Park Hopping with small children?

[cruisingmom1977]

This is our first trip since our kids (DD4 and DS2) were born. In the past I always park hopped (1 park in am and another after dinner) but we are going in Sept this year when the parks close early and our kids go to bed early anyway. It would save us $180 if we didn't get park hoppers and I was planning on using that money for MNSSHP. Any thoughts? At this point $180 won't break the bank (that ship has sailed LOL) so we could do both, I just don't want to waste money. What is everyone else's experience? Also, we have ADR's every night for dinner so that pretty much locks us into certain parks anyway... We are going for 7 full days and have 3MK, 2EP (or 1EP and 1 day off, depending on how we feel), 1HS and 1AK planned.

 

[epsmith921]

We park hopped but with our 2.5 year old in September but we stayed at boardwalk. So we bussed to MK every morning (short stay) and then would take our time getting back through Epcot and the monorail around lunch. We even went to HS one day and then back to Epcot for dinner. For us it made sense considering our resort location. We are thinking of not hopping on our next trip but would stay in the MK area.

Our plan for the next trip would be to get tickets and then add the hopper if we wanted to hop.

 

[cruisingmom1977]

We are staying at WL so we are in MK area and I figure we will be spending most of our time there. We will do 1 full day each at AK and HS without breaks but will prob plan mid day beaks on the other days. I didn't realize it was an option to add the park hoppers later. Is it the same cost as buying them with your original ticket or is it more expensive?

 

[chrismb22]

FWIW we were huge park hoppers until our son was bored but on our trip when he was two it really was just too much for him. It made him tired and it wasn't nearly as easy as it was without kids.

Stayed at the lodge as we'll (my favorite place ever) and by mid week we realized we ended to be at MK most of the time. We, luckily, had done all four parks at least once at that point so I just switched up some reservations and went to the boat dock every morning.

Have fun!

 

[Grand Admiral]

We're taking our little guy for his first trip this fall. He will be almost 3. We are not park hopping, and we're staying at CR because it's so close to MK. At his age, he won't get a lot out of the other parks, so we'll save them for another trip when he's older.

 

[jbish]

We got park hoppers when the kids were 2 and 5 - I felt like there was all this pressure to hop to "get my money's worth." Plus, between the time I made my ADRs and the actual trip, the park hours had changed so the parks that I thought I had wanted to do each day (to take advantage of EMH or whatever) had also changed. So I thought hopping would make things easier as I could do early morning EMH at one park and still keep my dinner reservations (for example). But that turns out to have been a mistake. It always takes so much longer to get from one park to another than I think it should take. The kids don't care nearly as much about hopping.

So this last time (kids were 4 and 7), we didn't hop and it worked out just fine. We also stay at Bay Lake, so a mid-day break is easy to do from MK. I don't anticipate getting park hoppers again until the kids are much older.

 

[bella2117]

We were fortunate to get a pin this year with free park hoppers. I have a 6 and 4 year old. I'm excited and nervous about the park hopping. We are going to take a break in between parks tho so they can relax and go swimming before we hit another park. If they weren't free tho I don't think I would actually pay until they were older. And we are driving so we aren't at the mercy of the buses.

 

[maxiesmom]

We are staying at WL so we are in MK area and I figure we will be spending most of our time there. We will do 1 full day each at AK and HS without breaks but will prob plan mid day beaks on the other days. I didn't realize it was an option to add the park hoppers later. Is it the same cost as buying them with your original ticket or is it more expensive?

The cost is the same.

 

[2Tiggies]

Unless your ADR's are drawing you to a park other than the one you choose to be in that day, I'd skip the hoppers. To be transparent, we always buy hoppers and use them, but given the time of year you are going and the ages of your children, unless you are already factoring in a midday break (at which point you can 'return' to a different park from the one you've been at), it is time consuming moving around at WDW and park hours are shorter in the slower months. I'd skip it for this one and save the money.

 

[puffkin]

We're taking our little guy for his first trip this fall. He will be almost 3. We are not park hopping, and we're staying at CR because it's so close to MK. At his age, he won't get a lot out of the other parks, so we'll save them for another trip when he's older.

I respectfully disagree. My kids both LOVED the other parks more than MK I think. They loved the animals at AK, all the character interactions at DHS and I am not sure what they loved about Epcot. I don't know if it was the laid back pace, or the wide open spaces or the music, but that was probably their favorite park when little. They loved MK too, but I think it sometimes got a bit overwhelming and hectic for them.

We always (even in slow times) did a park from rope drop to lunch, then naps/pool time and then back to a different park at night for early dinner and then more rides and evening activities. Its worked for us for years and my kids don't seem to wear out as fast that way.

