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The Hopper plan
- Thread starter AlanaH
- Start date
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
You can upgrade your tickets at any time to include the Hopper option, either before you go or even when you're in the parks. The cost is dependent on how many days are left on your tickets.
As for "is it worth it" - that depends on you and your touring style. If you can happily do one park a day and kill any time left over in your Resort or DownTown Disney then the Hopper isn't for you. If you want to do EMH in a different park, or Hop after you've done morning EMH then yes, you need the Hopper for total flexibility.
Our UK tickets have the Hopper option built in, so its there should we need it and we don't need to worry about the cost
That said, we only park Hop occasionally, usually after visiting AK
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Sparkle1566
Member
I always do the hopper, just in case.... and, I don't find the cost to be too much more then I am already spending.
It is especially important if you book a lot of dining at the parks, as you need a ticket to get into the park to be able to get to your restaurant .... so it it allows you the flexibility to move back and forth, if you choose ..... you could do MK during the day, go back to your hotel and enjoy the pool for a couple hours in the heat of the afternoon, and dinner at night at Epcot !!!
It is especially important if you book a lot of dining at the parks, as you need a ticket to get into the park to be able to get to your restaurant .... so it it allows you the flexibility to move back and forth, if you choose ..... you could do MK during the day, go back to your hotel and enjoy the pool for a couple hours in the heat of the afternoon, and dinner at night at Epcot !!!
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CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Is that because you WANT to return to that same park, or is it because you're limited without the Hopper and HAVE to return to the same park ??
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BrianV
Well-Known Member
I thought the cost was a flat rate no matter how many days were on the tickets to start or how many were left.
We really value the hopper tickets. I'm not sure we have ever, in our adult lives, only gone to one park in one day (water parks being the exception). That said, we always have used 10 day non-expire tickets, so the hopper fee is divided among 10 days. When you buy a ticket for $650, and extra $60 is small money.
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SAV
Well-Known Member
We have been many times and we don't hop. There is plenty to do in each park that takes up the whole day. Yes, you can run through any park in a couple of hours if you want to, but that's not what we want to do. We go with the plan to stay the whole day and enjoy each park for what it is.
If you are a first timer, then I don't see a need to hop. Everything will be new to you. Slow down in AK to take in all of the shows, exhibits, etc. It will be a full day for you. DHS may be a little tougher to fill in the whole day, but there is a lot to do. We try to do a sit down meal at DHS since the QS offerings are rather bad. Then you end with Fantasmic!
If you are a first timer, then I don't see a need to hop. Everything will be new to you. Slow down in AK to take in all of the shows, exhibits, etc. It will be a full day for you. DHS may be a little tougher to fill in the whole day, but there is a lot to do. We try to do a sit down meal at DHS since the QS offerings are rather bad. Then you end with Fantasmic!
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It kind of depends.If you are happy with one park a day then don't bother with a hopper.However if like us you are wanting to get as much time in as possible then a hopper is essential for that.
For example on one of our days we will be at MGM for well before rope drop (can you say SWW) and then moving over to the Magic Kingdom later in the day as that park doesn't close until 1-2 am.
For example on one of our days we will be at MGM for well before rope drop (can you say SWW) and then moving over to the Magic Kingdom later in the day as that park doesn't close until 1-2 am.
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CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
My bad - its on the UK tickets as I've already said and the Disney website directs me to the UK version where adding it isn't an option - its already there
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Coaster Lover
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I think it really depends on how long you will be there. The first four days of our trip, there was plenty of stuff to do to spend an entire day at each park. Towards the end of the trip, we wanted to make sure we got enough rides on our favorite attractions, so we did mostly half days. The last day of our trip, we actually started the day at Animal Kingdom, then my wife really wanted to go to EPCOT for a last ride on Test Track, so after dinner, we went to EPCOT just for Test Track, then Magic Kingdom Was open until 2 am, so we got to Magic Kingdom around 8:30 and spent the rest of the night there. It was really nice to have that flexibility. It was also nice if there was rain. EPCOT and Studios seem to be the best options when their is rain. Animal Kingdom seems to be the worst option with Magic Kingdom somewhere in the middle. The one day we wanted to start at Animal Kingdom, but it started raining and the radar seemed to indicate the rain wasn't going to let up so we went to Studios and had a good afternoon (then again, such an issue could have been avoided by keeping a better eye on the weather and just go to Studios from the start). Also helps with Animal Kingdom as that park typically closes relatively early. If you have the energy, you can stay at Animal Kingdom until it closes (7 pm usually) then hop to Magic Kingdom which is usually open much later (11 pm, midnight, 1 am... sometimes later). We also wanted to do several meals at places in or near the Magic Kingdom (Be Our Guest, Liberty Tree, Cinderella's Royal Table, Ohana, California Grill) so those times it just made sense to hit one park for the majority of the day, head to those places for dinner, then take the short trip to Magic Kingdom to close the night.
