At DHS EMH [Sunday 8/4] & won’t get a single ride in...

[Brett Wyman]

Ive never found EMH to be much use at WDW for the most popular rides. Everyone else has the same idea you do. “I’ll use EMH to ride the most popular rides with little to no wait!” Yeah right. The waits are many times longer during EMH than they are midday. Use EMH to basically walk on to the other rides that aren’t as popular. But mostly we skip parks with EMH as they tend to be more crowded throughout the entire day.

 

[Madame]

If by EMM at MK you mean the special ticketed event - we did that once and 7DMT was down. They ended up giving us unlimited FP entry for something like 2 hours once it was back up. Seems like it was back up around 9am and we were able to ride it until we were sick of it - haha! At first it was disappointing but then we realized we had more time to eat breakfast and do other stuff so it turned out better in the end. I'm sorry your early morning hour has been a disappointment - I don't blame you for the frustration. I haven't been to DHS for about a year (going soon) and from watching people's videos of it on YT it just seems like a mess there in many ways.

Yes EMM. Saw 7D was down on a FB page.

 

[Madame]

Ive never found EMH to be much use at WDW for the most popular rides. Everyone else has the same idea you do. “I’ll use EMH to ride the most popular rides with little to no wait!” Yeah right. The waits are many times longer during EMH than they are midday. Use EMH to basically walk on to the other rides that aren’t as popular. But mostly we skip parks with EMH as they tend to be more crowded throughout the entire day.

Us too normally, but I booked about 45 days out & not a lot of FP choice. I have an unfortunate habit of spontaneous trips

 

[stewart715]

Supposedly the DS resorts EMH expire on Dec 31, 2019. I really hope that it is not renewed for the sake of actual Disney resort guests. Especially with Galaxy's Edge, Tron and 50th anniversary coming. EMH is going to be crammed as it is without them. And nothing against those who like the DS resorts or even staying off property; but they aren't Disney resorts.

 

[SFlaDisneyfans]

Its like anything in life really. Many moons ago, EMH was amazing. Almost like having a park to yourselves. Today... not so much. Sort of like fast passes actually. They used to be walk up and get the ride. I think the trick is to adapt to the changes. We usually sleep in on our visits and stay later in the parks. Lines actually seem to be lessened near closing times as all the little ones are tuckered out and back at the hotels.

 

[stewart715]

Its like anything in life really. Many moons ago, EMH was amazing. Almost like having a park to yourselves. Today... not so much. Sort of like fast passes actually. They used to be walk up and get the ride. I think the trick is to adapt to the changes. We usually sleep in on our visits and stay later in the parks. Lines actually seem to be lessened near closing times as all the little ones are tuckered out and back at the hotels.

Two things I miss about WDW: empty EMH and arctic cold air conditioning everywhere you went.

 

[Lumpy1106]

This is the week we usually go but didn't work out this year. I could be wrong, but, from past experience, I believe most FL schools go back on Monday - thus the weekend crowds. That's just my way of saying hang in there - crowds the rest of the week should be better.

 

[Madame]

This is the week we usually go but didn't work out this year. I could be wrong, but, from past experience, I believe most FL schools go back on Monday - thus the weekend crowds. That's just my way of saying hang in there - crowds the rest of the week should be better.

Thanks! Yes that makes sense. It is insane at DHS. We rode ST and are on the boat now. The bag check lines are massive now. You can’t even walk behind them - they’re curled around the rail near the parking lot.

We’re end of Aug / Labour Day wknd visitors. It’s a birthday trip for my boys. From now on we’re going to pretend they were born Aug 30

 

[stewart715]

WOW:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1158026000560730117

 

[angelinaxox]

At HS as well and arrived around 7:50 with no bags so I had much better luck getting to Slinky Dog. We were in and out in under 49 minutes and then did Alien Saucers with a 35 minute wait which took us to our first fast pass for TSM at 9:15. After TSM, we were done Toy Story Land and then headed to Rock'n'Rollercoaster and got something to eat while waiting for our FP. The timing has all worked well and now we are waiting for our last FP at ToT in a half hour. So I think we did pretty well this morning.

 

[SaintsManiac]

WOW:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1158026000560730117

It’s going to be chaos when it opens.

