Need advice on this park hopping plan, have never park hopped before!!

[SL6827]

So I was planning to get a 3-day base ticket, with the bonus water park feature but now I have decided to just go with a 2 day park hopper, with the water park bonus. I don't think that we have ever got the park hopper on our tickets or even park hopped, ever. But this is the plan.

March 31st, Magic Kingdom morning, Animal Kingdom afternoon/evening- fp will be booked for AK

April 2nd, Magic Kingdom morning, Hollywood Studios afternoon/evening- fp will be booked for HS

So give me all your tips, advice, ect on how to do this touring style

 

[FCDub]

Plan 60 or so minutes when moving between parks.

Will you be driving to/between the parks? There is also a direct bus between all of the parks you've listed.

 

[TinkSassy]

Are you doing FP in the second park because of the big rides? FoP and SDD? I like using my FP first thing in the morning and adding as we go - but putting the hard to get rides like these in the afternoon makes this a necessity.

If you are doing RD at MK both days you should be fine.

 

[wfjny]

Some notes for what works for us:

1) Make sure you arrive early to your first parks. You will do more rides/attractions in the first 90 minutes than you will at any other point.

2) Depending on your plans, if going from park to park, you may prefer to drive to your destination park, park there for the day, and take transportation back to your first park. In this example, get to Animal Kingdom very early, park up close and then hop on the bus to MK. The reason why, at the end of the day, you are tired, and will appreciate a short walk to the car, and the fact you will be in your own car. The bus ride between the parks is some nice down time.

2a) I have been known to drop my family off, and or let them take other transportation to the park and I catch up to them. Again, this is when it is important to get the car in place for leaving. i like to think of Disney like playing pool, it is all about setting up the next shot.

3) Since you are only there for 2 days, I am assuming you will be running a lot. If this was a five of six day trip, i would be suggesting have some down time (going back to a hotel) between the parks.

4) Yes, watch your FP and ADR times. It does take time to go park to park.

5) Depending on timing, finances and the like, Uber and the Minnie Vans may be something to consider.

 

[DavidNYC]

I think the time at each park is fine (assuming you really don't want Epcot). But as with all things - depends on what you want to do. I don't think your FP plan is optimal. By going to MK in morning and having 3 FP in the afternoon at the other parks, you're likely limiting yourself to just the FP you pre-booked. Depending on exact times perhaps you'd get 1-2 more at each park but you're also likely to find headliners harder to get with the limited time once you use your pre-booked ones.

MK on the other hand, you'll get to do a few things at rope drop for the first hour but then lines will likely build for many rides. MK is by far the easiest park to get add'l FP at so I'd suggest swapping the order on one of the days. Use your FP at one park in the morning and you'll likely be able to still get a bunch at MK in the evening. I'd suggest swap the AK day as I think the evening entertainment is better at DHS right now (although you'll find others who disagree with me).

Again - my opinion based on what I'd want to try to get done in a day. Depending on what your goals are - you may be fine.

 

[SL6827]

I think the time at each park is fine (assuming you really don't want Epcot). But as with all things - depends on what you want to do. I don't think your FP plan is optimal. By going to MK in morning and having 3 FP in the afternoon at the other parks, you're likely limiting yourself to just the FP you pre-booked. Depending on exact times perhaps you'd get 1-2 more at each park but you're also likely to find headliners harder to get with the limited time once you use your pre-booked ones.

MK on the other hand, you'll get to do a few things at rope drop for the first hour but then lines will likely build for many rides. MK is by far the easiest park to get add'l FP at so I'd suggest swapping the order on one of the days. Use your FP at one park in the morning and you'll likely be able to still get a bunch at MK in the evening. I'd suggest swap the AK day as I think the evening entertainment is better at DHS right now (although you'll find others who disagree with me).

Again - my opinion based on what I'd want to try to get done in a day. Depending on what your goals are - you may be fine.

Might consider swapping a MK morning for a MK evening. My plan was to do MK from rope drop till lunch, leave, go back to the resort, rest a bit then head to the second park later in the afternoon, evening.

 

[DisneyBelle27]

I agree with DavidNYC on switching up the order of your AK day. This will also allow you to see the nighttime shows at the MK, and since you'll already be in MK on two days you'll get to see it from two different perspectives - early in the am and at night. If you RD 7DMT and/or PP on your MK morning you'd have a pretty good chance of getting a lot of the other rides as fp's later in the day, day of, on your MK afternoon.

 

[runwad]

Plan 60 or so minutes when moving between parks.

Will you be driving to/between the parks? There is also a direct bus between all of the parks you've listed.

I've never experienced it taking so long to get from park to park whether driving ourselves or taking the bus. Not doubting you, just never had that problem, thankfully.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I've never experienced it taking so long to get from park to park whether driving ourselves or taking the bus. Not doubting you, just never had that problem, thankfully.

Still, good to plan for it. If you justmiss a bus, figure a 20 minute wait for the next one. Then a 20 minute ride (MK being surprisingly distant), then time to get through security and the tapstiles.

 

[Lisa F]

Might consider swapping a MK morning for a MK evening. My plan was to do MK from rope drop till lunch, leave, go back to the resort, rest a bit then head to the second park later in the afternoon, evening.

Totally agree with this.

Also I think RD at MK is much better if you knock out the adventureland/frontierland side... I think it is more crowded at Tomorrowland/Fantasyland side - so you could basically RD 2 of the mountains and get a whole lot done and then FP 7DMT, Space mountain and Peter pan and get most of the rest done standby later in the day.

 

[iujen94]

I agree with DavidNYC on switching up the order of your AK day. This will also allow you to see the nighttime shows at the MK, and since you'll already be in MK on two days you'll get to see it from two different perspectives - early in the am and at night. If you RD 7DMT and/or PP on your MK morning you'd have a pretty good chance of getting a lot of the other rides as fp's later in the day, day of, on your MK afternoon.

Another vote for this! And another vote to scheduling your 3 FPs in your morning park this day. MK has so many rides that it's generally pretty easy to get almost any ride as an additional FP (except 7DMT, and maybe PP). Don't forget that you can schedule your 4th FP as soon as you tap in for your 3rd FP - you don't have to wait until you are at MK to do it!

 

[Lovetherodent]

But going to AK at night lets you see Pandora at night (and it's pretty cool).

Your plan looks fine. Keep in mind, though, with a hopper, you can pop in to a park for just an event, granted it works best with Mk/Ep and EP/HS, but you don't have to use it to divide time between two parts. So, for example, on the way to HS, you might decide to take the monorail to EP (better food) just for late lunch and then hop on a Friendship to HS after lunch. Or after an afternoon/early evening in HS, go to EP just for the fireworks. We used ours last time to "hop" over to AK just to see Pandora at night and to to to HS just for Fantasmic (from Epcot).

 

[cvjw]

Not sure why you would give up a 3 day ticket for a 2 day park hopper if you are only planning on 3 parks total? With the 2 day hopper, you are planning a full day at magic kingdom and half days at AK and HS. With a 3 day ticket, you would get a full day at each park. I personally would get the 3 day base ticket with your plans.

If you were planning a half day at all 4 parks, I would consider the hopper. With your schedule of only 3 parks, I wouldn’t do the hopper.