Park Hopping between Epcot & HS

[Rebecca Pocahontas]

I have never park hopped before and I would like some help trying to plan out my day. So I have 2 options here, please bare with me as I try to explain my plans as simply as possible.

Option 1: Go to the parks on originally planned day (Sept 14) First day of Food & Wine Festival. HS & Epcot open at the same time and HS closes 1 hour earlier (8 pm)

Option 2: Go on the last day of our trip (Sept 15) where Epcot has early magic hours and HS still closes 1 hour before Epcot.

As far as I know Epcot still has the tiering Fastpass+. So I most likely won't be able to get a pass for Soarin and Frozen. If we went on Option 1 (Sept 14) we would go to HS first and then leave around lunch time to go to Epcot, but we would only have a fastpass for one of the big attractions. (which means waiting a while for Soarin).

Or Option 2 (Sept 15) we would go to early magic hours at Epcot, spend a few hours there. Then at around lunch time go to HS and then come back to Epcot.

As I am typing out Option 2, it doesn't actually sound like a good idea, too much time wasted and long lines would already be at HS. But what do you all think? Or if you have a better plan for park hopping.

Thanks!

 

[NYTIGRE]

do not go to Epcot the first day of f&w, absolute zoo.

 

[Shanti]

I have never park hopped before and I would like some help trying to plan out my day. So I have 2 options here, please bare with me as I try to explain my plans as simply as possible.

Option 1: Go to the parks on originally planned day (Sept 14) First day of Food & Wine Festival. HS & Epcot open at the same time and HS closes 1 hour earlier (8 pm)

Option 2: Go on the last day of our trip (Sept 15) where Epcot has early magic hours and HS still closes 1 hour before Epcot.

As far as I know Epcot still has the tiering Fastpass+. So I most likely won't be able to get a pass for Soarin and Frozen. If we went on Option 1 (Sept 14) we would go to HS first and then leave around lunch time to go to Epcot, but we would only have a fastpass for one of the big attractions. (which means waiting a while for Soarin).

Or Option 2 (Sept 15) we would go to early magic hours at Epcot, spend a few hours there. Then at around lunch time go to HS and then come back to Epcot.

As I am typing out Option 2, it doesn't actually sound like a good idea, too much time wasted and long lines would already be at HS. But what do you all think? Or if you have a better plan for park hopping.

Thanks!

Do not go to Epcot on the first day of food and wine.

Go on the 15th, making full use of the morning EMH. That means you should arrive 30 minutes before EMH begins, to avoid being at the very back of the EMH crowd & having a delayed entry.

Ride Soarin' first during EMH, & then anything else you have plenty of time for. Then, if you've got Frozen fans in the family, go stand by the entrance to World Showcase so you can walk quickly & directly to Frozen Ever After when the park opens at 9am. You'll still have a wait in line once you get there, but not a monstrous line like you'd experience otherwise.

Make your FP+ selections for Hollywood Studios (being sure to make them late enough that you'll be done with Epcot, have transportation time, & time to enter HS & get to that first attraction without stress). Your FP priorities for Hollywood Studios should be Toy Story Midway Mania, Tower of Terror and Star Tours (unless you dislike one of those rides).

 

[ConnecticutFlea]

If you go to Soaring as soon as the park opens, you wouldn't need a fast pass. You might have a wait, but nothing compared to later in the day. World showcase usually doesn't open until 11, so you could head over to frozen as soon as world showcase opens. Since frozen wasn't open the last time I was there, I'm not sure how long the line would be right at 11.

You can head out the back entrance of Epcot and walk to HS in 15-20 minutes or take the boat which would take 30 minutes. If you used your fast passes for HS in the mid to late afternoon, you could avoid the long lines.

 

[Shanti]

World showcase usually doesn't open until 11, so you could head over to frozen as soon as world showcase opens.

Frozen Ever After is confirmed to be open from 9am - 9pm daily.

 

[Rebecca Pocahontas]

Thank you to everyone that has replied. Now I have another question.

Should I just switch my Epcot/HS and Magic Kingdom day? My MK day is Monday Sept 12. I would miss F&W Festival, but I don't really need to go to that (I've already been many times and I love Flower and Garden more).