Question about tickets - hopper vs non hopper

[smithfamilyof7]

We're going to DL the beginning of February. This will be our 3rd trip since having kids. Both times I've gone previously, we've bought park hopper tickets. I feel like we didn't do enough "hopping" to justify the added expense but it makes me a little nervous not having them. (Not sure why, just paranoid I guess! lol)

I'm wondering if the "days" are actual day specific with a non-hopper ticket or if you could visit the two parks in one day, but it would just count as 2 days?

Does that make sense? For our large family, the price difference between a 5 day non-hopper ticket and a 4 day hopper ticket is significant (about $200 less for the non hopper).

Also, we're flying in on a Saturday at about 3:30. In your opinions, would it be worth it to go into the park for the evening (I'm assuming around 6?) or would you just relax and hit the parks the next morning?

 

[JandD75]

If you get 1 park-1 day tickets (non-hoppers) you cannot visit both parks on the same day. I can't tell you what you should do, but we will not buy hoppers again. We did VERY little hopping the first two days of our trip, and NONE the last three. Since the savings are significant, we will get regular tickets. Enjoy your trip!

Also, chances are you will be very tired from your trip. Recommend you relax by the pool on your arrival day, and go to the parks first thing next morning.

 

[cmpeter]

I would plan on Downtown Disney and relaxing on Saturday.

You can also do non hoppers and if you find you really feel you need to hop, upgrade to hoppers while you are there.

 

[3monkeys4me]

For Saturday it depends on how long you would have been traveling and your kids ages. We've done both going to the parks right away and relaxing at the hotel. For us, our kids are still young enough that it is better to start the trip off with a good nights sleep. We would have an early dinner in DTD and then take the kids to swim in the pool before showers and bed.

We have also done hoppers and non hoppers. For a short 2-3 day trip I would rather have hoppers. With a longer trip it isn't as critical to me. Our next trip I am not planning on doing hoppers. We will be getting 5 day 1 park per day tickets and planning on two days at CA and 3 at DL. I figure if we really feel the need to hop we will upgrade when we are there. There is a decent change we will upgrade Dh and DS's tickets, since they love CS and TOT.

 

[smithfamilyof7]

We're flying from Portland, OR so it's not a long flight. Last time we went, we did go to the park the same day we flew in but we also landed around 11 am. This time we don't land until 3:30. Downtown Disney is a good idea. We didn't even make it there last time!

So, one park per day. Bummer! Oh well it was a nice thought! We will be there for 4 full days so I think we will be ok without the hopper. I didn't know we could add the hopper feature once there though, that's good to know!

 

[awdsmama]

Both of our trips have been 5 days and I've done the hopper both times, and always will! I love the flexibility it gives (especially if crowds are heavy for some reason). We can start out in one park, go to hotel to swim then end the evening in the opposing park. I like being able to decide on a whim to see WOC on a day we've been in DL, or see F! after spending the day in DCA.

We may not hop multiple times in a day, but usually do once and for us it's worth it.

As for arrival day - I agree, grab dinner in DTD and if you are staying in a hotel that has views of the fireworks, enjoy!

(PS--we also fly from PDX!)

 

[superlarz]

If you feel that way, I wouldnt do a hopper this trip. If you feel the overwhelming urge to park hop, you can always upgrade your ticket. I think you will find that, by not hopping, you will do a lot less walking and spend more time relaxing in the park.

 

[3monkeys4me]

Both of our trips have been 5 days and I've done the hopper both times, and always will! I love the flexibility it gives (especially if crowds are heavy for some reason). We can start out in one park, go to hotel to swim then end the evening in the opposing park. I like being able to decide on a whim to see WOC on a day we've been in DL, or see F! after spending the day in DCA.

We may not hop multiple times in a day, but usually do once and for us it's worth it.

As for arrival day - I agree, grab dinner in DTD and if you are staying in a hotel that has views of the fireworks, enjoy!

(PS--we also fly from PDX!)

We used to enjoy that too, but now I'll pocket the extra $200 or use the money towards a nice dinner or extra souvenirs and skip the hopping. Plus, we travel in the off season, generally, so the crowds aren't an issue.

 

[chttyangel]

This trip will be our first without hoppers. It's going to be different for sure; I felt the need to plan a little more then past trips and check the crowd calendars. Saved soooo much money thou! Hopefully it will work great and we will never go back to the old way. (Fingers crossed)

 

[Indiana Scott]

For us it's well worth the added expense. We hop between parks 2 or 3 times a day and enjoy the freedom to go anywhere depending on our moods or how crowded a particular park is.

 

[LizzyS]

I'm not that into hopping, tbh.

Last time we went, I didn't do park hoppers and didn't feel like we missed out on anything we wanted to do at all by not having them.

 

[Rebekkap]

Just to put my two cents worth in about the idea of not having a ticket for your first day - I would never, ever do that, and for me, I get off a 14 hour flight landing at LAX at around 6am! Being that close to Disney and not being able to go on a ride or walk down Main Street and see the castle - and instead being stuck wandering around Downtown Disney, which is basically a glorified outdoor shopping mall with expensive fast food? No thanks!

 

[sweethannah]

Just to put my two cents worth in about the idea of not having a ticket for your first day - I would never, ever do that, and for me, I get off a 14 hour flight landing at LAX at around 6am! Being that close to Disney and not being able to go on a ride or walk down Main Street and see the castle - and instead being stuck wandering around Downtown Disney, which is basically a glorified outdoor shopping mall with expensive fast food? No thanks!

You are probably in the enviable position of having extra long hoppers. A person coming in with only 3 hrs or so of park time while potentially burning 1 of your 5/day admittances might not think the value is there. Back when there were 6;day hoppers it afforded me the option of either arrival or departure day entry... Sometimes both!

 

[burnoutbabe]

I'm thinking now about not buying hoppers for our 3 day trip in Feb = we have 4 full days in the area (5 nights hotel) but am thinking we'd probably get more value by having 4 days non hopper over 3 days hopper. Its dapper day at the weekend we go which I understand will be busy, but hopefully by then we'd have had a full day at each park so we'll just be revisiting faves.

And my OH is not disney mad so I think he'd like a non disney day when we sleep late, go and do some shopping and maybe check out the cool cinema at Garden Walk?

 

[TheChapman6]

What day are you flying in? Otherwise how late will the park be open? If you get to the park at 6 and it closes at 8 not worth it IMO but if it's open til midnight?? Are you Rope drop people? will you be dead tired if you stay til midnight but you won't enter til noon the next day anyway??