Park hopper or not for first timers

[martinmont]

Should we get park hoppers if we are going for 8 nights, 9 days? Since we have never been there, I'm trying to find a way to maximize our experience without rushing around and not enjoying ourselves. Our current plan, epcot on arrival day (probably will get to the park at four as we are having lunch in Dtd), MK and hoop dee do at 4 and return to MK after, full MK day, MK and mvmcp, full ak day, full epcot day, full hs day, a day to go to a park we want to again, MK again on departure day as it's nearest to our hotel. Obviously I wish we could do more days, but that's what we can afford right now

 

[2Tiggies]

You don't have to add the hopping option right now. Given that you have some time still before your trip and there may be changes to the current FP+ as it stands now, I'd reserve that option for a little while to see first. There is a chance that the option of choosing FP across 2 or more parks in one day might be added in, although everything is guess work right now.

Park hours are always a factor with park hopping. During times when the parks are open late at night (typically busier season) you can usually get more value from a hopper by switching parks if you have more usable hours to play with, allowing you to incorporate a break at the resort if you wish. Getting around at WDW takes time. We use the transportation time as rest time if we go straight from park to park but that's not ideal for everyone so these are all factors you may want to consider first.

First trips are so special. Enjoy planning

 

[ponyboy]

Honestly, only you can answer that question. We always park hop, pretty much every day. Everybody enjoys going to one park in the morning and then changing it up and going to another one in the evening. I think staying in one park all day long would get boring.

We always do quick service for lunch and have an ADR in the evening, so the only real schedule we're tied to is which park we have to be at in the evening for dinner. I always have some kind of plan on which park we go to in the morning and which one in the evening but it isn't set in stone as long as everyone makes it to dinner.

I take myself and 9 others when we go. My wife and I, our 5 kids, my two sisters and my best friend David. Sometimes the kids want to go do something else in the morning or in the evening and the adults split up and take the kids where they want to go. As long as everyone has a good time that's all that matters. Then pretty much every evening after everyone else is worn out David and I make our way back to Epcot for Illuminations and a few beers.

There's no way I'd go without park hopping but for other people they don't feel like they need to go to different parks to have a good time. It all depends on how you want to do it.

 

[PeterPanic]

Normally, I wouldn't advise Park Hoppers for first timers, but since you are staying 8 days, then they might be quite handy. As was stated before, you don't have to get Park Hoppers now, you can wait and see if it works out for you before you pay the extra.

If you are doing ADR's in a variety of Parks, then it would probably become something that you might want to do if for nothing else to get to you reservations after spending the day in a different park. Again, you can do it anytime. It's the same price if you wait until the last day or have it on there now. If you think that there is a chance that planning would be easier without the hassle of having to add it on later, then it would be worth doing upfront.

After you buy your tickets, you have to use them at least once before you can add PH to them, I believe.

 

[lroger01]

First timers don't usually need park hoppers. Repeat visitors normally skip some attractions that a first timer should see at least once. This should keep you busy enough to warrant staying in the same park all day.

As others have mentioned, you can just hold off for now and add hopping after you get there and see a need for them.

 

[flatlandcycle]

When is it more cost effective to get an Annual Pass vs. 8-9 days park hoppers?

 

[PeterPanic]

When is it more cost effective to get an Annual Pass vs. 8-9 days park hoppers?

From what I can tell, the only way that an AP is more cost effective then and 8 - 9 or 10 day park hopper is when you aren't going to use it all. The cost of non-expiration attachment has blow that right out of the water.

 

[CynBeth]

We always get the park hopper as well. Our last trip in Dec on arrival day we were supposed to land at MCO around 9 am and figured by the time we got our luggage and rental car and checked in we would get to DHS around noon and planned to have a whole afternoon there but a month before the trip the airline changed our flight time so we got there later and only had a few hours because we had made an early dinner ADR and then went to see the Osbourne Lights so we had to change our schedules on certain days that week even though we had planned for the 1/2 day at HS, 2 days at MK , 2 days at EPCOT, and 1 day at AK plus a few flexible days. It was pretty crowded that week so even with the days we planned we needed a little more time a certain parks so on certain days we would start at 1 park and go to another. Thank goodness we had the PH.

