benefits of park hopper vs. cost

[Figment Mom]

I'm trying to decide if getting park hopper is worth it. I know this is a very subjective decision depending on how you manage your trip.

I am looking at going for about 10 days. We'll probably do one table service meal each day. I thought I'd decide which restaurants we'd like to try and then schedule park days around the crowd calendar and which ADRs I can get.

I also figured I'd plan 2 days each at MK, Epcot, and DHS and 1 day at AK. Some afternoons we may head back to the pool and then return to the same park that evening (or not go back to a park at all). That would leave 3 days of our trip for resorts, DTD, or whichever park ds wants to go to again.

My thought right now is to not get park hopper and then, once we get there add it if I feel that not having it is really limiting us.

I'm just trying to figure out what kind of scenario would come up that I'd want it. I don't think we're going to be the type that wants to do MK all day and then really want to go to Epcot for dinner. And I also don't think any one ride is going to be so important to us that we'd head to another park just to grab a FP for it.

 

[Robo]

My thought right now is to not get park hopper and then, once we get there add it if I feel that not having it is really limiting us.

I'm just trying to figure out what kind of scenario would come up that I'd want it.

You've already answered your own question.

If (IF) a scenario would come up that you'd want it, you can add it.
You can add it at any time during your trip for the same price as adding it before the trip.


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One advantage of HOPPER is FLEXIBILITY-

So, on your Animal Kingdom day (AK closes pretty early), you could "close" AK and then HOP over to, say, Epcot for dinner and IllumiNations that evening.

If, say, Fantasmic! got "rained out" on your DHS day, you could HOP to there on the day that you were at another park, and catch the amazing show.

If the "entire population" of Hukalockistan poured into MK on one of the days you were there, and filled all the queues and took all the FP's, you could hop to Epcot and escape the crowd.

If you were at DHS and wanted to eat at, say, Canada in Epcot (like WE love to do) you could ride over on the boat, use your Hopper to get into the International Gateway, dine on CHEESE SOUP, then retrace your path back to DHS for more fun!

Hopping can be a valuable asset, and, again, you don't need to buy it unless or until you NEED it!

If you are already at one park and decide that you'd like to "hop" to another... right then,
just walk up to a ticket window and you're ready to hop (that day, and any others, for the rest of your trip.)

 

[Figment Mom]

I suppose I did answer my own question, didn't I?

Your scenarios made me realize there are a lot of reasons we may choose to hop, though, that we might not anticipate ahead of time.

Except for the cheese soup. I suppose I can anticipate that one, now.

 

[wdw4rfam]

We got them ONCE. For us, not worth it. Like you, we always go 10+ days, so we go to each park plenty. The cost is just not worth it. We also decided moving from park to park was way too much trouble with all of us, waiting for transportation, or even driving, then having to go through security, etc. If the cost was more reasonable, maybe, but for this trip, for 7 of us to get hoppers on a 10 day ticket it was $420 extra

 

[BugsDaddy]

Correct me if I am wrong but the new FP plus system doesn't allow you to set up fast passes for the day in more than one park? If that is the case, that is the biggest argument I can find against paying for park hopping. Why would. I want to go to another park for the day to have to wait 100 minutes in the standby line for the major attractions?

 

[mcconnellfam96]

Correct me if I am wrong but the new FP plus system doesn't allow you to set up fast passes for the day in more than one park? If that is the case, that is the biggest argument I can find against paying for park hopping. Why would. I want to go to another park for the day to have to wait 100 minutes in the standby line for the major attractions?

That is my understanding, too.

 

[MichelleVW]

We didn't used to Hop...but now with Fast Pass Plus it seems to make more sense for us. We do one park at rope drop with no fast passes....take a break and then hit park number two with Fast Passes.

 

[LuvGoofy6]

Thanks Robo for a great reminder with "scenarios" of when the park hopper is helpful. We have always done park hoppers and I was considering not doing them for the upcoming trip. I think after reading your post I will keep them.

 

[aaarcher86]

Correct me if I am wrong but the new FP plus system doesn't allow you to set up fast passes for the day in more than one park? If that is the case, that is the biggest argument I can find against paying for park hopping. Why would. I want to go to another park for the day to have to wait 100 minutes in the standby line for the major attractions?

True, but once you're in the park you can set FP up for it. Obviously it'll depend on availability, but depending on the time of year you might get some decent ones.

 

[maryandtyson]

We ALWAYS get Park Hopper. I find that we can overload on a park. Our kids can get grumpy to it can get really crowded after lunch, it rains, whatever. We like the flexibility. It can also be fun to try to do silly, crazy things like watch ELP at MK , hop on the monorail in time to see Illuminations. It also makes dining options easier to manage.

