PLAN to hop or hop as a back-up?

[Delphinidae]

This will be my first trip where I have park hoppers, and I'm so used to dedicating each day to ONE park that I'm having trouble figuring out what to do. Is it possible (without resulting in headaches and long lines) to simply use the hopper as a last minute decision to go to another park? Or should I already have a plan in place of where to hop and when? I would really kind of prefer to NOT plan on doing it unless necessary or if we just get the inclination.

My main concern is that I am coming up on my day to make my FP choices and I need to get my park choices for each day nailed down so I can do that. This is also our first trip since FP+ became a thing so that is new to us as well.

This is what I have already, all subject to change:

Monday: HS. Fantasmic lunch package at Mama Melrose. Youngest daughter would like to try to do Jedi Training Academy. Planning on trying to get FP for TSMM, Tower of Terror, and RnRC. These aren't tiered, so we would have a chance at all 3, correct? Or no? Do ToT and RnRC need FP? Anything else I should choose instead?

Tuesday: MK. I have an 8:15 breakfast at Crystal Palace, but now that they've added the Early Morning Magic to this day, I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep it. Or should I change the park for this day altogether? Also have a lunch ADR at BOG. Not sure what we will FP here, guess it will depend on if we are able to get in early enough to do anything, and which attractions are most important to the kiddos. Which are the absolute most needed?

Wednesday: AK. 10:45 Jungle Book dining package at Tusker House. We will try to do the safari first thing, and get FP for EE. Dinosaur will be down while we're there. Not sure what else we want for FP yet. Are they allowing FP for EE at night? We may try the nighttime Safari but not sure yet.

Thursday: Not sure at all!!!! I was planning a second day at MK, but we all love AK and Epcot so it could go any number of ways. With the new Frozen attractions and Soarin' both being open and still (fairly) new when we go, I am wondering if this should be Epcot. Help!

Friday: Epcot. 8:00 breakfast at Akershus, after which I'm thinking it will be best to get in line for the A&E meet & greet. Then maybe try the ride depending on how the line is, or else head back to Future World. FP of course I will be either trying for Soarin' or the Frozen ride. Any suggestions on which would be best? I hate to backtrack so much between FW and the WS, so I may just go ahead and ride FEA standby after the M&G unless the wait is just ungodly, if we can get Soarin' FP. Which Tier 2 attractions really need FP?

One last thing. I know the advice is always to AVOID the EMH parks, and I did pick the above park days based off Josh's crowd calendar. However, since I have hoppers, should we try to make use of EMH and then hop elsewhere once it starts getting too crowded? I just want to maximize park time, and I want to get any changes made and finalized ASAP before my 60 day mark. I know this is stupidly long but many thanks to anyone who reads all this and has any advice!

 

[mousefan73]

We don't do park hoppers. Too much money. I think most "plan" to hop when utilizing EMH ( then leave to a non-EMH) as a stratety. Short stays ( AK in the am then HS/EP at might). Or if at an EP resort allowing you to dine whenever in EP.

Your plan sounds packed full at one park. Why then hopp?? Unless as you say do early EMH. And book FP for second park. That's a stratety. Depends on crowds.

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

Have you thought about not buying the hoppers and adding them when you get there if you feel you need them? We are rope droppers and afternoon break takers then we go back to the same park. You can schedule FP for the mornings when crowds show up around 11 or during the evening return. I usually plan using Josh's advice but sometimes I go against it just because MK has to be the first day park even if crowd calendars advice against it.

 

[emonade8]

HS is a tiered park. RnRC and TSMM are both tier 1, so you won't be able to FP both of them. ToT is tier 2, so you're fine there.

 

[mousefan73]

One more point. Crowd calendars. Another topic but using PH as a crowd strategy. I am hesitant to use crows calendars this summer. Too many changes. Biggest is AK open until 11pm. And EPs new attractions. This might throw things off a bit.

 

[SplashMo]

Here are some options. You have to decide if any of them are worth it...

Monday looks very nice for a day in the park...

Tuesday you could rope drop (RD) MK EMH, eat at BOG and then hop to Epcot with FP+ for Epcot. Giving you a split day between the parks.

Wednesday you could RD Epcot with FP+ and then head over to AK (if you had a later reservation)

Thursday would be your MK park if you hopped on Tuesday.

Friday you could stay in Epcot

Another option is to go a sixth day and RD a park from 9-noon before departing...

 

[Nancyg56]

Unless you need to purchase hoppers for your discount, I would hold off. We bought ours on the day we planned to use them on our last trip and used them one time. Wicked waste of Money that time. If you have not incorporated hopping into your plans, don't spend the money upfront.

