Why avoid EMH?

[PatsGirl]

I love this thread. We have never done AM or PM EMH because the crowd calendars always pointed us to a different park. This trip coming up I didn't realize that there were AM EMH at MK on the Friday I made the ADRs for and was wondering how this might impact us. Our FP+ don't start until 10:20 and end at 1:20 with an ADR at BOG at 10:50. I'm thinking we can get there for the 8 am opening (or earlier for the show?), most likely do 4-5 rides, hit the first FP+ (7DMT) just at 10:20, lunch, next two FP+, Parade at 3 and exit. We generally get to the parks around rope drop time but all our FP+ start around the 10 am mark (HS is 11:30 but we want to stay for Fantasmic and SW fireworks so we'll be there through the dinner hour) so I don't think we'll rush to get there on our other park days. Do this sound feasible? It'll be a first for us to take our time before going to Epcot and HS but on paper it looks good lol.

 

[Robo]

I'm thinking we can get there for the 8 am opening (or earlier for the show?),

You want to plan on getting to the MK gates by 7:30.

 

[dfb]

I love this thread. We have never done AM or PM EMH because the crowd calendars always pointed us to a different park. This trip coming up I didn't realize that there were AM EMH at MK on the Friday I made the ADRs for and was wondering how this might impact us. Our FP+ don't start until 10:20 and end at 1:20 with an ADR at BOG at 10:50. I'm thinking we can get there for the 8 am opening (or earlier for the show?), most likely do 4-5 rides, hit the first FP+ (7DMT) just at 10:20, lunch, next two FP+, Parade at 3 and exit. We generally get to the parks around rope drop time but all our FP+ start around the 10 am mark (HS is 11:30 but we want to stay for Fantasmic and SW fireworks so we'll be there through the dinner hour) so I don't think we'll rush to get there on our other park days. Do this sound feasible? It'll be a first for us to take our time before going to Epcot and HS but on paper it looks good lol.

Good plan. MK on a Friday may get crowded quicker than others but still should work out good for you. For riding rides, I think rope drop EMH or not is the best way to go!

 

[PatsGirl]

Great! In past years my kids and other travel partners were always good to go for rope drop parks but after a sit-down dinner around 7 we've generally headed straight back to the resort. DD18 is getting to be more of a night owl so I think she'll enjoy our night at HS and being able to sleep in a bit two of our mornings. By sleep in, I mean not leave until maybe 9 so up at 8....that's late for us usually I can't remember the last time we were in the parks after dark.

 

[GotLabradors]

We went this past September. EMH hours were in short supply the week we were there. There was one night where EPCOT had evening EMH hours until 11pm. We used that night to take in Illuminations. The same week DAK and DHS were closed by 5pm and 7:30pm each night respectively. There were no EMH hours at the MK at all. My guess would be that because the crowds tend to be relatively low at that time of year, WDW doesn't see the need for a lot of EMH hours in the parks. We did everything we wanted at the parks and our longest wait was about 25 minutes for Test Track. We followed the recommended parks for the day. We were there for the beginning of F&W, but we did not feel an impact from that even on the days we went to EPCOT. Compared to Christmas, summer months, and spring break weeks, the fall is one of the least crowded times at WDW. We really enjoyed our trip and can't wait to go in the fall again.

 

[soniam]

I'm thinking we can get there for the 8 am opening (or earlier for the show?),

You want to plan on getting to the MK gates by 7:30.

Depending upon when your trip is, keep an eye out, because sometimes Disney changes park opening to 8am, so AM EMH is at 7am. This happened to us last Spring Break. They didn't make the change until a couple of weeks, maybe, before our trip. 7AM opening rocks though. There's no one there hardly.

 

[JustinS]

I agree AM EMH are useful as long as you get there early and take advantage of them. If you don't have a hopper my preference is personally to avoid them because as mentioned the park DOES fill up. But it also depends on the size and age of your party. Two young adults touring a crowd will be easier than a party of 8 with children and elderly adults. Also depends on what you want to accomplish.

 

[disneyseniors]

Like the other PP, we love morning EMH's. We've only tried PM EMH's once at MK. It was hot, crowded, not all the rides were open, and we found only one counter service open in fantasyland. The lines were horrendous! We decided then and there to never, never try PM EMH again. For us, it was not a good experience, but don't go by our one experience. Sounds like others on here have had good experiences, though. I wonder if all the EMH's have limited attractions and limited restaurants/qs???

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Regardless of whether we stay on or off site, we avoid the park with EMH's...our experience is that they have always been sooooo crowded!

 

[ZoZo]

I'd recommend that if you plan to attend a morning EMH, be sure to check which rides are open during the EMH. We assumed all rides would be open, but that's not necessarily the case.

