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Mom And Daughter; Animal Kingdom
  • On May 20, 2009
    Pat Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    Some of you say to avoid parks on their extra hour days. Why? I thought this is why it was created.

    Hi Pat!

    Thanks for writing.  You're right.  Many frequent Disney visitors (and some of my Panel Pals) support avoiding parks with Extra Magic Hours because they can lead to increased crowds in the parks.  While I don't disagree that, depending upon the time of year, Extra Magic Hours can increase crowds, I think they are super fun and a great way to see and do more in a given day.  Here are some strategies we use to make the most of the extra time.

    If you plan to use Morning Extra Magic Hours, then, in my opinion, it's critical that you are ready to go at the turnstiles a few minutes before opening.  If you enter the park early, you can "hit" many of the select rides open early and then either "hop" to another park (if you  have park hoppers), head back to your resort for a mid-day swim/break, or tackle the attractions that weren't open during the extra hours.

    Evening Extra Magic Hours start increasing crowds in the early afternoon, but during the summer months, having an opportunity to tour the parks for several hours after the sun goes down is a real perk.  We like to have an early dinner and then hit extra evening hours for some fun under the stars.  It's much cooler and lines seem more tolerable when the sun isn't on "full blast" .  Evening hours work well if your kids (like mine) don't have trouble, (and you are ok with) staying up late on vacation.   I would agree that if you don't plan on making use of the Extra Evening Magic Hours, it makes sense to chose a different park on the given day.

    Have a great trip!

    Tanya
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Meet the Panelist: Tanya, New Jersey

I am Tanya from FL, full-time mom to two fun-loving boys. I have an array of planning tips and believe I offer a unique perspective on how to make Disney an amazing adventure for individuals with a variety of needs and abilities. Learn More About Tanya

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