Another park hopper question

[WaterLinds]

i know, I know, this is not original thread. But every set of circumstances and every trip is different, so if you’ll all indulge me in a WWYD thread I’d appreciate hearing more perspectives!

Last two trips we got PH tickets. First trip we hopped a few times, we were staying at Poly and it was easy to take the monorail to Epcot for dinner or hop back to MK for a few evening rides, etc. Last year we were at POFQ but had a rental car so I figured we might still hope after our afternoon breaks—but most days we were too tired (toddler was recovering from flu when we left on our trip) and didn’t go back to the parks at all, the days we did we had plans/reservations that happened to be in the same park. So the hoppers were a waste.

This year we’re headed back to POFQ but not planning to rent a car, so will be relying on buses. We also have a longer stay (7 nights, staying in Orlando after we move off site too. I’m leaning towards 7 day tickets...I started at 5 but then the increase is so minimal I figured why not). It will be March 5-12, so a few days of lower season crowds and then a few of spring break.

Our touring style will still likely be RD/EMH and then head back to the hotel early afternoon for a few hours. Then at least some days return to a park for the evening. I’m thinking the days we do EMH in the morning we might want to head to a different park in the evening. But we could always just make the EMH mornings days where we don’t head back to a park at all if we don’t have hoppers.

We’re talking a difference of $330 total for our group, which is obviously significant but pales in comparison to the overall cost of this trip. I’m inclined to get the hoppers just in case, but feeling a bit burned by having not used them last year!

 

[Pmlocke]

Your touring style is much like mine. Park in the morning, back to the resort for pool time and rest, park in the evening for dinner and fireworks and fun. The one thing we do is we NEVER go to the same park in the evening that we were at in the morning. It really breaks things up and we feel it is much more fun. We have always gotten the PH and I can't ever think of going without them. We are back in152 days.

 

[rwdavis2]

Buy them only when you need them. You can add park hopping any time during the trip.

 

[gharter]

Another vote to buy regular tickets. If during the trip you decide you want to hop, upgrade then and only pay the difference.

 

[SanderMC]

I agree with rwdavis2. Hold off on the hoppers. If you decide you want them during the trip then add them. That way you know you aren't wasting money but also know that you could hop if you want to.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Keeping in mind that an upgrade after the new ticketing system is in place may cost you even more, I think you are wise to make your decision now. I struggled with a similar dilemma. We bought park hoppers several times and were always too tired to use them. There's just so much to do in each park that hopping wasn't necessary for us. But we stay offsite, so it's more effort to go back to the parks at night.

Have you done any test touring plans to see what you want to do and how long it will take you? That might help you to decide whether you need the hoppers or not.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I'd go without at least until you get there and then if you want to add it then go for it.
Looking at your touring style though I'd say base tickets are the better option for you.
It seems like you're unsure of if you will even return to a park after you arrive back at your resort so PH would be a huge money waster if you don't even go to another park in the evening.
You might as well return to the same park in the evening when you do return to a park.
Also its my experience that the Port Orleans buses are not super efficient so its gonna take quite some time to get back to your resort and then back to a park.
If you were headed from park to park without the several hour break PH would be a good deal.

 

[WaterLinds]

Oh, I should have added that we’re buying the Canadian resident ticket deal. So I think if we wanted to add hoppers once we arrive we would also have to pay the price difference between those and regular tickets, so that’s a lot more. My understanding is the Canadian tickets can’t be easily upgraded/modified on site, so whatever we buy in advance is what we’re going to have.

But thanks for that suggestion, in general that’s a good tip!

 

[WaterLinds]

I'd go without at least until you get there and then if you want to add it then go for it.
Looking at your touring style though I'd say base tickets are the better option for you.
It seems like you're unsure of if you will even return to a park after you arrive back at your resort so PH would be a huge money waster if you don't even go to another park in the evening.
You might as well return to the same park in the evening when you do return to a park.
Also its my experience that the Port Orleans buses are not super efficient so its gonna take quite some time to get back to your resort and then back to a park.
If you were headed from park to park without the several hour break PH would be a good deal.

We were really impressed with the POFQ buses last year, but I know it can be luck of the draw.

We will definitely head back to parks a few nights—planning to see Fantasmic, probably HEA again, and maybe Pandora at night again. Possibly a world showcase dinner. (We made it back two nights last time, with a longer stay and hopefully no flu we should be able to do 3 I hope!) But yes, we could likely schedule those the same nights we are doing those particular parks anyway.

 

[WaterLinds]

Keeping in mind that an upgrade after the new ticketing system is in place may cost you even more, I think you are wise to make your decision now. I struggled with a similar dilemma. We bought park hoppers several times and were always too tired to use them. There's just so much to do in each park that hopping wasn't necessary for us. But we stay offsite, so it's more effort to go back to the parks at night.

Have you done any test touring plans to see what you want to do and how long it will take you? That might help you to decide whether you need the hoppers or not.

I have played with TP and assuming decent fast passes (should be doable) we can supposedly cover our basics with daytime breaks and five days worth of tickets, returning to the same parks in the evenings. I found last year that things mostly took us way longer than TP’s estimate (navigating the parks with grandparents and kids is unpredictable for sure), but if we have 7 Park days we should definitely get through everything on our list either way.

I’d say PH aren’t a necessity for us, the question I have to decide is whether we’d enjoy ourselves more with them. If we’re at a park and it’s getting crazy crowded, will we want the ability to say “hey, lets go somewhere else tonight, this is insane” (AK for us last time–they extended Park hours midday because it was so bonkers, after having extended them twice already in the weeks leading up to it, and it was hard to move around at all. But we had done a RoL dining package so going to another park didn’t make sense!). Or will we decide we want to stick to our plans, especially if we have things booked like FPs or dessert parties, etc.? With the full 7 days we have more room to be spontaneous than on our last trip, though...

