Single Day Tickets?

[sif]

Hello all. This is my first post -- my wife and I just decided a few days ago to take our three kids (ages 5, 3, and 5 months) to WDW next month! (last week of April, after Easter crowds hopefully thin out). Here's my question: we will be at WDW for three days (Sun 4/25 AK; Mon 4/26 MK; Tues 4/27 MGM). According to my research, it would definitely be less expensive for us to buy single day tickets each day, rather than a 4-day PH ticket for each, since we won't be there 4 days. But will that require us to stand in a long line each morning to get into the park, rather than just showing our PH tix, which we would have purchased ahead of time? And since we intend on limiting ourselves to one park in each day, is there any other benefit to the PH tix? We are staying offsite, and with the young kids, I doubt we will be hanging around the park(s) too late in the day anyway.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[tinaluis]

Welcome to the DISBoards!!!
You will only have to wait in line to purchase tickets one time if you buy all of your single day tickets at the same time on the first day. Other than park-hopping, the only other advantage to park-hoppers is that they are a little cheaper than single day tickets. We bought a single day ticket last month and they had a special that would allow us to add more days (but not hopper days) to the ticket at a slightly discounted rate from the price of buying 3 single day tickets. I'm not sure if they always offer such a discount because we'd never bought a single day ticket before.
Have a great trip!

 

[doombuggy]

You can buy one-day, one park tickets at the gates, but I am not sure if you can go up to the gate on the first day and buy all your tickets for your trip. You might want to call WDW to find out if this is possible, or go to their web site. I don't usually buy these so I am not much help.

When I went to DL back in 2002, i bought 3 one day one park tickets, and they were dated the day I bought them (but I wanted to use them the next day). I purchased them at Guest Services (long story) and she just wrote on the back of each that they were to be used 5/12/02 and initialed them. We had no problem using them the next day.

bump

 

[VAN]

I don't know ... I tend to shy away from 1 day passes because you can't park hop.

Example - you may start out at AK and then leave the park by 3:00 ... get something to eat, relax and get your second wind -- and then want to go to Epcot (which closes at 9:00) to see Illuminations, etc. or MK to see the fireworks.

I can't remember the last time we only went to one park per day (even when the kids were small) ... I think maybe never except for 1973 when they only had 1 park!!!

Remember that any left-over days are good forever.

 

[myboysmom]

In 2002 we only could go to two parks. At that time, we didn't know if we would make it down anytime soon so we weren't keen on the "never expire" sales pitch.

We were able to buy our 2nd ticket the same day and get some money off for the ticket. It didn't have to be used the next day. I think we went to MGM on Sunday and MK two days later for Christmas Eve. I do believe they have to be used with in 5 days, but ask when you go and buy your tickets.

We weren't able to hop, but we didn't care.

 

[wdwfanatic80]

I don't know if Alamo is still running this special, but you could call their 800 number and find out. Recently they were offering a three day park hopper for $169.95 for an adult. Your baby is free, the other two are child passes. Check out www.ticketmania.com also and you might be able to get a deal. You are going to be spending $52 per person per day to by single tickets and in my mind it just is not worth it. As another poster said, a park hopper allows you to spend the morning in one park, go back to your hotel and relax and then go to another park and watch their fireworks. I would definitely do the park hopper pass over single days!!

 

[sif]

Thanks for all of your replies! I called WDW and asked whether I could buy 3 single day tix for 3 different parks all at one time on the first day. After a while on hold, I was told that I couldn't do that. But I was also told that I should ask the person at the ticket window on my first day, just in case!

Anyway, I guess I'm leaning towards a PH ticket, even though we'll only be there for 3 days. I've seen some 3-day PHs for sale on eBay, but they're not really that much cheaper than the 4-days. I may just go ahead and get 4-day PH tix and be done with it. That way we can just enjoy the parks with ultimate flexibility.

On that note, I was planning to do AK on the first day. Seems like that park is smaller (relatively); is it likely that we might only need to spend say 1/2 or 2/3 of the day there, which might free us up to see some of MK after, say, 3 or 4pm on our first day? We will be at MK all day on day 2 but I'm wondering if that's long enough, considering a character meal, etc.

These message boards are a great resource! Thank you.

 

[wdwfanatic80]

I am glad that you decided to go with the PH. I think that you and your family will really enjoy it! As far as going to the MK after AK I say go for it!! MK is open later...check out www.disneyworld.com and click calendar link to find out exact times. Maybe go back to the hotel and get revitalized and then head over to the MK for the evening and the fireworks. One day in the MK is derfinitely not enough with small children, you will be glad to have the extra time. Actually on any given day, if you have extra daylight left head on over. You will see when you get there what I mean!!!

 

[maximom]

Originally posted by sif
Thanks for all of your replies! I called WDW and asked whether I could buy 3 single day tix for 3 different parks all at one time on the first day. After a while on hold, I was told that I couldn't do that. But I was also told that I should ask the person at the ticket window on my first day, just in case!

Anyway, I guess I'm leaning towards a PH ticket, even though we'll only be there for 3 days. I've seen some 3-day PHs for sale on eBay, but they're not really that much cheaper than the 4-days. I may just go ahead and get 4-day PH tix and be done with it. That way we can just enjoy the parks with ultimate flexibility.

On that note, I was planning to do AK on the first day. Seems like that park is smaller (relatively); is it likely that we might only need to spend say 1/2 or 2/3 of the day there, which might free us up to see some of MK after, say, 3 or 4pm on our first day? We will be at MK all day on day 2 but I'm wondering if that's long enough, considering a character meal, etc.

These message boards are a great resource! Thank you.

Even on the mousesavers.com website, Mary says that if you call WDW they will tell you that you can't do the adding days on to the single day tickets but you can. You just do it at the window. Of course you can't park hop which IMHO would be a great option. Since you've missed the mousesavers newsletter for March it is possible that if you email Mary she might send you a copy of it anyway. I know that I missed mine this month somehow and I contacted her and she emailed it to me the next day!! I think it would be worth your while to get the March newsletter!!!