Early Entry in- Extra Magic Hours out

[supersnoop]

Seems like this will even out the crowds. The EMH park was always the busiest park each day. I think they use to use EMH to draw some people to less popular parks, but there's no real reason to do that anymore.

 

[RoseGold]

BUT COMING 2022 PLEASE BUY OUR NEW EVENING PASS FOR +$100 a day to stay in the park from 7pm to 1am! (Regular park closing is now 8pm). /s

No lie, this is my dream ticketing scenario, and pre-Covid, they were pretty close to it with the constant hard-ticket parties. I do anticipate a two ticket per day scenario and APs being less and less useful.

 

[wilkydelts]

This has always been the way, pre covid. You stood at a tapstiles just waiting for the opening time while on site guests went through the ones at the end

It will not even compare. If the park opened 2 hours early for EMH off site guest would not start lining up until 50ish minutes before so you would have spacing and the only people going through the other section was EMH late comers. Now if I am off site I am still showing up 50ish early (which is before they even open the 30 minute window) and I am going to be in the way and may even be trying to get in and effecting the flow.

 

[sandam1]

But at least Universal offers an hour of early entry.

I had the exact same thought! Come on over the dark side, people! (Or not, I don't want to deal with the crowds)

The execs at Universal have got to be breaking out the champagne today.

 

[yulilin3]

I had the exact same thought! Come on over the dark side, people! (Or not, I don't want to deal with the crowds)

The execs at Universal have got to be breaking out the champagne today.

It'll remain to be seen.
After these types of announcements there are always many that say they will go to other parks and stay off site. I wonder how many actually do

 

[jeffmw]

On this general topic, I booked a trip for October. We always stay onsite.

The thing that is concerning me the most is FastPass discontinuation. On that front:

• Is there any indication they're going to bring bast FP+?
• If not, perhaps you can enlighten me, but once we get to the fall and park capacity is raised a bit (or at the very least people are more comfortable going) that seems like a nightmare. I can't imagine having to wait in line, in full, for every single attraction. If suddenly we have to wait in line for SLD and 7DMT, etc., isn't that going to cut our day down significantly? Am I missing something?

 

[KGolf31]

On this general topic, I booked a trip for October. We always stay onsite.

The thing that is concerning me the most is FastPass discontinuation. On that front:

• Is there any indication they're going to bring bast FP+?
• If not, perhaps you can enlighten me, but once we get to the fall and park capacity is raised a bit (or at the very least people are more comfortable going) that seems like a nightmare. I can't imagine having to wait in line, in full, for every single attraction. If suddenly we have to wait in line for SLD and 7DMT, etc., isn't that going to cut our day down significantly? Am I missing something?

I can help answer the second part.

Without FP+, you have essentially double capacity - or close to that since you're not stopping general queue to let in FP goers

 

[Dracoa Dragoon]

No lie, this is my dream ticketing scenario, and pre-Covid, they were pretty close to it with the constant hard-ticket parties. I do anticipate a two ticket per day scenario and APs being less and less useful.

Dream? More like Nightmare. Don't expect the crowds to lessen. They will just understaff and run the night tickets at reduced capacity! You'll still be waiting!

 

[zebrastreyepz]

I had the exact same thought! Come on over the dark side, people! (Or not, I don't want to deal with the crowds)

The execs at Universal have got to be breaking out the champagne today.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1348679255874531332

 

[sandam1]

It'll remain to be seen.
After these types of announcements there are always many that say they will go to other parks and stay off site. I wonder how many actually do

That is true! But the hardest part is getting the customer in the door. When your competitor does something to upset their base, you know that it makes for a good day. And Universal WILL go in for the kill on this.

 

[ScubaCat]

Pretty sure the OP was using Disney wording in a sarcastic way

That's right. I feel healthier and safer every time they give me less for my money, don't we all?

EDIT to add: I just wonder how long they're going to ride Covid as an excuse. I guess it makes sense in that they've gotta get moving on the cuts now because at some point it won't work any more.

 

[jeffmw]

I can help answer the second part.

Without FP+, you have essentially double capacity - or close to that since you're not stopping general queue to let in FP goers

So are you saying that the line moves 2x as fast? Is there evidence of that being the case?

 

[boop0524]

re: paying to park at the resort -
I encourage anyone who's planning on staying off site to add up ALL of the extra fees (including parking fees) that many off site resorts charge. Then add the $25/day WDW parking fee (for theme park parking) to that. Then you can truly do an apples-to-apples comparison. In some situations, it might not end up cheaper to stay off site.

FWIW, not all on site guests use EMH.

I would love to stay on Disney, but when I do an apples to apples comparison of staying offsite it is hands down much cheaper. We stay in a timeshare condo w/ a full kitchen so we bring most of our own food/drinks, there’s no parking or resort fees and it only takes 15 minutes to get to any park. If the Disney perks were worthwhile I would consider it, but I just can’t justify the cost difference, especially now.

 

[Leigh L]

So are you saying that the line moves 2x as fast? Is there evidence of that being the case?

This is anecdotal, but in August and November when we went, we were constantly moving in what looked like crazy long lines.

My family loved working FP+, but if lines move as they did during our recent visits once full capacity is back, we'd not miss it much.

 

[SL6827]

No lie, this is my dream ticketing scenario, and pre-Covid, they were pretty close to it with the constant hard-ticket parties. I do anticipate a two ticket per day scenario and APs being less and less useful.

Yes, they want to make the APs less and less useful. They do not appreciate the value in them anymore.

 

[SL6827]

Dream? More like Nightmare. Don't expect the crowds to lessen. They will just understaff and run the night tickets at reduced capacity! You'll still be waiting!

This makes sense.

 

[Splashboat]

It'll remain to be seen.
After these types of announcements there are always many that say they will go to other parks and stay off site. I wonder how many actually do

I think this will be the true test. A perk here or there disappearing in the past is frustrating but ultimately people still show. Now there are a lot of changes, increased capacity, higher prices all while taking away perks. We have APs for another year but we are already thinking of selling DVC and going elsewhere. It really used to feel magical and it just doesn't anymore.

 

[jpolak]

Yea the writing was on the wall. Even if they don't outright call it a 2 ticket day, they will will make every night a special event ticket.

Every night:

• January-Feb: Mickey's Winter Wonderland Special Event Ticket
• March-May: Mickey's Springtime Special Event Ticket
• June-July: Mickey's Summer of Fun Special Event Ticket
• August - October: Mickey's Not-so-scary Halloween Special Event Ticket
• Nov-Dec: Mickey's Christmas Special Event Ticket

Sadly I do not think you’re too far off the mark. We did the extra extra hours at DHS and it was amazing. Granted we were waiting for the bus at 4:15 am but we’re early risers. Finished the park by 9:15 and was napping by the pool by noon

 

[yulilin3]

So are you saying that the line moves 2x as fast? Is there evidence of that being the case?

not sure if it's 2x as fast but definitely faster than if fp was in use

 

[mamaofsix]

It's really not going to make a difference in your day, that's the issue. This is, at best, a large reduction in the perk of EMHs, at worst this will make literally no difference in your day. Also, I'm sure in a year, maybe two they will start scaling back "early entry" to only some days a week..

Can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not . . . "at worst this will make literally no difference in your day."

Rope dropping an hour before 'official' park opening (at parks that did not have EMHs), literally made ALL the difference on our trips. We'd bang out 4 or 5 headliners before most of the crowds arrived. Whether onsite or offsite guests, not having the ability to do this anymore several reduces our experience.