Do DLR Dis'ers Park Hop or NOT?

[Twinprincesses]

I love how close the parks are to eachother. This last time we did 1 full day at DL and then hopped after that. I think if it your first trip there is so much to do at each park that you would not have to hop but I love having the option. It is not as easy to hop at WDW.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I'm one of the ones who's posted we're doing one park on one day, etc. I have small kids and so there isn't that much for them to do at DCA, so we can get through it in one day. The much prefer DL, so we spend most of our time there. We do go to DL before DCA opens, then hop over there when it opens and then we go back to DL after DCA closes for the night. I can't say we've ever gone back and forth multiple times.

 

[Hound 109]

I used an inaccurate term when i said "hop" like bunnies (or Tigger). It sounds like a couple of posters indeed hop for a ride or two, but most don't. (Most hop once (or twice) per day)

.....But even those who say they "don't hop that much" (such as the above 4 posts) suggest they start in one park & move over to another one (& possibly back). This, of course, is hopping.

I mention this because many DLR Newbies are stating that they are dedicating a full day to ONE park or the other (& mapping out strategies), & they don't realize a possible big picture strategy of starting most (or all) days at DL & then moving over to DCA later in morning or afternoon.

As it was stated on the statue at Faber College: "Knowledge is Good."

 

[HydroGuy]

I think the hop vs. non-hop thinking comes more from WDW vets who have to plan hopping a little more and also purchase hopping priviliges ahead of time for WDW. This WDW thinking just does not translate very well to DLR.

When we went to WDW we never hopped - too much hassle and lost time.

At DLR we have hopped every single day at least once and sometimes several times a day. Even on day trips. It is just much more efficient at DLR to hop. You can get your FPs built up, and with the longer DL park hours take advantage of DL in the early morning and late at night with DCA in between if you want.

My advice? HOP, HOP, HOP!

 

[auntyjenn]

I don't hop, mostly because once I get into one of the parks I can't tear myself away until they kick me out. (Probably also because I haven't been there a ton of times yet. I still want to ride everything each time I go.) Of course, as soon as DCA closes I have to head to DL because its open later, so there's a hop for you.

I also go off-season and the parks aren't open as long. I think that makes a difference (as stated earlier)

 

[LitlbitWraps]

I must say the last time we went to DL we just did DL and didn't hop. This time we have 3 3 and under so I know we will definatly be hopping!!

 

[Dobie]

We hop. Ish.

We start Tuesday, Thursday, Friday mornings in DL. DH likes the food better at DCA, so we hop over for a meal, one or two rides at a time, DEP, etc.

On Wednesday mornings, we accommodate teenage brat child and sleep in. We hit DCA at 9:30 or 10 and see everything we haven't seen yet. We usually head back to DL that evening, though.

 

[ironpig70]

i have small kids and dca is mostly shows all day and a few rides where dl is mostly rides. also we like the later hours which means more sleep. when the park is open 8-12 that means a 1 am bed time with a 6 am wake up to hit the gates early to be the first in. the kids are 4,4 and 10. also we like to hit a land and do everything in it at one sitting. also we need to do fast pass rides twice just to get us thru rather than once(wife takes the 10 year old, then i take her) so it's alot more time comsuming. this year i hope to try doing a little more hoping to try it and see if it really helps or not.

 

[mikayla73]

We are hoppers. We almost always start off in DL, then we'll hop over to DCA to ride TOT or Soarin and pick up a FP or two on the way back to the hotel, even when we don't stay onsite.

We're gonna need a learning curve for WDW when we go in the next couple weeks.

 

[DoomBugger]

Hopping is second nature for us. There are days when we talk about it and then decide it is just going to be a DL day just because.

 

[dangerkitteey]

We hop mostly for the simple fact that the margaritas are at DCA!

 

[ezacoo]

DH and I went for the first time in November for 3 days.

We spent all of day 1 at DL (this was the most important part for me - it was the reason we were there!)

Day 2 we spent the first hour at DL then were at DCA the rest of the day (plus it was pouring rain - it was like we were the only ones in the park!)

Day 3 we bounced between the two - we rode things in DCA that were closed due to rain the previous day, and re-rode all our DL favourites.

I love the option to be able to go between the two parks. For our next trip we're hopefully going to stay at the GC, and I'm sure we will be doing much more hopping as we are so close.

 

[jasonk5]

We go to Disney parks a lot (well maybe not as much as some of you ), and really don't hop that much.

I think for us it is about the experience, and if you hop, I think psychologically (at least for us), you lose out on that feeling that you are in an isolated place. Although, we have gone to DL the morning that we were to do DCA, as well as cut through DCA on our way to GCH to take a break from DL, so I guess we do hop. But usually we plan it as this is our DCA day, and the others are our DL day.

 

[dizzi]

I feel like i know WDW as wll as i know my own home.....BUT we have never been to DL we leave in 4 weeks!!!!!!!!!

And this has been very helpful!

Obviously it will be trial and error for us but we have 2 full days and 2 1/2 days t0 spend in Dl and DCA I am sure we will try some hopping due to this thread!

 

[boiseflyfisher]

We are major hoppers, too!

 

[ibesue]

We hop all the time!

Sue

 

[lisadoll93]

Hoppers here

 

[disneychrista]

We hop like bunny's when we are there. .

What was I thinking .....

But it is so easy to hop, I don't see why anyone would choose to not hop.

 

[bumbershoot]

I love DCA and I love Grizzly (might have mentioned that a couple times on the boards) and DS loves bug's land, and by gum DH is going to love Screamin' when he goes on it (though I hope he hates Maliboomer), so hopping is a good thing.

Though we can also spend a hefty amount of time in one park as well.

I'm just glad a multi-day ticket has hopping on it (and that APs have it), b/c needing to buy it as an extra is annoying.

ALTHOUGH since hopping at DLR is manpower not bus/boat/monorail-power like WDW, there's much less infrastructure they have to charge for.

 

[pixiewings71]

Hop hop hop, like a bunny, yup, we always hop!