Convince me to get Park Hopping!!

[TinkerbellMama]

Okay, so I know we are going to purchase 10 day MYW with no expiration and the pluses...but I had not planned on shelling out extra for the hopping. Now I'm starting to wonder if we should go ahead and get hopping. Here's some more info:

We are spending 6 days in the World in November (no pluses this time), which would leave us with 4 days and 5 pluses each. Our ds will be 12 mos. this first visit, and we plan to return next summer with friends to use up the remaining 4 park days and use a couple of the pluses on BB and TL. We were thinking that with little kids (the other couple for next summer also has very little ones...their oldest will just have turned 6) the hopping is unnecessary. We'd either have to empty and fold up our strollers, get on the monorail or bus, etc. etc...or turn in rented strollers and deal with the hassle of dragging the kids from park to park without strollers (4 kids total) and getting new strollers. Our plans for November really don't involve hopping, but it's possible that hopping could enhance our 4 days in the major parks next trip...especially with it being a busier time of year and the hours being longer. Any suggestions appreciated. I was thinking the afternoon nap would be a logical time to hop since we'd be going back to the resort anyway. Thanks!

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

We don't usually hop. The only time we did was when we were looking for Snow White one time. But I like to have the option.

 

[karebear1]

If you're going to be there atThanksgiving, I'd definetly get the hoppers. Otherwise- you'd be ok not to hop. Parks won't be crowded at all except around Thanksgiving.

 

[jsmla]

Why we hop:
A full day at the Magic Kingdom can be overwhelming, especially on a busy day.

My kids get whiny after too much Epcot.

We always have plenty of time left in a day after visiting the Animal Kingdom.

In the off season we like having the option of visiting Epcot when the other parks are closed. We use the evenings there to shop and have dinner. To me the World Showcase is at its best after dark.

Jennifer

 

[Anjiebaby]

A Park Hopping Quandry: Silly to pay for something you might not use but, will kick yourself if you want it at the time.
We purchased the park hopping extra on our 7 day passes and used it twice. We went to Epcot in the morning, then a trip to Blizzard Beach, then to MK for the nighttime Parade and Fireworks. Another time spent before naptime in Animal Kingdom then went to MK after nap. (And we were staying off site)
I liked the option that if we picked a park for the day and got there and found out it was just too busy we could regroup and travel to another park. Also I liked the option of going back to a different park after naptime to finish the evening, catch the fireworks and such.
Maybe someone else can confirm this but I think you can purchase the tickets one way and add an upgrade later at Disney Guest Relations at the park. Have a great time. Wow planning two trips at once. I wish

 

[TinkerbellMama]

If you're going to be there atThanksgiving, I'd definetly get the hoppers. Otherwise- you'd be ok not to hop. Parks won't be crowded at all except around Thanksgiving.

Yeah, this is why we weren't going to bother with hopping in November...we're going just AFTER Thanksgiving when crowds should be very low. But I like another poster's point that Epcot will be open later and therefore we could head over for Illuminations/World Showcase browsing after Animal Kingdom. I think we may get the Hopper option, after all!

 

[tinaluis]

We got the hopping option too because we always end our days at EPCOT with snacks and fireworks. We always visit in the off-season when the parks close no later than 7pm so it's nice to head on over to EPCOT then. Our girls are older now (8,6 and 3) but we hopped even when they were very little. It just works for us. Good luck planning your trip. BTW, we'll be there from 11/25 - 12/9. Maybe we'll see you there!

 

[capenor]

I'm no expert, having just returned from my first trip in 15 years (we were there 3/14 - 3/21) but for us (DH, myself, and DD3) hopping was ESSENTIAL - we hopped every day and it felt really flexible and we ALL loved having a nap from about 1-3. Never ended up doing more than 2 parks in one day but we almost did - and one day DH went to one, DD and I went to another, and we met up at a third - hopping allowed us to not feel any pressure to make the very very most of where we were but instead to just enjoy it and if we weren't, to pick another and move on!

My 2 cents.

AV

 

[Sandi]

If you are staying at a Disney resort and want to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours, you should be aware that on some days the Early park is one park while the late park on the same day is a different park. So, if you wanted to do both on that particular day, you would need to have a park hopper option.

We have always gotten hoppers and will continue to do so under the new ticketing system. Like so many others, we like to end our day in the World Showcase -- no matter where we've been earlier in the day.

 

[CleveRocks]

I've never been there with kids, but will be living that adventure in about 6 weeks with my 2 pre-schoolers. We bought hoppers with the idea that we'll go a park in the early morning, then go back to our hotel for pool/nap in the early afternoon, then return to a park maybe around 4-ish. You mentioned November -- if the hours are so much shorter then I guess it would be less of a good thing.
-- Eric

 

[Disney Cakers]

DH and I are going to WDW in October for 5 days. I also have thought "to hop, or not hop" That is the question!!

I wonder if I will want to hop back and forth, or just spend the day at one park - and then when it closes go rest and relax back at the hotel. Its going to be a preference for sure. Because like some posters have said, Epcot stays open latest till 9 in the off season.

