EMH Complaints?

[sharonabe]

Still generally it's one park with AM emh and one park with PAM emh

But not on the same day. Now there's one or the other, but not both, even at different parks.

 

[mamamelody2]

I know there's not as much EMH as there used to be, but I almost feel like it eases the pressure a little, because I always feel like we should be there for all EMH. LOL.

 

[Colleen27]

If they're putting a sign up they wouldn't be liable so I wish they would bring that back. We have NO interest in Disney Springs. We have been twice and were super bored both times. Neither DH nor I are shoppers and that seems to be the biggest thing to do there. We've eaten down there, but nothing has stuck out as amazing. I just don't see the value in my time being spent there.

Same here. If we go, it is just for dinner - Raglan Road is a personal favorite, especially in the evening when they have live music. We used to like Disney Quest but that's gone now, and we're not shoppers. And while I'm looking forward to the Edison, it doesn't sound like it will add much for those of us traveling with kids, even older kids. So there just isn't much entertainment value to Disney Springs for us.

I've heard mixed things about the hours at moderate/deluxe level quiet pools (which don't have lifeguards anyway). It seems like they do have posted hours but they're longer and often seem to go unenforced. I'm hoping that's the case in March when we go because I know the teens won't be ready to call it a night when the parks close.

 

[Haley R]

Same here. If we go, it is just for dinner - Raglan Road is a personal favorite, especially in the evening when they have live music. We used to like Disney Quest but that's gone now, and we're not shoppers. And while I'm looking forward to the Edison, it doesn't sound like it will add much for those of us traveling with kids, even older kids. So there just isn't much entertainment value to Disney Springs for us.

I've heard mixed things about the hours at moderate/deluxe level quiet pools (which don't have lifeguards anyway). It seems like they do have posted hours but they're longer and often seem to go unenforced. I'm hoping that's the case in March when we go because I know the teens won't be ready to call it a night when the parks close.

We’ll be at Pop so we will have life guards I’m pretty sure. I’ve never stayed there. We have one whole day to swim so maybe we can get it out of our system then.

 

[rpb718]

We have NO interest in Disney Springs. We have been twice and were super bored both times. Neither DH nor I are shoppers and that seems to be the biggest thing to do there. We've eaten down there, but nothing has stuck out as amazing. I just don't see the value in my time being spent there.

We visited the "new" sections of Disney Springs, and while there are a few places I would return to, there's almost nothing there that really draws me. I could be totally satisfied with just visiting the Marketplace, doing the WDW and Christmas shops, having a sandwich at the Earl and a sundae at Ghiradellis.

Not to go completely off-topic, I miss the old 3 hours PM EMH as well.

 

[Shanti]

We visited the "new" sections of Disney Springs, and while there are a few places I would return to, there's almost nothing there that really draws me. I could be totally satisfied with just visiting the Marketplace, doing the WDW and Christmas shops, having a sandwich at the Earl and a sundae at Ghiradellis.

Not to go completely off-topic, I miss the old 3 hours PM EMH as well.

Imo the only worthwhile attraction at Disney Springs is Cirque de Soleil, which apparently will soon be gone. I have no interest in visiting an outdoor mall during my vacation.

 

[tzolkin]

Did there used to be two parks in a day with EMH too, or am I completely remembering incorrectly?

Yes, there used to be one park with morning EMH and one (different) park with evening EMH (3hrs) every day.

Now there is only one or the other.

I remember one year we went the same two weeks in May that we had gone the year before and I was so disappointed when I was comparing the park hours on my spreadsheets because it was a drastic reduction.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Here's a snapshot of the month of June over the years:

June 1-30th 2012 - 426 Included hours + 35 EMH= 461 (Wow, EMH)
June 1-30th 2013 - 431 Included hours + 13 EMH = 444
June 1-30th 2014 - 461 Included hours + 11 EMH = 472
June 1-30th 2015 - 469 Included hours + 12 EMH = 481
June 1-30th 2016 - 425 Included hours + 14 EMH = 439
June 1-30th 2017 - 396 Included hours + 13 EMH = 409

Thanks for the info. Very interesting.

That June 2017 doesn't include the AK EMH that were offered every evening (wasn't it most of June up to July 4th?) for a while last summer does it? Those were really nice. AK had EMH from 11-1 am and that was a great perk for resort guests. Sure, it was crowded, and no other park was open that late, so every resort guest from all the parks converged on AK for the EMH, but I would still think those counted for June 2017.

I do love evening EMH and certainly miss them at HS. HS really needs them to keep the park close bus crowds under control. Leaving HS at the same time the park closes, Fantasmic is over, and the fireworks are over, is not the best part of a Disney vacation. They really need to stagger crowds leaving HS, and evening EMH would help. Of course, judging by the very low crowds on July 4th at HS, Disney may feel there is not need for evening EMH at HS since so few people are going during their regular hours.

I do find it disappointing that in a typical week at Disney, I get one MK evening EMH and one Epcot evening EMH and that is it. Kind of forces people into park hoppers. Which could be another reason for the reduction in EMH.

 

[Haley R]

Imo the only worthwhile attraction at Disney Springs is Cirque de Soleil, which apparently will soon be gone. I have no interest in visiting an outdoor mall during my vacation.

I actually haven’t seen that but I’ve always been kind of interested in it. Why are they getting rid of it?

 

[Shanti]

I actually haven’t seen that but I’ve always been kind of interested in it. Why are they getting rid of it?

No clue, but reportedly it's being shuttered after the New Year. It is a shame, as La Nouba is the best Cirque show I've ever seen.

