To Hop or Not To Hop?

[bradshaw9499]

We are headed to WDW for the first time the week after Thanksgiving (BTW, how are the crowds that week?) and I'm wondering if I should add the hoppers to our tickets. Is it worth it? We have two children, a two year old little girl and a little boy who will turn 5 while we are there, and a friend suggested the hoppers since the kids probably won't want to spend all day in MGM and may really enjoy AK and want to spend more time there. Plus, we are doing the dining plan and I'm finding that most of the places we want to eat are in Epcot!

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[momofprincess]

We get the hopper option on our tickets because we find it gives us more flexibility. We have 2 DDs, a 7 and a 4. We usually go to the parks in the morning and then return to the hotel after lunch for either a nap (which is really cartoon watching) or swimming. Either way, its down time for the kids and they are much more manageable after that. After our afternoon break we go to dinner and then return to a park until closing. The hopper lets us go where the crowds aren't at our own pace...plus, if I see something I want to buy without the kids around, I can sneak back when they're swimming and not worry about if it's in another park than what we're in that day.

 

[kokotg]

We were really glad we opted for park hopping--we used it more than we thought we would.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Welcome to the DIS, bradshaw. Get ready to make those memories.

It is not all that costly, about $150, for the three tickets, and it sure does give a lot of flexibility to your days. I am sure you will get some good thoughts here.

 

[We_Love_Disney]

Our first trip last year we faced the same decision. I am SO happy that we decided to get the hopper. IF you get to a park and its very crowded, you can leave and go to another one. We found that on one day, MGM was so crowded, we left and headed to MK, which was suprisingly empty. Sometimes it happens for no rhyme or reason.

Also, it opens up an entire new venue for eating. You can play at one, go back to the room (given your children's ages) for nap time, and then do dinner at another one.

Have an amazing time!!

 

[KimWDW]

We didn't hop last year because my son was 3 and we knew he wouldn't be staying up late for fireworks, etc. We got to the parks each day at opening and left every afternoon to go back to the hotel for swimming, dinner, then bed.

Next trip he'll be 4.5 and will be able to stay up later and do a bit more so we're park hopping this time.

 

[dance2874]

We just got back 2 weeks ago and didnt get the hoppers, and I was glad we didnt. We never needed them and I would have felt like I HAD to hop to get use of my money. We took breaks each day and we had plenty of time in each park without hopping. Most of our meals were at the resorts or in one each park though- we didnt have more than one we really wanted to do at each park. We did lots of character meals though...not sure where you are planning to eat.

 

[GoofyTraci]

We just got back 2 weeks ago and didnt get the hoppers, and I was glad we didnt. We never needed them and I would have felt like I HAD to hop to get use of my money. We took breaks each day and we had plenty of time in each park without hopping. Most of our meals were at the resorts or in one each park though- we didnt have more than one we really wanted to do at each park. We did lots of character meals though...not sure where you are planning to eat.

we also just got back and didnt get the hoppers. My son is six and it was our first time there so we didnt really feel like we would be hopping to and from to different parks. I planned our days out and our charcter meals for the park we would be at for that day. It would have been a waste of money for us. we didnt need it or want to be hopping. Maybe when my son gets a little older.

 

[rie'smom]

We don't usually get the hoppers,however we did on our last trip. Used them once-going again @ Thanksgiving -no hoppers. Once you get there,you can change to hoppers if you want to.

 

[Mouse511]

Parking hopping is great. We usually start at a park in the morning, head back to the resort after lunch and swim and then head back out later to a different park. You have a lot of flexibility.

 

[pperfectmom]

I have been researching MYW prices for next year and instead of hopper tickets, it will be a lot cheaper for us to just add a day or two extra tickets. I know with small kids we won't hop very much and with the extra tickets, we could spend an evening in Epcot without being out a lot more money. For example, I was planning on tickets for 6 days, but to add one more day was like $7 and that was for all of us. Of course it's possible I was looking at things wrong.

 

[Leash]

I originally got hopping on our tickets but after drawing up a rough schedule and looking at the hours (for early Dec.) I decided it is not worth it. We plan on spending the whole day at one park and there is only one day when we would be able to take advantage of evening EMH so it just seemed like a waste. However it is just going to be two adults on our trip so since you will have kids it may be different, they may get bored at one park and want to go to another.

 

[mattsdragon]

We always get park hoppers, but we don't spend much time at AK, and are trying to eat our way around EPCOT, so we go there frequently at night.

 

[tjmw2727]

We love to hop and end up at Epcot most evenings. However, if your not sure I would skip the hopper option and then add it if you find you need it during the trip. You don't save any money by purchasing the hopper in advance so why not wait an just add it if you need/want it?

TJ

 

[tjmw2727]

I have been researching MYW prices for next year and instead of hopper tickets, it will be a lot cheaper for us to just add a day or two extra tickets. I know with small kids we won't hop very much and with the extra tickets, we could spend an evening in Epcot without being out a lot more money. For example, I was planning on tickets for 6 days, but to add one more day was like $7 and that was for all of us. Of course it's possible I was looking at things wrong.

Unfortunately this isn't going to work as you can't use another day of your MYW to "hop". MYW tickets are based on the number of days not the number of park admissions. So if you use your MYW ticket to enter MK on day three you can't use it at Epcot day three without the hopper regardless of the number of days remaining. When you get to Epcot the computer will know you used it at MK and not allow you to use it.

TJ

 

[ms.ojo]

We use to always have the hopper ticket but when I looked back at our vacations, the only day we tended to hop was our last day. So this trip (in 5 more days!! ) we purchased tickets w/out the hopping option. (btw my children are 7 and 4). I have things mapped out nicely, and I did add an extra day like a previous poster mentioned...NOT to try to hop on a given day....but just to say heck, for $4 more pp, I could add a "day" and just plan to use it one evening on a "rest" day we weren't going to the parks.

 

[Tinkerbellmom33]

I would get the hopper. It's very flexible. We did it once without the hopper and I would never not hop again. I liked having the option of going to different parks. We would go out in the morning, then back to the hotel and then go out to another park in the evening. One trip we did one park each the first four days and then the last four days we hopped around to go back and do what we missed or go on a certain ride again. It's great, especially on a week long trip. You can go where ever whenever. This trip coming up is only going to be three days and we're hopping. I don't want to feel like we can only see one park per day. I want to do all our favorites in each park in that time.

 

[AKLRULZ]

Always hop, can't imagine not having it as an option.

 

[Skroops]

Although the hopper adds flexibility, it isn't needed to have a great vacation. You can still leave the park and re-enter after nap time. If you could use the extra money in your budget elsewhere, hopping is an easy thing to skip.

Have a great time!

 

[mommykds]

We have always gotten hoppers since you have more flexibilty with you days. This is great if you go to one park which just happens to be too crowded that day, you can just hop to another (& hopefully less crowded) park. We also like to do 2 parks in one day. Maybe MK in the morning & EPCOT for dinner. Whatever you decide, hope you have a great time with your family at the World!