For goodness sake, pay for Hopping!

[Buttercup Roberts]

Hi kids,

I just have to say, there are a lot of people planning trips here who have not been to Disney World much, and when I see them say they aren't paying for park hopping on their tickets, I just want to say

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Don't skimp on the hopping feature on your tickets!

I can't imagine not having park hopping as an option. I think it's especially crucial when you don't go that much and are trying to maximize your park experience, yet first time or infrequent visitors seem to be the most likely to try and save some money by sticking to one park per day.

So many of the best strategies for seeing "everything" would include hitting one park at opening and then switching at lunch-time.

Disney took something that used to be a feature of every multi-day pass and jacked up the price by making it cost extra. I like to save a buck, believe me, but this is one thing I just wouldn't ever suggest anyone skimp on.

I guess I just feel SO bad for the people who try and go to the EMH parks and can't hop anywhere else, they are actually having like the worst most crowded possible park experience they could have. I know how that feels, because I got "stuck" in the Magic Kingdom once with my non-hopping-one-day-ticketed parents, on a day when they almost had to close the park due to capacity crowds. That day was like NO fun, and I know from other people traveling that weekend that the other three parks were fine that day.

So, anyways, that's my rant. Skip some of the mediocre restaurants if you are looking for somewhere to cut (and there's lots of them!).

 

[nliedel]

I don't do much park hopping. We don't go to the EMH parks and have not really had a problem with it. I am so tired after one I don't have the energy for more.

 

[chrome64]

We've been know to go to as many as 3 parks in one day! I don't think I could live without the hopper either! But, just like most things that you try and try to tell people, somethings they just must learn on their own!

I guess I can understand the non-hopper's if a person cannot aford to go otherwise. So, to each his own!

Me, I'm an AP convert anyway. I just don't know if I will be able to survive with out my precious AP come October when it expires!

 

[Angela Kay]

I couldn't agree more. I could not go without my PH option.

 

[BlindTyldak]

I can't stress park-hopping nearly enough either. I can't imagine getting stuck with a bad choice of a busy park for a day and then not being able to wind down and hop over to someplace else, or going to AK for the day and Illuminations or Wishes at night.

 

[zachnlucy]

We used to park hop all the time when we lived 40 minutes away, had a FL annual pass, and went at least once a month. That ended in 1994 and now I'm taking my new family in April (they've never been). Knowing that hopping from one park to another takes about an hour, and following TGM's advice re: best days, I really don't see the need to park hop. Rather than lose that hour, I'd prefer going back to our resort, swim, nap and then head back to the same park later that afternoon.

 

[Flyerfan]

On this last trip we used our park hopping to the fullest. Just the two of us but we were at 3 parks the one day (or was it 4?). It didn't take us long using the Disney transport. We were hop hop hopping all over. It was fantastic. I'll never go without it.

 

[mickeymousemom]

Family of park hoppers here too! I can't imagine being in a park and KNOWING I'm stuck there for the day. Okay, I know that sounds silly, seeing as it's Disney...but I also know that anyone who must have the PH option knows exactly what I mean. We rarely ever stay in the same park for a full day..it just doesnt happen.
That being said, DH, DD2, and I are taking a quick, spontaneous trip down this weekend for four days and things will be different. We aren't staying onsite(staying in our timeshare...saves us money right now), and we are only going to the parks for two days. Since we've decided on Epcot and the MK, I refuse to pay $40 more just to park hop on one day alone. We'll do that when we take our family trip in October. This trip wasn't even supposed to happen anyway as it started as a joke...but here we are!

Anyway, I just don't understand how anyone can go without a PH otherwise. I guess its all what makes you happy!

 

[ajleone]

We used to park hop all the time when we lived 40 minutes away, had a FL annual pass, and went at least once a month. That ended in 1994 and now I'm taking my new family in April (they've never been). Knowing that hopping from one park to another takes about an hour, and following TGM's advice re: best days, I really don't see the need to park hop. Rather than lose that hour, I'd prefer going back to our resort, swim, nap and then head back to the same park later that afternoon.

I have to really diasgree with you-TGM's best days are an estimate at best-I find alot of the time these best days are very off, and would not want to get stuck at a busy park because of someone else's error.Along the same idea, many times a park thats not busy in the morning can be very busy in the evening, or vice versa and hopping would be great at that time.

 

[Ilovestitch]

We always park hop, too. A lot of times we walk up to the busstop and the first bus that pulls up- that's the park we go to.

I also feel "burned out" doing the same park all day. I think its better to do one park in the morning. Then go back to the resort for a nap/shower. And go to another park at night.

 

[highland3]

Hopping option.... an absolute must!!!!

 

[dcgrumpy]

Even though we have AP"s we hardly ever park hop. If it were me I'd buy the tickets without park hopping and then upgrade after we got there if we decide to park hop. We usually go during value seasn though so the parks close early.

 

[macraven]

i always hop.

even do all 4 parks in one day

 

[keishashadow]

hi mac!

Reviewing our last 3 trips, we only hopped once. IMO a waste of money for us.

We don't commando too much anymore, other than early entry/FP's etc.

Even w/AP's we usually leave the parks for a break (swim or nap) in the early afternoon & come back to the same one later that night to use a FP we got before we left.

I do sleep good @ WDW.

 

[Becky2005]

I guess it just depends. We went on the Premium plan and only hopped once and that was just run into a store and buy some shorts due to an accident. It wasn't even the whole family that hopped.

With that said, I'm on the fence if we would buy hopping privileges or not. On one hand I like the option of having it just in case but on the other hand, since we didn't use it last time in general not sure it's worth the extra expense.

I know you can add it on later (or at least you used to), so to me it would be one of those, let's not buy it and if we need it, pay to upgrade it then.

 

[johnvree]

We don't park hop all that much, at least not in the sense of hitting attractions in one park in the morning and then attraction in a second park later that day. But we do return to the parks several times a trip to have dinner and catch a parade or closing show. So we would always get the park hopping option. Actually, we usually get an annual pass, which includes the park hopping option.

 

[eliza61]

It may also depend on what time of the year you go. My family and I always go late August. The Parks are usually open to atleast 10 pm. This allows us to see one park in the morning, go back to our resort during the hottest part of the day (1:00-2:00) relax, cool off and unwind until dinner and then go to a 2nd park. Some times we will do a water park during the morning, once again come back to the room, shower, chill-out for a while and then go to a theme park for the rest of the evening. I can't imagine not having the ph option

 

[mill4023]

We bought hoppers last year and never hopped. I think because it was our first visit, we didn't want to waste any time going back and forth between parks. I guess if you like the variety it makes sense, but there is so much to do in each park that I prefer spending an entire day in one park.

 

[GoingtoSeeRella]

We went last year at Easter and didn't buy the Park Hopper option, and we were fine without it.

This year, we're going again at Easter but we did buy the Hopper option....so I'll be interested to see if we actually use it enough. I have most of our days and ADRs scheduled, and there are a few opportunities to hop but I'm just not sure. I have 3 small kiddos...DS8, DD5 and DD3. Sometimes it's just more difficult to hop with little ones in tow.

Only time will tell

 

[momofbgtwins]

For those of you that park hop to multiple parks in one day, are you doing that with young children, say... under 3 yrs old? I understand the desire to see alot in one day, but with two children 3 yrs old I can't imagine the disruption of lines, and buses, and trying to get naps in, etc. Maybe those that don't park hop aren't trying to save money, but rather trying to keep their sanity!