 

[Bullseye]

It seems to me that 4-5 years ago WS had a lot more things open during EMH. We went last June and just about everything closed right after Illuminations. So for the last two hours there was nothing really to do back there.

 

[Haley R]

No clue, but reportedly it's being shuttered after the New Year. It is a shame, as La Nouba is the best Cirque show I've ever seen.

I wonder if it’s because they’re opening the new Star Wars virtual reality?

It seems to me that 4-5 years ago WS had a lot more things open during EMH. We went last June and just about everything closed right after Illuminations. So for the last two hours there was nothing really to do back there.

We did the early emh at mk this March and only fantasyland was open. It was kind of a bummer. We could’ve gotten so much more done because we were first on 7dmt.

 

[MermaidMommy]

I'm going to get tickets too, assuming they don't sell out (it has to be last minute because I'm upgrading to an AP when we arrive and the discount is substantial - about $150). But I can't say I don't mind. I do mind. I really hate that Disney pretty much shuts down the parks and the pools by 8pm (9 for Epcot), and the only way to enjoy some nighttime fun is to pay a ridiculous upcharge for DAH.

Some people have reported that they were able to get an AP discount on the DAH tickets even though they didn't have their AP yet. They had to call to purchase the tickets, and they were told that they would have to show their AP when they picked the tickets up. It might be worth calling (a few times, if you don't get an accommodating CM at first) to see if it can work for you.

 

[Colleen27]

Some people have reported that they were able to get an AP discount on the DAH tickets even though they didn't have their AP yet. They had to call to purchase the tickets, and they were told that they would have to show their AP when they picked the tickets up. It might be worth calling (a few times, if you don't get an accommodating CM at first) to see if it can work for you.

That's good to know! I'll have to call and give it a try.

 

[sharonabe]

We did the early emh at mk this March and only fantasyland was open. It was kind of a bummer. We could’ve gotten so much more done because we were first on 7dmt.

Fantasyland AND Tomorrowland are always open for early EMH at MK, but that is all that has ever been open for early EMH at MK. Sorry that you didn't know that going in.

 

[dlavender]

Thanks for the info. Very interesting.

That June 2017 doesn't include the AK EMH that were offered every evening (wasn't it most of June up to July 4th?) for a while last summer does it? Those were really nice. AK had EMH from 11-1 am and that was a great perk for resort guests. Sure, it was crowded, and no other park was open that late, so every resort guest from all the parks converged on AK for the EMH, but I would still think those counted for June 2017.

I do love evening EMH and certainly miss them at HS. HS really needs them to keep the park close bus crowds under control. Leaving HS at the same time the park closes, Fantasmic is over, and the fireworks are over, is not the best part of a Disney vacation. They really need to stagger crowds leaving HS, and evening EMH would help. Of course, judging by the very low crowds on July 4th at HS, Disney may feel there is not need for evening EMH at HS since so few people are going during their regular hours.

I do find it disappointing that in a typical week at Disney, I get one MK evening EMH and one Epcot evening EMH and that is it. Kind of forces people into park hoppers. Which could be another reason for the reduction in EMH.

I should have stated, these hours are for Magic Kingdom Only, not resort wide.

 

[foodiddiedoo]

I should have stated, these hours are for Magic Kingdom Only, not resort wide.

And MK has the most EMH, so you can see the disappointing trend there. When I was planning my trip for February, I made my dining reservations, picked the parks that made sense (not two days in a row at one park, etc.). I figured I would look up EMH and some of them would align with my choices. Only ended up having two days out of 9 line up at all, and there was only once with EMH for HS. That's when I started noticing the complaints about EMH, and figured I'd ask.

 

[Haley R]

Fantasyland AND Tomorrowland are always open for early EMH at MK, but that is all that has ever been open for early EMH at MK. Sorry that you didn't know that going in.

Oh yes, sorry I did know that! We only did the rides in Fantasyland and then waited for Liberty Square/Frontierland to open. I completely forgot.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I can sort of understand it. It is a byproduct of the move to having lifeguards on duty at all times. I used to lifeguard and can't imagine trying to do it in the dark, especially in a setting with as many young kids and inattentive parents as WDW, so when sunset is 5:30 or 6 o'clock a 7-8pm pool closing doesn't feel unreasonable from that angle. But I REALLY miss the days when they simply closed down the slides and other features, let the lifeguards go off duty, and posted the pool "swim at your own risk" at night. When I was at ASMu with DD in December 2013 the pools closed at 7pm, so we basically never got to use them even though we hit an unseasonably warm week with highs in the upper 80s.

I miss the late (and early) pool hours as much as I miss the extended evening EMH. I loved coming back after park closure and taking a dip to cool off and relax. Also enjoyed getting up in the morning before the family was awake and getting in a morning swim/hot tub. Really diminishes the resort experience for me.

Sorry, off-topic I know, but the highlighted comment made me realize how much I miss that.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

I miss the late (and early) pool hours as much as I miss the extended evening EMH. I loved coming back after park closure and taking a dip to cool off and relax. Also enjoyed getting up in the morning before the family was awake and getting in a morning swim/hot tub. Really diminishes the resort experience for me.

Sorry, off-topic I know, but the highlighted comment made me realize how much I miss that.

Yup. One of my happiest WDW memories is taking my 3 year old to the pool at the end of each night - mind you it was like 8pm but it was the end of her night - and she would float on her back and sing "zippity do da, zippity day" in 78 degree pool when the air tem was like 65 and I was freezing. lol. Good times. We were the only ones in the pool.

Wilderness Lodge 2005, November.