 

[justhat]

We always hop, including the past 4 trips with our daughter. We've never found it to be a hassle to fold up the stroller to get on the bus, in fact I even did it myself when Madison was 9 months old. Madison and I went for 4 nights but my husband was only able to join us in the parks for 1.5 days. But I was easily able to hold Madison in the Baby Bjorn, fold the stroller, and carry it and the diaper bag onto the bus/boat/monorail. Aside from splitting days between parks, we'll sometimes go just to see fireworks or something at night. In a case like that, we'd just take the baby and diaper bag and leave the stroller in the room (I'd hold her in the Bjorn).

On the first trip with our daughter (she was 3 months), we went with relatives, including a 6 month old, 2.5yo, and 6yo and we all hopped at different times then so I think it might even be more useful for you when you're with the other family. You might want to do different activities in the morning, for example, but then meet up later in the day. Even if you start out with the intention of staying together, you might find there are times that you want to split up. In our case, the family with the 6yo wanted to take her to see Beauty and the Beast, 2.5 yo's family took her to see the MK parade, 6 month old went to enjoy the pool with her mom, and we went to Epcot. Then we all went to MGM that night for Fantasmic. So in our case, it was definitely worth it to be able to hop.

 

[newcomer52]

The park hopping really gives you the option of switching parks, if you find one too crowded when you're there. It also gives you the chance to go to other parks just for eating.

 

[VickiVM]

OK, I'll go against the majority. I just can't justify the per person cost (there are 5 of us) of adding the hopping option. Seems like it diminishes the savings we would otherwise have using the new MYW ticketing. We're just going to be disciplined about our touring plans and pre-plan each day to maximize our time spent in the parks. I should probably add that we all have one day left on previous plus passes so there is one day we can allow ourselves to hop, but we just have to know that at the beginning of that day before entering the park in the morning.

I might feel differently if were were not spending 6 1/2 days in the parks. We can spread out our touring and fit just about everything in that we want to visit.

I'm interested in hearing from someone that didn't have the p/h option and how it affected their touring.

Vicki

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Another vote for park hopping. I wouldn't tour without it.

It depends on how mobile you are. If you are at the MK mid-day and it's getting crowded, it's a lot easier for a couple of adults to hop on a monorail or bus and go to Epcot or another park. If you've got a half-dozen kids and grandparents in tow, then it is more difficult and time consuming.

I have an AP now, and I've really accustomed to the park hopping "lifestyle". Here is my typical day (adults only, or solo, mind you) assuming for this example that AK is the EMH morning park and MK is open late until 10PM (but not for EMH):

7:30am Board resort bus to AK
8:00am AK EMH - do Safari, etc.
11:00am When the crowds start to build, I head out to the busses
12:00am Lunch at MGM - Sci Fi or Brown Derby
Get a FP for RnR or ToT, do standby for whichever one I don't FP
Hang out and do random rides/shows
4:00pm Head to MK - by the time I arrive it's dinner time and rides are easy
Spend the evening touring favorite rides
10:00pm Wishes

Pretty simplistic, but that's how my average day at WDW is. I never go to less than two parks, usually 3.

Now, if this is your first trip, I wouldn't recomend it only because you don't want your first experience to be disjointed. However, once you have been to the parks before and have a good feel from them the disjointed effect is far less.

It just depends on your family. It may be worth it even if you don't extreme-park hop like myself - for instance, spend the day at MGM, see Fantasmic at 7:30, hop on the ferry and be at Epcot by 9 for Illuminations. Or say you spent the better part of the day at MK and you want to go back to the hotel to rest - and then you have the option of popping over to MGM for Fantasmic! or Epcot for Illuminations.

Remember, you can always add it on later if you choose not to get it now. Even if you don't decide until your second or third day you need it. If you have teenagers, they may definately want it - WDW is one of the safest places to travel (and, no matter if you see them or not, security is EVERYWHERE), and I would feel comfortable letting a mature teen go to Epcot while the adults and kids go to MK.

Good luck whatever you decide!

N.E.D.

 

[Mermaid02]

We wouldn't do it without the hopping option... it's only $35 per ticket and if you get to a park and it's waaaaay crowded, you'll be glad you have it! On our last trip- my ds HAD to ride ToT so we took him to MGM.... he and Daddy got a fast pass, we poked around for a while, they rode ToT and we LEFT MGM because it was PACKED! We took the FriendShip boats to Epcot, poked around WS for a while, took the Monorail to MK and spent the rest of the day!!! Actually DH and DS (6 at the time) left MK and went to the hotel to swim and DD (13 at the time) and I spent the afternoon alone at MK. It was AWESOME- probably the best afternoon of the trip!

 

[Disneyof3]

Would you still hop if you were going in Feb. in the off season and going for 6 nights and 7 days. We're also like most are questioning the hop extra. We use 1 day for each park except for MK, we use 2, then 1 for DTD and blizzard beach. So since I heard with DTD you don't need a pass to get there, I would actually have at the end of our stay 1 day left if I bought a 7 day pass. None if I bought a 6 day pass. Were thinking though that the day we go to Blizzard Beach we would go 1/2 day and end up in the evening in DTD.

Now with this plan I don't know if a park hop would do any good?


The 5 of us waiting to go back to WDW