Having a ticket debate with a friend - need your input!

[bajanswife]

4 of us will be at WDW in October (all of mid-30s women, I'm the only one married with kids and DH and kids aren't coming!). We'll be doing WDW for only 3 days. One of our group isn't sold on the park hopper idea and wants to get 1-day, 1-park gate tickets. The rest of us want 3-day hoppers, but she is nervous that it isn't a "real" Disney ticket that's available to the public. She doesn't want to get scammed or risk that her ticket won't work at the gate. Plus, her scruples are telling her that we don't really have the "right" to those tickets (and she's kind of right about that, esp. if we pretend certain things in order to get them). Since 1 of our group has never been to WDW, and another has only been to Epcot, she doesn't think park hopping is a good idea anyway - she thinks we should pick 3 parks and spend a whole day at each. She thinks we will miss too much and waste too much time park hopping - that it's more suited to those who have been before and know exactly what they want to do. I am a fanatical planner, and I believe I can put together a plan that involves only one or two park hops (and we'll have a car), and lets us see more than enough for 3 days (since we can skip a lot of the kiddie/character things and not feel deprived).

How much merit do her points have? Can I really do justice to WDW for adults in 3 days at all 4 parks? Bear in mind too that we are not really Disney charaters fans - we want to be entertained, but don't need a lot of the "magic" of MK and characters, and can take em or leave em. We also aren't huge thrill-seekers, and might not spend that much time doing the scarier rides.

What can I tell her about the tickets that will make her feel more comfortable about buying them? I'm pretty sure I have a few legit options (Alamo, Anthony travel, other legit conventions, calling licensed brokers to see if they have any that they can't advertise etc.).

Has anyone ever made an Alamo reservation just to get their special tickets and then cancelled it after receiving the tickets? Did you have any problems with that?

It's so hard to get all of us on the same page here!

 

[my3kids]

Of course the Hoppers are real tickets; you can order them right off the disney.com website. Unless you are staying onsite, you technically don't have a right to ride the WDW transportation with a one day ticket. I can't imagine why she wouldn't want the Hoppers. Not only will they save you a good bit of money over the one day tickets, it will allow you to enjoy a day in one park, then go to Epcot to enjoy dinner in one of the restaurants, or take the monorail from the Magic Kingdom to the Polynesian for dinner, etc. The Hoppers save money, are definately real tickets as long as you buy them from a real place, like Disney itself, AAA, etc. Never buy them from a booth on the street, and you'll be fine.

As for not having a right to them...why not? They are tickets available to the general public. I've never heard of going through Alamo rental car. Just go to Disneyworld.com, click on tickets, and buy your passes.

 

[wdwobsessed]

If you can get 3 day hoppers I would do so. I thought I had heard that Ticketmania is now unable to sell those but I'm not sure about the places you named.

As long as it's a reputable ticket place you will have no problem with them. I have yet to hear about anyone getting a ticket from a savings club or Alamo or whatever that was not legit and did not work. Just stay away from roadside stands and E-bay!

I can't imagine going to WDW without hopping! What if you go to one of the parks and it is REALLY crowded? You are stuck with no option to go somewhere else! Also, you can get the majority of AK done in 1/2 a day and do another park in the PM. I'd rather have a taste of all four parks rather than leaving one out. Sort of a "the best of" tour!

Park hopping is great! So flexible! You could even take the first two days and do MK / MGM one day and AK / EPCOT the 2nd day then you have the 3rd day to return to one or two of your favorites!? That's what I'd do if it were me!

Try to talk her into the hoppers. Just gives you more options if things don't go as planned at one park.

WDWO

 

[HaleyB]

I would put my foot down. Park hopping is a great idea. Some of the parks are open much latter than others, and some can really be done in less than a dy anyway. It would be a waste not to park hop. Buy the four day hoppers if you need to, you can always buy the last day from your friends and save them for your next trip.

 

[dizagain]

First, Disney doesn't sell 3-day themselves. Alamo is the only place I found this week (I'm looking for a friend) that was possible. I'm not sure what would happen if you then cancelled the car rental...hmm...interesting idea! Anyway, the Alamo thing works for my friend as they need a car anyway. I keep hearing about Ticketmania, but each time I check through Mousesavers, I don't see the 3-day deal. Maybe you could keep checking!

Park-Hoppers are the way to go for sure! It's not a bad idea to go for the 4-day if you can't find the 3's - it's still better than being confined to a certain park for the day.

Sounds like a fun trip, though!!! Enjoy!

 

[bajanswife]

isn't this hard to do? Doesn't Disney have a way of making sure that whoever starts using a ticket finishes it? Actually, maybe they don't, given the number that sell on e-Bay! Anyone know for sure? I'd hate to buy them and not be able to use them!

 

[MrsJ Henry]

You will waste more time and see less if you do only one park each day.
There is so much info on these boards as well as on the internet in general about the hopper passes and why they are a great idea. Also there are so many guide books out there.

Get the passes and check out some touring stratagies so that you will be able to hit all the things you all want to see.

