"reverse" summer strategy: late afternoon- close?

[nkereina]

I was actually thinking about that strategy. I was wondering if I should get PH passes, start out at a recommended park and then later in the evening hop over to the park with the late EMS. But do the lower crowds in the afternoon/ early evening outweigh the travel time between parks (especially if I am leaving with the masses- don't people start leaving about one-two hours before park close? I did PH one time and I did not like traveling between parks. It seemed like such a waste of time. But then again, I am still a newbie when it comes to touring the parks so any thoughts here would be appreciated.

I think people start filing out based on the evening entertainment. At AK, people leave throughout the late afternoon so there's not a mass exodus. At MK, people leave immediately after Wishes, Epcot immediately after Illuminations, and DHS immediately after F!. If your timing is right, you can avoid these crowds.

I think starting with a recommended park and then hopping to the park with PM EMH solely for the EMH would work fine, but I would leave the first park for the EMH actually start at the second park. Travel time is a consideration, and PM EMH are only two hours now so to take full advantage, you'll want to have the most time. If you forego the park hoppers, I would avoid the parks with PM EMH all together based on the crowd predictions for parks with PM EMH.

 

[photo_chick]

We're not morning people. Never made a rope drop. We tend to do noonish to close and it works for us. We do July/August trips and the heat doesn't bother us, but then we're from Texas so the 95 degrees that kills everyone else seems like a reprieve form the 100+ degrees we're used to at home.

 

[orangefan15]

I wouldn't plan a trip for over a year out based on an expectation that EMH will exist in its current format or even at all. Generally speaking, things change all the time and Disney can do whatever they want (the change from 3 hour to 2 hour PM EMH being a great example). Specifically speaking, there has been a lot of rumor/conjecture that EMH will be cut back further/eliminated once FP+ is fully rolled out. Whether true or not, who knows, but I wouldn't plan a trip that specifically depended on something that may or may not actually be around.

All of that said, I am more a fan of late evenings than early mornings and find that things do get less busy as the night goes on. I think it you went into the trip understanding that you probably wouldn't be able to do everything at the parks (just not enough time available with parks closing in the 9-11 time frame), you could have a great trip, including making good use of your resort's amenities and relaxing around pool.

 

[kimmyann]

We are planning for the third week in August 2014. I want a more relaxing Disney trip this time, so the only time I want to get up early is two days for the water parks. Other than that, I'm hoping to take advantage of evening EMH & will schedule everything around it. Last Disney trip we did rope drop everyday & we were totally exhausted & miserable by the third day & only saw one fireworks show because we couldn't stay at the parks late because we were so tired (and that's with a mid day break).

 

[MermaidMommy]

We are planning for the third week in August 2014. I want a more relaxing Disney trip this time, so the only time I want to get up early is two days for the water parks. Other than that, I'm hoping to take advantage of evening EMH & will schedule everything around it. Last Disney trip we did rope drop everyday & we were totally exhausted & miserable by the third day & only saw one fireworks show because we couldn't stay at the parks late because we were so tired (and that's with a mid day break).

They took away the Friday night MK EMH this summer, so there's only three evening EMH's left. We don't have the option to take advantage of it like we used to. I miss 3am in MK! Now, yo usually cant stay past 1am.