Any secrets to parkhopping?

[3daughters]

Is there a better time, "secret" place to walk from place to place - is park hopping worth it, or should you plan to just stay in the park for the day?

Although I have park hoppers, the only time I really see using them is for the extra evening hours if we have enough stamina to continue after 12 hours... thoughts anyone?

I heard you can walk from MK to Contemporary and from Epcot to MGM, any easy way to get to AK? Is it worth the walks with the others or is the bus or monorail the better way to go?

 

[RobInBigKC]

What time of year are you going? Right now, when AK closes at 5 and Epcot closes at 9:30, that would be one use for a park hopper.

We always get park hoppers when we go and usually hop parks once a day. Usually, it's because we want to do the attractions in one park mostly but want to catch a special food item or one of the night time "fireworks" shows at another park. We've also used them to go back to a park to buy merchandise that we saw earlier in our stay but passed on until we had shopped around some more.

In February 2006, we had the park hopper option on a 6-day stay and only park hopped 1 time so we really wouldn't have missed it.

Last week, we had the park hopper option on a 4-day stay and park hopped 3 times, once each per day for 3 days. On Tuesday, the day most of the family flew in, we did MK only until it closed at 7 and then stayed out of the parks (Epcot was still open) that evening. On Wednesday, we stayed for Fantasmic at MGM then park-hopped to Epcot and road Soarin' twice (without getting off) and still got a good spot for Illuminations. On Thursday, we went to Epcot from 9 to about 2 and then park-hopped to the MK. On Friday, we went to AK from 9 to about 3 and then went back to Epcot for the evening and night time hours.

MK to Epcot (or vice-versa) is a double monorail ride -- from one park to the TTC to the other park.

Any of the other parks is a bus ride from one park to the other.

Like you said, I have seen many posts that says the walk from Epcot to MGM (or vice-versa) is about 25 minutes but they've also usually warned that it's not marked in any way.

-- Rob

 

[Lucky82061]

Yes....

Jump.. really really high... If you don't hop high enough you will never get over those front gates and I will tell you what.. man will it hurt



Ok with that said lol:

The easiest park hop I would say is MK to EPCOT since the monorail connects them, however MGM to EPCOT is also a fairly easy hop via International Gateway in the World Showcase. You can either walk the pathway or take the friendship boats over.

The only time we always use park hopper's are days we he Animal Kingdom. Since it usually closes earlier than the other parks, we leave there then hop over to MK or EPCOT. AK can only be reached via a bus unfortunately.

We usually stay in a park until it closes then hop to another one if it is still open. Sometimes we will hop for a show but rarely do we ever hop twice in a day unless it is EPCOT/MK. It really does depend on when you go however, we usually go in June/July when MK usually stays open until 11pm or 12am and we always end our days there.

 

[oogie boogie]

I like to go to a park a day, then after the 4 days i just jump around from park to park on the 5th day to whatever I missed or a parade I hadn't seen. Worked out great for our trip and gave us the option of not having to worry to much if we didn't get to do something that first day. Or Like u said if u can muster the strength for an evening magic hour.

 

[sandymandr]

how long should I plan to take the monorail from MK to Epcot? details: first week of May, Friday, I have a 6pm Akershus ressie, but we plan to spend the day in MK b/c it is our first day. sorry, i'm a little OT

 

[garris3404]

You will need a tail like Tigger!
We always like to hop from AK to another park (MK or Epcot). We also hop b/w MK and Epcot frequently.

 

[mtemm]

how long should I plan to take the monorail from MK to Epcot? details: first week of May, Friday, I have a 6pm Akershus ressie, but we plan to spend the day in MK b/c it is our first day. sorry, i'm a little OT

I'd probably leave MK at around 4. That should give you plenty of time to take both monorails, enter epcot, and walk to norway. depending on waits for monorail/entrance you may even have extra time to play with when you get there, but personally I prefer that to feeling rushed and late. you can ride the boat in mexico and norway maybe.

as for the original question, we usually hop after an afternoon break. we'll spend the morning in a park, then head to the hotel for naps/swim, then head to a different park afterwards.

 

[The Sweetness]

To rail it from MK to Epcot, you'll take one from the MK to the TTC, and then from the TTC to Epcot, unless I am mistaken. It has been a loooooong time

 

[disnut8]

We always park hop. Over Thanksgiving weekend, we did Magic Kingdom and when that got too crowded, we went over to Epcot via the monorail. On Saturday, we went to MGM and when we were done, walked to Epcot. On Sunday, we went to Animal Kingdom, then back to our hotel, then ended up at Epcot again. We love to park hop because we like to be at Epcot at night, every night.

 

[airtime]

Driving makes it a LOT easier to park hop, especially when you start at AK and then go to another park. I ought to know; our family had a tradition (now fading somewhat) of always visiting all 4 parks on the last day of the trip. It would be a lot harder using the bus.

Tim, who loved the traditional park round-robin, but is finding it harder to make it through it!

 

[Mickiethepooh]

Is there a better time, "secret" place to walk from place to place - is park hopping worth it, or should you plan to just stay in the park for the day?

Although I have park hoppers, the only time I really see using them is for the extra evening hours if we have enough stamina to continue after 12 hours... thoughts anyone?

