Park Reservations - Why 2PM?

[Eastern]

2pm so it's really just 'hopping', otherwise people would just book any available park and then 'hop' at noon to where they really wanted to be. In the past, as rope droppers we saw a big influx of crowds coming in between 10am-11am. Those people could just tap in to whatever park and then go to their preferred park, eg MK or DHS, which typically fill up.

Also by 2pm, the parks probably start clearing out from morning crowds. Also staffing. Also Disney does not give a .

 

[Gentry2004]

2pm so it's really just 'hopping', otherwise people would just book any available park and then 'hop' at noon to where they really wanted to be. In the past, as rope droppers we saw a big influx of crowds coming in between 10am-11am. Those people could just tap in to whatever park and then go to their preferred park, eg MK or DHS, which typically fill up.

Also by 2pm, the parks probably start clearing out from morning crowds. Also staffing. Also Disney does not give a .

I bet this is it. To prevent fake hopping due to sold out park reservations. Also what this poster and another poster said about it giving enough people time to leave the park for good to make room.

 

[Nabas]

2 pm hopping is very restrictive for the way we like to visit WDW. Like yesterday, we were done with what we wanted to do at AK at 10:20 a.m. after a 7 a.m. early entry.
We rope dropped 3 parks in one day, pre-pandemic. It was awesome.

Yes, the 2 pm time really puts a damper on 3 parks in one day.

Pre-pandemic, it usually was Disney's Animal Kingdom for an 8 AM opening, and then out of there by noon.

Then out of the second park by 4 or 5, and then onto the third park for closing.

Three parks in one day makes sense for someone who has been to WDW before and is trying to cram in the highlights on a one-day ticket.

DS and I used to just do the roller coasters at all 4 parks in one day just for the challenge! When we did this, we were out of Animal Kingdom by 9 am!

 

[wisblue]

I agree. I don’t get why they can’t do what universal does with their express pass. No planning, can go on whatever ride you want. No park reservations. I’m planning my first trip with my baby and it seems so complex with having to get dining and then work everything around it

I think the simple answer to this is that Disney World draws much bigger crowds than Universal.

If Disney offered an express pass like Universal it would have to be priced extremely high or be very limited in number.

 

[sewingmolly]

Of all the changes that Disney has made in the last 5 years, this is the one I hate the most. We would like to hop to EPCOT from MK and DHS for lunch. I'm planning our first trip in 5 years and I want to be able to go to EPCOT to try the food booths for lunch. I really despise the no hopping until 2:00 pm. If there's a capacity issue at a park on a particular day, then it could be enforced but there's no need for it to be a full time policy. I will not go to Disneyland as long as the limitation exist there. It's just not worth it.

 

[coasternut22]

I believe park hoping started at 2pm because that was when you could get second boarding groups for rise if the resistance. At the time of reopening after the park closures, you had to be scanned into HW to get a boarding group. So if they limited park hopping to 2pm, it didn’t allow you to get in the second boarding group pool. This limited everyone from
migrating to HW. Since then boarding groups went to remote and were then removed altogether. The 2pm park hop just stayed because … reasons.

 

[sueg]

You may have a point, Coasternut22, But I hate to think about all of the disruption for multi park days for so many people being based on boarding groups for one popular ride.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

I agree. I don’t get why they can’t do what universal does with their express pass. No planning, can go on whatever ride you want. No park reservations. I’m planning my first trip with my baby and it seems so complex with having to get dining and then work everything around it

They already have a Universal Express pass. It's called a VIP tour and it's around $3,000 to $4,000 for 7 hours. They can't sell a "cheap" version of a Universal Express pass because they don't have the capacity. The VIP tours already sell out immediately.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

I bet this is it. To prevent fake hopping due to sold out park reservations. Also what this poster and another poster said about it giving enough people time to leave the park for good to make room.

