Which Strategy for HS EMH?

[PlutoIsHerFav]

We will be there for the long Thanksgiving weekend, so crowds will be a factor! HS has EMH all week from 7-8 and the park opens at 8. We have one afternoon planned at HS for our SDD FP (& 2 others) and to see Fantasmic. However, my girls also want to do TSM, always another SDD ride and I'd like to do ToT. I think EMH is probably our best bet here. Here's our general plan:

Thurs, 11/28 - MK ppo BOG until early afternoon/late lunch at CP/Epcot in the evening (could do HS here if we could grab a good FP)
Fri, 11/29 - Rope Drop Epcot for FEA and Soarin' (no FP), lunch at Akershus, and switch to MK mid-afternoon for FP through HEA
Sat, 11/30 - AK all day (EMH)
Sun, 12/1 - MK morning until early afternoon (party day) and then HS for afternoon FP and dinner, Fantasmic (and JBJB if possible, two diff time slots)

Would it make sense to do HS EMH on 11/29 and then take the Skyliner (or boat) to Epcot for rope drop at 9? Would this give us enough time for a few rides at HS and make it for rope drop at the Int'l Gateway? FEA is top priority and we do not have any FP at Epcot.

Or would it make more sense to do it on 12/1, then head to MK, and then back to HS?

11/29 makes more sense in my head BUT since we really need to rope drop Epcot and shouldn't need to at MK, I'm conflicted.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

I might consider doing Soarin' & Frozen Ever After on 11/28 for evening. Go to Soarin' First then before park close, go to Frozen Ever After. Typically wait times are inflated. Though with holidays, all bets are off. But that would be my priority. And if you go through your Fastpasses, you can check to see if you can get new ones for these rides as well.

The only reason I would do this is to take the stress off trying to do everything in one hour than hurrying over to EPCOT to rope drop. Rope Dropping the EPCOT rides after DHS EMH I might consider a backup. In that case, you may have to choose between SDD & TSM or TSM & ToT if you want to make sure you have time to get to EPCOT.

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

I might consider doing Soarin' & Frozen Ever After on 11/28 for evening. Go to Soarin' First then before park close, go to Frozen Ever After. Typically wait times are inflated. Though with holidays, all bets are off. But that would be my priority. And if you go through your Fastpasses, you can check to see if you can get new ones for these rides as well.

The only reason I would do this is to take the stress off trying to do everything in one hour than hurrying over to EPCOT to rope drop. Rope Dropping the EPCOT rides after DHS EMH I might consider a backup. In that case, you may have to choose between SDD & TSM or TSM & ToT if you want to make sure you have time to get to EPCOT.

That's a good point. I'll have a 7 & 3 year old (and possibly a 75 yo lol) so I know my speed will be slowed down. The kids are ride junkies so they'll RUN to TSL if need be, though! If we could do them on 11/28 then problem solved!! I just know that it being a holiday I can't bet on anything and my family won't wait more than 30 min. I have a feeling we'll have to do some playing it by ear.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

That's a good point. I'll have a 7 & 3 year old (and possibly a 75 yo lol) so I know my speed will be slowed down. The kids are ride junkies so they'll RUN to TSL if need be, though! If we could do them on 11/28 then problem solved!! I just know that it being a holiday I can't bet on anything and my family won't wait more than 30 min. I have a feeling we'll have to do some playing it by ear.

Always good to have a backup. Another alternative, have you considered splitting the two rides for different days? Soarin' on the 11/28 evening EPCOT and then Rope Dropping FEA on Akershus would be my route in your shoes (Unless of course FEA is a 30min or under on 11/28 then that of course takes precedence).

And again, if you get lucky enough to get day of FP's after using your 11/28 FP's, then that's takes care of at least one.

 

[PlutoIsHerFav]

Always good to have a backup. Another alternative, have you considered splitting the two rides for different days? Soarin' on the 11/28 evening EPCOT and then Rope Dropping FEA on Akershus would be my route in your shoes (Unless of course FEA is a 30min or under on 11/28 then that of course takes precedence).

And again, if you get lucky enough to get day of FP's after using your 11/28 FP's, then that's takes care of at least one.

Yes! If we can ride one even on 11/28 then our strategy can change a bit. However, being the holiday week, do you think it's still best to be at the international gateway early enough to try to be ahead of the pack for FEA? We rope dropped it in August and rode back-to-back and the line still wasn't bad after the second ride, but I get it wasn't a holiday.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

Yes! If we can ride one even on 11/28 then our strategy can change a bit. However, being the holiday week, do you think it's still best to be at the international gateway early enough to try to be ahead of the pack for FEA? We rope dropped it in August and rode back-to-back and the line still wasn't bad after the second ride, but I get it wasn't a holiday.

Full disclosure I'm making these suggestions based on what I've read. Never done holiday trips. But it's always good to be early if you want to rope drop. How early I'll have to defer to another regarding to that period of time.