Debating Park Hopper

[cszuber]

I definitely see the value in park hopper, but debating on skipping it. We’re going for 4 days, 2 in each park. Am I really going to want to go back and forth when we have so much time? It’s a $200 difference. Definitely doing MaxPass. Thoughts?

 

[arasekim]

We went for 5 days in September and did not use a hopper. MaxPass will make all the difference. I enjoy concentrating on one park at a time Have a great trip!

 

[Indiana Scott]

We would not ever consider not having a PH. It just opens up so much freedom to have one. Also nice to go to the other park if the one your in is extra busy.

 

[mummabear]

We would not ever consider not having a PH. It just opens up so much freedom to have one. Also nice to go to the other park if the one your in is extra busy.

This^
We have gone to not hopping at WDW, but at DLR I always hop

 

[Kender]

One of the largest benefits of MP is when you have a PH because of the ability to book for either park even when not in that park.

The other benefit of a PH is that you can move parks if one gets a little more crowded. Or if there was that one ride you really enjoyed or meal you were craving.

Personally? I would always get a PH. No hesitation. Especially if MP was a given I was planning to do.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I am one of those *always need a parkhopper* people. As adults we benefit. My next 2 trips I’ll have PH. But I have 2 toddlers (with sensory processing disorder) we traveled with last time and it wasn’t worth the extra $150. Next time the kids come we will not get PH. All we did was hop to dca in the afternoon when we were done with naps. We were only in the parks 5-6 hours a day total. So my new answer is...it depends.

 

[katyringo]

We are here now and love the hopper. We don’t stay on site. We used our magic morning and Disneyland, rode a bunch of rides in fantasyland and tomorrow land all while booking fastpasses for DCA. Hopped over there and rode a bunch and then hopped back for lunch and blue bayou. We are taking a break now at the hotel and I have some stacked fastpasses at DCA for this evening and then we will head over to Disneyland for fantasmic and I am currently. Watching fastpass times to start booking a couple rides for after fireworks in Disneyland.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

For me I think the flexibility can’t be beat. So nice to start the day in one park and finish in another if you so wish, or hop to DCA to escape the afternoon crowds of DL. Plus, the best use of MaxPass is being able to pick up FPs between parks.

However, the time of year and anticipate crowd levels might be a factor too. When are you going?

 

[22Tink]

We love the hoppers! It's so easy to hop and it adds so much flexibility to the day. If one park gets busy, hop to the other. We don't hop in WDW but we always get 5 day hoppers in DL.

 

[disneychrista]

I have always gotten 3-day park hoppers. I am contemplating getting 5 day non-hoppers for my next trip. Taking a couple afternoons off to go explore some of the local breweries (my other hobby).

 

[dotfurio]

The last couple of times we've gone we haven't gotten a hopper. We usually do one day in DCA, two in DL. It's worked out well for us now that DCA has more to offer.

 

[goooof1]

flexibility, flexibility, flexibility!! I cannot even imagine going without hoppers. I would feel stuck in one park and if it got crowded, it's either feel stuck or leave and go "home". It is so nice to be able to stroll about without thinking, oh....can't go there!
ALWAYS HOPPERS!

 

[Steven G]

In the past, when I got tickets I never used a hopper (even when we got the hopper), but when I got my Annual Pass and did last minute visits, I was hopping every once in a while.

Since I moved out of the LA area, I haven't been back in a while.

Now that I am going back there again next year, I am not getting a hopper.

I usually plan my day using touringplans, and it is easier not using a park hopper with touringplans.

I see the advantages of it, but I don't find that it makes sense for my family.

 

[RainyDayPixie]

I used to always get PH, but for my current family, we are happy with one park per day (me, DH, DS- 12, 10, 2, and usually my mom, 64). We take a pm hotel break and even with just 1 park, we walk SO MUCH. I couldn't imagine hopping. I suppose if we were heading to the opposite park after our break it would be the same amount of walking.

If I didn't have a small child or my DH and mom were both more mobile, I might consider it. But the $ adds up for 6 of us. I'd rather put my money in MP.

If you go without, it will be totally fine!

 

[Eve & Wall-e]

We ALWAYS get Park Hopper tickets. The parks are so close together. With MaxPass you could be in one park while getting a Fast Pass in the other park. And like several others have said, if one park gets too busy you can always go to the other park. Or if one park closes early, you can go to the other park. I like having all those options available no matter how many days I'm at the parks.

 

[TeresaR]

It depends a lot on if you've been to Disneyland before or not as well as what you want our of your trip. IF it's your first trip to Disneyland and DCA I'd most likely not get the pass hoppers. But for me I like the flexibility the park hoppers give me with dining options and the ability to switch parks if they get busy.

 

[deedubb]

IMO, at DLR there is absolutely no reason to not get park hoppers, especially if you plan on using MaxPass. WDW is a different story.

We did 5 days and park hopped more than once a day on our last trip.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I definitely see the value in park hopper, but debating on skipping it. We’re going for 4 days, 2 in each park. Am I really going to want to go back and forth when we have so much time? It’s a $200 difference. Definitely doing MaxPass. Thoughts?

When are your trip dates? While you can certainly have a great trip without hoppers, during high crowd periods, having the hoppers can really help you by allowing you to hop to the less crowded park whenever you need a break during the day. Also, if you took a break from the parks and there was a gate closure while you were gone, you could just hop to the other open park upon your return. (This scenario is most practical during Christmas Week, for example.) For us, hopping opens up my dietary options. My food choices are more limited in DL and less limited in DCA. Hopping allows us to have fun with rides and food at a relaxed pace in one day.

 

[avalovesminnie]

We always had hoppers up until our more recent trip and I would have been in the always hoppers group. But we had to cut expenses and we did 2 days DL and 1 day CA. We did all the big rides a few times and most everything else we wanted to as well. When traveling with kids under 9 I don't think it's necessary anymore, but if I ever did an adult trip I'd get them to hop to the less crowded park.

 

[rentayenta]

I don't think you'll need hoppers if you get MaxPass.