Hopper strategy

[orangeyellow]

Its been a while since I've been to Disneyland (2001!). Since the parks are so close, hoppers seemed like an obvious choice. When you have hoppers, do you move freely between the parks, sort of treating it like one big park? Or do you do one in the morning, the other in the afternoon, with no further back and forth? I am trying to build an itinerary around the days I have EE and the OOB thats going on when I'm there (that I won't attend), and struggling to know how much hopping is too much. Background: I will be on a solo trip in September and I am fine going pretty hard. I'll stay onsite first two nights, offsite two nights, 3 full days in the parks. Thanks!

 

[OlliePop27]

Its been a while since I've been to Disneyland (2001!). Since the parks are so close, hoppers seemed like an obvious choice. When you have hoppers, do you move freely between the parks, sort of treating it like one big park? Or do you do one in the morning, the other in the afternoon, with no further back and forth? I am trying to build an itinerary around the days I have EE and the OOB thats going on when I'm there (that I won't attend), and struggling to know how much hopping is too much. Background: I will be on a solo trip in September and I am fine going pretty hard. I'll stay onsite first two nights, offsite two nights, 3 full days in the parks. Thanks!

Hopping isn't allowed until 11:00 am each day, which forces you to spend at least the first few hours in your starting park. Afterwards, my family does treat it like one big park and we freely move back and forth. It's incredibly close and easy.

YMMV. Some people on here go to one park in the evening and don't hop a lot. Some people hop back and forth all day. If you have Genie+, you can select rides in each park, greatly expanding your options throughout the day.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

You can do whatever you want after 11 AM

I normally start at Disneyland because it has more rides but if you dont want Genie Plus for DCA then go there and you can get on most the best rides before 11 AM

But if you have genie plus then I'd go for Disneyland first and go to DCA in the afternoon and or night

 

[orangeyellow]

Hopping isn't allowed until 11:00 am each day, which forces you to spend at least the first few hours in your starting park. Afterwards, my family does treat it like one big park and we freely move back and forth. It's incredibly close and easy.

YMMV. Some people on here go to one park in the evening and don't hop a lot. Some people hop back and forth all day. If you have Genie+, you can select rides in each park, greatly expanding your options throughout the day.

Thank you! I just really needed reassurance that other people do this and I am not just being hopeful and naive if I want to go back and forth a few times in one day.

You can do whatever you want after 11 AM

I normally start at Disneyland because it has more rides but if you dont want Genie Plus for DCA then go there and you can get on most the best rides before 11 AM

But if you have genie plus then I'd go for Disneyland first and go to DCA in the afternoon and or night

Thanks for the tips! I was planning to start in DCA one day and DL two days. I will have EE one day for each park. Do you think I can get away with avoiding Genie + if I do EE and utilize single rider lines?

 

[JerrodDragon89]

Thank you! I just really needed reassurance that other people do this and I am not just being hopeful and naive if I want to go back and forth a few times in one day.


Thanks for the tips! I was planning to start in DCA one day and DL two days. I will have EE one day for each park. Do you think I can get away with avoiding Genie + if I do EE and utilize single rider lines?

It depends if your going on a "normal" day should be ok

But recent crowds are insane and I feel like without Genie Plus your second half of the day will be mostly waiting for rides

You can always buy it the day of if it seems crowded.

Most all day trips I go, I get Genie plus but I also just can't stand in lines for over 40 mins

 

[mrsashbaugh]

I normally start at Disneyland because it has more rides...

Would you start your day at Disneyland even if it was an early entry park? Wondering how much that affects those that rope drop at 8am?

 

[Aladora]

Its been a while since I've been to Disneyland (2001!). Since the parks are so close, hoppers seemed like an obvious choice. When you have hoppers, do you move freely between the parks, sort of treating it like one big park? Or do you do one in the morning, the other in the afternoon, with no further back and forth? I am trying to build an itinerary around the days I have EE and the OOB thats going on when I'm there (that I won't attend), and struggling to know how much hopping is too much. Background: I will be on a solo trip in September and I am fine going pretty hard. I'll stay onsite first two nights, offsite two nights, 3 full days in the parks. Thanks!

We always get hoppers and tend to go hop between the parks all day. I think our record was DCA twice and DL three times in the same day!

 

[JerrodDragon89]

Would you start your day at Disneyland even if it was an early entry park? Wondering how much that affects those that rope drop at 8am?

If you want to get on Cars Racer ride without single rider, waiting a long time or buying LL then its not a bad way to start your day by Riding one thing in DCA then heading over to the racers as its opening

I prefer Disneyland because Space mountain and the Fantasyland dark rides (Peter Pan has a line but wayyyyy shorter then it normally is) are walk on before the park opens

 

[mrsashbaugh]

If you want to get on Cars Racer ride without single rider, waiting a long time or buying LL then its not a bad way to start your day by Riding one thing in DCA then heading over to the racers as its opening

I prefer Disneyland because Space mountain and the Fantasyland dark rides (Peter Pan has a line but wayyyyy shorter then it normally is) are walk on before the park opens

I feel like you can get a lot more done at rope drop at Disneyland than DCA. My concern is that since it will be a Thursday with early entry, those that don't have EE won't get as much done at rope drop since hotel guests are already in the park. I'm wondering how much of an affect is that to being able to get a lot of rides done at rope drop. I hope that makes my question a little more clearer. Thanks for your help!

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I feel like you can get a lot more done at rope drop at Disneyland than DCA. My concern is that since it will be a Thursday with early entry, those that don't have EE won't get as much done at rope drop since hotel guests are already in the park. I'm wondering how much of an affect is that to being able to get a lot of rides done at rope drop. I hope that makes my question a little more clearer. Thanks for your help!

Rope Drop at Disneyland can get you more attractions depending on what you go on

If you go to Fantasyland you can have like 6+ rides done by 9 AM, DCA is bigger and if you like the rides on the Peir is really the only area where you can get that many rides done in an hour after rope drop

My plan in June when I go with my Wife for Rope Drop is Disneyland everyday because you can get more done and we plan on having Genie Plus.
Mostly hitting Fantasyland rides in the first hour and then from there doing Toontown, Adventureland or Tomorrowland

For DCA, just depends if you dont want LL, then hitting Cars first isn't bad but also you can always go on it later with LL or single rider. GOTG is not a bad choice either but can take 30ish mins plus to get done. So if you want to hit lots of rides at DCA the Peir is your best bet you can hit the two coasters, Toy story mania, all the falt rides and mermaid within about 2 hours on most days

 

[OKW Lover]

We do get the hopper, but it's more for going to one park for a while in the morning and the other park at night. Usually with a break back in the room for some down time. We have gone back and forth during a day but its not a regular thing.

 

[Tinkaboo]

I go back and forth probably 2-3 times each day I am there…I tour like the wind, just going where it blows me.

Sometimes my mood just changes and I want to go dance with Star-Lord. Sometimes I just crave a beignet and want to people watch along ROA. The point is…unlike WDW…you can just pop back and forth with ease, if you don’t mind getting in your steps!