Question about Extra Magic Hours at Christmas

[Disneymom4ever]

I'm starting to plan what days for what parks for making dining reservations, and my theory has always been: go to the park that had the EMH the day before. I don't know if it's a fluke, but it has always worked well for us. Now... we are planning to go the week of Christmas (Dec. 27-Jan.2). I know, we're nuts for going this week, but that's just the way it worked out this year. So.. I'm wondering if I should stick with my theory, or maybe we just need to GO to the parks with EMH, assuming we need all the time we can get being it's so crowded. Has anyone gone during that time? I'm wondering what the best plan of attack is during this crazy time. Thanks for all your help! :mickey:

[faline]

The last time we went at that time of year, extra magic hours hadn't even been though of so, as you can see, it's been a while. All parks will be very crowded that week. I would think the morning extra magic hours would be your best bet for getting quite a lot done if a fairly short amount of time.

From your question, I'm guessing you won't have park hopping capacity? Being able to park hop if often a good strategy during very busy times. If you get to the early extra magic hour, you can head of the park when it really begins to fill out and head to a different park.

[Jeff]

We have gone to WDW the last 5 or 6 Christmas weeks. I agree with Linda, go to the EMH park but leave when it begins to get really crowded. It is still amazing, even at this busiest of times, how much how much you can see and do IF you are willing to get out of bed and be at the parks when the gates open. Park Hoppers help A LOT this week.

[Pirate Granny]

I've been a few times that same week...and outside of NYE we've gone to the parks in the AM and then changed over in the PM. The only time parks were closed were NYE...so that day you need to go to the park that you want to be in all day. We've done both MK and EPCOT...and we found EPCOT to be more wall to wall people than MK...there was a two HOUR line just to get a beer in Germany at the outside booth...people start putting their blankets and leaving one person to wait around 6pm for the fireworks around the lake...by 10pm you could barely walk around the WS...we retreated to Future World. If you don't have young children (we were just adults), we would stay till very late (especially late extended hours) and the parks would be empty. One year (I didn't go that year)...MK was open NYE until 4am...and people checked out of their hotels that were leaving early on Jan 1st and spent the night in the parks and then caught cabs or took their rental cars to the airport for 8am flights...sounded interesting to me...and they said that the park was very light from 1am until 4am.
:pirate:

[Disneymom4ever]

Thank you all for your advice. It definitely sounds like we should be parkhopping those days! My BIL happens to work at Disney though, and therefore is able to get our family in free when we go. He meets us at the front gate of the park we choose, and gets us in for the day. So I don't think hopping would be a choice for us. But my boys are teens, and are willing to get up early in the mornings. We've done this enough times to realize just how important being there at opening is! I think you're right in that we should take advantage of morning EMH, just not sure how crowded the rest of the day would be!

[Jeff]

just not sure how crowded the rest of the day would be!

The 12:00 pm till 6 or 7pm are absolutely packed. If we don't take a break during those hours we will do shows, see parades, do the less popular attractions, etc. You can have a great time Christmas week but prepare your clan for HEAVY, HEAVY crowds. We like to make at least one reservation for meals during the mid afternoon hours or so to just take a break from the crowds. Trying to eat at a counter service at the popular meal times can be one of the most frustrating parts of WDW Christmas week.

Have a plan to use Fast Pass wisely.

By the way, my family did the MK till 4am 2 or three years ago on the day before NYE. We also checked out of our hotel, just stayed in the park, then drove to the airport at 4am. It was so much fun!!!!!

[iloveokw]

Try to see if you can get EMH's from last December......I do know the last few years the MK opens every morning at 7 for EMH during that time. I am NOT a morning person and I remember it was still dark when we got there for the 7 a.m. opening. By 11 am when we left it was wall to wall people and not much fun. Just my 2 cents worth.

:mickey: