WWYD? Park Hopper Tickets or Extra Day at Disney

[VickieMouse]

So please help with me my dilemma....

Our budget is dictating that we can either spend 8 nights at Beach Club with park hoppers or 9 nights with just basic tickets (these two options are about $20 difference). We usually stay value or moderate, but due to the wonderful offer from Magical Vacations we are doing deluxe!!! We have never been a park hopper family as base tickets have worked fine. However.... now that we are staying at BC and so close to Epcot, I am afraid we will be missing out by not having the hoppers.

We have never explored the area near BC, YC, and Boardwalk, so I know we can keep ourselves occupied some evenings doing that, and I am looking forward to it. We would probably eat dinner in that area as well if we got the basic tickets. Are there enough food options available?

If we do get the hoppers we would probably go to Epcot for dinner every night. We love Epcot, World Showcase, and all the dinner options. But, we would also love to stay an extra day for our trip. We would probably plan 1 day at AK, 1 day at HS, 2-3 at MK, and 3-4 at Epcot, so we would be able to hop over there in the evenings 3-4 days anyway.

So please share your opinions and viewpoints and help me make this all important decision!!! This is really a dream to stay in Beach club for us, and probably never will again.

Other info about us: We are traveling in August and will definitely make use of the SAB pool. We have three kids ages 10, 8, and 4. We go to Disney every 2-3 years if that sways your opinion any.

Thanks for your help!

 

[mamalovesdis]

So excited for you!

I would say since you wont be there for another 2-3 years, pick up the extra night . Once you are there, if you feel you want to add park hoppers, you still can. For me, I want more days at Disney!!!

 

[goosedwn]

I would stay one extra night. The pool is awesome! All my kids (11 and 6) wanted to do everyday when we stayed at BC (last 5 or 6 years) was to go to the pool! They can stay all day in the pool area if they were allowed!

 

[lady_hlh]

We didn't have park hoppers when we stayed at BC and I totally regretted it. I was so mad at myself because I was dying to walk in to Epcot at night but couldn't afford to add them on. The next year we stayed at YC and I made sure to get park hoppers. I would never stay at BC/YC/BWI without PHs, when you can walk in to 2 parks it really is a necessity to have them.

 

[Angeejoe]

PARK HOPPER!!!!!

The EPCOT area is absolutely awesome & there's so much to do. We often got up early to go to parks, returned after lunch to BC/YC relax in room or SAB, and headed over to EPCOT in evening for dinner or go over to Hollywood Studios & ride Star Wars over & over to husbands delight during EMH! Also Animal Kingdom doesnt take a whole day, so evenings are free for another park!

If you decide instead for extra day you can always go the Boardwalk in evening & see entertainment acts or watch fireworks. There's quite a few restaurants over there at Boardwalk & in BC/YC. Or go check out other hotels in evening & dine there. BC/YC have movies on beach in evening with marshmallows. We loved swimming in evenings in SAB, it was slower & you can see fireworks from pool.

Is it possible to do 8 days but only 7 day park hopper & just spent 1 at pool & hotel ?

No matter what you decide you will have an awesome time!

 

[disneybliss2]

For us, I'd go with the park hopper. We love the flexibility it provides. I would love the ability to walk easily to Epcot to take full advantage of the proximity. However, we are big fans of the park hopper so that sways my opinion. Since you say your family doesn't typically use them, then you may find you wouldn't them at all. Either way you go, you'll have a wonderful vacation. Glad your family is getting to splurge on the deluxe. Enjoy!

 

[stazmatic]

I don't think park hopping is all that great. A lot of time is wasted in the hopping. If you go to AK one day that leaves you the night to do the activities at the resort. There is usually trivia or games and a movie on the beach. Plus in the middle of August you will want tons of extra time for SAB.

 

[ktaggie]

I vote extra day. As much as I love hoppers in this case I go for more days. Plenty of other things to keep you busy.

 

[kenright]

I think extra day would be best as well. You will be able to find many things to fill the nights. Go check out the Swan and Dolphin they are very impressive with extra dinning options. An extra day at Disney is the best. Have a great time!

 

[Chuckers]

I would opt for the park hoppers.

Granted, I go solo most of the time, but park hoppers gives flexibility. No matter where I have stayed, I've always gone back to the hotel around 3-4 pm to have a little down time and possibly change. From there, I can go to whatever park I want for dinner. Personally, I can do everything I want to do at Epcot in 1/2 a day. So I can do AK in the morning/afternoon. Then hit Epcot for extra magic hours and dinner.

Also, I did 9 days at AKL one year and it was too much. I needed a vacation after I got home. Plus, you're going in August.. one of the busiest months of the year. If you go and find a park is just too crowded, you're stuck at that park for the day.

Just my .02 cents

 

[married2mm]

for all I love to hop- if the choice is extra day or hop- I would go with an extra day every time.

 

[Missytara]

I would opt for park hoppers and spend the extra day lolling around the resort. I think for your location, having the extra added access to water transportation to DHS and Epcot, you would want the option to park hop.

 

[TangledMama]

I vote for the extra day. Especially since you said you don't normally park hop, and it sounds like you'll have plenty of days at Epcot without a hopper.

 

[ChristineNic]

I would go with Park Hoppers. Having the World Showcase so close is just too tempting.

 

[Camno's Mama]

We never do park hoppers. I always opt for more days.

That being said, I have never stayed in the Epcot area. In your case, I would definitely get the hoppers. On your non-park day, you can go to DTD or explore resorts and the boardwalk area. But to be able to get into Epcot and eat dinner and explore whenever you want is priceless. AK closes pretty early and there will be days where you will be ready to stop touring, but might love a quiet night at Epcot eating dinner. I would definitely go with the hoppers for this particular trip.

 

[VickieMouse]

Wow! I guess it is a pretty split decision. I so appreciate all of the comments you have shared. Your responses have really made me think.... now I am even more confused than before. I agree that being so close to World Showcase will be too tempting. That is the only reason I think we would need hoppers.

I will admit that when I posted this I thought the overwhelming majority would say to stay the extra day (which is where I was leaning), but many of you have convinced me that hoppers may be just as important. Please keep your comments coming.

 

[Megsie1000]

If you were somewhere else I would say skip the Hoppers. But if you are a foodie at all and think you want to try all those restaurants I think it would be too much for me to resist getting a hopper.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

Usually I am all about doing whatever you have to to get a longer stay, but since you are already at a decent length trip, and will be in the Epcot area I would say park hoppers.

We always do them and love not feeling locked into a particular park all day. If it is crowded, we leave. If we don't want to stay late for fireworks on the day we got there early, we catch them another night. For us it eliminates having to make a daily decision and stick with it, so eight days of having that benefit would be worth missing out on the extra day, in our opinion.

 

[stargazertechie]

I'd do anything in the budget to have your cake and eat it too in this situation. Having the hoppers is SO convenient, and since you're within footsteps of Epcot, I think they'd be worth it. Plus, with it being in August, you might want to take advantage of a park that has late PM EMHs but not commit yourself to that park all day.

You have 6 months to come up with an additional $300 or so. Is there anything that you can cut from your budget now, or from your trip budget later (perhaps cutting 1 TS meal with 3 "adults" and 2 kids would just about do it?)

Because my father was a plasma recipient, I'll throw in this plug: If you live anywhere near a plasma "donation" center, that's a quick way to make $300 in just over a month, as long as you don't have a fear of needles.


If you *have* to pick one over the other, I'm going to say take the hoppers- quality over quantity EVERY time!

 

[jlsmith376]

Definitely park hopper! It gives you so much more flexibility.