Is park hopping worth the extra $$ in December

[poppop]

(I also posted this on the Budget board, but I would appreciate any extra responses.)

We are planning a trip for the week between Christmas and New Year. (We must be crazy) There will be 4 of us , DD,DM,DD, and DNiece. DD and DNeice are both 4yrs old. We will be saying on disney property (not really sure which one yet)

It will be a rather short trip, only 5nights and 4 days, flying back on newYears eve. According to Disney's prices on their website, it will cost approx. an additional $150 to add the park hopping option to our tickets.

I've never been this time of year before. We have almost always purchased park hopper tickets in the past but we have never really analzed the cost until they came up with the new pricing structure and the Disney your way program.

Some of my concerns would be: Are the parks open late enough for park hopping to be worth it? Would early and late Extra Magic hours be in effect?

What would be the advantages and disadvantage to paying the extra $$$ for park hopping on this trip? Any and all responses are appreciated.
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PopPop

 

[Bill From PA]

Our last trip was this Jan. from New Year's Day until the 10th. From the 2nd on it was the slowest week I've ever seen and I'm told it's the slowest, period. We usually go the first week in March so we know what larger crowds look like too. That said, I'd always opt for the hopper option because we've developed a successful strategy around hopping. When EE was the benefit for WDW resort guests, we'd hit the EE park at opening, get in the major attractions before it got crowded, then hop to Epcot by 1:30 or so. In crowded times this worked because we beat the crowds to the E-ticket rides in the EE park and we bailed before crowds got oppressive. Epcot can handle large crowds due to it's size and by early afternoon we're ready for a brew and some more adult attractions. In slow times this still works. This Jan. we rarely used FP, we chose our park without consideration for EMH and had our fill by noon or so and hopped to Epcot.

For us, staying a whole day at one park, even if we take a break and return there, doesn't appeal. We like the variety hopping offers including the chance to hit MK in the morning, having a beverage or three in Epcot, then seeing Fantasmic the same evening.

Bill From PA

 

[jarestel]

I think hopping is more of a convenience than a necessity. Like Bill from PA, we generally do 2 different parks a day but that's just because we've become accustomed to doing it that way. It certainly doesn't allow us to see or do any more on a trip than not hopping would. If the cost of adding the hopping option to your tickets is more than you think it's worth, I'd skip it. Park Hopping is a nice enough perk ( especially when it was free ), but as I said it's certainly not required for a quality vacation.

 

[mickeysaver]

Your trip is during quite possibly the busiest time for touring WDW that there is. I would suggest that you strongly consider upgrading to the tickets with the hopper option. It just makes sense to me. Granted, everywhere you go will be high crowd levels at least according to UG's Best Days site. But, at least with the hopper option, you have a chance to maximize the parks. You can do EMH and then hop to a lower crowd park. You can play in a lower crowd park and then hop to see Fantasmic, Wishes, Illuminations. To me, if I was crazy enough to ever plan a crowdfest trip like you, hopping would be essential. JMO Maggie

 

[poppop]

Bump.

 

[Goofy DS]

I also share your concerns about hopping during the holidays.
We are going 12/22 to 12/26. The first couple of days should be alright, but the last few will be CROWDED! We have gotten the park hopper option, but I don't know about "hopping" when the crowds reach capacity.

So what if you get into the park in the AM, it's nuts so you decide to go to anohter park or take a break. When you get to the other park or want to come back from your afternoon break the park is full and you are not able to get in?! Does that happen?

 

[poppop]

Bump>

 

[LovePug]

I also share your concerns about hopping during the holidays.
We are going 12/22 to 12/26. The first couple of days should be alright, but the last few will be CROWDED! We have gotten the park hopper option, but I don't know about "hopping" when the crowds reach capacity.

So what if you get into the park in the AM, it's nuts so you decide to go to anohter park or take a break. When you get to the other park or want to come back from your afternoon break the park is full and you are not able to get in?! Does that happen?

This is exactly what I am thinking. I think I'd go to whatever park I was going to that day and stay put. With the kind of crowds during that time, I don't think I'd bother hopping. It might just come back and bite you if you try to hop around .

 

[michellejed]

What if you get to a park and it is sooo busy that you cant get on any thing without super long waits? I would rather have the option to go to a different park.JMHO

I would think that Chrismas day would be the only problem day for capacity, but I have never gone then so dont really know.

 

[karma3939]

I agree with MichelleJed. Especially if it is crowded, you might want the extra flexibility that hopping provides. Park hopping works especially well with the EMH. Typically, the park that opens the extra hour early will be the most crowded that day, so you can go for the first few hours, and then go somewhere else once it gets crowded. Same goes for the evening EMH. Unless you want to be at the same park for about 15 hours, I think it's nice to go to one park during the morning to afternoon, take a break, and then go to the EMH evening hours of another park.

 

[blueangel]

I've done New Year's several times and is crowded, but honestly I think that Park Hopping makes it better. Yes, you can park hop if one is crowded, and you have the option of going somewhere else if you miraculously get through with what you want to do at a park, getting a jump on the next day. From what I can remember the parks were open til 11 or 12 and really started to clear out around 9. New Year's 98-9 was practically empty by 10:30 at the MK. I'd go for it.

I know the policy used to be that resort guests would always be allowed in, even if the parks were at "capacity," but those were the days before the building boom and there were a lot less resort guests. Not sure anymore.

 

[PaulaSue]

How did you find out the hours ahead of time?