Uh, hate to break it to them, people do this already. Yes, 2pm is late but trust me, it happens. A lot. For those of us who do not rope drop, hopping at 2 isn't that huge of a stretch. Sleep in, late breakfast, pool time, then park. Sure you have to tap in at the reserved park prior to 2 but it's not that hard. And you can still get in the park you were not able to get a reservation for

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I absolutely HATE this rule! We always like to do DHS in the morning and then hop to Epcot for lunch, especially if F&W is going on. Lunch at 2:00 messes up the rest of your day and forces you to have to eat a late dinner. This rule is one of MANY reasons that our fall trip will be the last we take for a long, long time. And we have APs sitting in our account that I refuse to use until I see some improvements.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Why 2pm? Because it would cost money to reprogram the system to allow it earlier than originally decided for WDW. Cheapek would never waste money on such nonsense!

 

[_19disnA]

My guess would be that Disney has data showing peak crowd levels start dropping around that time as those arriving early leave and go back to their hotel or pool to take a break. This makes room for those who want to park hop without exceeding the desired max capacity level for that day.

 

[HopperFan]

Likely very simple - it's about halfway through the day so guests can do half and half (in their mind), it probably works well for scheduling CMs, calculated in resort time mid-day, helps with transportation demands and it tries to force lunch in one park, dinner in another.

Wouldn't be surprised if it somehow was determined .. that time discouraged guests from going off property to spend money. That is ultimately what it is all about, getting your money.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Is there any grace period for hoppers?

I’ve used “after 2” convention tickets a few times, and those would actually be available for use at 1 pm.

 

[dioxide45]

I believe park hoping started at 2pm because that was when you could get second boarding groups for rise if the resistance. At the time of reopening after the park closures, you had to be scanned into HW to get a boarding group. So if they limited park hopping to 2pm, it didn’t allow you to get in the second boarding group pool. This limited everyone from
migrating to HW. Since then boarding groups went to remote and were then removed altogether. The 2pm park hop just stayed because … reasons.

This is what I thought. Rise virtual queue reopened at 1pm at Hollywood Studios and the 2PM hop time was to prevent people from hopping over there and catching a boarding time. That has been gone for a while though, so don't know why they still limit hops to 2pm.

 

[StageTek]

Is there any grace period for hoppers?

I’ve used “after 2” convention tickets a few times, and those would actually be available for use at 1 pm.

So far no grace period at all. On four trips since the 2PM rule I have tried it about 12 times - or been in line watching other people try it - and they are very strict. If you try it the lights don't turn green so it's programmed into the system.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

So far no grace period at all. On four trips since the 2PM rule I have tried it about 12 times - or been in line watching other people try it - and they are very strict. If you try it the lights don't turn green so it's programmed into the system.

Thanks, I was wondering if it was like the Pirate Code and more of a guideline than an actual rule.

Kind of like the return time window on a ride reservation. I’ve never seen the end time enforced, although many claim that it sometimes is.

 

[Dcgc28]

But why? Hopper tix cost more. You’d think they want more people to buy those. Maybe they can’t as easily predict staffing in the afternoons because of hopping? But heck, it seems like they always underestimate how much staffing they need anyway, not overshoot. I mean, I’ve seen way more instances of “only one side running” than “empty logs (or whatever) going by” these days. IDK.

Because having a park hopper doesn’t cost as much as buying another ticket for another day. So Disney gives you the ability to use the feature but not go to all 4 parks in a day. That way you’re forced to buy another ticket.

It comes from people above who somehow rope dropped 3 parks in a day. Disney loses revenue in that situation which I know people here may not care about but Disney does.

 

[dioxide45]

Because having a park hopper doesn’t cost as much as buying another ticket for another day. So Disney gives you the ability to use the feature but not go to all 4 parks in a day. That way you’re forced to buy another ticket.

It comes from people above who somehow rope dropped 3 parks in a day. Disney loses revenue in that situation which I know people here may not care about but Disney does.

I doubt they really lose revenue in that 3 rope drop in a day situation. If park hopping wasn't there, it isn't like they would buy three individual tickets.

 

[Dcgc28]

I doubt they really lose revenue in that 3 rope drop in a day situation. If park hopping wasn't there, it isn't like they would buy three individual tickets.

Well of course they wouldn’t in the same day. But they would over the span of their trip.