Hi there Jen! It sounds like you are a smart Walt Disney World travel planner looking to get the most out of your time spent touring the parks!
There are really two schools of thought on this one and probably even more suggestions/ ideas on how to maximize the
extra magic hours benefit offered to Disney resort guests. You are correct that many times, the parks opening early or staying open for up to three hours after official closing do sometimes tend to have the higher attendance levels that day. However, if you have the
park hopper option added to your Magic Your Way Ticket or if your plans include a mid-day break when crowd levels tend to be at their highest, I still really think it makes a lot of sense to enjoy the early morning and late evening hours that are only open to Disney resort guests. I can't count the number of times we have had a nearly empty theme park to ourselves because we were willing to get up early or take a nap/ swim and then, return to tour late into the evening.
For some people, the best choice is to visit those parks
not offering this option either because they are not staying onsite at a Disney resort hotel or they do not have the ability with say, small children, to enjoy the benefit to the fullest.
A great
unofficial resource that might aid in making your final decision is www.touringplans.com.
Thanks
for taking the time to visit us at the Walt Disney World Moms Panel and
feel free to send more questions our way in the days leading up to your
trip! May your Disney vacation be practically perfect in every way!