Busy Day Guide vs EMH

[ravenwing]

Hi,

I'm trying to draw up an itinerary for our first trip to WDW in October. We are staying onsite for 2 weeks.

I've noticed that the busy day guide, as well as recommended itineraries I've found on other sites, generally have parks with EMH as the least recommended for that given day. So my first draft of our itinerary, by following recommended parks did not take advantage of EMH at all.

What are your thoughts on this? If you are staying onsite do you go by the most recommended parks, or do you target the parks with EMH?

Thanks for the help!

[tee1]

To be honest on all our 5 trips so far, I do look at the busy day guide, last year was the first time we'd been in August and we've also done Christmas and the only thing that we felt really helped was getting to parks for as close to opening as possible and that INCLUDES on EMH days.

It generally allows you to get to where you want to with a relatively low wait time, then a couple of hours later things get busy. Christmas 2014 was the perfect example of this for us.

Christmas Day, into MK for rope drop. Straight to Buzz Lightyear, walk on. Kids wanted another go... 15 minute wait... Went over to Space Mountain.. 30 minute wait... By time we got off that an hour or so later... Walk past Buzz Lightyear... 60 minute wait.

And that's obviously when it gets REALLY busy.

So my advice would be, wherever you decide to go, try to get there early and you'll get on what you want to.

[pixie81]

I haven't even looked at the busy day guide this time around. We're staying onsite at the beginning of October and will be taking advantage of many of the EMH. I have scheduled a shopping day for the 9th (Columbus day), avoided Epcot (because the food and wine festival will be on) and the water parks on weekends and also avoided evenings at MK when MNSSHP is on since we won't be able to watch Happily Ever After on those evenings. I haven't compared my plan to the busy day guide but will take a look later to see if I should make any adjustments.

[ravenwing]

Ah ok - maybe time to take another look then! I was also thinking of a couple of breakfast ADRs - presumably these would work best on days without EMH at a time before the park opens, or is the general feeling that this wastes the best park time?

Thanks again

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by ravenwing

I've noticed that the busy day guide, as well as recommended itineraries I've found on other sites, generally have parks with EMH as the least recommended for that given day. So my first draft of our itinerary, by following recommended parks did not take advantage of EMH at all.

What are your thoughts on this? If you are staying onsite do you go by the most recommended parks, or do you target the parks with EMH?

See more...

If you go on the DIBB's busy day guide and hover over a "least recommended" park in the red column it states the following:

Therefore, if you are an onsite guest, it is recommended that you make use of the EMH when you can. You can certainly get a lot of rides under your belt during morning EMH. The busy day guide is more aimed at offsite guests.

So, with morning EMH, get to the park early, use EMH and then when the park starts to get busy around 11am-ish, park hop to another park or head back to your resort for a rest.

[AlpacaPicnic]

Thanks for this, does the timing mean that EMH start from 9 and general tickets allowed in around 11 or are the EMH earlier and times to be confirmed e.g. The park opens at 7/8 for Disney guests?

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by AlpacaPicnic

Thanks for this, does the timing mean that EMH start from 9 and general tickets allowed in around 11 or are the EMH earlier and times to be confirmed e.g. The park opens at 7/8 for Disney guests?

See more...

When it states an opening time of 9am that's the regular opening time for everyone - i.e. if the park has EMH it means the park opens at 8am for onsite guests and opens at 9am for everyone else.

[ravenwing]

Great, thanks everyone - I've got an almost-plan now