Do you use park hopper is it really worth it?

[Mainahman]

The last 2 trips we have had park hoppers. Is it really worth it now? Or is it better to just make each day a different park and stick to that? Also without park hoppers can you leave one park, go back to the resort to swim and return to that same park that night if you want? Trying to think of ways to change things up for next trip.

 

[eliza61nyc]

We tend to always hop. As a general rule we tend to go during very hot months so that always means going back to our resort and relaxing during the heat of the day.
Afterwards we'll go to our second park. we have never returned to the same park. also Park hopping allows us to make adr's at Epcot which tends to have more of our favorite restaurants.

 

[Schneewittchen]

It's not really worthwhile for my family. We've been to Disney parks 12 times in the last 10 years or so, and we've only bought park hoppers once for Disneyland and we only used it once. It didn't feel worth it in the end, we would have been better off staying in the original park (DCA), as the other (DL) was a mob scene and we didn't get on any actual rides. Everything was all screwed up because I think ABC was filming the Christmas parade and Mariah Carey had things all crazy by IASW.

Anyway, we usually pick a park 6 months in advance when we do the ADRs, regardless of what the extra magic hours end up being. If we don't want to have dinner in that park, we'll have dinner at a nearby resort. And we have a pattern, always go to MK on the first day, EPCOT on the second day, etc. Only do FPs and shows in the afternoon. Mornings are for rides, rides, rides. And we're commandos, naps are for other people. We get there at rope drop and leave when everyone is ready to cry at 9 or 10 pm.

If you like to drift around and aren't focused on a goal (15+ attractions in a day), hoppers might be for you.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

I might add; for the upcoming trip we opted to add the 'Hopper option because we're (again) staying at the Swan... Which of course is a very short walk from Epcot. The thought is, we can hit Epcot regardless of what park we were at during the day with the DD for dinner or get a few extra hours in after we've "gone home" for the day. Bonus, the first two nights of our trip, both MK and Epcot have EMH, so I'll be heading back after DD is snoozin'.

 

[Mainahman]

It's not really worthwhile for my family. We've been to Disney parks 12 times in the last 10 years or so, and we've only bought park hoppers once for Disneyland and we only used it once. It didn't feel worth it in the end, we would have been better off staying in the original park (DCA), as the other (DL) was a mob scene and we didn't get on any actual rides. Everything was all screwed up because I think ABC was filming the Christmas parade and Mariah Carey had things all crazy by IASW.

Anyway, we usually pick a park 6 months in advance when we do the ADRs, regardless of what the extra magic hours end up being. If we don't want to have dinner in that park, we'll have dinner at a nearby resort. And we have a pattern, always go to MK on the first day, EPCOT on the second day, etc. Only do FPs and shows in the afternoon. Mornings are for rides, rides, rides. And we're commandos, naps are for other people. We get there at rope drop and leave when everyone is ready to cry at 9 or 10 pm.

If you like to drift around and aren't focused on a goal (15+ attractions in a day), hoppers might be for you.

Sounds like me! Rope drop until they are dragging me out kicking and screaming. I may just keep park hopper, but cut one day out for a mid week non park day to recharge our batteries. Im known to hit Animal kingdom early for Everest, then head to Hollywood, then mabye a boat to EPCOT.

 

[nolatron]

About 9 years ago before the kids, we used get park hoppers every trip as the DW and I always liked to have dinner at Epcot a few nights. Plus DHS and AK were pretty much done in the same day then for us. With the kids and with all the added expenses for them, we don't get the park hopper anymore as a cost saving measure. We got used to it and don't miss it really anymore these days.

 

[mickeypaparazis]

depends how you want to spend ur time? i feel a hopper is great, but i can run thru parks and hit all 4 n a day. but there is times where we have more people and want to spend more time n 1 park. i tell people this buy a regular tix, and u can upgrade it later. so u can hit MK and maybe EPCOT and spend a day each. then for now DHS is only a half day park. Then AK u can make a have day park or full day. hope this helps

 

[BraveGirl]

About 9 years ago before the kids, we used get park hoppers every trip as the DW and I always liked to have dinner at Epcot a few nights. Plus DHS and AK were pretty much done in the same day then for us. With the kids and with all the added expenses for them, we don't get the park hopper anymore as a cost saving measure. We got used to it and don't miss it really anymore these days.

