I'm gonna guess Gilgamesh must be one of the more populated servers. Over here on Zalera, I think yesterday, a Saturday, around noon EST, I got in with a queue of less than 100. That's three digits and not a typo. So, no, definitely don't have to be up "at the crack of dawn EST" to get in. Hells, I've logged in on weekdays after work, probably around 6-7 EST, and still gotten in in less than an hour.

So, I know world visits are a mess and practically closed, especially at prime time. And I know transfers are literally closed. But, this kinda sounds like a problem of sticking with a populated server more than anything. And by your registration date, you've definitely been around long enough to know how that song goes. Long queues are the price you're stuck with for.... whatever it is you lot get out of being on a popular server.