Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Melissa! Your question is a great one, and one my husband asks me a lot! I have tested my theory a few times and have not been disappointed with my late nights in the Parks.
I find that night time Extra Magic Hours are not as busy or hectic as their morning counterparts. When Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Pandora - The World of Avatar had it’s night time
Extra Magic Hours after opening, it was initially more crowded because everyone wanted to experience the glowing beauty of the land, but it’s evened out a bit in the last year. I can never say enough about the uncanny accuracy of Undercover Tourist’s crowd calendar. It’s extremely accurate, with only a few instances I found the crowd to be higher, but never unmanageable. I would go ahead and head to whatever Park it recommends on your Park Days, but don’t be afraid to Park Hop if you need to. If the crowd level is a 4 or lower, I’d say it would be more than okay to visit, even with Extra Magic Hours in the evening.
If I can help you skip the crowds through other measures like Rope Drop, The Kiss Goodnight or even how to make your way around Epcot’s many Festivals like the
International Festival of the Arts, please let me know. Like Figment, I have plenty of imagination! ~ Lindsey P.