Advice for Park Hopping Later at Night...Epcot to MK

[Lydia S]

We're heading in for a quick 1 day trip on Saturday, Feb 25th. To maximize our time, we're hoping to jump from Epcot after the fireworks show (probably 9:30PM-ish?) over to MK that closes at 11PM that night.

We've never park-hopped before and wondered if it's even worth it to go for only an hour. Is it likely to be too crowded? We're hoping it gives us time to do a ride or 2 on something.
Also, is it better to drive over (where we'd have to park and monorail or take the boat to the gate) or just take the monorail from Epcot?

Any advice/tips for parkhopping would be greatly appreciated!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Just thinking it through, Harmonious should be done 9:20ish. If you watch near the Future World entrance, you could walk to the main entrance ahead of most of the crowd. I'd catch the monorail, then switch to the MK Express monorail at TTC, getting to M. Figure there's a good chance you could be in the MK by 10:15 at that point? So it might be something to try! I definitely would not drive from EP to MK - wastes too much time. Something I was going to suggest, but now I'm not sure you can even do it - I was going to suggest parking at MK in the morning, taking monorail to EP but have your car at MK at the end of the day. But I don't actually know if you can park at MK without a park reservation these days! Someone else might have other suggestions!

 

[scrappinginontario]

It might be doable if you're using Disney transportation. If you have a car, I'm not sure it would be worth it.

Using the monorail, you will probably get in an attraction or 2 if everything goes well. Worth a try if you watch Harmonious from close to Future World. Once it's over the sidewalks are quickly clogged and moving becomes a challenge. You will want to be towards the front of that crowd.

 

[georgina]

We're heading in for a quick 1 day trip on Saturday, Feb 25th. To maximize our time, we're hoping to jump from Epcot after the fireworks show (probably 9:30PM-ish?) over to MK that closes at 11PM that night.

We've never park-hopped before and wondered if it's even worth it to go for only an hour. Is it likely to be too crowded? We're hoping it gives us time to do a ride or 2 on something.
Also, is it better to drive over (where we'd have to park and monorail or take the boat to the gate) or just take the monorail from Epcot?

Any advice/tips for parkhopping would be greatly appreciated!

I am thinking of doing the same thing that day. Considering parking at the TTC, monorail to Epcot, then monorail back to the TTC and on to the MK in the evening, though I am not staying until the Harmonious show, hoping to get a VQ for Guardians at the 1 PM drop and will leave after I ride it (presumably fairly late in the evening). Definitely allowed, they don't require any park reservation to park at the TTC.

 

[CarolynFH]

If you do this, I'd definitely park the car at MK TTC then take the monorail to Epcot and back again after Harmonious. You don't need a reservation to park at any park. As others have said, you need to make sure you're at the front of the crowds leaving Epcot (I probably wouldn't wait for the end of Harmonious). If you're not at the front of the crowds leaving Epcot and don't catch the first monorail out, you won't have much time to spend at MK.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

If you do this, I'd definitely park the car at MK TTC then take the monorail to Epcot and back again after Harmonious. You don't need a reservation to park at any park. As others have said, you need to make sure you're at the front of the crowds leaving Epcot (I probably wouldn't wait for the end of Harmonious). If you're not at the front of the crowds leaving Epcot and don't catch the first monorail out, you won't have much time to spend at MK.

So I was overthinking the parking issue? Not sure why I was thinking you need a park reservation to park there. I just remember seeing signs outside the parking booths reminding people they need a park reservation - but that's probably to save you the trouble of driving in, parking, and then realizing you can't enter the park!

Agree with parking at TTC.

 

[georgina]

So I was overthinking the parking issue? Not sure why I was thinking you need a park reservation to park there. I just remember seeing signs outside the parking booths reminding people they need a park reservation - but that's probably to save you the trouble of driving in, parking, and then realizing you can't enter the park!

Agree with parking at TTC.

Yeah, they are just reminding people that they need a park reservation to enter the park. I have parked at HS and hopped on the skyliner, and parked at the TTC and walked to the Poly to visit Trader Sam's.

 

[JodyK]

I agree I would take the monorail for the hopping as driving would take too long. I think you'd probably be able to get in to do a ride, maybe two with this plan but any more than that would be stretching it.

If you just wanted to see fireworks and not necessarily Epcot fireworks, I might consider hopping to MK a little earlier and catching the MK fireworks and then getting in rides there after that.

 

[CarolynFH]

So I was overthinking the parking issue? Not sure why I was thinking you need a park reservation to park there. I just remember seeing signs outside the parking booths reminding people they need a park reservation - but that's probably to save you the trouble of driving in, parking, and then realizing you can't enter the park!

Agree with parking at TTC.

I vaguely remember some issues when the parks first reopened and park reservations were first being used, with people being denied entry to parking if they didn't have a reservation already, but that didn't last long. As @georgina says, the signs are there now only to remind/notify people that park reservations exist and are necessary. When we were there at the end of January, the signs also said that reservations were available.

 

[coasternut22]

A one day ticket to Epcot on 2/25 is $164 plus tax. A hopper ticket is $242. Is it worth it to pay $78 for one hour in MK if everything goes perfectly and potentially less time if you don’t catch a quick monorail? This would be the question I would ask myself first.

 

[georgina]

A one day ticket to Epcot on 2/25 is $164 plus tax. A hopper ticket is $242. Is it worth it to pay $78 for one hour in MK if everything goes perfectly and potentially less time if you don’t catch a quick monorail? This would be the question I would ask myself first.

I was assuming they are AP holders. I agree it would not be worth it if they were purchasing hopping for one day. However, people do a lot of things on this board that would definitely not be worth it to me! To each theri own.

 

[Jfsag123]

One other option could be to watch the Epcot fireworks from near the International Gateway, then make a quick exit out to Beach Club after and take a Minnie Van to MK. Obviously this is an expensive option, but likely faster than walking all the way to the front of the park and then catching two monorails.

 

[Timandalicia]

We're heading in for a quick 1 day trip on Saturday, Feb 25th. To maximize our time, we're hoping to jump from Epcot after the fireworks show (probably 9:30PM-ish?) over to MK that closes at 11PM that night.

We've never park-hopped before and wondered if it's even worth it to go for only an hour. Is it likely to be too crowded? We're hoping it gives us time to do a ride or 2 on something.
Also, is it better to drive over (where we'd have to park and monorail or take the boat to the gate) or just take the monorail from Epcot?

Any advice/tips for parkhopping would be greatly appreciated!

I vote Minnie Van. Also, you have more than an hour. I usually don’t get out of the park until 45 minutes after it closes. I say go for it. It’ll be fun!