I heard you can walk from MK to Contemporary and from Epcot to MGM, any easy way to get to AK? Is it worth the walks with the others or is the bus or monorail the better way to go?

You CAN walk from World showcase by way of the INternational gateway and way around past the hotels there to get to MGM, but WHY WOULD YOU? when you can also take a boat from that same International gateway. and save your feet a LOT of walking.
same with contemporary, take the monorail.

as for the person going from MK to WOrld showcase for dinner, Leave no later than 4, take the ferry across from MK to the Transporation center then the Epcot monorail to Epcot, then you still have a good long walk to get though Future world and to World showcase to dinner.

 

[kidd_freeper]

From the time you leave your last attraction until the time you enter the line of the next attraction, hopping takes an hour.

And unlike time in the park, its a time of increased stress. And by itself, its rarely enjoyable (the monorail ride from MK-Epcot being an exception). Hopping also costs about the same as one really nice meal or two standard meals.

We went for 6 days in the parks this past July, didn't hop at all. Didn't miss it one bit.

 

[snowy76]

We find hopping is the best when we leave a park midday, relax at the hotel a bit, and then move on to another park for the evening. For myself just the mental change of pace does me some good -- being in one park all day long, it tires me out just thinking about it!

When you work it around things like EMH, it can be a good way to avoid some peak crowds -- for example, one of our fave strategies is going to a morning EMH park, riding a bunch of rides w/ little wait, then going to another park a few hours later, because inevitably the morning EMH park seems to become the most crowded on a given day.

Also, we've used hopping when the weather hasn;t been too agreeable -- although we wear our ponchos whenever it rains, we'd still rather be in Epcot on a rainy day than AK! Hopping lets us be more flexible. But I also know folks who have a great time every time w/o hopping! I would say, try it once and see if it's any good for you.

 

[RobInBigKC]

You CAN walk from World showcase by way of the INternational gateway and way around past the hotels there to get to MGM, but WHY WOULD YOU?

Maybe I just can't get enough walking in the parks themselves!!!

-- Rob

 

[Walter C]

I went to WDW last month, and park-hopped 7 times with a 4-day pass (5 of those times in 1 day).

I originally planned out with each day devoted to each park, but then I had the urge to park-hop, mainly to MK, since it was my first visit to WDW in 12 years. I was traveling alone, so it was no problem. I probably wouldn't do as much if I was traveling with someone else.

The only time when it took a long time to get from one to another, was when the monorails had some kind of delay.

 

[jensen]

I was just complaining to my husband last night that MK closes early (6:30 PM) on three of our 6 nights next month. I guess that's one way for them to sell more hoppers. We are planning to watch Wishes and then take the monorail to Epcot for dinner and Illuminations. Another reason for a hopper is AK closes at 5:00 pm. If you don't have a hopper you can go to the Boardwalk or DD, but with a hopper you can head to one of the other parks to watch the fireworks.

 

[grumpy.uncle]

Is there a better time, "secret" place to walk from place to place - is park hopping worth it, or should you plan to just stay in the park for the day?

Although I have park hoppers, the only time I really see using them is for the extra evening hours if we have enough stamina to continue after 12 hours... thoughts anyone?

I heard you can walk from MK to Contemporary and from Epcot to MGM, any easy way to get to AK? Is it worth the walks with the others or is the bus or monorail the better way to go?

As some of the previous posters have replied, it's great to have the option to park hop. We stay on property, get up early, and hit the parks first thing in the morning (our last trip, we were the only ones waiting for the monorail in the morning). We hit the park at a quick pace and get in as many rides as possible. When it starts to heat up in the afternoon, we head back to our room to take a break (naps, swimming, a cool shower, lunch). Then we head back out in the evening, normally to a different park. We normally stay at BWV, so it's really nice to take a quick boatride to get to MGM or Epcot. Unfortunately, AKP is a long ways away from everything else, so you either have to bus, drive, or taxi it there. If you are going to AKL for the day, you might consider having dinner afterwards at one of the restaurants at the AKL. Boma consistently gets good reviews here on the DIS. I'm eating there for the first time in January and I hope it's as good as everyone says. Since AKP normally closes earlier than the other parks, many times guests will hit one of the other parks at nite for their fireworks. It's nice to have the option to park hop.

 

[fla4fun]

To the person going to Norway from the MK: You can also take a bus from the MK to one of the Epcot resorts (Beach Club is closest) and walk into World Showcase through the International Gateway. The walking distance is about the same as walking in from the front entrance of Epcot.

As far as park hopping goes, I usually don't do it consciously, but I'll do it by going to one park in the morning, heading back to the resort for a rest, and then maybe I feel like a different park in the evening. This happens especially when I'm staying at the Epcot resorts. I'll head back for a rest, and then Epcot is just so close and is usually open the latest (I typically go in slower seasons), so I somehow end up there.

 

[supersuperwendy]

how long should I plan to take the monorail from MK to Epcot? details: first week of May, Friday, I have a 6pm Akershus ressie, but we plan to spend the day in MK b/c it is our first day. sorry, i'm a little OT

I would leave MK no later than 4:30...just in case!