 

[wallskm]

We always get them just because we like to have the flexibility to change parks when we want, though admittedly we only use them an average of 2 times per trip. We just buy them when we book and pretend it's part of the price . Because I know if we were at a park and decided we wanted to go to a different one, we would never want to shell out the $$ day-of to change parks! I know, it's totally backwards. On our upcoming trip (18 days!!) we have 2 days with hopping planned, and one other day with an open evening to choose what we want to do more spontaneously. We usually go for 7-8 days so we usually see each park once except MK which gets 2 days, then we go back to each for half days (like 1/2 AK, 1/2 EP in one day, etc.) Our kids are 2 and 4 and we don't go back for naps so they rest while we hop. Last time DS2 slept in the stroller from the Germany pavillion all the way to the Epcot Monorail, then to the TTC and the MK Monorail, and woke up after we got into the park. He got a nice little nap while we hopped.

 

[chrismb22]

We always get them just because we like to have the flexibility to change parks when we want, though admittedly we only use them an average of 2 times per trip. We just buy them when we book and pretend it's part of the price . Because I know if we were at a park and decided we wanted to go to a different one, we would never want to shell out the $$ day-of to change parks! I know, it's totally backwards. On our upcoming trip (18 days!!) we have 2 days with hopping planned, and one other day with an open evening to choose what we want to do more spontaneously. We usually go for 7-8 days so we usually see each park once except MK which gets 2 days, then we go back to each for half days (like 1/2 AK, 1/2 EP in one day, etc.) Our kids are 2 and 4 and we don't go back for naps so they rest while we hop. Last time DS2 slept in the stroller from the Germany pavillion all the way to the Epcot Monorail, then to the TTC and the MK Monorail, and woke up after we got into the park. He got a nice little nap while we hopped.

Even though I said we rarely hopped with our two year old, I do this too. I'm afraid NOT too and I know I could add it after or later or whatever but I'd rather just have it and be done with it. I always think (and this is sick) what if there is something I really want at one park that I can't find somewhere else LOL. Then there is also the fear of leaving something (like his cherished blanket) at a park and having to go back the next day). I swear, I would pay the price of admission again just to get that back!

 

[frozengurl]

My vote, skip the PH and save! Honestly, although park hopping sounds ideal, I don't think it is necessary! On those days where MK closes early you could always go back to the resort for a late afternoon/evening swim and enjoy the other amenities at the resorts... Campfires, movies etc. You can always go to DTD or just put the kids to bed early so you can get up for early morning RD. It doesn't sound like you really need them.

 

[puffkin]

Even though I said we rarely hopped with our two year old, I do this too. I'm afraid NOT too and I know I could add it after or later or whatever but I'd rather just have it and be done with it. I always think (and this is sick) what if there is something I really want at one park that I can't find somewhere else LOL. Then there is also the fear of leaving something (like his cherished blanket) at a park and having to go back the next day). I swear, I would pay the price of admission again just to get that back!

There is actually a central Lost & Found building. It is near the TTC/Poly. They bring everything in from all over the property daily. We have visited it a few times

 

[momofmaz]

We had no issue park hopping with our toddler (almost 2.5 at the time of our last trip). I honestly think its not until they are older that you can do a commando all day at one park so hopping when they are young allows you to see more with naps/pool/rest in the middle. I love being able to AK in the morning and Epcot for dinner. Or MK breakfast and Epcot dinner. Just makes sense for us.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

We've never hopped and done just fine. Bought it on our first trip because I kept reading that you NEEDED to hop! Biggest waste of money ever. Didn't use it once. We just plan what park for what day, book ADRs, and off we go. Now that's what works for our family and I know it's not true for everyone. But that extra $200+ is a big savings for us. If we're done with a park a bit early, we hang out at the pool, go to DTD, play mini golf, etc. If we do take a break mid-day, we just head back to the same park for the evening. Just never felt a need to hit more than one park in a day.

If you're even considering skipping them, don't buy ahead of time! Wait until you get there. If you decide you do want to add the hoppers, it won't cost you any more to do it while you're there. Why waste the money if you don't end up using them?

 

[GoMegGo]

We had no issue park hopping with our toddler (almost 2.5 at the time of our last trip). I honestly think its not until they are older that you can do a commando all day at one park so hopping when they are young allows you to see more with naps/pool/rest in the middle. I love being able to AK in the morning and Epcot for dinner. Or MK breakfast and Epcot dinner. Just makes sense for us.

This. I don't think PH = touring commando style. I actually think it adds to the flexibility of your touring style, which is ideal for children. I've never been to WDW without PH, so I just factor it is a standard cost. I like knowing that I can eat at World Showcase on any given day, or catch Wishes on a whim.