No one else in my family wants to give me an opinion!

 

[FigmentSpark]

I have played with TP and assuming decent fast passes (should be doable) we can supposedly cover our basics with daytime breaks and five days worth of tickets, returning to the same parks in the evenings. I found last year that things mostly took us way longer than TP’s estimate (navigating the parks with grandparents and kids is unpredictable for sure), but if we have 7 Park days we should definitely get through everything on our list either way.

I’d say PH aren’t a necessity for us, the question I have to decide is whether we’d enjoy ourselves more with them. If we’re at a park and it’s getting crazy crowded, will we want the ability to say “hey, lets go somewhere else tonight, this is insane” (AK for us last time–they extended Park hours midday because it was so bonkers, after having extended them twice already in the weeks leading up to it, and it was hard to move around at all. But we had done a RoL dining package so going to another park didn’t make sense!). Or will we decide we want to stick to our plans, especially if we have things booked like FPs or dessert parties, etc.? With the full 7 days we have more room to be spontaneous than on our last trip, though...

No one else in my family wants to give me an opinion!

You've turned your walking speed down on your plans, right? That should help with making plans that are more workable.



You mentioned 7 days to do 4 parks. Is it possible that once you've gone through all the parks once, you'll maybe want to just revisit a few things on days 5, 6, and 7? If so, those park hoppers might come in handy. Or some people will do half MK in the morning, then pool time in the aft and, say DHS for dinner and Fantasmic in the evening. Then another day of the other half of MK. If you can see yourself using your tickets in that way, spend the money.

But be honest with yourself. I struggled with this yesterday before finally get tickets with no hoppers. As much as I'd love to do evening visits, even once or twice, I know my DH. Once he's out of the park, he's not going back. He will be too exhausted from the day for that and if I could get him out, it better mean a break the next day, because he won't want to do RD the following morning.

So if you are only hoping your family will do things differently, but you know deep down, they like the way you've toured before, don't waste your money. If you think making some changes and having that flexibility (in which case, do it at least once, so you get some value) are a possibility, AND you can afford it, then go for the PH.

BTW, do you have CAA? They have small discount. My CAA gave me a great FX rate when I bought yesterday. I don't know if she made a mistake or if that's the rate they use, but if you have the membership, it's worth a call to price out their tickets and ask what exchange rate they'll use, or at least what your final cost will be.

 

[WaterLinds]

You've turned your walking speed down on your plans, right? That should help with making plans that are more workable.

View attachment 354234

You mentioned 7 days to do 4 parks. Is it possible that once you've gone through all the parks once, you'll maybe want to just revisit a few things on days 5, 6, and 7? If so, those park hoppers might come in handy. Or some people will do half MK in the morning, then pool time in the aft and, say DHS for dinner and Fantasmic in the evening. Then another day of the other half of MK. If you can see yourself using your tickets in that way, spend the money.

But be honest with yourself. I struggled with this yesterday before finally get tickets with no hoppers. As much as I'd love to do evening visits, even once or twice, I know my DH. Once he's out of the park, he's not going back. He will be too exhausted from the day for that and if I could get him out, it better mean a break the next day, because he won't want to do RD the following morning.

So if you are only hoping your family will do things differently, but you know deep down, they like the way you've toured before, don't waste your money. If you think making some changes and having that flexibility (in which case, do it at least once, so you get some value) are a possibility, AND you can afford it, then go for the PH.

BTW, do you have CAA? They have small discount. My CAA gave me a great FX rate when I bought yesterday. I don't know if she made a mistake or if that's the rate they use, but if you have the membership, it's worth a call to price out their tickets and ask what exchange rate they'll use, or at least what your final cost will be.

We’ll definitely make it back for a few evenings, at least some of us—the older kid has his heart set on fireworks and really loves RoL, so I know we’ll do it a few times. Just a matter of whether we want to mix up the parks or not, I guess!

I do have CAA. I hadn’t expected a better price than the Canadian resident ticket deal anywhere, I’ll have to give them a call and see! Thanks for the tip.

 

[FigmentSpark]

My 4 day Basic was USD1346.16, converted (yesterday) to CAD 1741.24 and then they subtracted the member discount of CAD 52.24 for a total of CAD 1689.00.

If I'd bought from Disney, I would have paid the USD1346.16 (1264.00+82.16 tax) and then, using Mastercard's exchange rate for last night + 2.5% FX (assuming my transaction cleared last night) I would have been billed CAD 1789.85. So, I did very well going to the CAA.

 

[WaterLinds]

My 4 day Basic was USD1346.16, converted (yesterday) to CAD 1741.24 and then they subtracted the member discount of CAD 52.24 for a total of CAD 1689.00.

If I'd bought from Disney, I would have paid the USD1346.16 (1264.00+82.16 tax) and then, using Mastercard's exchange rate for last night + 2.5% FX (assuming my transaction cleared last night) I would have been billed CAD 1789.85. So, I did very well going to the CAA.

Oh nice, so it sounds like they can access the Canadian resident pricing and then take the CAA discount off of that, plus a better exchange rate! I will definitely price it out that way then.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Oh nice, so it sounds like they can access the Canadian resident pricing and then take the CAA discount off of that, plus a better exchange rate! I will definitely price it out that way then.

It's worth the phone call, for sure.