First time visit: Park Hopper or not??

[lp199]

Hi there,

We are heading to WDW for a first time family trip in June (yay!!) We will be doing a split stay, first staying at AKL Kidani for seven nights and then staying at the GF for three nights. Not including our travel days, we are looking at eight days for the parks (I took one day as a rest resort day but did include our resort switchover day).

I would like to buy our park tickets but am having a hard time deciding if we should get the regular base tickets or park hopper option. To give some background, our kids will be between 9-14 years old. While I would like us to get to the parks for rope drop, I realize that we will probably not want to do that every day. Assuming we do rope drop, we will most probably want to come back to rest/swim in the afternoons before heading out again.

Also, don’t know if this is necessary or worth it if we have so many days, but was thinking about also doing After Hours at the MK or early morning magic if it becomes available for our dates but then this starts to become very expensive...so don’t know what the best thing to do is. I’m thinking about these experiences as my DH (who is being a sport) really doesn’t like crowds..

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

 

[SarahC97]

With that many days, you don't really need a park hopper in order to do and see everything. You can always add the park hopper when you get there if you decide you want to change, but you might want to stick with base tickets unless you think you'll want to go to more than one park per day or your kids will.

 

[NashvilleMama]

Ditto not needing a park hopper for that many days. **edited to add that spending the money on extras like EMM would be a way better strategy in my opinion.

 

[jk2006]

We love park hoppers, especially with our 9 day trips. Once we've used our 3 FP+ and check availability for the 4th, the choices are frequently better at another park, disney transportation makes it simple to be somewhere else in an hour. We also did FOP standby at park close twice this last trip, as our kids get older they love doing their favorites again that way at the end of the night. I think the parkhopper cost is the same once your tickets are 4+days, so for a long trip to us its worth it.

 

[jbehr12]

Hi there,

We are heading to WDW for a first time family trip in June (yay!!) We will be doing a split stay, first staying at AKL Kidani for seven nights and then staying at the GF for three nights. Not including our travel days, we are looking at eight days for the parks (I took one day as a rest resort day but did include our resort switchover day).

I would like to buy our park tickets but am having a hard time deciding if we should get the regular base tickets or park hopper option. To give some background, our kids will be between 9-14 years old. While I would like us to get to the parks for rope drop, I realize that we will probably not want to do that every day. Assuming we do rope drop, we will most probably want to come back to rest/swim in the afternoons before heading out again.

Also, don’t know if this is necessary or worth it if we have so many days, but was thinking about also doing After Hours at the MK or early morning magic if it becomes available for our dates but then this starts to become very expensive...so don’t know what the best thing to do is. I’m thinking about these experiences as my DH (who is being a sport) really doesn’t like crowds..

Any advice would be much appreciated!!

You don’t necessarily need a hopper but in my opinion for your first trip you should get the freedom of it incase some of your plans change last minute, which they probably will. It’s also nice to have on your first trip because of how overwhelming everything is your first time, it gives you all the freedom you could want to take in as much as you can.

 

[texasgingerbread]

You definitely do not "need" park hoppers with that many days. However, I always get them. I like to be able to go where I want and not be limited. I spend at least 3 of our nights in HS (one for Fantasmic and one for Star Wars Fireworks) and then usually another to get in line last minute at the park to ride whatever is tricky to ride (SDD, RnR, or SR) and many times popping into Epcot if festival is going on with yummy booths. You could decide onsite and see what you think. I always pay for them though.

 

[JodyLynC]

My vote is "no" to park hoppers. When DH and I lived in Florida and visited WDW frequently, we would get Park Hoppers. Now we live in Ohio and have visited three times with our daughters in 12 years. We never get park hoppers anymore.

Since you have plenty of days, you can devote a single day to a single park. There is so much to see and savor. Take your time and enjoy. I believe you can add on park hoppers during your trip. (At least you used to be able to.) If that is the case, spend one day per park then add a parkhopper for the remainder of your stay so you can go back and see just those activities and rides that you want to experience again.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

With that many days. 1 park a day is the way to go. You won’t be rushing as you would be with park hopper.

 

[lp199]

Thanks everyone! What is the consensus about using EMH without park hopper tickets? It sounds like the crowds on EMH days can be pretty extreme...

 

[SarahC97]

Thanks everyone! What is the consensus about using EMH without park hopper tickets? It sounds like the crowds on EMH days can be pretty extreme...

