How much time to Park Hop?

[jtw3549]

It's been over a decade since last I used the Park Hoppers. Obviously there are tons more people that attend WDW every year now and I'm wondering how that has impacted the amount of time it takes to park hop on any given day? Last time I park-hopped was pre-Skyliner, so that obviously needs to taken into account.

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are on how much time it takes to park hop now and if it's worth it.

Thanks!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

It really depends on which park you are leaving and which park you are heading to. Most of the time for us, it's well worth the park change at some point during the day. But I don't think the crowd sizes have a direct impact on the amount of time to change parks, especially since most of the time you'd be going to another park mid-day when the transportation systems are likely to be less full.

As for the Skyliner, it's certainly an option. But if you're hopping between EP and HS, the actual time it takes via Skyliner, boat, or walking isn't that much different.

 

[scrappinginontario]

The easiest hop is between DHS and Epcot which takes about 30-45 mins depending on mode of transportation chosen. To hop between any other parks I would allow for 1 hour.

 

[jtw3549]

This is super helpful. Thank you!

 

[zackiedawg]

Hopping between parks can also be done via some resort busses -ie: if wanting to go from MK, AK, or DHS to Epcot, you could just take the MK resort bus to Beach Club or Boardwalk, and then walk into Epcot, or to Boardwalk and walk to DHS (or boat or Skyliner too). To get to MK from any park, you could take the resort bus to Contemporary and walk to MK (or boat from Poly, GF, Wilderness Lodge). For the most part, the time needed for the transfer is just down to how quickly the bus arrives - transport time would be 15-25 minutes to the resort plus 5-10 minutes walking in, so it could be as quick as 30 minutes over a bit over an hour if you're unlucky with bus timing.

AK is the only one that's harder to get to as there's no direct resort connected to it. From AK though, later in the day they run busses from AK direct to other parks.

 

[tobikaye]

Yeah, I tend to expect it to take at least 45-60 minutes though rarely it does, mainly just in case there are any unexpected delays.

OP, you indicate that you have hopped in the past, but that the Skyliner is new since then. So, I figure that is the only update you really need.

The route between EP and DHS is not too long as long as there is not too long of a hold up at Caribbean Beach to transfer. I would suggest though that you watch the weather as the Skyliner goes down for weather frequently. If it looks like it could rain at any minute, maybe hop on the boat or walk. If not, you could be stuck at CBR and have to wait for a bus to start running or the skyliner to go back up.

 

[jimmymc]

I like park-hopping, especially when I start in Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom. Even just getting an extra viewing of Happily Ever After can make the add-on worth it. The Skyliner is about 30 minutes going between Epcot and Studios, and Epcot to MK on the monorail is also about 30 minutes (assuming light crowds in the middle of the day). The bus from Animal Kingdom to Magic Kingdom is about 30 minutes from pickup to drop off, so assume 50 for the wait and getting through security.