Really struggling with whether to get park hoppers or not!

[princessbee]

Hi everyone! In April, my DW & I are headed to Disney for a belated honeymoon for 5 nights. We're working on buying a house, plus I'm going back to school in two years, so we're really pinching pennies to make it work. She's never been before, and I've been twice. We currently have the base tickets for 4 days, so we can hit a park each day if we like. She tires easily because of a disability so we're not worrying too much about getting everything done. I just want her to experience the magic enough that she sees why I love it so much! The thing is, I'm hearing so much about how DS has become a half-day park, etc, that I'm wondering if maybe we should get park hoppers in case it turns out we'd rather spend every night at MK or something. Like I said, this is a mega budget honeymoon (just like our wedding...) so getting park hoppers would mean sacrificing something else, like dinner at Jiko, or souvenirs. What do you think? Stick with our base tickets and see how it goes, or just get the hoppers now?

 

[mom2rtk]

Unless you are sure you want hoppers, go with base tickets and just add the hopper option at the parks if you decide you're ready to hop.

 

[hakepb]

Most of the "half day" talk is from repeat visitors. And repeat visitors are less likely to repeat all shows.

Of course those "half day" objections mean less when you are taking a first time guest

 

[BarbieGal457]

Unless you are sure you want hoppers, go with base tickets and just add the hopper option at the parks if you decide you're ready to hop.

Agreed. You may get there and find you like it just fine with doing a park a day and don't need them, but it's nice that you also have the option to add them once there. I would get a feel for it first, especially since it is your wife's first time and as you said she tires easily. I always do park hoppers personally, but if it was my first time or such I would also go without them and then judge when I get there. You can still have an awesome time without them and if you get there and decide you don't need them, you aren't already out that money!

Have a wonderful time and best wishes for your future!

 

[Moonwolf]

Most of the "half day" talk is from repeat visitors. And repeat visitors are less likely to repeat all shows.

Of course those "half day" objections mean less when you are taking a first time guest

This very much. Even with the construction each park has plenty to offer first time guests. I took my brother down last summer and he hadn't been down since the late 2000s so we had to hit everything. HS ended up having our favorite rides (Star Tours and Toy Story) which we did multiple times and with all the shows I think we ended up spending more time there than at any other park other than MK.

I agree with those saying just wait to get the hoppers until you get there if you feel like you need it.

 

[HopperFan]

One consideration is your actual dates. Many spring breaks are in April, and will bring larger crowds and longer lines. Hopping gives you the option to go to another park. The plus is you don't have to decide until you get there and see how day one goes. Have the money set aside and if you don't use it you have more money for your house fund.

 

[tlmadden73]

First time? Tires easily?

No need for hoppers. Plenty to do (and plenty of places to rest) in each park for an entire.
DHS will have plenty to do (when you include all the shows) for a first time visitor in one day. You simply (because of the length and timing of the shows) won't be able to do it all if you want to see 2-3 of the big shows there.

If you run out of things to do (which you won't) in a park ... you can always explore Disney Springs or explore a nearby resort (and have dinner there perhaps).

 

[Mainemama]

I would agree on no hoppers, unless you are staying at an Epcot area resort and would like to return in the evening for dinner.

 

[GeneralTso]

This was the first time we had park hoppers and I'm very glad we had them. One day we hit 3 different parks! That's really unusual for us. I always said one park per day was fine, so this last trip was quite different. We had them and used the park hopper option several times. It was great. Now I'm a believer

 

[disnut8]

First time? Tires easily?

No need for hoppers. Plenty to do (and plenty of places to rest) in each park for an entire.
DHS will have plenty to do (when you include all the shows) for a first time visitor in one day. You simply (because of the length and timing of the shows) won't be able to do it all if you want to see 2-3 of the big shows there.

If you run out of things to do (which you won't) in a park ... you can always explore Disney Springs or explore a nearby resort (and have dinner there perhaps).

I agree. Normally, I would highly suggest hoppers but not this time. You guys are newly married, not recently but newly. You have goals and things you are trying to achieve. Things that you might not be able to do if strapped for cash. Disney World will be there after this trip so give your wife a relaxing time, see what there is to see, then go back, accomplish your goals and go back later.

Disney World, as others have mentioned, has so many things to do and see without even going through a turnstile. Case in point - I traveled with my in-laws to Florida (long story why) but we needed a place to stop on the way down to the Keys. I suggested Kissimmee so I could get a taste of Disney. So we did. We had dinner at the Polynesian, rode the monorail around the entire way, stopped off at each resort, found our brick at the Magic Kingdom, and then left. On the way back, we walked around Crescent Lake, played miniature golf at Fantasia, enjoyed some food at the Boardwalk and ate outside with my mother-in-law loving the boats and the people. On the drive home, I looked at my brother-in-law, who is not a Disney fan but had a good time and said, "you realize we spent many hours at Disney World but never went through a turnstile?" The look on his face as he realized that was priceless.

