Questions re EMH and RD etc

skintc · 16 Jan 19, 02:27 PM

Sorry for the long rambling post with lots of questions, been thinking about this for a while and would just welcome to input.

We'll be at WDW in September, and our ADR date is coming up soon (well, March) so I feel like I need to have decided which park we’re going to each day before then (to some extent at least). In order to do this I’ve been waiting for crowd calendars, EMH schedules and MNNSHP dates.

MNNSHP dates have now been released which is great (we don’t actually want to do this but it’s useful to know which days MK will be closed early). Does MNNSHP affect crowd levels at MK for that day? Is it busier, because people know it’s closing early?

When do they release the info for which parks will have EMH? We are staying on site so would be good to make use of this - on the other hand I know the usual advice is that if you’re going to use the EMH you should switch to another park by late morning as the EMH park will get very busy. It seems like it wouldn’t be sensible to always start your day in the EMH and then switch, as the travel time would eat into your day.

If we’re going to stay in a park all (or most of the) day is it best to not pick the park with EMH and just RD another park?

Thank you in advance for your help!

loldis · 16 Jan 19, 03:56 PM

At least last year, party days were much quieter in the MK because of the shorter hours, at least until party guests are allowed in at 4pm. Those without party tickets went to other parks (especially if they didn't have hoppers - which many domestic guests don't purchase) because of the longer hours there.

EMH days will be released the same time as the park hours, so in about a month for September. They typically follow a set format but I noticed a few party nights on Wednesdays (which is normally MK's evening EMH day) so there may be a few changes over party season.

If you're a full day park person, then I'd probably avoid the EMH park. But a lot of people (myself included) prefer to take an afternoon break, when the heat and crowds are at their highest, and go back to the resort to chill for a bit. If you do this, then it makes sense to do the EMH park in the morning then hop over to a different park for the evening.

walshi · 17 Jan 19, 09:52 AM

Sorry to jump on... Our first full day is Thurs 15 Aug and MK is most recommended although Epcot has EMH. We are staying onsite and I can't decide on which park! Any suggestions? Following this thread with interest.

D15ney72 · 17 Jan 19, 11:12 AM

We usually stay in one Park all day and definitely make use of the Magic Hours. For Epcot and Magic Kingdom we prefer the evening MH, so we always visit MK on a Weds and Epcot on a Tues. For HS and AK we use the morning MH on offer. We get a break during the day with a TS lunch or dinner and in the case of MK we go for a late Character breakfast at one of the MK resorts on the EMH wednesdays, so we get a bit of a lie in and into the park about noon. If we’ve had a late night, we have a later morning the next day and plan for 2 relaxing water park days and 1 non-park rest day at the resort pool and Disney Springs. We use Touring Plans to Plan our Park days, so just work with however busy a Park is rather than hop to another one. It works for us, but everyone has their own system 😊.

D15ney72 · 17 Jan 19, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by walshi

Sorry to jump on... Our first full day is Thurs 15 Aug and MK is most recommended although Epcot has EMH. We are staying onsite and I can't decide on which park! Any suggestions? Following this thread with interest.

Magic Kingdom always has to be the first Park we visit, so that would definitely be my choice, then I’d make use of EMH at Epcot another day.

Th1nkT1nk · 17 Jan 19, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by skintc

Sorry for the long rambling post with lots of questions, been thinking about this for a while and would just welcome to input.

We'll be at WDW in September, and our ADR date is coming up soon (well, March) so I feel like I need to have decided which park we’re going to each day before then (to some extent at least). In order to do this I’ve been waiting for crowd calendars, EMH schedules and MNNSHP dates.

MNNSHP dates have now been released which is great (we don’t actually want to do this but it’s useful to know which days MK will be closed early). Does MNNSHP affect crowd levels at MK for that day? Is it busier, because people know it’s closing early?

When do they release the info for which parks will have EMH? We are staying on site so would be good to make use of this - on the other hand I know the usual advice is that if you’re going to use the EMH you should switch to another park by late morning as the EMH park will get very busy. It seems like it wouldn’t be sensible to always start your day in the EMH and then switch, as the travel time would eat into your day.

If we’re going to stay in a park all (or most of the) day is it best to not pick the park with EMH and just RD another park?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Just to add, we were there in October 2017 and found MK was busier on non party days, especially afternoons, as people were wanting to stick around to see fireworks etc, which is obviously only on limited nights due to mnsshp. Hope that makes sense!

loldis · 17 Jan 19, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by walshi

Sorry to jump on... Our first full day is Thurs 15 Aug and MK is most recommended although Epcot has EMH. We are staying onsite and I can't decide on which park! Any suggestions? Following this thread with interest.

Personally, I'd go with Epcot.

The recommendations are geared towards off-site visitors and Thursday is between MK's two EMH days (Wed PM and Fri AM) so it is the "best" time to go as the common theory is that onsite guests are more likely to go to EMH parks, making them quieter the following day as they move on to the next EMH park.

But the first Halloween party is the Friday evening so it could make MK quieter on the Friday instead due to the shorter hours, even with EMH.

walshi · 20 Jan 19, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by loldis

Personally, I'd go with Epcot.

The recommendations are geared towards off-site visitors and Thursday is between MK's two EMH days (Wed PM and Fri AM) so it is the "best" time to go as the common theory is that onsite guests are more likely to go to EMH parks, making them quieter the following day as they move on to the next EMH park.

But the first Halloween party is the Friday evening so it could make MK quieter on the Friday instead due to the shorter hours, even with EMH.

Thank you! That's a great tip regarding the first mnsshp.

16 Jan 19, 03:56 PM	#2
	16 Jan 19, 03:56 PM loldis Imagineer
loldis Imagineer Join Date: May 17 Location: Sussex	At least last year, party days were much quieter in the MK because of the shorter hours, at least until party guests are allowed in at 4pm. Those without party tickets went to other parks (especially if they didn't have hoppers - which many domestic guests don't purchase) because of the longer hours there. EMH days will be released the same time as the park hours, so in about a month for September. They typically follow a set format but I noticed a few party nights on Wednesdays (which is normally MK's evening EMH day) so there may be a few changes over party season. If you're a full day park person, then I'd probably avoid the EMH park. But a lot of people (myself included) prefer to take an afternoon break, when the heat and crowds are at their highest, and go back to the resort to chill for a bit. If you do this, then it makes sense to do the EMH park in the morning then hop over to a different park for the evening. Edited at 04:02 PM.

17 Jan 19, 11:12 AM	#4
	17 Jan 19, 11:12 AM D15ney72 Serious Dibber
D15ney72 Serious Dibber Join Date: Oct 16 Location: Hampshire	We usually stay in one Park all day and definitely make use of the Magic Hours. For Epcot and Magic Kingdom we prefer the evening MH, so we always visit MK on a Weds and Epcot on a Tues. For HS and AK we use the morning MH on offer. We get a break during the day with a TS lunch or dinner and in the case of MK we go for a late Character breakfast at one of the MK resorts on the EMH wednesdays, so we get a bit of a lie in and into the park about noon. If we’ve had a late night, we have a later morning the next day and plan for 2 relaxing water park days and 1 non-park rest day at the resort pool and Disney Springs. We use Touring Plans to Plan our Park days, so just work with however busy a Park is rather than hop to another one. It works for us, but everyone has their own system 😊.

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