Stephanie,
Great question!
Park hours are just what they sound like. They are the standard hours that a park is open on a given day.
Extra Magic Hours are a special perk that Disney has created for guests of their resort hotels. If you are staying at one of their owned properties you can use these Extra Magic Hours. That means that on most days there will be either a park that opens to these resort guests an hour early. Or there is a park that is open for evening Extra Magic Hours. In either case, only the Disney resort guests may be in the park, typically meaning smaller crowds and shorter lines. And in general, more time in the parks.
FYI, there are days where there will be more than one park with Extra Magic Hours. To figure out what parks have what Extra Magic Hours when you are visiting, just go to the Walt Disney World site and follow these instructions;
- Click on “Parks” in the top menu
- Select your park
- Click on “Calendar” in the left menu
- Select the month above and to the right of the calendar
- You can now see daily schedules, including Extra Magic Hours
As for being a group of 3, don't worry. Some rides (like
Peter Pan's Flight) are ideal for three across in a ride vehicle. There will be others that are just best for 2. In those cases you just have to split up a bit. Not ideal, but there is no perfect setting for any family, really.
Stephanie, feel free to write me back with any follow-up questions, or other concerns that you have. You are about to have a great vacation, and I would love to help you feel more at ease with your planning and what you will experience!
Have a magical vacation!