Do you really park hop that much with kids??

[mom2my3kids]

Trying to trim our budget, do I really need park hopper tickets for October?? We can either buy park hopper tickets and no MNSSHP or buy Base tickets and MNSSHP tickets. What do you think, kids ages are 13,9 and almost 3.

 

[mommy*RN]

Hmm...that's a tough one. We are going to MNSSHP for the first time this year and are super excited...BUT we like the park hopping option for the rest of the time. It is nice to be able to leave a park...go back to the hotel...then go to another park after a rest. Plus we've used the park hopper option to arrive at Epcot just for the fireworks and then leave...

Do you have an itinerary planned that fits everything you want to do without park hopping? You can try that to see what works. Also, try asking your kids what to do. They are old enough that their opinions could be the make or break deal!

Best of luck with your tough decision!

BTW - are you purchasing your tickets through the mousesavers newsletter? If not you could and they will be a bit cheaper...maybe enough so you can do MNSSHP AND park hop. Just a thought!

 

[dismom9761]

I would choose MNSSHP tickets myself.On our last trip there was only one day we would have liked to hop but we just went to the pool.The kids were happier with that anyway.If you could do both it would be great but I would hate to miss MNSSHP.I have heard it is great-We will find out in October ourselves.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Hmm...that's a tough one. We are going to MNSSHP for the first time this year and are super excited...BUT we like the park hopping option for the rest of the time. It is nice to be able to leave a park...go back to the hotel...then go to another park after a rest. Plus we've used the park hopper option to arrive at Epcot just for the fireworks and then leave...

Do you have an itinerary planned that fits everything you want to do without park hopping? You can try that to see what works. Also, try asking your kids what to do. They are old enough that their opinions could be the make or break deal!

Best of luck with your tough decision!

Thanks for the info, I had planned on buying them through mapleleaf. Is the other cheaper?
BTW - are you purchasing your tickets through the mousesavers newsletter? If not you could and they will be a bit cheaper...maybe enough so you can do MNSSHP AND park hop. Just a thought!

Thanks for the info, I had planned on purchasing through mapleleaf. Is the mousesaver newletter cheaper?

790.00 for base tickets for 6 days plus 149.95 for MNSSHP.
949.00 for hopper tickets

 

[Paxtrist]

We always hop, especially to Epcot for the fireworks. We ususally go in December so when MK closes early, we just hop on over to another park and finish off the night. I feel for us it is totally worth the money.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

This is our first trip. We weren't going to hop but decided to after the kids expressed interest in at least something in each park. I think we made the right decision. Hopefully. LOL!!

 

[Gramgwen]

I think it depends on when you go and how hot it is! We went last July, bought the park hopper and only used it once. Every other day we were glad to get back to the resort to cool off. The grandkids loved the pool. We were too exhausted from the heat to go to a park in the evening. This time we are going in October for the MNSSHP and will spend one day at MK and one day at AK besides the MNSSHP. We tried too hard to see and do it all last year. Going to take advantage of what POR has to offer in the way of fun and activities for the grandchildren. I am sure when they are older we can be more adventurous. But last year they fell asleep as soon as they sat down on the bus!

 

[beattyfamily]

I just couldn't live without the ability to hop. I don't even consider buying non-hopping tickets. I just pretend the tickets are the old way and buy the park hopping tickets.

I have little ones and we hop almost every day. I love the flexibility.

I love that we can do the EMH morning and then leave as it gets crowded and head to another park.

I love that we can enter a park and if we realize it was a BIG mistake becaues its crowded, we can turn and walk out and head elsewhere.

I love that I can do a 1/2 day at AK and then do another park in the PM.

I love that I could see Fantasmic/Wishes/Illuminations every night if I wanted to while doing a different park during the day.

Finally I love that on the last couple of days if we (really the kids) decide we want to do our favorites again or do something we missed we can head on over with no worries.

I LOVE hopping.

Having said that, I also LOVE MNSSHP and wouldn't miss it if I was down there when they were having a party. No way.

So if I REALLY had to choose between them, I'd pick MNSSHP but I wouldn't want to pick just one.

 

[Fionasmommy]

We used our hoppers to go eat dinner at another park, or to go to evening EMH at another park.

 

[mytwotinks]

We hop every day and had a horrible time at the mnsshp so I would choose the hopping option.

 

[mumeof3]

okay dumb question but what is MNSSHP?????a littl;e slow here

 

[crisi]

Yes, we do. There was maybe one day last year where we were only in a single park. But we do a lot of dining in Epcot, and we stay at the BWV - which makes that very convienient.

I thought MNSSHP was a huge waste of money. But my kids were too little to get the most out of it. They were too tired to stay long (doesn't start until 7:00) and the rides that had no lines were the ones they are still frightened of. It was a lot of money for a parade, fireworks we could have seen from the Poly, and some candy. But with a 13 and 9 year old, I might feel differently.

 

[Harvest02]

I am also debating this issue. We have always had park hoppers and used them every day. But, we are going in October 2007 and really want to go to the MNSSHP. Since the parks are not open as late in October(vs. June when we went last time), I am wondering if we should get Park hoppers also. I think you can add the Park Hopping option after you get there, so what about just buying the base ticket and see what happens? That may be what I decide to do also.

 

[Dina]

Before kids, I always hopped. With little kids-- not so much. We're on a budget on this trip, so we're skipping the hoppers. We'll still go back for breaks, but we'll just come back to the same park (and do DTD on our Animal Kingdom day). If you're trying to trim a budget-- I'd skip it for this trip.

 

[missymagic]

I agree it all depends on how many days you are going..will you be able to fit one park in a day. I like to see everything and sometimes it takes more than one day to do a park. You need to weigh that as well. If you do AK one day you tend to be done late afternoon after the parade it is nice to be able to go somewhere else for the night maybe MGM or Epcot. The parks always look so cool at night it is nice to see the differences.

 

[tmanaster]

I bought hopper passes for our trip last summer and never hopped. My kids are a little younger than yours (7,6 and 2 yo twins at the time) but it just seemed like too much work to leave one park to go to another. I thought we would be heading back to our resort for naps during the day, but we never did so we just went to one park a day. I did not buy them for our trip next month.

 

[mom2my3kids]

We are staying 6 full days..

 

[KristiKelly]

okay dumb question but what is MNSSHP?????a littl;e slow here

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

 

[5wdwfans]

Hello to a fellow Hoosier! Been to wdw many times and I just could'nt imagine going without parkhopping. It's part of the "Magic" for me and my family.

 

[stacy6552]

We don't usually park hop, but we have hot as many as 3 parks in one day.