 

[vicb]

Personally I would never go to WDW without hoppers.... but that is just me. I love to hop for the evening, especially into Epcot for dinners. We often do rope drop at one park, leave by 3pm to go back to hotel for pool or just relaxing then back into another park for eve. emh or just into MK when they are open till 11pm. One time recently we hopped into AK just to ride EE a few times .

Congrats and good luck!

 

[vanyel]

For a longer trip, I'd personally want park hoppers but for 4 days, and with what you said about your wife tiring easily, I'd just go with base tickets. As others have said, there's so much to do outside of the parks. Have dinner at a resort with that park hopper money, take the boat from disney springs to POR, do the monorail tour... The list can keep on going. Have a great time!

 

[awalker1015]

For us, park hoppers are a must. That said, after what you described I'd agree with Thera to wait until you arrive and just see. You may find that a half a day or so at any park is adequate considering your wife tires easily. And yes the cost to upgrade would likely be equal the cost of a nice meal. Have a great vacation!!!

 

[mshanson3121]

Hi everyone! In April, my DW & I are headed to Disney for a belated honeymoon for 5 nights. We're working on buying a house, plus I'm going back to school in two years, so we're really pinching pennies to make it work. She's never been before, and I've been twice. We currently have the base tickets for 4 days, so we can hit a park each day if we like. She tires easily because of a disability so we're not worrying too much about getting everything done. I just want her to experience the magic enough that she sees why I love it so much! The thing is, I'm hearing so much about how DS has become a half-day park, etc, that I'm wondering if maybe we should get park hoppers in case it turns out we'd rather spend every night at MK or something. Like I said, this is a mega budget honeymoon (just like our wedding...) so getting park hoppers would mean sacrificing something else, like dinner at Jiko, or souvenirs. What do you think? Stick with our base tickets and see how it goes, or just get the hoppers now?

I would wait and see how it goes honestly. I mean, myself, yes, I would definitely want hoppers for such a short visit, for me, a 4 day trip would look something like this, based on arriving in the morning, staying till early afternoon, then going back for a few hours rest, then back to the parks for supper time:

Day 1: MK - day and evening
Day 2: EP - day and evening
Day 3: AK day, HS evening
Day 4: flex day - use this as you see fit. Maybe you want to go back to HS to see some extra shows, so you could do HS day, MK evening. Or maybe you want to do MK both day and evening again. Or, go to MK during the day and EP at night.

With a short trip, hopper just gives you more flexibility.

That said, you could easily have a nice trip, spending one full day at each park, which would allow you a nice dinner. A fireworks cruise would be nice and romantic.

 

[mshanson3121]

Most of the "half day" talk is from repeat visitors. And repeat visitors are less likely to repeat all shows.

Of course those "half day" objections mean less when you are taking a first time guest

Agree. We were first timers this summer, granted we had kids, and we spent the whole day, open to close at HS, with the exception of about a 3 hour afternoon break, and still didn't come close to seeing everything we wanted to. Granted it was summer and also a bit busier.

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

I think hoppers are only worth it if you realllly know what you are doing. Honestly for someone new, I think they are a waste. In your case, a super nice celebration dinner would be money better spent.

 

[RedAngie]

I've always said DON'T get hoppers in advance unless you're absolutely sure you're going to use them. You can always add them if you decide you want them. You don't get a refund if you purchase them in advance and don't use them.

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

I wouldn't bother with the hoppers.

 

[North of Mouse]

We would never go without hoppers or AP's anymore, but under your circumstances I would definitely forego them. We have been in your shoes before, and we did just fine having a strict budget and sticking to it - we also had a very magical, time! Enjoy!!

 

[leebee]

We don't usually purchase park hoppers. THIS trip, we did, but only because I got a great deal on a 3 day PH through work ($240 per person). We planned 1 day each at AK, Epcot, and DS, and a MVMCP ticket would be our MK "day." We thought that on our AK day, we'd spend the day in the park, have dinner at Boma, then hop to MK for the evening to see Main St. Electrical Parade and knock off a few rides so we could be leisurely at MVMCP. At AK, we did Dinosaur, Everest, Kali, Lion King, Safari, and Pangani Trail, then went to dinner, and decided we were too tired to go to MK that night! The only time we used them as a PH was on or studios day; we spent the entire day at the studios (9:45-6:15), hopped to Epcot for supper, and then back to DS to see Osborne Lights.

I like the suggestion of not getting the hoppers; you can always add them while there, but there's no sense of paying for them if you aren't going to use them. Besides- you can go to a park in the morning, rest in the afternoon, then return to the same park in the evening to "finish it off" if there are still things you want to do.