Park Hopper (is it needed??)

[KristiMc]

We always have gotten the hoppers - even with small children. We go to one park in the morning and then go back to the resort to rest/swim in the afternoon. After our break we head out to a different park for the evening.

 

[ms_missy66]

I'm on the fence about it. We've always bought hoppers and in the last five, or so trips, only hopped like once a trip. We now have annual passes this year, so it's got a built-in hopper, but I don't know if I would buy hoppers again unless we were going to be there more than 7 days. Like someone else said, the time investment of getting out of one park, traveling to another and getting into it deters us.

Don't get it and decide whether or not you want it when you get there. I believe it's a flat $50 per person to get it, regardless of the length of your ticket. So if you're going to get it, it makes more sense to get it early in your trip. You know?

Have fun!!

 

[NorweJenNY]

I'm on the fence about it. We've always bought hoppers and in the last five, or so trips, only hopped like once a trip. We now have annual passes this year, so it's got a built-in hopper, but I don't know if I would buy hoppers again unless we were going to be there more than 7 days. Like someone else said, the time investment of getting out of one park, traveling to another and getting into it deters us.

Don't get it and decide whether or not you want it when you get there. I believe it's a flat $50 per person to get it, regardless of the length of your ticket. So if you're going to get it, it makes more sense to get it early in your trip. You know?

Have fun!!

We've done the same... become annual passholders, but every other year. We get at least two trips out of them this way. So if we buy APs in August one year, we'd use them again for the next year's trip in May or June or July. The fact that the hopper option is built into the AP is a big plus. And sometimes AP discounts on resorts for the second time around would make it even more worth it.

I think park hopping is useful for a shorter trip... like you didn't get a chance to experience certain attractions at MK on your MK day, but you finish early at AK on your AK day. So you can go to MK later that day. Of course, the down side is that it is quite expensive to add $50 to a ticket that's only good for three or four days!

If you're going on such a long trip, as it appears that you are, you may not need it... just plan your days well. And in a sense you still could park hop, but to the water parks and DQ...

You could start a day at MK, take a midday break at TL, then return to MK later. Or you could start a day at BB and finish it at DHS. Just remember that you can't do this every day. But even with our APs, we don't park hop between the four parks every day.... we probably do it just a couple of times.

If we were going without APs, we'd look at it like this: is it worth the extra $200 (4 tickets in our family x $50 each) to just get a couple hours at a different park on a day or two of our trip? Probably not... just plan better. If we're done with a park for the day, we're done with that park! If we're tired, we would just take a mid-day break and return to the same park that night.

You could also get a change of pace from the parks by exploring different resorts, strolling the Boardwalk, checking out Downtown Disney, or even just swimming at your own resort pool. You don't have to have a ticket or park hopper option for any of those activities! With all these options, park hoppers are less necessary!

If money is no object, go ahead and add it, just for the flexibility. If you do care about keeping costs down, even just a little, then skip it! Park hopping is not necessary.

 

[NorweJenNY]

One more note... if you've got a lot of ADRs, make sure that you plan to use your ticket for the park where you have an ADR. If you don't have the park hopper option on your ticket, and you start your day at MK, only to realize you've got a dinner ADR for that night at Le Cellier, that steak dinner is suddenly going to cost an extra 50 bucks a person just so that you can get into Epcot on the same day!

 

[pepperderr]

We've only been to Disney once and that was last year. I had everything planned including what ride to go on when. With it being our first trip we didn't know what to expect so I planned everything I could think of ahead of time using TGM. I don't remember at the moment how much extra the park hopper ticket is but we got it last time. I felt like it was insurance just in case something happened and we wanted to go to a different park even though I had stuff planned out.

We planned one day of just park hopping so we could get at least some use from it. Like we were alreaday to DHS a different day and got thru what we wanted but DS and DH draw so they wanted to go back just to do the drawing again and I think we did something else and got some pics. We also went to MK that day to get the personalized hats and do some shopping and stuff. We used the monorail thing that day just to say we did it (and we rode up front which is no longer allowed so I am glad we got to). I debated for a long time weather to take the money and get the park hoppers but I think unless we REALLY can't afford it, I will always add it. No you don't NEED it, but it can be nice.

 

[cglaura]

You are going for TWO WEEKS and don't know if you should get the hopper? I could see if you were there for a few days. Concentrating on one park a day. But in this case, I would really really recommend it. Why you ask? Well after having been to each park extensively, you may want to start hopping around for your favorite attractions. What's more ( and this happens a LOT with our group ) you might want to start splitting up, but meet for dinner in a certain park. Or in the same vein, spend the day at one park, but eat at another or catch another park's fireworks show. We never go without it. Even my father who is not much of a park goer gets a park hopper optioned pass.

That is funny, my thinking was totally opposite on this idea! We are going for 2 weeks this trip, so I didn't get hoppers, because I knew I'd have time to see everything (haha, I know that is a theoretic impossibility). But we would usually hop over to Epcot when AK closed early, etc. But we'll have lots of days now, so we are going to do things we usually didn't...mini golf, resort hop, etc.