 

[newdeal]

Should we get park hoppers if we are going for 8 nights, 9 days? Since we have never been there, I'm trying to find a way to maximize our experience without rushing around and not enjoying ourselves. Our current plan, epcot on arrival day (probably will get to the park at four as we are having lunch in Dtd), MK and hoop dee do at 4 and return to MK after, full MK day, MK and mvmcp, full ak day, full epcot day, full hs day, a day to go to a park we want to again, MK again on departure day as it's nearest to our hotel. Obviously I wish we could do more days, but that's what we can afford right now

If you don't have the hopper you will find the trip equally as enjoyable than if you do. We have done it both ways, the only thing we use the hopper for is if we want to go to a park one day and eat at another park the same day for dinner. Luckily with advanced planning its really not an issue and even if it was we would just change our plans because there isn't a reason to pay the extra hopper fee just for that

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I would not do Hoppers.

I would also build some down time into your plans. You're going to be exhausted!

We like to take at least two days, on a trip of that length, to just sleep late and hang out at our resort and explore our area and others. There's so much to see and do around the resorts, but they're often overlooked, especially on a first trip.

If it's a shorter trip, we like to do it on arrival day.

Nothing's worse than getting home and having regrets about not seeing more of your resort, or taking time to smell the roses a bit, etc. (Although there's always a next trip!)

Where are you staying, btw?

 

[kwdw]

We don't get park hoppers and I rarely switch parks even in years I've had an annual pass. Park hopping, to us, takes too much time and energy. When we did, it seemed like we were always debating about if we should switch and then the time lost walking to the entrance, waiting for transportation, riding transportation, and the getting into the next park seemed like a waste of time and energy. One day on our last trip, we did regret it one day when we clearly picked the wrong day to go to MK. Packed. So, after lunch we decided to do SotMK, go to Tom Sawyers island, ride the riverboat, do CoP, have a lazy QS meal, etc and by the time we had enough of that, it was time for the ELP and then Dole Whip and Wishes. So, yes, not headliner attractions, but we ended up really enjoying the day once we decided to stop and smell the roses.

 

[martinmont]

I would not do Hoppers.

I would also build some down time into your plans. You're going to be exhausted!

We like to take at least two days, on a trip of that length, to just sleep late and hang out at our resort and explore our area and others. There's so much to see and do around the resorts, but they're often overlooked, especially on a first trip.

If it's a shorter trip, we like to do it on arrival day.

Nothing's worse than getting home and having regrets about not seeing more of your resort, or taking time to smell the roses a bit, etc. (Although there's always a next trip!)

Where are you staying, btw?

We are staying at WIlderness Lodge! I'm trying to fit in some resort time in the plan as well, not sure which day to fit it in. Any ideas which park day might require less time? Maybe one of the MK days? I'm so excited but it seems like so much to do and see but so little time lol

 

[akadada]

Forgive me if I missed this, but are you planning on hitting a bunch of rides, or just want to have the flexibility? If you plan on hitting the rides, FP+ has kind of damaged the fun of hopper. If you don't care and just want to stroll, or say, get dinner at Epcot or something, then I think hopper is very much worth it. Also, it depends on the time of year you're going. Busy time = less value in hopper in my opinion because the volume of people slow down your hopper optimization. 2cents is all I got.

 

[bastos]

The location also matters.

At the Wilderness Lodge, you may be more dependent on Disney transportation. I always think that the best parks for hoppers are the Disney parks. If you have a car, however, you can easily move between parks.

The Animal Kingdom Day (no hoppers) will naturally be shorter - it closes earlier, and can be seen quickly, too.

Hollywood Studios can be finished in a day - with planning and movement.

Epcot probably needs two days - and Magic Kingdom DEFINITELY does.

So it matters what you want to do with your 'other' days.

Our first visit - we had no hoppers for eight days - and ended up spending four of them at Magic Kingdom - but we took breaks.

