parkhoppers necessary?

[wdw71]

They are great for visiting one park in the morning and another in the evening, which we love to do. But I also see it as being a luxury that we could do without if we needed to cut costs.

 

[queenofthehive]

Since you are first timers, i would recommend not getting park hoppers. You can always add it during your trip if you feel you need it. WDW will be a bit overwhelming at first so non-park hoppers are really your best bet.

 

[mommycrawford]

When my DD was small, by the time we would get from one park to the other, (using Disney transportation) she would fall asleep in the stroller!

She also, when small, preferred to swim than to tour commando style!

If you will head back to your resort in the afternoons, park hoppers can be nice, but you can remove it from your ticket now, and upgrade after arriving, if you see a use for it!

 

[cloudswinger]

We've only started parkhopping because MK is always open later than the other parks, so we'll spend most of the day in another park and go over to MK for the last few hours to play the Sorcerers game and get a bunch of rides in. It's probably only helpful when your kids are older and can stay up late though, so I wouldn't necessarily buy it if I were you.

 

[LGH1946]

Hopping waste so much of your precious time. Especially with an infant. Maybe when your kids are older, you might want to hop then. This is my opinion. I've been to WDW 22 times
have a great trip!

 

[seashoreCM]

For what it is worth we did hoppers on our first trip. What we discovered is that since we want to hit both water parks and our kids are 13-20 we do better with a day at AK, a day at Epcot, 1/2 day at MK after a water park, and 1/2 day at waterpark with HS in the evening. ... or the day we leave (just have time to get breakfast) .

Don't forget, you do not need hopping to mix water park fun with one theme park on the same day.

OT: Shoot to be back at your resort an hour before your Magical Express bus time back to the airport. If your last activity is a meal, better to do that at the airport.

 

[ban26ana]

We do park hoppers for every trip, and I hate it. Hate it, hate it, hate it. The ONLY time I've park hopped and not minded it was when I was on a completely solo trip for the Princess half marathon. With the family though, it's too much. It takes up soooo much time to travel between parks. (Ah, the perk of DL!) I personally would like to be "confined" to one park a day. Dh, however, thinks that the world will implode if we don't have park hoppers. And to prove it to me, he tries to hop at least once a day. If we ever divorce, it will be over park hopping.

 

[perdidochas]

Animal Kingdom is a good reason for Park Hoppers, as it's not open as late as the other parks.

 

[North of Mouse]

I like the freedom of going where and when I want, especially at MK. We go early and when the hoards start arriving about 10:30 -11:00 we head out to another park. Would not do it any other way. The last few years though, it is a mute point as we have been getting AP and going 2-3 times a year. Just don't like the idea of being confined to one park, but know it's to each their own Also, we've always been "floaters", not planners! We can't decide a week or more in advance which park we want to be in for any given day, and especially with dining.

 

[Mandychelle79]

The first year we did Disney with the kids they were 4 and just turned 2. Why get park hoppers we thought. Stayed at the Parks with EMH no biggie we thought. Until my DD didnt get to meet her favorite Princess and we couldnt go back to MK.

 

[AshleeH]

Park hoppers definitely aren't necessary with those ages! We had them on our first year when our kids were 7 and 4 and never used them (such a waste of money). There is more than enough to keep you occupied in each park with little ones (and being your first trip). This year will be the first time we're getting park hoppers and actually planning to use them (kids will be 9 and 6) and that's only because we'll be eating in more table service restaurants than on previous trips.