BTW, you CAN add fast passes at more than one park, once your first three have been used.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

OP - not sure when you are going but if it is during a time of MNSSHH or MVMCP keep in mind MK will close early a few days each week. The days that it doesn't close early, MK is busier b/c folks want to see MSEP and Wishes. So hoppers can come in handy during those time periods as you can visit a more recommended park during the day and hop to MK for night time entertainment. On my last trip it was just a friend and I and we hopped for 6 days and I loved it! Next trip is with my sister and her kids and I'm not planning on hopping that trip. Either way can be fun....not one right way. But if you don't know you'll use it for sure, I would wait and add it on once you are there.

 

[BugsDaddy]

True, but once you're in the park you can set FP up for it. Obviously it'll depend on availability, but depending on the time of year you might get some decent ones.

If I went to he MK in the morning/evening and we used 4 fast passes there, would it allow us to go to Epcot later that night and reserve more fast passes as long as we are in the park? I wasn't sure once you hit your limit for the day, if it shut down the option for more, regardless f park.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We rarely go to parks anymore. Out of 10 days in march, we went to parks one day. We started at animal kingdom early, got in lots of rides, left to go to Hollywood studios for lunch at brown derby, went back to hotel for a couple of hours, went to Epcot for dinner and ended at magic kingdom because it was open late. Busy day but we only used one day of tickets. Four years ago we got 10 day never expire park hopper. So far we have only used 5 days. So we have 5 days left at 2010 prices. Works for us. We are going in December for 6 days and will only use one day again. But in this case we won't go to magic kingdom that day. Instead we will buy Very Merry Christmas Party ticket and use it for a night at magic kingdom. No reason to waste a day ticket when you are going to the special party at an additional cost anyway.

 

[turkey1031]

I like the hoppa for a few reasons. I like having the option of seeing fireworks or nighttime shows even if it's not in the park I went to that day. We generally take a break midday so that leaves it open as to what park we want to go to for the evening. I don't have to figure out what day I'm doing what park before I make ADRs. I can always just hop over for dinner. Also, if we go to a park and it ends up being really crowded we can just hop on over to another park.

 

[summerskye]

If I went to he MK in the morning/evening and we used 4 fast passes there, would it allow us to go to Epcot later that night and reserve more fast passes as long as we are in the park? I wasn't sure once you hit your limit for the day, if it shut down the option for more, regardless f park.

To answer your question, yes. But as stated before, it is subject to availability. Check out mesaboy2's signature. He seems to be up to date with the ever changing fp+ system.

 

[georgina]

We always get hoppers, but we only do about 4 park days on average, so hop around to maximize our park time. Plus my kids are older and don't need mid-day breaks. If you have 7 park days planned, you may not need hoppers. We often go to Epcot in the evening to eat.

 

[MichelleVW]

We always get hoppers, but we only do about 4 park days on average, so hop around to maximize our park time. Plus my kids are older and don't need mid-day breaks. If you have 7 park days planned, you may not need hoppers. We often go to Epcot in the evening to eat.

Lol...my kids didn't need breaks when they were younger...but now at 21 and 23 they want naps mid day!

 

[Day-Day]

We always hop but if I waited and it came down to buying the option on a day that something came up making me want to hop, I probabaly couldn't justify it. We have had Annual Passes a few times but if not we have still bought hoppers from the start.

My feeling is opposite from the above poster. If I'm going to be at WDW for a long visit I would rather have hoppers in order to be more flexible over the trip and go back to specific parks a 2nd or 3rd time just to visit some favorite attractions or previously rained out shows. The additional cost seems more reasonable when it is divided out over the longer trip. If I'm at WDW for a short trip, I am more likely to spend a full day in one park only.

We visited a few weeks ago but right as the change was made to FP+ allowing additional FPs. At that point, I could not change any of my "prime" or tier 1 FPs to morning hours; they were no longer available since my original booking took place well before the system change. We went to parks early and returned to our resort then visited another park later. This same type schedule could be followed without hoppers but just returning to the same park later.

 

[wendybeth75]

If you are going for a long amount of time it is absolutely worth it IMO. We have AP now, but always got PH. You are never stuck anywhere that way. We LOVE to do a RD at the EMH park stay until it gets crowded then proceed to the most recommended park for the day where we use our FP.

 

[michelle06]

You've already answered your own question.

If the "entire population" of Hukalockistan poured into MK on one of the days you were there, and filled all the queues and took all the FP's, you could hop to Epcot and escape the crowd.

OMG!! Love it!