We are staying at the BC this year and our plans include hopping in and out of Epcot, so this time I know we will find a value, but like you, I generally plan one park pe day.

 

[Disneylover99]

Don't plan to hop. Hop as a backup.

Make all your fp's at your main park for the day.
For Thursday, maybe make your fp's at Epcot now for the Frozen ride. But keep your plans loose. This can be a great park hopping day!

 

[DisneyOma]

We always park hop. My daughter does all the planning for the trips now, but when it was my responsibility we'd go to the morning EMH, leave when it got crowded, take a break in the room (we go in August) and then head out to another park until closing. We spend most evenings/nights at EPCOT as we enjoy World Showcase at night.

 

[bashuck]

If you are going to hop and do rope drop, have the FP for the afternoon park unless you are staying in that park until 1 or so in which case you can use FP there at 11/12/1 and then try and add something for the evening park. On your day with a 10:45 Jungle book dining package hopping will not make much sense as you'd have to be on your way to AK at 10 (unless there is an 8am opening at another park and you will leave the park very early)

 

[Delirium]

It sounds as if you already have the hoppers, so the advice you received above to 'not buy the hoppers' is moot at this point.

Even then, I'm a huge proponent of using the hopper. Plan your nighttime entertainment with the hopper in mind. After spending the morning & early afternoon in one park, take an afternoon break and hop to a different park at night for fireworks, parades, & evening spectaculars. You can use FastPass at either, and it does not tie your FastPass to your ADR park.

It does require some planning, and takes a commitment to not go back to the resort and get so comfortable you don't want to get back out. But, it helps break up the day and adds a little variety to what, for us, is normally a 16 hour day.

 

[North of Mouse]

There are those that 'never' hop, but are one park per day guests - then there are those that hop, and that's us. We have always enjoyed the freedom of going wherever, whenever. Sometimes one park gets too crowded, we'll go enjoy another with far less crowds, or whatever.

We either always get an AP or hoppers, never one park per day - feel way too limited for our touring style. But, of course we are all different.

 

[AFwifelife]

We always park hop. I look at crowd calendars to get an idea of what trends have been. I like Josh's explanations on EasyWDW as to why he recommends certain parks over others. Our typical day is to RD at a park that is showing lower crowd levels or one with early magic hours, leaving around lunchtime or a little after for some resort time (nap/swim/hangout), then head back to a different park for dinner and more rides.

 

[GillianP1301]

We do some of each. Of 9 park days, we have 5 of those planned with hopping and the rest we will only hop if we make a last minute decision to do so. We do FP at our first park and try to pick up additional FP when we hop to the 2nd park. We have enough days that I can fit in all the major headliners on a pre-booked FP, so I don't stress much over availability of additional FP once our first 3 are used.

 

[Day-Day]

The morning EMH is great if planning to hop. Fastpasses are not in effect and the waits for attractions remain relatively short during the first couple of hours. Make sure to check on what attractions are open during morning EMH.

The recent update to My Disney Experience allows the user to select a FP for another park after using a FP from the initial park which helps when park hopping (various scenarios for accomplishing this).

 

[mindeola]

We plan to hop. We do RD to around three in a chosen park and then take a rest /swim and head to a different park for the evening. use your FP at first park and then make three more on the app for the next park once you have used them all.

 

[monorailrabbit]

This will be our first trip with hoppers as well (had to get them for FD). We are only "planning" to hop one day - after Fantasmic, we will be hopping over to Epcot. I don't think we will plan and FP+ since it will be so late, but we will probably ride SE (probably our secret favorite) and then watch Illuminations. Otherwise it will be nice to have them if we feel like hopping, but we aren't scheduling days around them. It will be interesting to see how much we actually use them, I doubt we would have ever considered them if they weren't made a stipulation to receive FD.

 

[maltdizzy]

A lot depends on the type of tourers people are, when they are planning to visit (I looked for this in the OP, did I miss it?), maybe even what resort people stay at (relying on buses can mean an hour or more lost to travel mid-day).

We plan to hop. We take the midday pool break and usually head to a different park afterwards. Or, if we are going to make use of morning EMH, we plan to be in a second park by lunch. But we travel in late August, when most lines are relatively manageable all day without FP; we stay at an Epcot-area resort (walking/boat to two parks); and we use our car (no buses!). If we didn't have easy ways to get back and forth, we'd do one park per day (which is easier and more leisurely)

 

[SaintsManiac]

We plan to hop at least a few days when we go. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't. We always buy them in case we need them.

 

[hiroMYhero]

This thread has FP strategy when hopping:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/fp-and-park-hopping.3514422/

If you book 1 or 2 FPs for the first park, after using FP #1, you can use the app to book a FP for Park #2. You technically can hold FPs in 2 parks at one time.