[TaraRae82]

Are the parks really the most crowded on days when they have EMH? I'm assuming their crowd levels are related to EMH since they all coincide. I really want to take advantage of EMH at MK and EPCOT but I don't want to deal with MORE people during those hours since it will defeat the purpose! :)

[gingles]

If you're talking about peak seasons with high crowd levels, YES!

The morning EMH park will generally be the most crowded all day. We have tried this (I hate to admit) more than once and found that park (esp. MK) will be crowded all day.

There are two strategies: FIRST, avoid the morning EMH park altogether that day or SECOND(maybe better) , go enjoy the EMH perk early in the morning and when the park starts to get crowded (10am or so), HOP to another park and have great time!

In the off-seasons, I'm not sure this advice matters, but then, when it's not crowded you don't need EMH.

[Soundgod]

The park I've done the most early mornings has been Disney MGM on Saturdays. Without fail, I have always had breakfast reservations away from the park in a character buffet for their last seating. By the time I'm heading for the exit at 9:45, there's a nice crowd built. I've also done a couple evenings in MK and Disney MGM last summer, and found ToT and RnRCoaster to be packed all the way to closing past midnight. MK does taper off the later it gets and I've been able to walk onto Splash, HM, and Pirates.

[Dana]

It depends what time of year you are going to be there. For your time frame, I would avoid EMH or go to them and them hop at lunch time. Those parks are the most crowded because the people stay after EMH....and there is a lot of them that don't bother hopping.

[DisneyTeacher]

EMH parks are more crowded when crowd levels are up. We like to hit morning EMH at MK and Epcot then leave about noon when the park gets really crowded. We try to head to a park that had EMH the day (night) before hoping that people stayed there late and didn't want to go back the next morning.

[daisyd]

We took a chance last October and hit an evening EMH at MK and were blown away by how FEW people were in the park that night! We walked onto everything,a nd at one point we were alone by the Jungle Cruise for a few minutes--not a soul in sight!

We arrived a the park about 1pm that day and found light crowds. I expected a throng of people to swarm in about 4pm, but people left and hardly anyone came into the park! I dont' know if it was because people thought it would be packed so they stayed away, or if people were in other parks because they were going to the Halloween Party on another night. Whatever the reason, it was a blessing and made our first nigth at WDW one we won't forget!

[gingles]

For you September FREE DDP'er's, I can only share our experience for last September during the free DDP.

Our first day was Labor Day in the Magic Kingdom. Crowds looked light when we got there but we were amazed when we got around to Splash Mountain. We were going to get Fastpasses for Splash and ride Thunder Mountain, only to be told they had turned off all the Fastpass machines because the crowds were so light! The rest of the week was more of the same.

[gingles]

One caveat! The TS restaurants WERE crowded--get your ADR's! (Sorry for the slight threadjack!)

[Dana]

Originally Posted by gingles

For you September FREE DDP'er's, I can only share our experience for last September during the free DDP.

Our first day was Labor Day in the Magic Kingdom. Crowds looked light when we got there but we were amazed when we got around to Splash Mountain. We were going to get Fastpasses for Splash and ride Thunder Mountain, only to be told they had turned off all the Fastpass machines because the crowds were so light! The rest of the week was more of the same.

Now that is music to my ears.

[iluvwdw]

Originally Posted by gingles

For you September FREE DDP'er's, I can only share our experience for last September during the free DDP.

Our first day was Labor Day in the Magic Kingdom. Crowds looked light when we got there but we were amazed when we got around to Splash Mountain. We were going to get Fastpasses for Splash and ride Thunder Mountain, only to be told they had turned off all the Fastpass machines because the crowds were so light! The rest of the week was more of the same.

I LOVE THE SOUND OF THAT!!!!!!!!!!!

[TaraRae82]

Thanks so much! This gives me a better idea. I'm going in Oct (never been that late in the season) and I'm hoping the crowds in general will be lighter. I think I'll forgoe the early EMH because DH and I are NOT morning people! LOL I will try the evening though! I'm hoping I can get ADR's for the Fantasmic package and just stay after Fantasmic for EMH one evening. Then we won't have to fight the crowds trying to leave either. Anymore advice? Keep it comin'!!

[daisyd]

Will you be there during the Food and Wine Fest? My Dh and I were floored when we saw how busy WS was during the fest. WS was the only place we had to 'bob and weave' through the crowd all week.

Now, I would skip an evening EMH at EPCOT during F&W, but I have kids, and pusing a srtoller through that was no fun in comparison to the other places we went, lol. I think for a young couple that knows it will be crowded it would be a lot of fun. Just give your self lots of time, have an ADR for dinner (or don't plan on a sitdown) and go with the flow

[TaraRae82]

Yes, we'll be visiting during Food & Wine. I figured WS would be busy during that. DH and I are huge wine fans and love trying new kinds. We'll be part of those crazy crowds I'm sure! LOL We're definitely a young couple and I'm good a weaving through people since I'm barely 5'. :) Now, DH on the otherhand, is 6'2" so that could be interesting! I'm sure we'll take WS slowly so we can try all the wines. Thanks for the help! I'm open to more!

[cinderbella]

what time in October are you going?
We went the 8th thru the 15th this year for our honeymoon and it was packed! Free dining was over by the time we got there but food and wine was in full effect and it seemed a lot of schools were on a fall break (this seemed to be more like year round Elementary schools..I heard a lot of people on the bus talking about it.) It wasn't terrible though..defineatly not summer crowds or anything but I was expecting it to be much less than it was.
I also heard that since the MYW has been introduced a lot less people are getting park hoppers since they are staying more days..therefore making EMH parks crowded because people are going to EMH or anticipating evening EMH's and heading there early in the day...either way EMH's are always a good time to go..espically the late one because if you can hang until park closing a lot of people have gone home for the day. We closed down MK at 1 am twice that week.

[cinderbella]

I forgot to add this part..food and wine was crowded! the most crowded i had ever seen WS but we did like you said you were going too..we took it slow and snacked and drank in every country..it was pretty packed but it was the most fun we had in Epcot in a long time!