2 day or 3 day park hopper advice needed

[moniqueand2]

Ok, I'm getting more into my planning. Here is my situation:

I am attending a conference and have booked a room for 3 nights at the Sheraton Park hotel. I'm taking my 2 kids ages 7 and 10. My sister and BIL are flying in and staying with us as well.

I arrive on a Friday around noon. Original plan was to go to the hotel, swim and go to Downtown Disney, have dinner, shop etc. No DL that Friday.

Then all of us would go to DL at park opening on Saturday. Or at least the kids and I. Sister and BIL can get a later start if they want. My plan is to spend the entire day and evening at DL that Saturday. Seriously willing to stay until close to park close.

Then on Sunday, I attend the conference and sister and BIL take the kids back to DL. Then they have to go back home on Sunday evening. Therefore, they will leave the park and meet up with me around 5:00 pm.

On Monday I will take the kids to DCA for the entire day. Park opening to perhaps 7:00 pm. We get on a plane at 10:30 pm.

So, after reading all of this I am wondering.

1) Should I go ahead and buy 3 day park hoppers for myself and the kids? I wasn't planning on going to DL on Sunday but maybe I'd like to have that option for the evening?
OR
2)Should I buy the kids 3 day park hoppers only. Buying myself a 1 day for DL and a 1 day for DCA?

Or any other ideas?

Thanks for reading this long post.

 

[mad hatter fan]

I always go for more Disney! LOL! Also factor in that you can get a early entry with 3 day passes. When are you going?

 

[moniqueand2]

I am actually going very soon. Arriving on June 22 and leaving the evening of June 25th. Looks like the 22nd is a grad night so I will avoid going to DL on that day.

I live in Michigan and most people from here to go World in FL, I've never been. But I was under the impression that DL was so much smaller it would take up a lot less time to tour. Now I'm reading and finding that devoting more time to DL is likely needed. So I began to rethink going taking the kids back to DL on Sunday evening, after I've attended some meetings. I had been thinking they would be too tired to go back. But what if they are bored at the hotel pool instead?

I couldn't go in on my sister's ticket could I? She would have taken then in the day and is leaving that evening.

 

[rramstad]

Tickets can't be transferred, at least not legally.

Magic morning is a huge benefit. If it is offered at DL during your trip, it is probably worth spending a little more and getting a 3 day hopper, which includes one magic morning.

I might add that if you get two one day single park tickets, you will not be able to hop with your kids -- and hopping might be very helpful, if you want to try to do some of the DCA attractions and then leave when it gets too nutso over there.

There's certainly plenty to see and do over three days, especially if you are spending some of each day out of the parks. (The middle of the day can be a huge crushing crowd, depending, and it's a great time to go to DTD, or swim in the hotel pool, and decompress, save your energy for the evening when the crowds begin to thin out...)

 

[mad hatter fan]

You will be there a week after Carsland and the new Buena Vista street opens. It will most likely be crazy busy. Knowing that, I would definitely go for the 3 day tickets. That one early entry into DL could be priceless. You could do all of Fantasyland in that hour easy. Getawaytoday still has tickets at the old price if you buy them by June 9th.

 

[moniqueand2]

Thank you for the June 9th tip.

Anyone think I should skip DCA due to the crowds?

 

[ldymcbth]

We are in a similar situation and are opting for 3 day hoppers. My logic is that a) we get a magic morning, which will be a big deal with carsland opening and b) the hopper option will be handy in case one park is just unmanageable crowd-wise. We are going to use one day just to go in in the evening and goof around a bit. If we get a ride or two checked off the list, great. If not, we can at least get the lay of the land.

It will cost us about $350 extra bucks to do that, but since Disneyland is way across the country for us and we will likely not be back soon, we will make it work. Honestly, the magic morning thing is huge to us.

 

[nikkislaght]

When you leave the parks you will get your hand stamped.. so unless you have the stamp when returning with your SIL ticket you wont be allowed in.. they will know that she had used the ticket earlier in the day.. although you may still have part of your stamp from the day before.. I dont know if I would be willing to chance it .. maybe someone else have done this and has some ideas..

 

[moniqueand2]

Thanks again everyone. I'll forget about trying to get on on another's ticket in the evening. I am glad I asked because having never been I wasn't understanding how the ticketing/returning worked and how people manage to leave the park and return later.

I think MM sounds great, especially since we'll be operating on EST and waking early when in California.

 

[DisneytheKid]

Another vote for the three day PH! Have a great trip!

 

[moniqueand2]

Ok, I think I'm going to go ahead and buy from GetAwayTodayVacations. Thanks for the tip Mad Hatter Fan.

Plan to use my MM on Saturday, the 22nd as that is my big park day. I'm going to be a more casual park goer on Sunday and do DCA on Monday.

Question: When I order the tickets, looks like I get a confirmation to redeem in person, per the message TICKETS ARE SET UP ELECTRONICALLY. GO TO ANY TICKET BOOTH AND SHOW PHOTO I.D. TO GET TICKETS.

Can I go get the tickets from a booth on Friday? I don't want to waste time picking up tickets on Saturday morning, because I want to be in line for my MM and ready to go!