Could you help me understand which tickets we should purchase? Confused about the waterpark days?

[3kidz4dis]

So confused on waterpark days and if they need to be used with park hoppers or we can go a seperate day? Here is the situation:

Me - zero theme park days, 4 waterpark and sports (non expiring)
Husband - 1 theme park/park hopper non expiring pass, 4 waterpark and sports (non expiring)
Son - 1 theme park/park hopper non expiring pass, 4 waterpark and sports (non expiring)
Daughter in law - nothing.

We plan on going for 7 nights, would rather a park hopper for 5 days and a SEPARATE day for a waterpark..what should I be buying for each of us? According to the pricing I am seeing, I don't think we will use those non expiring on Husband and son for theme park days. So for me, husband and son..is it Park hopper for 5 days? For my daughter in law, do I purchase the park hopper plus, or just the park hopper but purchase the water park seperate? The day we go to the waterpark, I don't think we will be park hopping. Thanks so much! The way I am explaining, I am sure I am making it more confusing, so I apologize. Thanks for the help!

 

[Marthasor]

Waterpark entitlements are completely separate from park days. If you buy a 5-day park hopper plus ticket, you will get 5 days of park hopping in the four theme parks, plus 5 separate passes to visit a waterpark, mini-golf etc. It looks like it's cheaper to purchase the park hopper plus option for your DIL as opposed to the 5-day hopper plus a separate water park ticket.

 

[lanejudy]

Agree - check the pricing of getting DIL a 5-day PH+ vs a 5-day PH and a separate waterpark admission, even though it will give her more than she needs. Last I checked it was about $25 to add the "Plus" vs $64 or more for a single waterpark day. The entitlements can be used in any order within the 8-day use-window.

For you, DH and DS -- just a 5-day PH and then use one of your remaining waterpark non-expiring entries.

 

[3kidz4dis]

Thank you so much! You both are awesome. checking Disney, Undercover Tourist and Boardwalk Ticketing, it appears that the pricing is better to purchase the Plus vs the Waterpark seperately. I just wanted to make sure that we could use the waterpark as a seperate day. It is too bad that the way the pricing is that for my husband and son could not purchase a 4 day and use the non expiring theme park days but the pricing tier on the 4 day/5 day is proving that those will utimately remain unused. (indefinetly)

 

[Lumpy1106]

The CURRENT pricing structure is you pretty much pay full price for 1-4 days, then the 5th day on is cheap - I want to say $20/day? LSS - it depends on how many days you are going. If it's a short trip (1-4 park days) it doesn't matter - buy the park days you want, use the tickets you have, mix in a waterpark day, it's all pretty much the same price. If you are spending more than 4 days in the parks (in addition to planned water park days), you probably want to save your park passes and just buy multi-day tickets.

Of course, that all is supposed to change (and get more expensive) first week in December - so decide and buy tickets now...

 

[3kidz4dis]

Totally get what you are saying. We are 7 nights at DVC property. We figured that we would not do any parks on travel days. So that leaves 6 days. My son mentioned just going 4 days at the parks, doing a waterpark day and a pool day and not getting hoppers. These kids...lets go!! I think pool days are boring so hubby and I thought lets add a day, do a pool 1/2 day and do a 5th day in the parks but change to park hopper. I just mentioned above that unfortunately I think that the theme park days that my husband and son have will probably go unused permanently. Thanks for the help! I will make sure to have this decided and purchased before the increase. Thank you for the reminder. edit to add: the having to get up at 7 am each park day is exhausting

 

[Lumpy1106]

In your case I think I'd plan on using the passes you have - but then I really hate seeing things go to waste. Believe it or not, if you go to Customer Service when you get to the parks they will help you decide - but should be pretty easy to run the numbers. Sounds like your plans are still flexible. Don't forget park reservations! You won't need them for the waterparks but you will need them especially for DHS and MK. DAK and EPCOT tend not to get sold out but don't take the chance if you can lock in your days now.

 

[lanejudy]

In your case I think I'd plan on using the passes you have

Since the non-expiring tickets the OP already has only have 1 day left, they would still need to buy 4-day tickets. That 1 day would maybe save ~$40 for the 5th day, but they still have to spend ~$600 for a 4-day ticket.

By comparison, that same 1 day on the non-expiring ticket could be "worth" $110+ if used on another visit when additional park days aren't needed.

Of course if they honestly will never use the 1-day, saving $40 now is better than saving nothing. But "never" is one of those things that doesn't always work out that way.