Then, two at Epcot (one with a late start) - and one each at Animal Kingdom and Epcot. You could easily schedule one each at HS, AK, and two each at Epcot and MK - then save the last 2-3 days to go where you wanted more.

Alternately, a day at DTD could work, too.

Generally, I'd reserve hoppers for COMMANDO visits - or morning to dark days - the hopping offers a small respite.

But if you like to move as the spirit moves you - they might work, too.

Ultimately, with a larger family, they may be tougher to justify. Just ask.

 

[hakepb]

I think the advantage of hoppers is the ability to ride, or re-ride a favorite attraction towards the end of a trip. Every now and then, a ride will close from a maintaince issue or thunderstorm...or you might really want to ride Everest again, but not want to "waste" a full park day in AK.

I also like hoppers because I would like 3 dinners in EPCOT during that trip, but I would not want to spend 3 full park days there.

Good trips are still possible without hoppers (if you plan correctly). Personally, I get hoppers unless my budget is super-tight.

 

[GillianP1301]

I think it really depends on your touring style and preferences. Do you plan on being in the parks day and night or are you going to use afternoon/evening time for things like swimming, resort hopping, DTD, etc.. The other consideration is dining. Epcot has great dining options, so a hopper would be handy for just going there for dinner on a day you've spent in a different park.

When I went with just DH & I (pre-DS days), we did hoppers because we were in the parks pretty much all day/night. With DS6, we have not bothered getting hoppers. We tend to pick a park for the day and go until he's tired. Sometimes that's early afternoon, sometimes it's dinner time. Whatever time that ends up being, we just head to the resort for swimming/arcade, etc... We stick to his normal bed time while we vacation, which is 8:00ish, so once we've swum and eaten, there really isn't much time to head back to another park. Once he's a bit older and able to stay up later, then I think we'll go the hopper route again.

Since you're unsure, I would recommend just booking with the base ticket and then you can always add the hopper feature on once you're there and are deciding you want to use it.

 

[sethschroeder]

Personally I would say having the park hopper is nice as you can do a park in the morning do an afternoon at the resort and evening in another park.

Also I wouldn't schedule days off, partly because the more days you go the cheaper days are anyways. The difference between 6 and 8 days in the park is $80 that is 40 per day and even if you only go to a park for 1/2 day I feel for Disney costs that is a good deal.

 

[spritna]

I always tell first time visitors not to park hop. Youll miss alot of things tryn to rush to the next park. Take your time at each park and take in as much as you can...always remember youll never see everything on the first trip! Theres alot of things we never seen or done and we have been there bunches and bunches and bunches of times. Thats what keeps us going back

 

[hakepb]

Personally I would say having the park hopper is nice as you can do a park in the morning do an afternoon at the resort and evening in another park.

Also I wouldn't schedule days off, partly because the more days you go the cheaper days are anyways. The difference between 6 and 8 days in the park is $80 that is 40 per day and even if you only go to a park for 1/2 day I feel for Disney costs that is a good deal.

I always tell first time visitors not to park hop. Youll miss alot of things tryn to rush to the next park. Take your time at each park and take in as much as you can...always remember youll never see everything on the first trip! Theres alot of things we never seen or done and we have been there bunches and bunches and bunches of times. Thats what keeps us going back

I rarely "hop" straight from one park to the next, but I frequently use the hopper part of tickets because I always go back to the resort for a bit of afternoon swim and/or rest. Once you are at the resort, it is just as easy to goto "park b" as it is returning to "park a"
(Well, not "always". I do stay in a park all day on the 3rd and 4th of July so I won't get locked out before the evening fireworks...those days aren't as relaxing, even though we stick to mostly shows. I'd hate to do an entire trip like that)

So, yes hopper's nice if you plan an afternoon break at the resort, but less useful if you stay in a park all day.

 

[Lees75]

We will be first timers this Oct and have purchased hoppers. Two main reasons:
1.We want to do both waterparks and will then head to another park for late afternoon/evening.
2. We want to go to CRT for dinner on my daughter's birthday, but MK is not recommended that day because it is a Saturday with no MNSSHP, so the crowd levels will be higher. So we will just head there for dinner, parade and Wishes, after doing another park that day.