You have to ask yourself some tough questions....
Do you REALLY need Park Hopping? How many day are you going to spend at the water parks REALLY?
Here is my situation. We will be getting 4 adult tickets (kids will be 11 and 10) in May 2007.
We probably will only need a 4 day pass and will spend 1 day at a water park. If we get just 4 base adult tickets and buy the Water Park tickets separately, our cost comes in at $980US. (As an aside, if you up your # of days to 5... the cost only jumps to $997US.. so it's something to consider)
If you get a 4 day hopper pass with magic plus, the price is $1214US.
There. Assuming I have my numbers right, going with base tickets and buying your Water Park passes separately (if you are only going once) saves you somewhere in the neighborhood of $250US.
Since I am a Canadian, I have to add about 10% onto that for exchange, but the theory still applies.
Hope you find this helpful
Mike in the Maritimes.