7:00 AM EMH at AK-Bus or Uber?

[jsmla]

I would like to ride Flight of Passage but will be using my FPs later at DHS. I have had success when getting to AK before 7:30 AM for a 9:00 AM opening but was wondering how it goes with a 7:00 AM EMH. How early do the buses begin then? I really want to be at the front of the stampede.

Just in case:
I am a very early riser (very) and have no problem with a longish PPO wait. It's something I've done many, many times over the years. Riding at park close is not an option.

Thanks!

 

[bffdisney]

Go out and wait for a bis. If it doesn't come, call an uber. Buses will be running that early to get people to EMH.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I would uber over there if being there extra early is top priority to get on FoP, it's just more reliable than the buses IMO. I know that the buses will run but at what time they start, I don't know. We've only gotten on the buses about 30-45 min prior to park opening on an EMH morning.

From what I've seen on here recently regarding Pandora, I've read that people have arrived as early as an 1.5 hours PPO and even after RD and they successfully rode FoP and had a minimal wait (with posted wait times much longer than they actually were). I would presume on an EMH day that it will be higher crowds. When we RD FoP it was not an EMH day but it was fall last year so there was higher crowds for it than there are now. We arrived 45 min PPO and that was too late, we ended up having better luck getting on during evening EMH with a posted wait time of 90 min, actual wait time was 60 min. I don't think it's nearly as chaotic as it was last August when we were there so I don't think you need to be there at 4am but if you like to get up early and you don't mind waiting around, I'd get there around 6-6:30am. FYI- Here's a recent thread on AK FoP and EMH
https://www.disboards.com/threads/ak-morning-emh-rope-drop-no-fp-may-1-2018.3680565/

 

[jsmla]

Thanks for the replies!

AK has Morning EMH every day during my stay, so I'm hoping that won't be a factor. A bigger concern is that this would be the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. I really, really love Flight of Passage so when the 7:00 AM EMH mornings were added I decided to try to sneak in a ride before heading to DHS for the day. Because this is a bonus visit to AK I'd like to be as close to the front of the FOP line as possible, ride that then maybe Expedition Everest. I'm usually up by 4:30 Central so won't have a problem with an early morning. Do the buses run before 6:00 AM?

I'll be at All Star Music so Uber should be fairly cheap but my time predawn is even cheaper.

I'm afraid PM EMH is out, I'm definitely not a night owl-too many dairy farmers swimming around in my gene pool for many late nights .

 

[WEDWDW]

Uber-no stress that way.

 

[AngiTN]

Uber. We almost always Uber to AK, and always do for EMH to all parks.
The main reason is, sleep time.
Bus travel times come with a great unknown. You never know what your pick up time will be. So you have to give yourself a 30 min, or so, cushion.
That's 30 min we can be sleeping. And we all know how precious sleep is at Disney.
So when it comes to EMH, and park openings in general, we use Uber so we can know exactly what time we need to leave, remove that unknown bus pick up factor.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Uber. We almost always Uber to AK, and always do for EMH to all parks.
The main reason is, sleep time.
Bus travel times come with a great unknown. You never know what your pick up time will be. So you have to give yourself a 30 min, or so, cushion.
That's 30 min we can be sleeping. And we all know how precious sleep is at Disney.
So when it comes to EMH, and park openings in general, we use Uber so we can know exactly what time we need to leave, remove that unknown bus pick up factor.

^^^^^YES YES YES--oh precious sleep! We are early birds when we're there since we don't take very long disney trips we have to maximize our days, getting up early is fine for me and DH but the kids need their sleep to make it all day. If you are not pressed for time for the morning, then the buses are great.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Not to hijack the thread, but I've been following bc I was wondering the same thing. Then I remembered that we'll have a car on this trip. Could we DRIVE to morning EMH at the AK instead of using an Uber? Will the lots be open at 6:30 AM for an 8:00 AM opening?

 

[jsmla]

Not to hijack the thread, but I've been following bc I was wondering the same thing. Then I remembered that we'll have a car on this trip. Could we DRIVE to morning EMH at the AK instead of using an Uber? Will the lots be open at 6:30 AM for an 8:00 AM opening?

We drove in February, I think we arrived 6:30ish. The parking kiosks weren't manned but there were CMs parking the cars. I could drive but I have big plans involving mimosas and spiked Dole Whips!

 

[DizneyLizzy]

We drove in February, I think we arrived 6:30ish. The parking kiosks weren't manned but there were CMs parking the cars. I could drive but I have big plans involving mimosas and spiked Dole Whips!

Thanks! I think we will likely drive. It'll be just my sister and I doing the early arrival - my kids, husband, and parents are meeting us there around 8, so it'll be nice to have the minivan to drive everyone home from the park anyway. I've never drive to AK before.

 

[AngiTN]

Not to hijack the thread, but I've been following bc I was wondering the same thing. Then I remembered that we'll have a car on this trip. Could we DRIVE to morning EMH at the AK instead of using an Uber? Will the lots be open at 6:30 AM for an 8:00 AM opening?

Parking lots at Disney parks never close. They are always open. Toll gates may not be manned mind you but there are no barriers to prevent you from entering the lots.

 

[seashoreCM]

Occasionally at Animal Kingdom the parking lot entrance plaza kiosks have been closed sometimes to as late as 15 minutes before the park turnstiles open. This has in the past caused guests to be late for breakfast reservations. I have long advocated offsiters to park themselves at All Star Music or Animal Kingdom Lodge (with plenty of time), saying they are having breakfast there, and taking the bus. Or to give the maitre'd of the restaurant the excuse that the parking lot did not open soon enough and expecting the reservation to be honored in timely fashion (before others with reservation times after yours and whose party actually arrived fully after yours.)

I suppose that if you took Uber and got stopped at the closed entrance plaza you could pay and get out there and walk the rest of the way (a third of the mile?) across the asphalt to the park entrance.

 

[AngiTN]

Yes, the kiosks are closed but you can drive past them. There's no gates or barriers. Folks have been in line at AK before security even opens ever since Pandora opened last year every day.

 

[hookala]

Take an Uber. I'm also an early riser. (I won't tell you how early I arrive at work....) I was there this week. AK had an 8:00 EMH opening. I got to the bus stop at the Dolphin at 6:30. The bus didn't come until 7:15. I saw 3 MK buses pass while I was waiting. It was 8:00 on the dot when I got in line at FOP. (The posted wait time was 30 minutes, but it took about 25....This was actually fine.) The next day, I went to MK (regular 8:00 opening). I got on the MK bus around 7:00. There were people at the stop waiting for an AK bus grumbling about _another_ MK bus.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have long advocated offsiters to park themselves at All Star Music or Animal Kingdom Lodge (with plenty of time), saying they are having breakfast there, and taking the bus.

So, lying.

 

[FCDub]

I have long advocated offsiters to park themselves at All Star Music or Animal Kingdom Lodge (with plenty of time), saying they are having breakfast there, and taking the bus.

For real? You’ve been posting here long enough to know this is against board policy and common courtesy.