 

[Madame]

At HS as well and arrived around 7:50 with no bags so I had much better luck getting to Slinky Dog. We were in and out in under 49 minutes and then did Alien Saucers with a 35 minute wait which took us to our first fast pass for TSM at 9:15. After TSM, we were done Toy Story Land and then headed to Rock'n'Rollercoaster and got something to eat while waiting for our FP. The timing has all worked well and now we are waiting for our last FP at ToT in a half hour. So I think we did pretty well this morning.

You definitely did! Our timing was just off from the getgo and the rides being down was bad luck.

 

[Gentry2004]

WOW:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1158026000560730117

That’s nuts! I’ve never seen it that bad and I’ve been the week before Easter and the week before Christmas! I never arrive at 10:45am though...

 

[soniam]

We usually arrive 1 hour 15 minutes early for AM EMH at AK, especially in the first year or so. We have been going at least 1 hour at DHS, since TSL opened. MK we usually try 1 hour too. Epcot can be a little less. Getting to AM EMH just before it opens is going to result in disappointment and long lines. If you can't make it about an hour before, it's probably best to skip the AM EMH park that day. Hope your day gets better.

 

[osufeth24]

We usually arrive 1 hour 15 minutes early for AM EMH at AK, especially in the first year or so. We have been going at least 1 hour at DHS, since TSL opened. MK we usually try 1 hour too. Epcot can be a little less. Getting to AM EMH just before it opens is going to result in disappointment and long lines. If you can't make it about an hour before, it's probably best to skip the AM EMH park that day. Hope your day gets better.

Same, I've only been to AK for EMH, and tried to be in line no later than 7.

Going to HS for GE in Sept using EMH, and plan on being in line at 5 at the latest, maybe a tad earlier

 

[Madame]

We usually arrive 1 hour 15 minutes early for AM EMH at AK, especially in the first year or so. We have been going at least 1 hour at DHS, since TSL opened. MK we usually try 1 hour too. Epcot can be a little less. Getting to AM EMH just before it opens is going to result in disappointment and long lines. If you can't make it about an hour before, it's probably best to skip the AM EMH park that day. Hope your day gets better.

Us too, but think of all the guests that arrive at 8:00 only to ride nothing during EMH at all. How and why is this acceptable? They’re busy offering upsell events that push us all to infrequent EMH then offer EMH to non-Disney resorts. I guess my point is that this is WDW’s issue and anyone deciding to stay on property for EMH might want to decide otherwise.

 

[Gentry2004]

Us too, but think of all the guests that arrive at 8:00 only to ride nothing during EMH at all. How and why is this acceptable? They’re busy offering upsell events that push us all to infrequent EMH then offer EMH to non-Disney resorts. I guess my point is that this is WDW’s issue and anyone deciding to stay on property for EMH might want to decide otherwise.

This drives me nuts too. I think you are totally justified in your frustration.

 

[UOAP]

I think EMH are only useful if you rope drop, the earlier hour can sometimes keep other potential rope droppers away. But I mean rope drop as in one of the 1st 5 families at the turnstiles. Otherwise better to just forget it.
That said, it's a lot of work to "work the system" these days. Last year as we were standing at AK in the dark at 5 AM I thought "do I really want to be getting up earlier on vacation than I do on a work day?" Yeah, we rode everything, but I was exhausted. I may just be getting too old to be able to do Disney "right" these days. And I am getting bitter that many rope drop mornings are being taken away by EMM paid events anyway.

 

[Gentry2004]

I think EMH are only useful if you rope drop, the earlier hour can sometimes keep other potential rope droppers away. But I mean rope drop as in one of the 1st 5 families at the turnstiles. Otherwise better to just forget it.
That said, it's a lot of work to "work the system" these days. Last year as we were standing at AK in the dark at 5 AM I thought "do I really want to be getting up earlier on vacation than I do on a work day?" Yeah, we rode everything, but I was exhausted. I may just be getting too old to be able to do Disney "right" these days. And I am getting bitter that many rope drop mornings are being taken away by EMM paid events anyway.

I hear people having a lot of success with the late arrival/stay until closing plan. Now that my kids are finally getting older, I might start trying this some of the days. Especially when the previous day was an early wake up day!

 

[Rossie3]

WOW:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1158026000560730117

This is why I never take a bag. If I can't get it in my pockets it does not make the trip. Also, I am curious to see how early it gets crowded outside the gates for the 2 months with EEMH. I go down on September 28th so I will have about a month of data to look at to make up my mind on how early I need to head over from POP. If the Skyliner runs super early it will be easy peasy, if it only starts at 1 hour before park opens then I guess it will be UBER time.