Is is "really" Cheaper....MYW vs. Park Hopper?

[d96j97]

This is only my observation...what do you all think? We visited the world last May and bought our tickets in advance at the DS. We did the same thing this year and here is my observation.

We had planned on getting 5 day hopper passes again until they changed the ticketing this January. After much research...we knew that for only $8 more, we could get 7 day MYW tickets with Park Hopper option. HOWEVER...the overall cost was $44 more than last year even though we did get 2 more days. Those 2 days are actually the day we arrive (7pm) and for the day we leave (11am checkout). We really won't get to do anything but purchased them simply because they were on $8 more.

Ok....so....in reality....everyone keeps saying how much cheaper the tickets are this year as opposed to before and I really don't think they are. The hopper passes already had the options like BB and TL included. It is smart marketing on Disney's part, but unless you already planned on buying 7+ day tickets...it really isn't a bit cheaper than in previous years.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Ticket prices go up every year. So if you configure a Magic Your Way ticket like the former park hopper plus passes were configured (with the premium and non-expiration added on) it will be more expensive.

But, now - if you don't need that non-expiration, you don't have to purchase it. If you don't need the plus admissions, you don't have to purchase them. And if you leave an option or two off, they probably work out cheaper than they have in the past.

According to Len Testa, Disney did research, and only 10% of unused park hopper days were ever used. That means that 9 out of 10 tickets with leftover days on them? They're either in the trash, or forgotten about at the bottom of a drawer. Now, you don't have to waste money on that option unless you're absolutely certain you need it.

Just my $.02

 

[NancyIL]

It's less expensive per day if you buy longer passes. A 5-day park hopper now that doesn't expire is more expensive than the old hoppers. Since you already purchased the 7-day hoppers, DON'T go to the parks on arrival and departure day, but DO pay the $58.58 per ticket for those 2 days to not expire ($55 plus 6.5% tax for 7-day tickets). And if you're going to do that, you might even want to upgrade to an 8, 9, or 10-day non-expiring park hopper when you get there.

 

[goofy4tink]

The beauty of the new system is that if you want a pass, that allows you 6 days in the parks, with no water park visits, you can get them. Before you couldn't do that. You had to pay for things you weren't going to use. Now, I will get a 10 pass, with hopping and no expire, and the pluses on it. Then use it for 2 trips. Much cheaper than buying two 5 day park hopper plus passes the old way.

 

[RescueRanger]

Yes, for my family it is cheaper. We are going to save $300 for my family of four next week. Before the new tickets came out, we would have had to buy the park hopper plus passes even though we don't do pleasure island or the water parks. Now we can just buy the 7 day passes with hopper option and not have to pay for the plusses. Are the new tickets cheaper for everyone? No, of course not, but they are in my opinion fairer.

 

[ccgegg]

It's the "a la carte" pricing of the new MYW that makes them cheaper in most cases. Sure, if you compare a 5-day MYW with non-expiration, plus features and hopping privileges to the old 5-day Park Hopper Plus, MYW will cost more (due to the price increase). But not everyone needs all those extras.

 

[Mymatisse]

I don't believe Hopper passes already had TL and BB included unless you got the plus tickets. If you didn't have the Plus tix you would still have had to purchase those options separately even under the old hopper system.

This new system is good because if you really take the time to evaluate what your needs are then you can puchase only what you need thereby saving you money.

I think the problem is that there are too many people trying to simply recreate the old Hopper Plus tickets without really evaluating if they need all those options. This is where people get themselves into trouble and spend more money than necessary.

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't believe Hopper passes already had TL and BB included unless you got the plus tickets. If you didn't have the Plus tix you would still have had to purchase those options separately even under the old hopper system.

This new system is good because if you really take the time to evaluate what your needs are then you can puchase only what you need thereby saving you money.

I think the problem is that there are too many people trying to simply recreate the old Hopper Plus tickets without really evaluating if they need all those options. This is where people get themselves into trouble and spend more money than necessary.

