Park hopper water parks and more???

[Wade E]

headed to WDW end of March for 7 days with the family and bought 5 day park hopper water parks and more passes. I've gotten different answers even from Disney to this question so I'm going to ask here. If I decide to go to a water park on the first day while waiting to check in does that count against our theme parks tix? We would like to do the water parks the two days we aren't going to the theme parks. Disney site says 5 visits to water parks so please excuse my ignorance. I've been told by CMs on the phone two different things on four occasions now. Some say yes absolutely that's what it is and others say NO all have to be used in the 5 days and a visit to the water park equates to a theme park visit. I just don't want to waste a day if it will take away a day from MK for the granddaughters. TIA

 

[Dan Murphy]

Water park entrances do not count against your 5 days at theme parks. All the admissions , until used up, can be used over your 7 day trip, not limited to 5 days.

 

[courtneybeth]

EDIT: Wrong advice given.

 

[dlavender]

The way I understand it is if you have 5 day tickets, plus the water parks and more, your water park entrances have no bearing on your theme park entrances. You essentially have 5 theme park entrances, and 5 water park entrances. You could go to all 4 parks, then another one on Monday through friday, and then from Saturday through Wednesday go to the water parks. You could get 10 days out of your 5 day pass.

https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/water-park-fun-more/

 

[figmentfan423]

The way I understand it is if you have 5 day tickets, plus the water parks and more, your water park entrances have no bearing on your theme park entrances. You essentially have 5 theme park entrances, and 5 water park entrances. You could go to all 4 parks, then another one on Monday through friday, and then from Saturday through Wednesday go to the water parks. You could get 10 days out of your 5 day pass.

https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/water-park-fun-more/

You have 5 days of theme park visits and 5 "fun" visits. 1 round of mini golf is one fun use, one entrance to a WP is a fun use you can reenter the same WP on the same day. Mini golf is for use before 4 pm All tickets are valid for up to 14 days.

 

[dreamerbaby98]

We were there for 14 nights. We had park tickets for 10 days. We had the water park option and the hoppers. We had access to the 4 parks for 10 days. We also had access to the water park for 10 days. They are separate. It just means you have the same amount of days at water parks as you do the actual park.

So if you bought 5 day park tickets then added the park hoppers with water park option then you have 5 days in the parks and 5 days in the water parks. You can go to the water park on your first day and still have your 5 actual park tickets left. Then you will have 4 water park days left. You can mix and match over your 7 days.

 

[G719]

If I am reading your inquiry correctly: You purchased tickets for 5 days, which means that you have 5 days worth of use --- between the four theme parks and two water parks.

If you use the ticket on the first day, you will not have enough days for the remainder of your trip.

If you wanted to do water parks on the days you're not going to theme parks, you will need 1-2 additional days to make it happen. Theme Park = Water Park in this instance, but the fun thing is that you can do both a theme park and water park in the same day!

This is incorrect.

The way I understand it is if you have 5 day tickets, plus the water parks and more, your water park entrances have no bearing on your theme park entrances. You essentially have 5 theme park entrances, and 5 water park entrances. You could go to all 4 parks, then another one on Monday through friday, and then from Saturday through Wednesday go to the water parks. You could get 10 days out of your 5 day pass.

https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/water-park-fun-more/

This is correct.
You have 5 days of tickets for the 4 major parks- MK, AK, EP, DHS. You also have 5 admissions to water parks (and more!) Going to a Waterpark does not take away 1 of your 5 days of park tickets.
The "and more" part is because the tickets can be used for mini golf and a few other things. Can't remember exactly right now.

 

[Alesia]

If I am reading your inquiry correctly: You purchased tickets for 5 days, which means that you have 5 days worth of use --- between the four theme parks and two water parks.

If you use the ticket on the first day, you will not have enough days for the remainder of your trip.

If you wanted to do water parks on the days you're not going to theme parks, you will need 1-2 additional days to make it happen. Theme Park = Water Park in this instance, but the fun thing is that you can do both a theme park and water park in the same day!


EDIT: I could be completely wrong on this.... I would call Disney and speak with a cast member as they should know more information. I'm an Annual Passholder for this reason - I don't want to deal with ticket drama

You are completely wrong.

Never trust anything you hear from a phone CM.

Here's how it works:
You have 5 major park days and 5 water park entries. They are completely seperate. Over 7 days you could do something like this:
Day 1: Magic Kingdom
Day 2: Typhoon Lagoon
Day 3: Epcot
Day 4: DHS/Mini golf
Day 5: Blizzard beach/Mini golf
Day 6: Animal Kingdom
Day 7: Magic Kingdom
That would use 5 major park days and 4 minor park entries.

 

[Wade E]

Wow!!! Thank you all for the almost immediate responses! The last CM told me what the general consensus is here and didn't understand why I was told differently from othe CMs. Other than they may not have understood my question. As a granddad that's known as Grumpy I don't want the kids to miss out on something because of my ignorance since I haven't been to WDW since epcots opening!