I was surprised (and disappointed) to find out that many rides, especially at MK, are not open during morning EMHs. We had hoped to ride BTMRR, Pirates, HM, and Splash during morning EMH, only to find out they weren't open. Wish we hadn't gotten up so darn early - it ended up being a waste for us because mostly Fantasyland rides and a couple of tomorrowland rides were the only ones open.

Live and learn!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Another option is to hop into a park that had morning EMH later in the evening. Many people believe that this is a bad idea but that's not necessarily the case. Parks that had morning EMH tend to be the busiest during the day but can be the best option for late night touring. The reason is that the early arriving guests will tire out before the day is complete, while the later arriving guests will become frustrated by the larger than average crowds and leave early also.

This can leave the park wide open for some really short lines during those precious last few hours of operation. Here's just an example of what we were able to accomplish from 8 pm to midnight on a recent crowd level 8 summer evening that happened to be an EMH morning. We found bumper to bumper traffic leaving the park when we were arriving at 8 pm:

Big Thunder 3x
Splash Mtn 2x
Space Mtn 2x
Mine Train (10 min wait right a closing time)
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
Haunted Mansion
Pooh
Peter Pan
Speedway
Barnstormer 2x

We also watched the parade and fireworks and had a couple of Dole Whips.

 

[orna14]

I say, don't listen to people who simply say not to do EMH. I love EMH! It's a great way to extend your time at your favorite park and experience a time of day that's isn't your norm. In my own personal experience, it's 50/50, but since we don't really go in peak season anymore it's mostly less crowded. And honestly, if it's crowded, then it'll work out in the end.

 

[Robo]

mostly Fantasyland rides and a couple of tomorrowland rides were the only ones open.

Virtually all Fantasyland and Tomorrowland rides are open for AM EMH.

Open for AM EMH:

Ariel's Grotto
Barnstormer
Enchanted Tales with Belle
Dumbo
Small World
Winnie the Pooh
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Peter Pan
Regal Carrousel
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Astro Orbiter
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Carousel of Progress
Space Mountain
Tomorrowland Speedway
TTA PeopleMover

 

[mickeyluv'r]

LOL! I'm the kind of person who dreads getting up early to go to work or anything else that I'm not exactly excited about, but if there's something I WANT to do?? BING! I bounce out of bed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready to go!

Yes, our motivation is also relative to the benefit.

Often we try to be in the parks relatively early. On days where we change hotels or the day after a late night, then we don't bother and still manage to have a good day.

OH, another great reason to hit AM EMH in the summer is to beat the heat. Some summer days are fine, other days the afternoon heat/humidity becomes oppressive. As I said earlier, the opposite can also be true. During winter EMH's it can be rather cold. Any time of year might = rain.

 

[Rylie Grite]

I have a 4 year old so PM EMH are out for the most part, but the AM ones are great. I spend 4 hours at the AM EMH park then take a midday break and head to another park in the PM and use my FP+ there. Works out wonderfully.

 

[goofy4tink]

We try to do morning EMHs, then leave that park around noon. Many times we'll go to a park that had evening EMHs the night before.
It all depends on the time of year.
If evening EMHs run really late, then we sometimes go then.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I have a 4 year old so PM EMH are out for the most part, but the AM ones are great. I spend 4 hours at the AM EMH park then take a midday break and head to another park in the PM and use my FP+ there. Works out wonderfully.

That little one may surprise you while on vacation, as they do seem to have the ability to stay out later than normal.

My fondest Disney is chasing my then 3 year old daughter back to the entrance of Space Mountain moments before midnight with her screaming "one more time Daddy" all the way.

 

[Rylie Grite]

That little one may surprise you while on vacation, as they do seem to have the ability to stay out later than normal.

My fondest Disney is chasing my then 3 year old daughter back to the entrance of Space Mountain moments before midnight with her screaming "one more time Daddy" all the way.

If only, last 2 trips she was asleep in the stroller before 10.

 

[d-train]

Love PM EMHs! Staying as late as possible! Crowds or not...
Much easier than AM EMHs... Who wants to get up early on vacation...

Probably a source of why Am ones are less crowded...

 

[COscrapper]

Hmmmm, ok. So sometimes they are more crowded, sometimes not? We are def not morning people and would love to not get up early on vacation, however, we would make an exception for Disney World just like we did in Disney Land...if it's worth it. It just didn't really seem to help us there if I remember correctly. So I am assuming you do NOT want to prebook FP's during EMH, right? Are they even available then? Do you book your FP's for right when the park opens, or later in the afternoon? The sooner you use them, the sooner you can get more, right?