I could really go both ways on the park hopper. It's a nice upgrade which adds a lot of flexibility, but you can certainly enjoy yourself without the option.
I could really go both ways on the park hopper. It's a nice upgrade which adds a lot of flexibility, but you can certainly enjoy yourself without the option.
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rsoxguy
Well-Known Member
I have owned many AP's, and I have park hopped perhaps ten times in my life. Part of this is due to the fact that we usually go for single day trips, but we have gone for multiple day vacations many times. I just prefer to do the day in one park and then go back to the resort room and collapse.
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BigRedDad
Well-Known Member
We have been enough that we don't have to park hop. If we do, we purchase the hoppers when there. It is kind of like buying a car. You buy the car you need, knowing there is a jet engine that you can add later if you ever need it. If you never need it, no reason to pay an extra 15-20% for it. However, if you do need it, you can buy it when necessary.
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Mouse_Trap
Well-Known Member
I think the cost does depend on how many days your tickets are for, but iirc the cost doesn't come down as there are less days remaining. It's the same cost if you add it on the first day or the last day.
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Mouse_Trap
Well-Known Member
I also meant to add.....
I would look at the overall cost and decide if it is worth it for you personally.
For me, generally I have the UK tickets which are 7/14/21 days unlimited with hopper and waterparks included. However, if I don't plan on so many Disney days then I would buy US tickets.
When I have done so, for longer stays I don't generally feel the hopper adds much value. I would look at the additional cost for your party and work out if I felt that offered good value, or if I could better spend that same amount of money elsewhere. For 1-3 day tickets then yeah maybe it can make sense. Not so long back, I only had a 2 day ticket and ended up adding the hopper option, it enabled us to visit all 4 parks on the one trip. If we had a 4-day ticket, I would not have done so.
The water parks and more option however has always struck me as a good value option (not sure about how this has changed with the latest change in ticket options and price increases).
However, I am perfectly happy to have a fullish day at the water park and head out somewhere for a meal in the night.
I would look at the overall cost and decide if it is worth it for you personally.
For me, generally I have the UK tickets which are 7/14/21 days unlimited with hopper and waterparks included. However, if I don't plan on so many Disney days then I would buy US tickets.
When I have done so, for longer stays I don't generally feel the hopper adds much value. I would look at the additional cost for your party and work out if I felt that offered good value, or if I could better spend that same amount of money elsewhere. For 1-3 day tickets then yeah maybe it can make sense. Not so long back, I only had a 2 day ticket and ended up adding the hopper option, it enabled us to visit all 4 parks on the one trip. If we had a 4-day ticket, I would not have done so.
The water parks and more option however has always struck me as a good value option (not sure about how this has changed with the latest change in ticket options and price increases).
However, I am perfectly happy to have a fullish day at the water park and head out somewhere for a meal in the night.
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loriloughs
Member
We have been to Disney many, many times over the past 25 years and stayed on and off property. We have always gotten park hoppers! It is more expensive but gives you much more flexibility. We always went to one park in the morning at opening to ensure we could get on those popular attractions, even with the new FastPass system. We always take a midday break and then go back for fireworks or illuminations. Also, it makes it easier to plan if you have the dining plan or want to do special dinners. You can't always get the exact restaurants you want exactly when you want them. Hoppers work the best for us, but I know many people are fine with one park, one day.
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