MaxPete - The automatics must be disengaged at 140 feet when coupled to an ILS, 300 feet for a NPA. It is not SOPs to use A/T without the A/P, its all or nothing - you would not remember to disengage the A/T at 140' if hand flying.
The 737 is not as advanced as the fokker and when you press TOGA with the A/T disengaged you do not get A/T, only pitch commands from the F/D - you have to manually advance the thrust levers. It's difficult to find the right thrust setting initially in a high workload situation, and I suspect many put on more than the A/T 1st press of TOGA, just to be sure, so making things happen faster.
I like to be hand flying by 1500' if possible, to get a feel for it, and it would enable people to hand fly earlier, knowing you haven't lost anything for the G/A.