When to split my split stay--an Extra Evening Hours question

[woodys_girl]

For some time now I've been (pre)planning a trip for spring of 2025. We have visited in mid/late April a couple of times (both times starting the weekend after Easter) and it is our favorite time to go. We love the weather, the (lack of) crowds, and the Flower and Garden Festival. I was planning to do the same timing for 2025, but found that if I moved my trip a couple of days back, the number of DVC points (we'd be renting) needed for our stay at the Poly drops dramatically. The plan is to make a cash reservation through Disney for the first part of our trip--most likely CBR since we are a family of 5 and love the skyliner--and then rent DVC for the second part of our trip--Poly, because I want to.
Here's where I'm stuck. I was planning on making our Poly check in day on Wednesday so we would get the Extra Evening Hours at MK. But Wednesday night is the last night of the more expensive rate calendar. I'll save you my calculations, but if we were to stay one more night at CBR (and one less night at Poly), paying rack rate at CBR we'd save $270. And we probably would pay less than rack rate, though there are no guarantees. The other thing that is not guaranteed is that there will be MK EEH on that particular Wednesday as they don't release the schedule this far in advance.
So how likely is it that there will actually be MK EEH that Wednesday (how often do they deviate in non-party season)? Is the $270 worth it for one extra night Deluxe (6 nights instead of 5) and the (possibility of) MK EEH? Am I totally over-thinking this?
* For what it's worth, we almost never rope drop and usually shut down the parks. My kids are night owls and we live in mountain time so the late night is particularly appealing to us.

 

[TCRAIG]

I personally LOVE the Deluxe Extra Hours at MK - I can ride everything I want in those hours with no lines.

 

[Counting Stars]

Its a slight gamble, Disney can always change the EEH, but it has been Wednesdays for MK for the last few years. You will likely be okay. I would go ahead because EEH is much cheaper for a family than Disney After Hours tickets.
We just returned and these are a few of my observations: Our experience this late April/early May was that the parks did not seem to have lower crowds. We just left mid-May and the crowds seemed sizable for the time of year. It also seemed that folks who are not staying deluxe were taking lots of time exiting the parks on EEH nights.... And final observation, CM's would ask what hotel you were staying at... they did not check anything. No wristbands were issued. Was kind of disappointing actually.
Also, everything seemed stretched....could have been there were not enough CM's for the number of folks responding to the room discounts. In restaurants there were not enough wait staff, food took a while, pools were all crowded, Disney Springs seemed very high traffic as well.... Be mentally prepared that the shoulder seasons for low crowds seem to be gone. Your mileage may vary.

 

[woodys_girl]

Its a slight gamble, Disney can always change the EEH, but it has been Wednesdays for MK for the last few years. You will likely be okay. I would go ahead because EEH is much cheaper for a family than Disney After Hours tickets.
We just returned and these are a few of my observations: Our experience this late April/early May was that the parks did not seem to have lower crowds. We just left mid-May and the crowds seemed sizable for the time of year. It also seemed that folks who are not staying deluxe were taking lots of time exiting the parks on EEH nights.... And final observation, CM's would ask what hotel you were staying at... they did not check anything. No wristbands were issued. Was kind of disappointing actually.
Also, everything seemed stretched....could have been there were not enough CM's for the number of folks responding to the room discounts. In restaurants there were not enough wait staff, food took a while, pools were all crowded, Disney Springs seemed very high traffic as well.... Be mentally prepared that the shoulder seasons for low crowds seem to be gone. Your mileage may vary.

That's interesting about them checking the hotel by asking. That doesn't sound normal.
I will say that while I wouldn't describe our April trips as having empty parks or anything, it was noticeably less crowded than when we went in July. So I'm hoping that's still the case, but if not, at least the weather will be slightly better.

 

[TCRAIG]

Its a slight gamble, Disney can always change the EEH, but it has been Wednesdays for MK for the last few years. You will likely be okay. I would go ahead because EEH is much cheaper for a family than Disney After Hours tickets.
We just returned and these are a few of my observations: Our experience this late April/early May was that the parks did not seem to have lower crowds. We just left mid-May and the crowds seemed sizable for the time of year. It also seemed that folks who are not staying deluxe were taking lots of time exiting the parks on EEH nights.... And final observation, CM's would ask what hotel you were staying at... they did not check anything. No wristbands were issued. Was kind of disappointing actually.
Also, everything seemed stretched....could have been there were not enough CM's for the number of folks responding to the room discounts. In restaurants there were not enough wait staff, food took a while, pools were all crowded, Disney Springs seemed very high traffic as well.... Be mentally prepared that the shoulder seasons for low crowds seem to be gone. Your mileage may vary.

I had my Magic Band checked as well as being asked which hotel - I think the hotel ask part is just to try and trip up a non-deluxe someone from using an extra magic band or room key from a deluxe guest…

 

[woodys_girl]

I had my Magic Band checked as well as being asked which hotel - I think the hotel ask part is just to try and trip up a non-deluxe someone from using an extra magic band or room key from a deluxe guest…

That makes sense. I guess I never thought about lending out my magic bands.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

My experience of EEH (in early December and mid may) was very different from pp. They check MBs to verify deluxe hotel and we practically walked on most of the rides. It was so nice walking around the parks and not seeing a million people. Those nights are the highlight of our trips. Id take the risk of them switching days because they most likely will not, and I’d pay the extra money. It’s worth it imo.

 

[woodys_girl]

My experience of EEH (in early December and mid may) was very different from pp. They check MBs to verify deluxe hotel and we practically walked on most of the rides. It was so nice walking around the parks and not seeing a million people. Those nights are the highlight of our trips. Id take the risk of them switching days because they most likely will not, and I’d pay the extra money. It’s worth it imo.

Thanks so much for reporting your experience. I feel like they could be the highlight of our trip as well.

 

[Counting Stars]

I had my Magic Band checked as well as being asked which hotel - I think the hotel ask part is just to try and trip up a non-deluxe someone from using an extra magic band or room key from a deluxe guest…

I thought this was so strange, but the CM's never asked to check our bands as a follow up. Perhaps we just look very honest But, as I said, there seemed to be plenty of folks in the parks, more than I recall in the past two or three years.