aka: Extra Magic Hours (EMH)
Extended Magic Hours is one of the many perks of staying On Property (OP) at a Disney owned resort. For other perks, you should check out our article on the Pros and Cons of Staying OP.
This is exactly like it sounds, you get extra hours in the magic than those who aren’t staying at a Disney resort.
Sometimes the hours are in the morning, sometimes they are at night. They aren’t always the same parks at the same time.
So it’s important to check the Disney website or the handy-dandy My Disney Experience App to find out which parks are having EMH for whatever dates you’re visiting.
That way you won’t miss out on this incredible opportunity!
Pros of Extended Magic Hours
So let’s talk about why the Extended Magic Hours are so magical.
– To start, they get you into the parks before the majority of the crowds. This means less people in the park which equates to shorter line times. And that’s what it’s all about, short wait times!
– It also means you beat the rush. I know, I know, it sounds like I’m repeating myself. But these are actually two different things. Yes, it’s lower crowds, but there also isn’t the absolute rush (sometimes it feels more like a stampede) when the first open the parks in the morning. It gives you time for a more leisurely stroll to your favorite rides, rather than a mad dash.
Cons of Extended Magic Hours
I’d love to say that it’s all gumdrops and sunshine, but there are a couple downsides of the Extended Magic Hours. But luckily, they are things you can prepare for. And that is the whole reason we started our company, to help you prepare for your trip. We want to help make it the best possible. And sometimes that means preparing for the hard times
First thing, it can make for a longer day. Starting earlier in the morning and/or going longer into the night means your day will be even longer. Regular days at Disney can seem especially long already. So adding more hours can make a long day even more difficult to manage.
Some things you can do to combat this are taking a break in the middle of the day (head back to your resort to relax for a bit). This is a great idea for two reasons. One, it gives you a much needed break but it also is the busiest time at the parks which means you’ll miss the largest crowds and therefore the longest lines. It’s a win-win!
Another thing you can do is to prep beforehand so you’re ready to handle all the exertion it will take to walk the parks. You will be doing a TON of walking. And most people are simply unprepared to handle it. Especially children. This can lead to crankiness and meltdowns (both from the kids and the parents). But again, because we love helping people prepare for the best trip ever, we have an article that will help you get ready to Walk Around Disney.
One last thing I wanted to mention, was that because the Extended Magic Hours draws the people from the resorts to come for more magic, it also means that once the parks open to everyone, the crowds will be bigger than normal. So if you are not staying at one of the resorts or you don’t want to deal with the larger crowds, you may want to avoid these parks when they are offering EMH.
So that’s what we’ve got for you. Hope you found this informative. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below. As always, we’re here to help you and we love to hear from you!
If you enjoyed this article about Disney’s Extended Magic Hours, be sure to also check out our other great Disney content. We’ve got lots of videos up on our YouTube channel Dole Whip and Castle. We also have lots of great info on our other pages here on our website. We’ve got Tips and Tricks for visiting the parks. Treats and Eats for all things tasty at Disney, and Magical Homents where we show you how to bring the Disney magic home!