Have there been any issues park hopping with the new reservation system. I’m going to Disney for Feb Break and we enjoy park hopping to break up the day. We have evening dinner reservations in a different park than I am planning morning park reservations. Why offer the park hopping option if it may be an issue?!
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Concerns park hopping
- Thread starter Dchester223
- Start date
Tuvalu
Premium Member
Park hopping has not been an issue except for a few hours on Oct 1 (the official 50th anniversary date).
You must tap in at the park where you have your reservation before hopping to a different park after 2 pm (when hopping begins). No hopping restrictions after 2 and you can hop to as many parks as you’d like until closing.
You must tap in at the park where you have your reservation before hopping to a different park after 2 pm (when hopping begins). No hopping restrictions after 2 and you can hop to as many parks as you’d like until closing.
Trackmaster
Well-Known Member
But the parks that you hop to must have reservations available. Probably won't be an issue if you're using tickets or you're an AP holder with a hotel reservation since those are given preference, but if you're an AP holder without a hotel that day, the reservation might not be available, since it'll be super last minute.
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
Have there been reports of people staying off-property who haven't been able to get into a park they hopped to (barring MK on Oct. 1)? What if there were dining ADRs?
Tuvalu
Premium Member
You don’t need to make a reservation for the park you hop to, only the first park. And you are correct in that “first park” choices may be limited (or non-existent) at the last minute or during peak periods like holiday weeks. But there were no reported problems with park hopping during the super-busy Christmas/New Year’s week that just passed.
When park hopping was reinstated during the pandemic, Disney created a Capacity Line (407-560-5000) for guests to check availability for the park they wished to hop to. This was due to low attendance restrictions which have since been eased. And while the parks are still not at “full capacity” due to staffing shortages, the chances of being denied entry at Park 2 are very slim.
To my knowledge there have been no reports of anyone (on or off property) being prevented from getting into the park they hopped to, with exception of Oct. 1.
I recall reading that if a guest with an ADR at a different park was unable to enter due to capacity, they would not incur the $10/per person no show fee. And anyone with a prepaid reservation would be refunded.
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
Well darn (j/k--was going to try and use this in conjunction with my many other failed attempts to get my "frugal" DH to agree to stay on property this trip). But good to know that our chances of being shut out are low. Thank for the number you provided to check on park status...will definitely come in handy before the trek over to the park we're hopping to.
Trackmaster
Well-Known Member
I mean, this time of the year you won't have any problems even if you're an AP without any hotel connections. I have the Pixie Pass, and I literally don't see any parks sold out, even for today. Although, I can't speak for weekends, so I'm blacked out those days.
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
We plan to be there mid-end of July, so expecting crowds. But hoping mid-day T-storms will clear out some of the crowds, too! DH moved our trip from early June in hopes we will be able to catch GotG (but again, I told him that staying off-site will mix those chances
)!
Prince-1
Well-Known Member
We plan to be there mid-end of July, so expecting crowds. But hoping mid-day T-storms will clear out some of the crowds, too! DH moved our trip from early June in hopes we will be able to catch GotG (but again, I told him that staying off-site will mix those chances
Except for maybe some of the big holidays, Xmas, New Years, July 4th, you shouldn't have any trouble park hopping at all.
Trackmaster
Well-Known Member
We plan to be there mid-end of July, so expecting crowds. But hoping mid-day T-storms will clear out some of the crowds, too! DH moved our trip from early June in hopes we will be able to catch GotG (but again, I told him that staying off-site will mix those chances
I used to say that July wasn't really that bad for Disney (comparatively) -- especially considering the longer hours. But since they removed the blackout dates for the summer on the APs (other than the weekends for the Pixie Pass, and the July of July when applicable) I could see it being worse this year. If you could put your trip off until mid to late August, you'd really get some slow parks.
Djsfantasi
Well-Known Member
The issue that I encountered was NOT park availability.
It was related to Genie+. Often, Lightning Lane wasn’t available until AFTER my dining reservations in the second park. And the standby lines were so long that I could only go on one ride (two on one day) and one dining reservation.
Dining reservations are available 60 days out but Genie+ reservations are only “day of”. So, juggling reservations often are difficult or impossible.
It was related to Genie+. Often, Lightning Lane wasn’t available until AFTER my dining reservations in the second park. And the standby lines were so long that I could only go on one ride (two on one day) and one dining reservation.
Dining reservations are available 60 days out but Genie+ reservations are only “day of”. So, juggling reservations often are difficult or impossible.
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
I'd love to go mid-late Aug. but my youngest starts back to school late Aug. and we generally have so many last minute things to get done for return to school (although, given that it's his jr. year, maybe it would be better to go right before).
NelleBelle
Well-Known Member
That's kinda what I'm expecting. Although we will be using DAS so should help a little with being able to have a couple scheduled each day. Ugh, was always so much easier when my kids were younger and could pull them from school (teachers were fine with it and sent their school work with them) and go anytime of the year we liked.
The requirement to tap in to the first reservation park should be removed by this point. When the program was set up and there were risks not getting into a second park after 2pm, then I can see why they would want people to not make gratuitous reservations. When availability is wide open after 2pm it shouldn't matter whether one went to the first park. If someone wants to skip the first park but paid for hoppers, so be it.
Atlantix2000
New Member
If someone changes their mind over which park they want to go to first, can't they just change their park reservation for the day?
Worldlover71
Well-Known Member
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
Because you might buy something if you have to go to the first park?
We had Hollywood Studios reservations and my wife went in the morning while I stayed at the resort with the kids. We wanted to go to EPCOT that evening and it was not full but we were unable to switch our reservation. It was strange but honestly it was easier to leisurely take the skyliner to HS, tap in, and immediately turned around to go to EPCOT, at least compared to trying to figure out the issue. In all it wasn't a huge deal but seemed unnecessary.
Atlantix2000
New Member
Since your wife did tap into the original park, the system probably assumed or required the rest of you to follow at some point. I wonder if you could have modified the reservations if you did it before your wife tapped in? I guess the other option was change them the night before if you knew this was your plan. From a programmer's perspective, I wonder if the system treats a family as individuals or a group. There's probably pros and cons to both methods.