3Day Park Hopper or 4Day Base Ticket

[Il traveler]

We're going to be at the world July 22-25 for a quick trip before our Royal Caribbean cruise. We would have half-day on arrival Wednesday and departure Saturday before we transfer to port hotel to meet extended family. I'm looking for advice on which tickets would be better. This will be our 2nd trip to WDW, the last being in April 2016, and we stayed off-site last time so we did not have hoppers then. Main focus:

HS - Rise of Resistance, Smugglers Run, SDD, TSM, Alien and old favorites RRC, Tower and maybe ST, and jedi training if possible
AK - FoP, Navi, EE, Dinosaur
EP - would love to ride Soarin' and maybe FEA since they weren't open last time

My original plan would be AK on Wed. the 22nd, which is a travel day, and get to AK around 2 or 3 and get FP+ for FoP and EE
Then leave Thursday and Friday for HS, and use the hopper for EP. But I'm worried about getting FP+ for FoP on our first day.
so maybe the 4Day base would be better to give me an extra day to RD AK or EP to ride the headliners there.

We're staying at BCV for the first time and would also like to enjoy the resort.

This was supposed to be a quick little pre-cruise trip but I've got a case of analysis paralysis - any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Robo]

We're going to be at the world July 22-25 for a quick trip before our Royal Caribbean cruise. We would have half-day on arrival Wednesday and departure Saturday before we transfer to port hotel to meet extended family. I'm looking for advice on which tickets would be better. This will be our 2nd trip to WDW, the last being in April 2016, and we stayed off-site last time so we did not have hoppers then. Main focus:

HS - Rise of Resistance, Smugglers Run, SDD, TSM, Alien and old favorites RRC, Tower and maybe ST, and jedi training if possible
AK - FoP, Navi, EE, Dinosaur
EP - would love to ride Soarin' and maybe FEA since they weren't open last time

My original plan would be AK on Wed. the 22nd, which is a travel day, and get to AK around 2 or 3 and get FP+ for FoP and EE
Then leave Thursday and Friday for HS, and use the hopper for EP. But I'm worried about getting FP+ for FoP on our first day.
so maybe the 4Day base would be better to give me an extra day to RD AK or EP to ride the headliners there.

We're staying at BCV for the first time and would also like to enjoy the resort.

This was supposed to be a quick little pre-cruise trip but I've got a case of analysis paralysis - any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

If your aim is to get a Boarding Group for RotR at DHS, you do not want the 4-Day Magic Ticket, as that would only allow you to enter DHS on one single day. (No park can be repeated in those 4 days.)
With a 3-day Hopper, you could start your 2nd day at DHS and try for a RotR Boarding Group.
If you get one, you can stay there -OR- hop to another park until your Boarding Group is called.
If you don't get a RotR Boarding Group on your first DHS morning, you can try again the next day (or upgrade by adding a day and try on your last day.)

 

[skuttle]

I couldn’t get FOP for our first day for our trip this past weekend. We rope dropped it.

we did get a boarding group for RotR pretty easily, thankfully!

 

[MinneTinK]

With a stay at BCV I would always vote hoppers as you can so easily pop in and out of Epcot

 

[Il traveler]

Yes, we will definately have the 4day base or 3day parkhoppers. I almost fell for that 4 day Magic Ticket cheaper price but I caught myself .

I am now contemplating no parks on day of arrival and just enjoy Boardwalk area. Then plan RD for HS for 2 days in a row to give myself best chance to get BG for Rise of Resistance, park hop to Epcot in the afternoon of the 2nd day with hopes of getting afternoon FP+ for Soarin. That leaves our last day for AK which we can RD EEMH at 8, and may have better luck getting FP+ for FoP. The price for 4 day ticket is about the same as 3 day hopper, but 4 day hopper is $290 more.

The price tag of this quick little trip is adding up : (

 

[Robo]

The price for 4 day ticket is about the same as 3 day hopper, but 4 day hopper is $290 more.

The consideration is that with a standard ticket, you can decide during the trip if you want/need to add Hopping and/or an extra day. If things are going well, you may not need to add anything, but if you need some more time at various parks, you can upgrade, on-the-spot, and keep on having fun!

 

[Il traveler]

The consideration is that with a standard ticket, you can decide during the trip if you want/need to add Hopping and/or an extra day. If things are going well, you may not need to add anything, but if you need some more time at various parks, you can upgrade, on-the-spot, and keep on having fun!

I saw your pinned post about ticket upgrades too!
Thanks everyone!