 

[bajanswife]

I was going to go the Ticketmania route via Mousesavers, but Ticketmania's contract changed like 2 days ago and now they can't sell 3-day hoppers anymore! Maybe it will change again, but I'm not counting on it.

 

[Disney Debbie]

Originally posted by bajanswife
4 of us will be at WDW in October .....One of our group isn't sold on the park hopper idea and wants to get 1-day, 1-park gate tickets. The rest of us want 3-day hoppers, but she is nervous that it isn't a "real" Disney ticket that's available to the public.

Color and underline added by me for emphasis!

In the words of Mr. Spock "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" In other words - she's outnumbered. Plus she's wrong. If you can get the 3 days without being downright illegal - then it's the better way to go. If not I'd get the 4 days and buy their extra day for the future if they don't want them. And while they can look and see when and where a ticket was bought they don't do this unless you have a problem with your ticket. My mother lives in Ocala and buys park hoppers just to have when company comes and lets them buy a day at a time if needed. It's not like they're doing a retinal scan as you put your ticket in and checking it against their data base!

 

[Figment2]

I went with a group of 7 women friends several years ago. Before the trip, their plan was to spend a lot of time around the pool - which didn't happen. And, all of a sudden, taking pictures with characters was high on their list of things to do.

I agree with you on buying the parkhoppers. And could you buy 4 day parkhoppers and buy the one day from them. Yes! Yes, the tickets say non-transferrable but I have bought tickets for friends as presents. And when I travelled with a niece and her friend, I was keeper of the tickets. I had no idea whose parkhopper was whose.

When I go with friends, we have a tendency to park hop a lot! I love Illuminations so always try to get to EPCOT at least twice for that. Or you may find once you get into a park, it's too crowded to enjoy - so you hop to another one!

Tell your friends to trust you!

 

[Tina]

Another reason to park hop: As an adult with no children, DH and I find that AK and MGM are easily 1/2 day parks. Also, you may want to come by MGM later after spending the day elsewhere in order to see Fantasmic. The same theory applies to Illuminations in Epcot.

 

[ironz]

I like Figment's idea...if you feel funny about getting the 3 day hoppers (via whatever means), then get 4 day hoppers and either they can come back with them, or you can. Remember, they never expire! That's the beauty of it. I used one day I had left on one from the early 90's when I went in 2000...bonus! it was almost like a free day.

And...I think...since you know your way around, etc...hopping is a great idea...to accommodate different park hours, showtimes, allow for breaks in the day, etc.

Hope y'all have fun!

 

[mmeb144]

Ticketmania has different deals at different times. Sometimes the 3 day park hoppers are available. I just bought the 4 day park hoppers that expire 14 days after 1st use. Great deal! Keep checking back with ticketmania.

Marie

 

[kild]

and for what you would pay for 1 day passes, you could just about get the four day hopper tickets, at the advance prices.

I also agree with Tina, MGM and MK can easily be half day parks without kids. It was like that for us last time even with the kids.
If at all possible, the park hoppers are the way to go.

 

[bajanswife]

I'm leaning towards getting 3 or 4 day hoppers (depending on what's available) for myself and 2 of my friends, then selling them the days they need. I know I'm coming back, but they don't think they will (in the forseeable future anyway). The other friend (who doesn't want to park hop) has now said she is doing only 2 parks and we can do the others without her. She actually lives in Altamonte Springs (north of Disney) and would be happy to do errands etc. while we see a third park. But we are coming all the way from Barbados to hang out with her for a few days, and we feel bad to leave her for too long - how on earth to please everyone?? (sigh). Since she lives in the area she can probably find things she needs to do while she's off work and we're at the parks, so we shouldn't feel too bad - we can always meet her for dinner somewhere.

We really need a week in Orlando!!! However, I'm already stretching things by leaving the 3 little kiddos alone at home with DH for a few days (not that he can't cope beautifully ..... )

 

[Musky]

Do you know where you're staying? I was looking at many different hotel's websites about a week ago, and I remember seeing several that offered packages with 3-day hoppers. I wish I could remember which ones! If you can't find them anywhere else, you may want to consider staying at a hotel that offers one of these packages. They were probably no bargain, though. I didn't price them as we already have our tickets.

Musky

 

[bajanswife]

How do you check with Ticketmania - do you call, or do you go to a particular place on their website? I had bookmarked the page that the Mousesavers newsletter gave me, and that is still saying no 3-day hoppers, and no expiry hoppers either. I understand that certain tickets cannot be advertised, but if you call you can often get them? I am in Barbados, and the number is not toll-free, so I don't want to waste my money unless I have a fair chance of finding what I need by calling.

 

[bajanswife]

I wish I could take advantage of resort tickets, but we are staying with a friend north of Orlando (in Altamonte Springs). The friend we are staying with is the one who only wants to do 2 parks and doesn't want to get hoppers - so because we are her guests we feel hard to pressure her into anything, even if she is in the minority.

 

[nowellsl]

Since she's a Florida resident she can probably pick up a Play 4 days pass (this was available last October). They are around 109.00 plus tax and are good for 4 days park hopping. They've had them around that time for the last two years that I know of and it would cost about the same as two one day tickets.

 

[bajanswife]

Do you know where they are sold?