4 day or 5 day hopper passes

[dorisdvu]

Advice please. We (me, DN, her husband & 2 kids 7,4) are going on our first trip in March. March 21-26 (Dolphin) 26-28 (US Portofino). I have already purchased 5 consecutive day passes (the MasterCard deal) for US/IOA. I'm unsure of the time of arrival on Sunday the 21st, since I'm flying (haven't booked flight yet) and the others are driving. I'm guessing somewhere around noon. We hadn't planned to go to any of the parks that day (Sunday). We thought we would look around and maybe do Disney Quest and Hoop Dee Doo. I don't think it is going to be warm enough to do any water parks. I was going to get 4 day hoppers using it Mon-Thur., since I have 5 days for US/IOA. I'm now thinking that maybe I should get 5 day hoppers just in case we want to go Friday (DN daughter birthday is that day). I know we could get a birthday pin earlier (maybe Thursday). I also know that the Disney passes don't expire, but I'm really not sure when or if we'll be able to go back. What should I do?

 

[DisneyObsessed]

We were just making this decision the other day for ourselves. We ended up getting the 5 day. It really isn't that much more $ in the grand scheme of things, and hey, if you don't use it, you get to plan another trip. But at least you'd have it in case you do want to go that last day. Better safe than sorry

 

[mad4themouse]

Since it is possible to upgrade your Disney passes, why not purchase the 4-day PHs now and decide once you're in WDW? As long as you have at least one day remaining on the 4-day PH's you will be able to upgrade to the 5-day PH by paying the difference.

By doing it this way, you will be better able to gauge whether you need or want that 5th day. And you won't be stuck with a lot of Park Hoppers with a single day left on them if you decide that 4 days is enough.

 

[dorisdvu]

Thanks for the info. When upgrading how is the price figured?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

My boyfriend and I are going in Feb and had this choice to make as well. We'll be in Orlando from Saturday to the following Monday, so about 10 days (early flight arrival/late flight leaving). We knew we wanted to spend the last three days at Universal , one day at SeaWorld and at least one day doing recreational things like horseback riding and boating. We are arriving at about noon on our arrival day and it's a saturday so the MK should be open a bit later and we are the sort of people who can't wait to see the castle. So even though we'll only get 1/2 day at MK with our pass that day, it's worth it to us to feel the magic of walking up to the castle shortly after getting off the plane.
That will be 2/21. Then 2/2 will be at Epcot, 2/23 at AK and 2/24 at MGM. On 2/25 we're going back for a full day at MK.
I suppose we could have gotten a 6 day pass but on the next day we plan to go to Fort Wilderness and ride/boat.

So my advice is, for the tiny bit of extra money, go with the 5 day pass. I think you'll be glad you did, to have one day left to go back to whichever park/rides you missed, or want seconds on.

Esp. if you have children. We don't. But I've gone with children before.