No Park Hopping Troubles?

[SlightlyGoofy]

I was just wondering about the people with no park hopping tickets. Having made many trips we have often found ourselves at a park that is overflowing and just turned around and headed elsewhere. I am thinking that the poor people without PH are going to be stuck. Any thoughts? (not that I am even slightly contemplating joining those hoards) LOL

Slightly Goofy/Linda

 

[estnh]

Same thing has happened to us many times--despite the best planning, sometimes a particular park will be jam packed for no apparent reason. Life without park hoppers would be difficult indeed!

 

[lclark0621]

I could not imagine not having the option of Park Hopping.

There are many times we will be wandering around a park, having done everything we wanted & go onto the next park. Especially when AK closes so early everyday!

And we can do all of MGM in a couple of hours. Then we want to go play somewhere else!

 

[the kabuki]

I have used them if a park got extremely busy, but since we're usually there in Jan, we haven't had to park hop that much. I would pay extra for the option though.

 

[DebbieB]

You can add the park hopper option after you buy it, if you change your mind. Also keep in mind EMH (extra magic hours). You would only be able to go early/stay late at the same park.

 

[MeredithJ]

Ok, here goes...my name is Meredith, and I am a non-hopper I have never hopped, not once. Had AP's, never hopped. Have had PH's, never hopped. I am also saving $175 by not purchasing the hopping option this trip. Why buy it if I don't need or use it? To me, it is time wasted travelling from one park to another when I could be DOING stuff! If all my many many hours of planning the "right" parks on the "right" days results in me hitting a park that is out of control crowd wise, then maybe I would pull out the plastic and add the hopping feature at the parks, but then again, maybe I would take that as my "sign" and go back to the resort and hang out by the pool. I would always choose the "plus" options over the hopper any day. Just my opinion of course, you all can hop away without me

Meredith

 

[teribell]

I'm not a hopper either. I guess I just don't want to spend the extra $
Plus my boys really enjoy swimming and hanging out at the pool. So if it gets too busy I guess we would just head back to the resort.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Seems like those new tickets will be popular with many. Since I am an AP type person it will not interest me much though. Just ruminating.

I also wonder about the logistics in the parks with less park hopping. If one park got overly crowded will they let you know somehow before you go in so that you can pick another park? We seldom park hop but do enjoy having the choice. MGM or AK are partial days and then we might go to another park.

See you all there!

Slightly Goofy

 

[shirleyb]

I don't believe we hopped at all on our first trip, but our kids were younger and we didn't do much in the evenings. I expect us to hop this time, so I will be getting that option.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

If I need to add on the park hopper option after we're there with our base tickets, where can I do this? (e.g. If we're at a park and it's way too busy and we want to try another park right then, is there an easy place to add this onto our tix?)

 

[wildbill]

We're major hoppers! MK, AK and MGM in the mornings to early afternoons...then hop over to Epcot for food and beer (did I mention beer?)

We have even done as many as 3 parks in one day...ending up in Epcot for beer

B

 

[nluvwithmickey]

You know what I'm worried about? All those misinformed newbies heading to WDW that will head to the EMH parks and be baffled by the incredible crowds....to a point where they might not want to visit WDW again...

I haven't hopped on my first trip the EMH were down ( right after 9-11). Last year we did a few times...This year we didn't buy the option, but we KNOW that we can buy it if we want to. The newbies, on the other hand might not know what hopping is and what it is good for.....

 

[LisaBi]

I've found that we hop when the park hours are longer - one park in the morning, back to the hotel for a swim and break, then another park in the evening. But during shorter park hours, when there really isn't time to go swim, it doesn't seem there is a need for us. (Except last time, one the last day, when DS just HAD to get in one more ride on The Great Movie Ride - but we were at MK for the day.

LisaB

 

[disney1990]

We usually don't hop too much the first few days we are at Disney, but towards the end of our week, we like to rehit our favorites -- and that sometimes means going to 2 or even 3 parks in a day.

When we simply run out of time, we have even hit the parade at the MK and then rode the monorail over to Epcot just in time to see Illuminations.

You're right, people that don't go all the time, probably don't miss hopping. But, I sure would.

"See you on the 4th of July -- and again for Thanksgiving (with the grandchildren)"

 

[ralfrick]

As things look now, we will only be hopping on the last day of our trip, and even that isn't certain, so I'll just add the option at that time if needed.

Cheers.

 

[tifandjim]

We would not know what to do without the PH option! We could never spend an entire day in AK or MGM, those are just not our favorite parks. If we could not get the PH option, we would probably not visit those two parks at all. We always use just one of our days, to visit MGM and AK. I would say, that we park hop on most of the days we are at WDW. We like to go to MK in the morning and late evening, and go to Epcot mid-day.

 

[littlestix]

I went on my first trip as an adult last year. We had a 4 day park hopper plus and only hopped on the last day. We didn't really have an interest in park hopping but did it just to say we did. My son is young and tires easily We just hit the park of our choice and stayed most of the day then went back to our room for realxation and sleep. If we were out late the night before we would sleep in and head out to a park around 11 or noon. We found that shorter days worked best for our family. I'm going this Oct. and were not going to buy the hopper option. Were getting 10 day tickets and just plan on doing shorter days.If I didn't have a small child I might reconsider my way of thnking.

 

[Minerva]

Not everyone goes at a time of year where hopping will be necessary. Also if a family hasn't been there before or doesn't go often there may be plenty to keep them busy in one park for the entire day. I can see where going in the summer or over spring break or if they've BTDT several times and know they'll be back soon they might be more of a necessity. We're going at a time of year where the parks won't be that crowded and won't be open late so I won't pay for the hopping unless we get there and absolutely need to have it because of something like weather keeping us from seeing Fantamic on our MGM night. We're still going to manage to hop one day without the hoppers. We'll be at MGM in the morning then have a break and be at MK that night for MVMCP.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Minerva, I am wondering, do you have to have park admission for the MVMCP or is the ticket for that seperate? If you have to have park admission you would have to be at MK all day. Might be wrong, often am. LOL

The fee is not too bad for those of us who stay extended times and maybe the people who just stay a few days would not want to waste time park hopping anyway.


nluvwithmickey, I fear you are right I am always amazed when I hear other people's trip reports when they come back from their first trip. Is sort of like that old story about the blind people and the elephant, their stories depend on what part of the animal they were near. I feel so sorry for those who have a hard time and do not want to venture back. I survived my first, ill informed, trip but many do not. Being the sharing type I feel for them rather than delight in having a bit more of the parks to myself. (most of the time)

Disney1990, LOL we usually spend the last day of our trip making up the things that we did not do and redoing the things we loved the most also. Is such a delightful luxury.

We would miss being able to head over to MK at the end of the day to see the parade and fireworks though. Is our only 'must do" parade.

See you all there! (I hope)

Slightly Goofy who is headed for Ohio next week and sure does wish it were Florida instead. (pouting)

 

[cranbiz]

We have AP's and hop all the time. Usually it's to Epcot from an earlier closing park.

We have also done Epcot all day and then hopped to MK for dinner and wishes.

We could live without hopping, I guess, if we had to but we don't have to.