Park Hopping

[Rose DiVerona]

My family has been to WDW many times, but we haven't park-hopped in a long time, so I thought I'd ask for others' opinions about the best way to do this.

We would like to visit Epcot and DHS in the same day. We are mostly going to Epcot to ride Soarin' and because my little sister is turning 21 and wants to drink around the world. Otherwise, we don't particularly care about that park. We do love DHS, and we always do the Fantasmic! dining package.

My question is, would it be best to (1) Start the day in DHS, eat our Fantasmic! lunch at the Brown Derby, then hop over to Epcot for the afternoon before hopping back to DHS at the end of the day for the show? Or should we (2) begin the day in Epcot, head to DHS after lunch, and eat our Fantasmic! dinner at the Brown Derby?

I'm personally for option 1, because I'd rather be drinking in the afternoon than in the morning! But is that too much hopping? I know Epcot and DHS are walkable distance apart, but my family is skeptical. They're leaving the planning up to me, so I'm turned to the DISBoards for help!

Thanks!

 

[Rose DiVerona]

I should also mention that DHS has EMH in the morning on that day.

 

[bryanb]

Since most of World Showcase doesn't open until 11am on most days, I agree that you're better off starting at DHS in the morning and then plan on drinking after your Brown Derby lunch. As long as you can accept the time it takes to park hop, it's completely doable.

I find the walk to be pleasant. It's about 15-20 minutes on foot depending on your pace. But it can be a bit much for some people after being on their feet the whole day, so YMMV. It might be pleasant to take a break on the boat transportation between the two parks, even though it takes a little longer than walking. For the boats, depending on whether there's a wait and when the last boat left, you might budget ~50 minutes just to be safe.

 

[85glht]

My family has been to WDW many times, but we haven't park-hopped in a long time, so I thought I'd ask for others' opinions about the best way to do this.

We would like to visit Epcot and DHS in the same day. We are mostly going to Epcot to ride Soarin' and because my little sister is turning 21 and wants to drink around the world. Otherwise, we don't particularly care about that park. We do love DHS, and we always do the Fantasmic! dining package.

My question is, would it be best to (1) Start the day in DHS, eat our Fantasmic! lunch at the Brown Derby, then hop over to Epcot for the afternoon before hopping back to DHS at the end of the day for the show? Or should we (2) begin the day in Epcot, head to DHS after lunch, and eat our Fantasmic! dinner at the Brown Derby?

I'm personally for option 1, because I'd rather be drinking in the afternoon than in the morning! But is that too much hopping? I know Epcot and DHS are walkable distance apart, but my family is skeptical. They're leaving the planning up to me, so I'm turned to the DISBoards for help!

Thanks!

You answered your own question... go with plan 1.... World Showcase doesn’t open till 11:00am (for your adult beverages) anyhow.

 

[Mome Rath]

It's doable because of walking or taking the boats as it's DHS and EPCOT. Normally I'd go with 2, but since you are so focused on World Showcase, I'd go with 1. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time for park to park travel.

 

[winthropf]

If you take the boat, you can save time by going DHS-YC and then walk to Epcot. Same when returning, go to the YC and pick up the boat there unless the boat is boarding as you leave Epcot.

There is also a bus from HS to the Epcot front gate.

 

[AliceAnn]

Option 1 with boat ride to & back from EPCOT.

 

[dznycrzy]

It’s a nice walk from DHS to Epcot, and you can always stop at the Boardwalk for ice cream!

 

[cmorris303]

Plan #1
we've done this before during food and wine with a 10 year old and an 8 year old and it worked out well.

 

[kiramay]

I’d start at HS. Great beer at the Baseline Taphouse. Lunch and martinis at Brown Derby. Then Epcot for the afternoon. And back to HS in the evening.

We actually left Epcot to drink in HS because it had better drinks for better prices.

 

[Erzengel]

One time we had a dining package with my sister. We started off the day with the Princess breakfast at Epcot, Sci Fi Diner at HS & Yacht Club dinner. It really feel like we got too much done in any of the parks.

If HS opens at 9 am and you want to head on over to Epcot after lunch at around 1PM, you'd get there around 1:30 depending if you walk or take a boat. Then you have about 5 and a half hours to drink around the World Showcase and do Soarin before then head back to HS at 7 for Fantasmic.

It's doable.

 

[The13thLetter]

Actually I think you can get adult beverages at Les Halles in France when they open at 9 and possibly over in Norway since that pavilion is open at 9 as well (dont quote me on Norway though) .

As someone who did this similar thing a few months ago, I started at hollywood studios, ate at woodys lunchbox, had a beer at baseline taphouse, walked over to epcot (stopped at ample hill on my way), drank around the world (while riding soarin in the middle), then took the monorail over to MK (which you would obviously replace with going back to HS). I plan on doing the same thing this upcoming trip with my wife (I was alone this time hahaha) so I think that plan works pretty well.