what hours are best ?

[Planner999]

Assuming you physically just can't go from 8am - 9pm (or whatever the hours are) every day of the week, when are the BEST hours ? We're going to have to sleep in or go to bed early or something one or two times. Is the one EMH in the morning better than the 3 EMH at night ? Should you sleep late the day that you can stay out late for 3EMH ? Is it better to be there early for the 1st "regular hour" and take a break later than to sleep late ? MGM is open late on Sunday night and Epcot opens early the next morning. If we can't do both - which is better ?

THANKS !

 

[Planner999]

Just a quick followup - we do NOT have the park hopper option (too expensive) so we can't hop back and forth..........if that matters for the strategies you might suggest.

 

[cleo]

The best hours are the ones your family is most awake and ready for activity. If you're a morning family, get there before park opening (or for Extra Magic Morning). If you do better in the evening, arrive a bit later and stay until closing (or for Extra Magic Evening). Some families find they do best arriving as early as possible (before 10am) to avoid the main morning rush around 11am, then take a mid-day break, returning to the park until closing.

One word of caution if you are going to use EMH. Magic Kingdom is an absolute nightmare during Extra Magic Evening at the moment. We put it to the test last week and vowed never to bother again. What a mess!

That said, Animal Kingdom's Extra Magic Evening was a real boon. Well worth using if you stay on site.

I just think the main thing is to know your familys limit and to follow a time table that fits with your need for sleep.

 

[henrylovespooh]

We prefer taking a mid-day break over sleeping in, but we are morning people and I love the light crowds first thing in the morning in every park. We also don't stay out very late any night because we have two toddlers. We find mid-day to be the most crowded time for the parks, except for fireworks times. Character pictures are important to my kids, and all parks have great photo opportunities when they first open, with shorter lines. Some people say that parks with EMH mornings are more crowded that day and should be avoided, so that is something for you to consider.

Here's what we do:

MK - We like the early morning - it's less crowded and there's lots of character photo opportunities. We leave either after lunch or after the parade. In the evening, we find a place outside the park to have dinner and watch the Wishes fireworks (if they're before 9 p.m.) so we don't have to navigate the crowds with the strollers. You can try to schedule a ADR for O'Hana and try to get a window seat (they pipe in the music of Wishes), or have dinner at Chef Mickey's or Concourse Steakhouse in the Contemporary, then go out to a balcony with benches to watch Wishes. A CM can tell you where to go to see them.

Epcot - we sleep in and go there later, since World Showcase doesn't open until 11 a.m. If DH wants to ride Mission Space or Test Track, he gets a Fastpass. It is worth it to stay there later for Illuminations anyway. IMHO, using an EMH morning for Epcot only truly benefits you if you want to ride TT or MS.

Animal Kingdom - go early - it gets hot there and it's only open until 5 p.m. Plus, the animal viewing is better in the mornings. Have lunch and leave, and in the evening, you can try eating somewhere along the Boardwalk if you want to see some of the Illuminations fireworks without going into the park, or somewhere near MK to see Wishes.

MGM - we like early morning or around dinner time. Mid-day seems the most crowded. Early morning there are great photo opportunities and the place is pretty empty. Later in the day there are good places for dinner and the Fantasmic show is great.

Sorry this was long, but hope it helps you out.

 

[jann1033]

the mornings are a lot less busy than mid afternoon. ( don't see when you are going). nighttime emh is new since we were there last so don't know how it impacts but if anything i would think it would make the mornings even less busy. usually imo emh mornings are worth it since the popular attractions are open and you can do them before everyone else comes. lots of people don't get up early on vacation. if you are there off season, you might opt for a sit down lunch instead of going back to the resort mid afternoon. the parks are never THAT busy off season and it saves a lot of time . our kids were 6 and 8 our first trip and we have always done it that way. if you are tired get something to drink, sit on a bench put your feet up and people watch for a while or go to one of the sit down movies attractions like philharmagic, honey i shrunk the kids, france, muppets...sometimes that's all it takes to get your energy back. remember if you are going to go to emh you are going to have to go to that park for the day since you can't park hop. off season it really isn't that much of a difference on emh or other days