I don't think that's as true as it used to be. In June, I don't think you have to really worry about avoiding parks with EMH -- I don't think it'll have that big of an impact. It's during the party seasons that you see a pretty big swing in crowds between party and non-party days, especially days with EMH, in Magic Kingdom. But as I said, you don't really need to worry about that. I'd personally hit the park with the longest hours of the day so you can take a break in the middle of the day to get out of the heat and then go back in the evening after it cools down.

 

[slpeters]

As other have said you don't need them, but I really like them. We go for about that length of time and we always do an EMH (either evening or morning each day) and then do a different park during the other slot (morning or evening). We would actually go back to the resort and take a nap in between. I think our hours have generally been longer though. We can't do 7 in the morning until midnight without a break each day--eight in the morning until nine or so might be more doable in which case maybe park hoppers wouldn't make as much sense.

 

[JRatManda]

I think it depends. We always get Park Hoppers because MK is our favorite park and we tend to hop back over, especially on our AK and Epcot days. But as others have said, with the amount of days you are working with, you can always add them on once there and you get a feel for if you just really love one particular park and want to be able to hop over...if your plans allow for it!

 

[epcotty]

I don't get why you would want to do park hopper on a first trip especially, even more especially with that many days

 

[Disneypro1]

No hopper ever. You will get more done doing one park per day. No wasted time leaving and getting to another park and it will save you $$ and that’s a big thing. We never hop. Open and close the park. Or at least stay till say 9-10 pm. You will get so much more done. No reason at all to hop. Just enjoy a park day to day.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I feel like park hoppers add complication to planning and the first time we went, planning was complicated enough. We’ve been 5 times and I still wouldn’t know where to start with hoppers. The only time I would spring for them would be if we went in party season. It seems like they would definitely be worth it then.

I agree with others that it’s worth waiting to see how you feel about it after a day or two in the parks and adding it if you want. We have never run out of things to do in a park and I feel like that would be doubly true on a first visit. But a lot depends on the personality of your group. If your family doesn’t enjoy shows or re-riding rides you enjoyed then it might be better to consider them.

 

[snoopboop]

No hopper ever. You will get more done doing one park per day. No wasted time leaving and getting to another park and it will save you $$ and that’s a big thing. We never hop. Open and close the park. Or at least stay till say 9-10 pm. You will get so much more done. No reason at all to hop. Just enjoy a park day to day.

I mean, there are actually plenty of valid reasons to hop.... it is highly dependent on one’s preferences and touring style. To say that there’s no reason at all just isn’t quite accurate.

 

[loves to dive]

We have always had hoppers, long trips, short trips, our first trip, always get them. For us, it's about the freedom to not have to worry about only finding places to eat in one park or if a park is too crowded or we go back to the resort for a break mid day and just weren't feeling the park we were in that morning. I agree with others in that if you aren't 100% sure, do without and add them on later in the trip if you find you need them. It really depends on your style. We aren't there to see how many rides we can ride but more for the experience of the place.

 

[5kidsmommy]

Our first two trips we did not get hoppers. Our five kids were really little and honestly they weren't needed. We now constantly get them. I think your first trip you will be fine without them. If cost isn't an issue you might want them just because I personally like doing one park in the morning, going back for a nap, and then heading off to a different park. We like to mix things up, plus everyone likes to eat at Epcot several times on our trips.

 

[Heather07438]

Either decision would be fine with no regrets.

Without hoppers you still have 2 full days at each park. Plenty of time to see the night shows and anything else. And being new visitors, there's plenty in each park to keep you occupied without running out of stuff to do.

Hoppers are fun though. I love them to help navigate crowds, especially EMHs. Hop over to night EMH or to Epcot to eat dinner. Or do morning at one park, take an afternoon break and then head out to another park for the night. The flexibility is awesome, just not necessary with longer trip like yours.

Personally I'd add that 9th day. DH just discussed adding Day #9 to our trip... it only cost $20 total for the 3 of us. 9 FP's for $20! Quite a deal. You can have a relaxing day and just pop into a park for 2-3 hrs to use your FPs.

 

[gharter]

For your first time there, i wouldn't spend the time with park hoppers. You have enough days there to do everything. park hopping can complicate things as well. Disney can be confusing enough for first timers without adding more complications to the mix.
Enjoy.