To Park Hop or not to Park Hop

[RiversideBunny]

We often use the Park Hopper option this way-

Go to the park that has exra magic hours in the morning. Be there at park opening. Do major rides and activities during the extra hours while the crowds are lower then leave about lunch time when the crowds build up.

Good luck.

 

[mickey2008.1]

We always park hop. If one park seems really crowded, will just go to another one, its usually leaving MK midafternoon. Plus it allows us to go see any fireworks show at night, especially now that fantasmic only plays 2-3 times a week when we go in december. I just the freedom it gives us.

 

[gettingsmaller]

I think hopping is overrated, but I also can't make myself "take a break" during the day. If you're going to your hotel for a break, then you've already invested the time it takes to hop. In that situation, hopping works. On the other hand, if you're going open to close with the intent of spending as much time in the parks as you can, hopping is a waste of time and effort. Of course, you could close one park and hop to another with later hours BUT--even for a commando like me--that can get really tiring.

For my money, the best use of that extra cash (assuming you wouldn't use it to stay longer) is to get the water park add-on. That way, you can pseudo-hop from a water park to a theme park, AND you actually get something "extra" (water parks, too, versus just hopping to other theme parks).

 

[WDW 3]

We park hop every single day. We go to one park during the day and hop to whichever park has evening EMHs.

 

[Matt and Kelly]

We always park hop as well. I have no problem staying at one park each day, but it's fun to go out and do different things throughout the day, especially for meals or parades or fireworks.

I don't think I would ever buy passes without the hopper options.

 

[MillerPoppins]

I am actually in your position hwdelian. I have had the park hopper option every single time I have gone down. And generally, I use it once or twice during the whole stay, more if it's a shorter time period.

This coming trip, I'm doing 8 days with a first timer to the World. We discussed it and are going to not do the park hopper this time, and just do three parks twice and one park once. I'm kinda leary about it being that I am a frequent hopper, but we will have to see. :shrug:

 

[PryncessLace]

We hop if it's just the DH & I and don't if our daughter is with us.

 

[_Scar]

If you plan your days right then you won't need to hop (;

 

[bjlc57]

we did not buy the Ph this time.. but we had 8 day pass..

the only, ONLY thing that hurt us was that Fantasmic was only on certain nights.. and it FILLS FAST.. so we could have used a park hopper for that alone..

we were litereally shut out twice in 8 days.. and I mean WITH OVER AN HOUR BEFORE IT BEGAN..

that's would have been the only reason to get a hopper pass.. We had two days in three parks.. One day in AK.. and then we had a float day..

 

[bjlc57]

okay let me ask THIS QUESTION..

You go to WDW.. you buy your eight day pass..

HOWEVER, you bring a pass from another trip with you.. one that still has DAYS on it.. could you use this to "park hop"?

 

[DisneyJoe]

You go to WDW.. you buy your eight day pass..

HOWEVER, you bring a pass from another trip with you.. one that still has DAYS on it.. could you use this to "park hop"?

Yes.

 

[bjlc57]

HHHHMMMMM .. Hhmmm..

 

[noname70]

I have two sets of 10 day tix, one non-expiry hopper, one non-expiry w/o hopping. I'll use the hoppers on days I want to hop, which are not as often.

Overall, hopping is over rated if you factor in travel time. Not so bad if you are staying in an Epcot resort though.

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

If you plan your days right then you won't need to hop (;

Exactly.

 

[Susan Savia]

We love the flexibility of being able to hop. Although we are AP holders, we like to park at Epcot early in the morning and monorail to MK and spend some time there then hop back to Epcot for some evening fun and our car is right there. On days when we visit AK or HS we nearly always hop to another park. Sometimes we will go to AK at opening and go on our 3 favorite rides and check out some shops then leave the park by 11:00 am and hop to another park. Same with HS, we'll go in and go on our favorites, then leave late morning for another park.

 

[DisneyJoe]

If you plan your days right then you won't need to hop (;

What do you do when AK closes at 5pm and DS closes at 7pm? and you still have plenty of energy left?

 

[sloanfreak]

The $204 it cost to add the park hopper for the 4 of us is the best money we spend on our trips.

The park hopper is a must.

 

[rodserling27]

We always get the park hopper, but I rarely use it until I've done a full day at each park....Last time I was there, we did full days at MK, EPCOT, DHS and then AK until 4pm or so. Then the hopping madness began for the rest of the trip I wish you could pay to use the Park Hopper only on certain days. Oh well!

 

[lebeau]

What do you do when AK closes at 5pm and DS closes at 7pm? and you still have plenty of energy left?

DTD? Spend time at the resort? Rest up for your next day?

Lots of things really.

If I suggested parks dusk till dawn every day of our vacation, I'd have a revolt on my hands.

 

[jennc2001]

My family always gets the park hopper option! My oldest son is 5 and his (and the rest of us, for that matter... lol) love MK so on the days that we start off in one of the other parks, we always end back up in MK. Actually, we usually visit more than one park a day regardless of where we start just for some variety and more "magic" But, I will say this....if we were to go through the summer months, we probably wouldn't get the park hopper option because it's always so crowded and the lines are so long and it takes longer to do everything!