Literally the exact same situation for us.

 

[MickeyMomV]

We hop most every day we are in the park. We rarely end in the same park that we started the day in.

 

[JIMINYCR]

We always get them and always utilize them. For us it gives us the freedom to change things up and have a variety in our day. We dine in parks different than what we start off in. And theres the luxury of moving onto a different park if the crowds become unbearable in our first choice. Sometimes its being spontaneous to decide at the last minute to watch the fireworks at another park. We budget for it and do get our moneys worth out of them.

 

[Mainahman]

I think long run we will keep them, and see how it goes. Now the dining plan on the other hand, thats where the next discussion begins.

 

[slipperalwaysfits]

We don't have kids but we love the flexibility that the park hopper gives us! When we went in October, we were able to get a NRJ fp in AK for one day and FoP fp for another day. Having park hopper allowed us to go in, do the fast passes and go to the Food and Wine fest at Epcot! We just factor it in to our expense and cut corners in other ways!

 

[DarthVader]

I've gone both ways on park hoppers. I think if you can plan your itinerary without park hopping, you'll save some good money. I found the last trip that park hopping was a nice addition and provided a level of freedom and flexibility. For instance we can still visit MK but have dinner reservations at HS. If I played my cards right and/or skipped certain restaraunts, we could have done without park hopping this year but my family had a short list of must have restaruants and we just couldn't make the park visits work without park hopping this time around

 

[COrunner]

The last 2 trips we have had park hoppers. Is it really worth it now? Or is it better to just make each day a different park and stick to that? Also without park hoppers can you leave one park, go back to the resort to swim and return to that same park that night if you want? Trying to think of ways to change things up for next trip.

I concur with the value being mostly personal. 2 of the last 3 trips we've done have been on single day tickets, with the caveat that one day we had MNSSHP so you in essence got MK in the evening. Doing that has been well because you pick a park, spend time there then go and relax at the pool and head to DS for dinner and people watching. Also we stay close to MK or Epcot so you get nightly fireworks too which is another perk.

 

[mmelka]

My wife and I have always chosen the park hopper option. The cost to us is worth the ease of being able to switch parks midday. We also love visiting EP several times throughout the trip, even if its just going in for food/drinks, then back to another park or ending the evening at EP. I mostly just like the option if we conquered a park early, or if we found ourselves feeling overcrowded at one to switch parks has helped a lot.

 

[Disney Hound]

We come from the UK and use the park hopper pretty much every day during our vacation! We go out and do fast passes in the morning and then tend to use Epcot for dinner/drinking in the evening!

Depending on where you are staying, Epcot is also a very convenient walk through from park to resorts vice versa!

 

[Jaxal]

we Opt for the annual pass with hopper because we may hit the MK at rope drop and go back to the Beach Club for a swim and hit Epcot for dinner.

 

[daringstoic]

It depends on the trip for me. I did a 5-day trip without hopper for the first time in 2016 and after so many years either with hopper or as a CM, it felt very restrictive but I lived with it because I had a full day for each park. For a longer trip, I'd save the money and spend it on a bigger meal or an extra day of tickets. I just got back from a super short weekend trip where we only had two days though and we did park hopper. I knew I wanted to see the new(ish) MK fireworks, Flower and Garden at Epcot, and Pandora at DAK so with only two days...the park hopper option was the only way. I'm currently planning another long weekend trip for the fall and I think we're going to go with the hopper option again because of time constraints and the fact that my family who hasn't been in 4 years will want to see the new stuff at every park.

 

[Darth_Wes]

Like many have said, it depends on the situation. We are annual pass-holders, so our passes are automatically loaded with hopper privileges. Many times, we'll spend most of the day at one park and then go see fireworks or a show at another. If you're going to be there for multiple days, you can do without it and just visit a park each day.

 

[carnini]

I use to use the hop a bunch of times when it was me and my spouse. Now with younger kids we dont buy the hopper. There are times where it would be nice to hop over to say Epcot for dinner but we weigh that vs a more relaxed vacation. We go off season though.

 

[Bpmorley]

We always had it with our AP's. If we ever buy regular tickets again(highly unlikely), we probably will skip the hopper option.