Possible to upgrade to Park Hopper on the last day or....

[nlm74]

should I just buy an extra base ticket and use 2 in one day?

We're going in January for 3 full days. We have young children and were planning on getting 3 day non hopper. Since they're young, I don't know how realistic it will be to park hop, so that's why we will be purchasing a base ticket. However, I was thinking the last day we might want to visit both parks so I was wondering the above...possible to upgrade our base on the last day to a park hopper, or better to just by a 4 day base park pass and burn 2 tickets the last day?

Thanks!

 

[wilkeliza]

Yes it is possible to upgrade to a park hopper. You would not be able to get a 4 day and use 2 in one day as the front entrance system will not allow that. The only way to use 2 tickets in one day is to have a single day ticket in addition to any other tickets. The park hopper is 40 more per a ticket regardless of length.

Disneyland and California adventure themselves together is barely bigger than Magic Kingdom as a whole at WDW. You can easily hop at Disneyland as it is just a walk across the entrance area.

 

[nlm74]

Oh! Thanks so much for this, I would have totally gotten the 4 day pass and tried to use 2 on the last day, because that's what we did at WDW! So really you're not upgrading per day when you upgrade to park hopper, it's for your entire length? So it wouldn't make sense for us to upgrade the last day, we should just buy the park hopper for the entire stay in the first place?

 

[wilkeliza]

Oh! Thanks so much for this, I would have totally gotten the 4 day pass and tried to use 2 on the last day, because that's what we did at WDW! So really you're not upgrading per day when you upgrade to park hopper, it's for your entire length? So it wouldn't make sense for us to upgrade the last day, we should just buy the park hopper for the entire stay in the first place?

How did you do that at WDW when that is not allowed either? You can't use more than one entitlement per a day even at WDW.

You upgrade per the length of the multiday ticket no matter if you only use it once. It is a flat fee of 40 per a ticket.

 

[nlm74]

How did you do that at WDW when that is not allowed either? You can't use more than one entitlement per a day even at WDW.

I don't know?! We got a 7 day base, but didn't end up going to the park the day we arrived so we used 2 the last day. One at MK and One at AK. No one stopped us, there were 5 of us in our party and we scanned our magic bands and did our prints. I didn't even know that's not allowed! How did we do that?

 

[disneychrista]

I don't know?! We got a 7 day base, but didn't end up going to the park the day we arrived so we used 2 the last day. One at MK and One at AK. No one stopped us, there were 5 of us in our party and we scanned our magic bands and did our prints. I didn't even know that's not allowed! How did we do that?

Are you positive you didn't have hoppers at WDW?

 

[StormyCA]

If it's one park per day, and you have two days on it (technically having admission to any of the WDW parks two more times) I wonder if you could use it to enter two different parks? In a way it's no difference than using two single day tickets on the same day at different parks. It wouldn't be a very practical thing to do costwise and I don't think anyone would plan to do it, but I can sorta see it being allowed, especially if there are only two days left.

 

[SirDuff]

If it's one park per day, and you have two days on it (technically having admission to any of the WDW parks two more times) I wonder if you could use it to enter two different parks? In a way it's no difference than using two single day tickets on the same day at different parks. It wouldn't be a very practical thing to do costwise and I don't think anyone would plan to do it, but I can sorta see it being allowed, especially if there are only two days left.

The price is VERY different. The pricing structure is such that each extra day that you add costs less than the previous one (i.e. going from a three day ticket to a two day ticket is less than going from a one day ticket to a two day ticket). At some point (the OP is at that point), it is cheaper to add an extra day than to add Park Hoppers, so it would be a practical thing to do cost-wise - which is why Disney doesn't allow it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Since they're young, I don't know how realistic it will be to park hop

What is in the way of hopping? Must young children are in strollers at Disney, so it's just a matter of pushing them in that direction.

I would have totally gotten the 4 day pass and tried to use 2 on the last day, because that's what we did at WDW

Not in the last 10+ years.

One at MK and One at AK. No one stopped us, there were 5 of us in our party and we scanned our magic bands and did our prints. I didn't even know that's not allowed! How did we do that?

You almost certainly didn't. The computers absolutely stop that cold. You almost certainly had hoppers and didn't realize it.

 

[nlm74]

You almost certainly didn't. The computers absolutely stop that cold. You almost certainly had hoppers and didn't realize it.

We most certainly did. And we most certainly did not have park hopper tickets. Actually, I myself had a park hopper, but the 4 other members in my party had base tickets. I am 100% sure of this.

Not in the last 10+ years.

September 2015 actually.

What is in the way of hopping?

We won't have strollers. Kids are 5 and 8 and don't feel the need to do multiple parks EACH day, plus we're going with another family who has younger ones and they will not be hopping around either. In light of it's just $40 more no matter how long the stay, we might go ahead and purchase park hoppers.

I understand the policy, it makes total sense that Disney would not allow that, otherwise, I mean why wouldn't everyone just buy more base tickets since they are cheaper vs. a park hopper. But I'm telling you, we were at 2 parks the last day and we did not have park hopper tickets. My husband did not want to pay the extra money for them. They were base tickets (except mine).

 

[avalon451]

Oh! Thanks so much for this, I would have totally gotten the 4 day pass and tried to use 2 on the last day, because that's what we did at WDW! So really you're not upgrading per day when you upgrade to park hopper, it's for your entire length? So it wouldn't make sense for us to upgrade the last day, we should just buy the park hopper for the entire stay in the first place?

I would totally go for the parkhoppers. As others have stated, it's seriously amazing how close the two parks are; something that WDW vets just can't visualize til they see it. It's really nice to be able to hop across to CA (a walk across the esplanade of one minute) when DL gets hot and cramped mid day. Even with little kids, maybe especially with little kids, because Redwood Challenge Trail is an excellent place to take them to rest, or alternatively, let off steam while YOU rest.

 

[travelgirl06]

Hopping at DL is much easier than at WDW. We have a 2Yo and a 5YO, so far we haven't felt that hopping would be worth it with the little kids at WDW yet, but at DL/DCA we're frequently back and forth multiple times. We like to have lunch at DTD and its all in easy walking distance, even with the little ones.

I will say my 5YO is ready for the stroller at some points though (we usually either bring a double or have them take turns) - and were always glad to have the strollers at the end of the night (and it's easy enough to park the stroller somewhere during the day)

 

[nlm74]

Thanks so much Avalon451 & Travelgirl06; super helpful! You guys have pushed me to purchase the hoppers!

Cheers!

 

[Sagginit]

To put it in perspective if you have ever been to WDW, parkhopping there is just like going from one end of Epcot to the other. On my last trip I left WOC as it was winding down which is in the back of the park and walking quickly made it out of the park, across the area between the parks, and onto Main St in DL right as the parade ropes were dropping getting a great spot for Fireworks. It is almost like being in the same park they are so close (also no security lines once you are in when hopping, they are outside the area you hop in).