We drive, so we don't typically wait on buses. The only park-to-park transportation we took was monorail between MK and EP.

 

[tobikaye]

I have done EMH AM and then parked hopped many times, but I park hop in general on a whim. I usually go to an EMH AM Park until about 11 am - 1 pm and then leave. Once I leave the EMH AM Park, I may:

• Go straight to another park on the most direct transportation.
• Go back to my resort for a break before heading to a new park.
• Go to a resort/DS for lunch before heading to another park.
• Take my time going to the other park by going via longer routes. (Example: Leave MK, take bus to BC, walk/boat to Epcot IG entrance.)

It can take a bit of time to park hop, but for me, it is a chance to take a break and/or see other parts of WDW.

I have even been known to go to an EMH AM park and do a few attractions and start heading to another park just as they are letting others in. I usually either plan my morning or my evening and leave the other part of the day for doing as I decide that day. If I am planning to be at WDW for more than 5 days, I usually leave 1 day totally unplanned, or plan only 1 thing, so I can really do as I please.

Note: If you are going to try to leave as they are opening the park to everyone else, either leave about 5 minutes before or find a place out of the way and wait until about 10 minutes after. Think, salmon going upstream.

 

[srauseo]

I think in the cost benefit analysis the amount you are able to accomplish in an early morning at a park outweighs the travel time. I have had great success being at a park early and doing a lot of attractions and then going to an early lunch, either at the park I'm in, or at a resort, then taking a break or heading straight to another park (or back to the same park) where I have FPs booked for the afternoon/evening. I look at the time on the bus/boat/monorail as a break when I get off my feet for a bit in some air conditioning.

 

[Alesia]

That's what we do when we're staying on-site. We typically leave the first park between 11:00 and 12:00.

When hopping directly between 2 parks, using Disney transportation is faster and easier than driving.

 

[Hootch]

We only go to EMH parks if we PHs. By noon, the crowds are really heavy.

In the summer we often take midday breaks to get away from the heat so jumping to another park in late afternoon is easy.

Prior to FP+, we often hit three parks on the last day. We would let the kids choose an attraction each which usually landed us in two different parks and we always close with the Magic Kingdom.

 

[loves to dive]

Like all things having to do with WDW transportation, it can take very little time or take a little longer. I have always park hopped, I can only remember one time when we spent the entire day in one park and even that was split with a DVC tour. I only use WDW transportation even though I have a car with me. It's not really a big deal and easy to hop on a park to park bus (or the monorail if going from MK to Epcot).

 

[IsThatYouTigger]

This is what we usually do! I am always amazed at how much we can get accomplished in that first hour and then the next few even after the park opens to offsite guests. We plan our Fast Passes for the 2nd park later in the day to guarantee at least 3 rides in case the next park is swamped since we'll have hopefully had good luck at the 1st park.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I've done EMH than park hopped multiple times myself. If you are going between HS and Epcot, then it is rather doable. All hops are doable, but any hop that includes MK is probably going to cost you quite a bit of time. Morning MH is very worthwhile in the summer! Hopping might not be worth the time. It is a very personal choice.

Via WDW transportation, morning hops often cost us half an hour, often close to an hour: gate to gate. (exit of one park to INSIDE the gate of the 2nd.) Many people will say they hopped in 15minutes- but they are often only counting RIDE time. They often aren't counting: the time it takes to walk to the bus stop, monorail platform, waiting for a bus/boat/monorail, load time, the walk from the bus depot/dock/monorail platform, waiting for the TTC monorail, bag check, or font gate line. Phew! I should add again - Epcot to HS is the exception. (*see below)

We also tried EMH before late breakfast ADR's. I liken it to swimming up stream. WDW transportation is trying to move as many guests as possible TO the parks, not the reverse. We've often waited 30+ just for a bus to pick us up.

Most of the time, we now use our own car. If you have your own car, then hopping is quite a bit faster. A GPS is useful. No matter what, MK is ways northwest of the other 3 parks. With a car, we can usually hop AK to/from Epcot/HS in about 15-20 minutes - gate to gate, depending on where you park and entrance delays (bag check, etc.)

* One trip, we were ENTERING the Test Track pre-ride design room when our TSM FP went live. (the start of 1 hour window) As soon as we got off TT, we kept a rather brisk pace ALL the WAY to TSM, and JUST made it before our FP expired! Phew! It was quite a haul!