 

[courtneybeth]

This is incorrect.

You are completely wrong.

I figured I was wrong. Thanks for letting me know. It is super confusing!

 

[Alesia]

Wow!!! Thank you all for the almost immediate responses! The last CM told me what the general consensus is here and didn't understand why I was told differently from othe CMs. Other than they may not have understood my question. As a granddad that's known as Grumpy I don't want the kids to miss out on something because of my ignorance since I haven't been to WDW since epcots opening!

Phone CMs are very poorly trained. Seriously, never trust anything they say.

 

[figmentfan423]

Wow!!! Thank you all for the almost immediate responses! The last CM told me what the general consensus is here and didn't understand why I was told differently from othe CMs. Other than they may not have understood my question. As a granddad that's known as Grumpy I don't want the kids to miss out on something because of my ignorance since I haven't been to WDW since epcots opening!

things have changed soooooooooooooo much!!!!! Make dining reservations as soon as you hit your 180 day mark. Not many walk ups for the more popular ones and now they have FP+ where you can book your ride times ahead.

 

[Wade E]

Ok so another question... I'm having the magic bands shipped to me is there something I have to do to activate? Now that I know I can use the water park eliment the day we arrive I plan to drop everyone off at Typhoon Lagoon and then go grocery shopping while we are waiting to check in to our cabin at the Fort. Also will the family be able to take a bus back to the Fort or should I go get them?

 

[G719]

I figured I was wrong. Thanks for letting me know. It is super confusing!

It is hard to keep it all straight. On our first trip I had my mother in law add the hopper so we could do a water park and other park in the same day. Oops. Didn't need to. Hopper is only for the 4 big parks.

 

[G719]

Ok so another question... I'm having the magic bands shipped to me is there something I have to do to activate? Now that I know I can use the water park eliment the day we arrive I plan to drop everyone off at Typhoon Lagoon and then go grocery shopping while we are waiting to check in to our cabin at the Fort. Also will the family be able to take a bus back to the Fort or should I go get them?

You should be good to go. If you do online check in, you may even be able to have your cabin # texted to you. We did in November. They can take the bus. When we were there, though, sometime in the afternoon, they started bussing everyone to epcot and then you catch your resort there. Not sure if that is still the procedure. I think it was after 2.

 

[Wade E]

things have changed soooooooooooooo much!!!!! Make dining reservations as soon as you hit your 180 day mark. Not many walk ups for the more popular ones and now they have FP+ where you can book your ride times ahead.

I've been lurking here for awhile now and thank you for the advice. I set up two character dining experiences already and done the FP reservations already as well. We will be at a cabin at Fort Wilderness with the gdaughters 8 and 2.5 yrs old so we will be doing lunch and dinner most days there to let the younger one nap and the 8yo do homework as we are pulling her out of school for the week.

 

[figmentfan423]

I've been lurking here for awhile now and thank you for the advice. I set up two character dining experiences already and done the FP reservations already as well. We will be at a cabin at Fort Wilderness with the gdaughters 8 and 2.5 yrs old so we will be doing lunch and dinner most days there to let the younger one nap and the 8yo do homework as we are pulling her out of school for the week.

You're welcome. That's a great idea and stay away from Goodlings grocery store it's horrid. To get the most of your day with kids do morning EMH and have a magical time.

 

[Alesia]

Ok so another question... I'm having the magic bands shipped to me is there something I have to do to activate? Now that I know I can use the water park eliment the day we arrive I plan to drop everyone off at Typhoon Lagoon and then go grocery shopping while we are waiting to check in to our cabin at the Fort. Also will the family be able to take a bus back to the Fort or should I go get them?

You can check in as early as 6:00 am. In fact, I think that if you do online check in, you don't even have to stop by the desk at all - they'll text your room number when it's ready.

Your family can go to the water park and ride the bus back, but they'll have to transfer at Epcot if it's after 2:00 pm.

Do your shopping at the Publix at Water Tower Shoppes. Do not go to Goodings.

 

[DSLRuser]

you will start your 14 day clock for you hoppers, but will have no affect on theme park access.

 

[Wade E]

You can check in as early as 6:00 am. In fact, I think that if you do online check in, you don't even have to stop by the desk at all - they'll text your room number when it's ready.

Your family can go to the water park and ride the bus back, but they'll have to transfer at Epcot if it's after 2:00 pm.

Do your shopping at the Publix at Water Tower Shoppes. Do not go to Goodings.

Wow learning a lot here... I already did online check in and requested early check in and also on the text list. I had no idea that it was possible to get in that early! Thanks for the advice about Goodings. Honestly I was thinking Walmart so I could get charcoal and lighter fluid as well as a cheap electric griddle just makes cooking breakfast for 6 easier than a skillet on the stove. I read that there was a Walmart close by I don't mind a little ride though as it will be my last few hours of quiet time alone especially after a plane ride at 6 am with the little ones!