And, if it turns out we really miss hopping, then I'll just add it when I need to.

To hijack the thread a minute...does anyone know when you add hopping later, is there tax? Or just the flat $50. And, can you use a disney gift card to pay? I figure I'd just keep one hidden away in my wallet for that purpose.

Back to the OP: if you aren't sure, there is no harm in waiting. Keep your money until disney requires it. You save nothing by paying early, same price either way.

 

[Kim1964]

We had hoppers for our first 6 trips. This year was just the kids and me and I was initially trying to keep costs down, so we went without the hoppers. It was a 10 night stay split between Pop and YC and we had 9 day tickets. We didn't miss the hoppers at all (much to my surprise). I planned our days based on TGM best park days and I have the touring plans memorized, so we used our park time very efficiently. For next year's 10 night trip (which will include DH this time) I am thinking about going non-hopper again and using the $200+ for an extra character meal.

 

[ScrappyRN]

We don't get hoppers, once I'm at a park I want to enjoy that park. the days that AK closes at 5, use the rest of the day to swim or go to DTD. I tell my DS the plan for the day so that he knows we will get to do everything he wants. I usually don't schedule anything for arrival and departure day, and 1 day in the middle. That way we can decide to go to a park or just relax, It's only a few dollars more to have a pass for the entire stay, so we go to parks those days great, if not I'm not out a ton of money.

 

[kalc12345]

Park hoppers are a MUST HAVE for us!!! I could not imagine doing Disney without them. We love to hop around from park to park. There have been times when were in Epcot and got a hankering for a Dole Whip and went to MK just for that. Hoppers just make things so much more flexible!

 

[Karenj2]

We used our park hoppers when staying at the BC - one night we decided to take the monorail from the MK and walked through Epcot to our hotel. It was awesome. We also have split our days depending on TGM's plans - morning at one park, afternoon at another.

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

we have always hopped also. its nice to go to another park if one closes early. plus there are some rides my kids and husband liked at certain parks. for us we really enjoy it.

 

[natashag76]

Another BIG YES vote here. We just got back on Thursday - with a 6 yr old, 4 yr old and 16 month old. We did the EMHs also, but they fill up so fast, that after a few hours, we had to leave because the kids couldn't take the big crowds anymore. Or one of us would take baby back for nap time/relaxing time for 4yr, and the other would continue with the oldest one. You may want to considering doing less days and build in some "down" days. After this trip, we were ready to drop. Next time (hopefully soon!) we plan to hit the parks every other day and do resort stuff in between to recuperate a bit! We were at OKW and they had enough to do to keep us busy without going to the parks.
Have a great trip! Let us know how it goes!

 

[teacup princess]

We hopped our first trip. It was nice, but just not an upgrade I'm willing to pay for in future trips. We only used it 2 out of the 7 days. We also don't do EMH, but I could see where it might come in handy if you were planning on doing those. For the price of the upgrade, I'd rather do a little extra planning than pay for the hoppers.

 

[MousekaMaddi]

I have been to wdw 24 times and our 6 yr old has been 12 times, we go again in 59 dayz...but who's counting?? LOL
We have had hoppers years ago but not lately as I dont find em necessary whatsoever. I live to plan and we are commando park ppl,and love it! We just do a diff park every day and then go to whatever park we feel like on our last few days. Our trips are usually 10 days with APs ~We are All Star Hotel fans & we are NEVER away from the parks long. 59 more sleeps!!!

 

[momma2kiddos]

We went and didn't do parkhoppers....and never felt the need to! We went to the parks, had our fun, went back to our resort if we felt tired, and returned later on in the day to finish what we started!

It worked for us but I do understand everyone is different.

Oh and it was my teeny tiny family (me, dd11, and ds 5 mos) and my sister's family (sis, boyfriend, ds 12, ds 9, ds 7, and ds 5)

 

[DonnaBelle06]

We never pay for park hopping. I can always find enough to do at one park for the day and it saves us $$. (I try to budget the trip whereas you might not need to.) Also we can leave the park for a bit and return to the same park later that day if we feel the need to do so (this trip we had to as we had a sick child).

Good luck with your decision. I've been to Disney 4 times without park hopping and probably will never get it.

 

[frtchr]

We love to hop! Our kids are still little, so the MK is our main focus. We usually go to one of the other parks in the morning, go back to the resort to nap, and then hit the MK almost every evening.

 

[mbass01]

Thanks, everyone, for all your comments.

I have decided not to get them and if we want to add them later, then we will. We will have the water park and more option so if we decide to leave a park we can go to the water park or back to our resort which has 7 pools and tons for the kids to do. I have planned out this vacation very well (booked since Feb) and don't plan on being anywhere near the parks with early magic hours or DHS when Fantasmic is playing. Like someone said in a previous comment, we are going for 2 weeks so we can take our time in the parks and I have left 3 days open for a beach day and to whatever else our little hearts desire. I really can't see us going from one park all the way to another park with 2 little children to get a certain ice cream.....not going to happen...