Taking the plunge... not hopping during Dec trip... YIKES!!!

[party-of-five]

You can always buy hoppers once you're there if you change your mind.

I agree with this suggestion.

This will be our fourth trip during that time and we never do hoppers and dont need to. The parks do have shorter hours, but that works for us. We get to the park at RD and stay until closing. We don't head back to the resort for a break. We usually find a quiet spot to rest or schedule a TS meal around 5 to take a break. For us, the hassle, of folding up strollers and schlepping kids to another park just isnt worth it. The crowds have never been that bad. With good planning it's just not worth it for us.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[Shell91303]

We are going in Sept with no hopper. It is our first time, so we wont know what we're missing (if we are missing anything).

Our plan is to have some down time some afternoons to relax by the pool, etc.

If we decide next time we need the hopper then we will certainly do it!

I think your plan sounds good!

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

I agree with this suggestion.

This will be our fourth trip during that time and we never do hoppers and dont need to. The parks do have shorter hours, but that works for us. We get to the park at RD and stay until closing. We don't head back to the resort for a break. We usually find a quiet spot to rest or schedule a TS meal around 5 to take a break. For us, the hassle, of folding up strollers and schlepping kids to another park just isnt worth it. The crowds have never been that bad. With good planning it's just not worth it for us.

Enjoy your trip.

This is how I do it as well. My breaks are when I stop for a snack or a lunch. Or a strategically placed sit down "ride" that allows me to get off my feet for a few minutes. I would only consider getting hoppers if I were limited to a few days and I wanted to get everything in. I'm going down for 7 days (I have a 5 day Disney pass and a 2 day Universal so I have enough time to do everything).

 

[ejrj]

Were not doing hoppers either. I just can't justify that extra expense, especially when it is only for a 5 day trip. I told myself will I reduce the amount of fun I will have?? Absolutely not, so I cancelled them!!

I'm the same way. Last time I went it was only my husband and I (well, BF then in '05) and we had hoppers. Made great use of them. This time it's us, our three kids - 4, 2 & 2 and my in-laws. Although the hoppers would make a few things easier - like taking pressure off of seeing O. Lights the first night, I just can't justify the cost against the added value for us on this trip. I just cancelled ours last week.

The hopper/December explanation posted above we're all very valid points but I think I've got a plan with ADRs that we can make work.

 

[3PRINCESSMOM]

We've gone 3 times in December without hoppers. I always go into it knowing I can add them later but never need to.

I think December lends itself very well to touring without hoppers because the weather is mild enough to stay in the parks all day without a break. We try to hit rope drop, stay all day, and by the time parks close we're ready to call it a day.

If we get up and go each morning, and typically don't stay out too late this should work most days for our Dec trip, as well.

Thanks to all for insightful comments/discussion. That's what I needed!

 

[kalc12345]

We have always got hopper passes. We love hopping!! I have never did Disney without hopping.

Well, last December we went on a Disney Cruise and then stopped by WDW for a couple of days. Since we had spent so much on the cruise I decided to not get hopper passes to save a little money. I was worried about not being able to hop but we did fine! We are going back to WDW in about 2 months and have decided to not do hopper passes this time either.

 

[lrigylruc]

I think you hoppers are crazy! I can't imagine wanting to go to 2 parks in one day - sounds stressful. we aren't even going to 2 parks in one trip Both days at MK. But our kids are little, and this is our first trip, so that makes a difference.

 

[WolfpackFan]

For the first time, we will not be getting hoppers for our 7 night December trip. For the two of us, it's over $100 more and the price of tickets has gotten so expensive, we've decided to just forgo the hopper option. Also, we are thinking that by not hopping this will be a much more relaxing trip. We have decided one thing though, because of not hopping we will not be going to HS. HS is our least favorite park and we've never done a full day there, so we can't see wasting a full day's ticket for it. We plan on doing 3 Epcot days, 2 MK days and 2 AK days.

 

[Phatoomch]

We're not doing hoppers this time either

But, I think we'll be good and we are actually looking forward to doing it this way.

All our ADRs are in the chosen park of the day.

Not having hoppers saved us $293 - this money paid for MVMCP

 

[MagicalMawMaw]

Your plan looks great.

We don't hop. Our very first trips to Disney we got hoppers...but only used it once on the last day.

After we wander around in a park most of the day I'd have to hog tie my DH to get him to another park! He'd much rather go to a resort & eat supper or back to our resort & take it easy for a bit.

The only day I'd like to hop is to do HS early & ride TSM then go to AK for the rest of the day. But just that one day doesn't justify the $ to us.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm one who doesn't miss the hopper but we always have a lot to do that doesn't involve the parks and we do that at night. We also like to eat at the resorts.

The parties shouldn't really affect you much particularly if you decide to attend.

 

[loveshak22]

I've always been a dummy and gotten hoppers "just in case" we want to go between parks but we rarely ever do. When we went last year we did not do hoppers and it worked out fine. We're going back in Jan and not doing hoppers...there's so much to plan around each park and the dining plan (an important part of our trip - LOL!)

 

[scrapper2k]

I've always gotten hoppers but am rethinking. We just got back and hoppers for seven people is a chunk of change. We only hopped on two days so now I'm thinking I should try without hoppers and will add them if needed.

 

[safroim]

We also don't do hoppers for a number of reasons. My kids are 4 & 6. They don't even know they can go to more than one park a day. One park a day is more than enough excitement for them. We always go during slower times so crowds aren't much of an issue. The parks close earlier when we're there so instead of leaving midday to take a break we just go from rope-drop to park close. I've also discovered it wastes a lot of time to get from one park to another. Finally, it really allows us to slow down and enjoy our time at each park so much more. We can fully explore each park and discover things we've never experienced on previous trips rather than race around a park hitting the big attractions and then racing to the next park to do the same thing.

 

[kandb]

We never get park hoppers. They are too expensive. For the price we save for hopper, we can go to 2 nice sit down dinners.

 

[Gorechick]

Just got back and boy, was it a learning experience taking kids for the first time. Will probably not get hoppers in the future, just regular tix with water parks and more option.

 

[100%Disney]

I don't plan to buy hoppers for our Dec trip this year, we got them last year and only used them 3 times. I know that the parks will close early some nights and that's fine. We will use those nights to see the holiday decorations at the various hotels, go to DTD, watch the movie at the hotel pool while I do a load of laundry, or go explore AoA. I actually think it will make the trip nicer to not feel the need to squeeze every moment into being at a park.

 

[mommy2taylor]

Do a cost analysis! For my family if 5 to add hopping it costs $285. With free dining it is cheaper to stay and extra day, which is a better bonus than being at the parks from morning to night!

 

[librarygeek]

We almost never hop. We also go during off peak times so crowds have never really been an issue. The past few times we've gone it's been with other people that haven't been to Disney in awhile and wanted to experience a lot, so it seemed to make more sense not to spend time traveling between parks.

As for the parks that close early - I tend to be "go, go go!" so being "forced" to call it an early night can be a blessing in disguise. It's a good chance to try a resort restaurant for dinner, go in the pool/hot tub, or even just spend some time relaxing! My husband isn't a huge fan of my non-stop action attitude on vacation so he is very grateful for the AK days

 

[TandLMommy28]

We don't hop. I like to absorb the atmosphere of one park at a time and really take it all in. There is one day this trip I would like to hop just because of how ADRs worked out but it's not worth $200+ to do it once. If I want to spend another $200, we will go to a second MNSSHP instead. Much more value to me for the money!