Base ticket vs Park Hopper

[kaygela]

I'm not sure if we will need or use the park hopper option. I have read that you can always upgrade to park hoppers once you are there. How difficult is that to do? Where do you do that? can you do that at any of the parks? Also, if we upgrade on the last day, do we pay for just that day's upgrade or for all the days already used? Any light on this would be appreciated.

 

[MissionMouse]

The ticket booths can help with adjustments to your ticket but you should realize the park hopper option is paid upfront on the ticket price, so day one is actually rather expensive and the days following are dramatically cheaper in comparision.

I know this since I had a multiple day park hopper ticket and decided to go another day. The ticket stated I needed to add extensions to the ticket before it expired, so the next day I went to the Epcot International Ticket Booth and it was a substancial cost to buy a single day ticket, so I just mentioned I just had a ticket which expired the day before. The CM asked to see it and I provided it to him and he was able to add another day onto it for about $15.00 compared to around $120 for the single day park hopper.

So if you want to upgrade to park hopper I would recommend you do this at the beginning of your trip.

 

[wdwguide]

I'm not sure if we will need or use the park hopper option. I have read that you can always upgrade to park hoppers once you are there. How difficult is that to do? Where do you do that? can you do that at any of the parks? Also, if we upgrade on the last day, do we pay for just that day's upgrade or for all the days already used? Any light on this would be appreciated.

Disney no longer does prorated ticket upgrades on a routine basis, i.e. you will end up having to pay the entire difference in price the tickets 95% of the time (I only lucked out on this once, and that was a few years ago). Since the park hopping is a "flat fee" addon, no matter how many days you are visiting for, you will always pay the same $42.60.

You should be able to upgrade at any guest relations location in or outside the parks (possibly ticket windows as well). It shouldn't take more than a few minutes.

 

[kizmac]

If you are not sure if you are going to park hop...DON'T buy the hopper. It is very easy to add it once you are there. The resort guest services can add it for you or any ticket center at the parks. If you have a 7 day base ticket and you decide on your 4th day that you really want to hop, you will be charged as if you were adding hopping to the full 7 days, even though you may only have 3 days left. You still are better off waiting to add it because it is quite a bit of money and if you don't end up using it you are throwing that money away. Hopping is not for everyone! I prefer to stay in one park all day and don't think that I will be adding PH to my tickets in the future. We usually only ended up hopping on 1 day. Too much money for that little feature I think and besides it takes up so much time to switch between parks. It's just not worth the bother.

 

[Briar Rose's Mom]

We have been to Disney World many times and have never hopped. When the Spring promotion (ended March 30th?) for the free upgrade to PH and Water Park Fun and More came I got that because I thought we might enjoy doing Disney Quest on our last 1/2 day.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It's a flat fee. You can add it easily at your hotel or any park easily. But even if you add it your last day, you pay the full fee. We never use hoppers. It's just as easy to look at emh, avoid those parks that day, and save $160 plus Tax.

 

[wdwlvr629]

To me, the only way to go is to HOP!!! I enjoy the ability to spend time in more than one park each day. In addtion, because you are going during one of the busy times of the year, park hopping is a great thing to have, if it is too crowded at one park, you move on the the next! I say hop (like a bunny, after all, Easter is coming! )

 

[AJKMOM]

Of course, you will get many opinions on this. We always hop because we love to see Illuminations many times.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

If you are not sure if you are going to park hop...DON'T buy the hopper. It is very easy to add it once you are there. The resort guest services can add it for you or any ticket center at the parks. If you have a 7 day base ticket and you decide on your 4th day that you really want to hop, you will be charged as if you were adding hopping to the full 7 days, even though you may only have 3 days left. You still are better off waiting to add it because it is quite a bit of money and if you don't end up using it you are throwing that money away.

I agree that if you're not sure, don't purchase it. But, it will cost the same amount to add hopping to your ticket regardless of how many days were originally on the pass or how many remain. It is a flat fee of $42.60 per pass (with tax). For a family of 4, that's a hefty $170 for the privilege! That's a lot of Mickey Bars!

 

[whackamole]

Once you get past 4 or 5 day tickets, the cost of additional day tickets only cost about $4 per day I think so next time I'm gonna just get a 9 day pass even though I'll only be there 5. That way I have four more tickets I could use to hop around the parks with. Still cheaper than paying for the hopper passes I believe.

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Once you get past 4 or 5 day tickets, the cost of additional day tickets only cost about $4 per day I think so next time I'm gonna just get a 9 day pass even though I'll only be there 5. That way I have four more tickets I could use to hop around the parks with. Still cheaper than paying for the hopper passes I believe.

That won't work. You cannot use an additional day from a non-hopper pass to enter a second park on the same day. If you do not have the hopper option, the turnstile will not release at that second park and the CM will tell you to go to Guest Services, where you can add the hopping option to your pass.

 

[kizmac]

To me, the only way to go is to HOP!!! I enjoy the ability to spend time in more than one park each day. In addtion, because you are going during one of the busy times of the year, park hopping is a great thing to have, if it is too crowded at one park, you move on the the next! I say hop (like a bunny, after all, Easter is coming! )

I do agree.....if you are just traveling with older kids or all adults it can be nice to have the option. BUT if you are with several young children and strollers and diaper bags.....it's not worth the time and hassle involved. Your best bet is to do research on a site like Tour Guide Mike before you leave and determine which days are going to be busy at each park and avoid those days. You shouldn't have to leave because of crowds then.

I think many people that have never been to WDW tend to have some what of a misconception about park hopping. My SIL actually thought the parks were close together and it would take minutes to change between parks. She was rather surprised.

 

[tjmw2727]

You can upgrade your pass at any resort or park, inside or outside at guest relations. To add the hopping feature is $40.00 plus tax regardless of the number of days used or remaining. If your unsure then don't purchase the hopper feature and save the $$. During the trip if you decide its worth hopping or you want/need to hop you can add on.

Once you get past 4 or 5 day tickets, the cost of additional day tickets only cost about $4 per day I think so next time I'm gonna just get a 9 day pass even though I'll only be there 5. That way I have four more tickets I could use to hop around the parks with. Still cheaper than paying for the hopper passes I believe.

This will not work, for the quoted poster, OP or any others thinking about this.

Please think of your ticket as admission to the parks on X# of days rather than just X# of admissions. With a one park per day ticket, once you use the ticket at the turnstyles your ticket will be "tagged" to you and to that park, only you can use it for re-admission and only to that park.

If you want to park hop, you really do have to buy the park hopper option.

TJ

 

[huskies90]

I think it is $40 well spent. On our recent 10 day trip, I originally planned on not hopping. It required very detailed planning. As we got closer to the trip I decided to add on the hopping. It was a huge load off my shoulders. I all but threw out my detailed plans and went with a high level rough idea of what we were doing it each day. It made the trip much more relaxing. Yes, it does take some time to commute from park to park so if that bothers you think twice. We liked being in one park and deciding I am really up for X attraction (in another park) or X nighttime spectacular and we would just go. It made the trip that much more enjoyable!!

 

[whackamole]

That won't work. You cannot use an additional day from a non-hopper pass to enter a second park on the same day. If you do not have the hopper option, the turnstile will not release at that second park and the CM will tell you to go to Guest Services, where you can add the hopping option to your pass.

Didn't know that, there goes my brilliant plan!!! Thanks for the info.