The old hopper plus tickets did have water parks included. There were some that did not have the plus feature on them but you couldn't get them for more than 5 days...if you wanted to go to the parks for 6 days you had to buy a plus hopper, even if you didn't plan on going to a water park. This was a huge issue if you are in WDW for 8 days and it's Feb and you really have no interest in going to a water park. Now, you can configure exactly the kind of park pass you need and not end up paying for those things you'll never use...hence those old hopper plus passes, with unused plus visits, sitting in drawers never to be used!!

Here are the comparetive prices...
5 day park hopper (no plus, no expire.).....255.00 (can no longer buy)
5 day park hopper plus (3 plus visits, no expire)...287.00(no longer buy)

5 day basic MYW (no hopping, plus, 14 day expire.)...205.00
5 day prem MYW (hopping, 3 plus, no expire.)..320.00 advance purchase
AP...420.00
PAP..548.00

10 day basic MYW...222.00
10 day prem MYW (hopping, 5 plus, no expire)...401.00 advance purchase

 

[minivan3]

I agree that for short trips, the new tickets are more expensive.

Also, I am confused by the reports saying now they didn't have to pay for plus options that they didn't want or never used -- why did you purchase the options then? Couldn't you have bought a hopper without any "pluses"?

 

[goofy4tink]

I agree that for short trips, the new tickets are more expensive.

Also, I am confused by the reports saying now they didn't have to pay for plus options that they didn't want or never used -- why did you purchase the options then? Couldn't you have bought a hopper without any "pluses"?

Yes, you could buy a hopper without pluses. Only problem was that you could only get them for 4 or 5 days. If you wanted a 7 day park hopper with no pluses, there was no such thing!! So, if you were going for 6 days and it's chilly out, tough luck. You still got those pluses for the water parks. In this way these new passes work better, but you're right. They are best for those longer visits. I might even be tempted to get a 10 prem pass rather than an AP for my next visits. Only problem is I can get an AP for around $320 with my DVC discount. Who knows....I guess it all depends on what you are going to do on each trip.

 

[emeraldlover]

Didn't it also used to be that when you bought the 4 or 5 day hopper passes that included TL and BB, the main parks had no expiration date, but TL and BB expired 7 days after the first main park use?

I also was wondering now if you by the MYW (hopper, plusses, no exp.) does that mean the water parks portion of the ticket also never expire?

We are looking at purchasing the 7 day (no exp.) even though we will only be down there for 5 days as it doesn't cost very much more, and we know that we will be going back again in a few years.

Thanks for the replies. This site is wonderful.

Melissa

 

[SnackyStacky]

Didn't it also used to be that when you bought the 4 or 5 day hopper passes that included TL and BB, the main parks had no expiration date, but TL and BB expired 7 days after the first main park use?

I also was wondering now if you by the MYW (hopper, plusses, no exp.) does that mean the water parks portion of the ticket also never expire?

We are looking at purchasing the 7 day (no exp.) even though we will only be down there for 5 days as it doesn't cost very much more, and we know that we will be going back again in a few years.

Thanks for the replies. This site is wonderful.

Melissa

Maybe at some point in Walt Disney World's ticketing history, there was an expiration date on plus admissions. But the most recent park hoppers had plus options that NEVER expired.

And that's the way plus options work now. If you put non-expiration on a ticket that has magic plus pack, your magic plus pack options won't ever expire.

 

[GarrettJD]

We're saving about $150 or so on tickets this year. Last year we bought 7 day Park Hopper Plus passes (with 4 Plus options each). We used all of our theme park days, but only one Plus option. This year we're getting the 7 day MYW w/ park hopping, no expiration. If we feel like hitting a water park, we still have 3 plus options left on our old tickets that won't expire.

 

[eeyore0062]

Also remember that with the plus option now you may go to Disney Quest. This was never before an option unless you had an Annual Premium pass or a Unlimited Magic Pass with your resort package.

 

[emeraldlover]

Well that certainly is a plus. I don't know much about Disney Quest, but the kids want to do BB. Once I have more information I can better judge what tickets to purchase.

Thanks.

Melissa