To hop or to fly?

[WantToGoNow]

Confusing title huh? This is the situation. We originally purchased our 9 day tickets with the hopper feature. Last trip we used the hoppers 1 day (so roughly $250 to move from MK to DHS one time). We have our schedule figured out and all of our dinner ADR's made and pretty much know with 6 young kids that we aren't going to want to move from park to park (kids will be 9,8,5,5,4,2). We honestly don't think we we use them.

My cousin's family and my oldest dd are flying from Ohio to FL. My dh, myself, my ds8 and dd5 are driving. It was just not in our budget to fly and dh and ds are afraid of heights and have no desire to fly. I'd give my right arm to avoid that drive.

My dd and I were discussing this yesterday. We could cancel our hoppers and let dd5 fly to FL with the rest of the group. This would solve a few issues including the kids arguing/fighting in the car and the are we there yets that dd5 starts within 30 minutes of leaving home. I have no problem with t his but the issue is dh. He wants us to keep the hoppers in case we need them and "stay all together". I could probably convince him if I try hard enough.

What would you do? Keep the hoppers even though we probably won't use them (this adds up to over $500 between the 2 families). I honestly think that he thinks dd5 will be afraid of flying because he is and that is why he doesn't want her to fly. She's not afraid of anything and is looking forward to all of the "big girl" rides at WDW (i.e. Tower of Terror, Rock 'n Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest, etc.) I have no problem leaving her at home with dd25 the day we leave or dd5 being supervised on the plane - she is like an extra mother.

 

[XYSRUS]

Not confusing at all-didn't even read the whole post. I'd fly in a heartbeat!

 

[duffy]

With that many young kids, and since you know you won't hop, I'd choose to fly.

 

[seashoreCM]

If you are going to drive anyway I would not spend the money on a plane ticket for a family member who could just as well ride with you*.

In your specific case it is too late to cancel the hopping. Tickets used more than 13 days ago may no longer be modified.

The possiblity still exists to buy all new base tickets for this vacation and save the partially used hoppers for further off in the future.

For others, keep in mind that no change is returned if you cancel something off of a ticket card you already have in your hand. Some might add water park fun or non-expiration at the time hopping is removed to make use of the value.

If you made use of a feature such as hopping, you cannot cancel "the rest of" it (as pertaining to the remaining days).

For yet others, the hopping does not have to be added until after being strongarmed and arriving at the second park.

If you did buy new base tickets for this vacation only, it is not a bad deal to use non-expiring hoppers for exactly one day with hopping and use the base tickets sized for the rest of vacation for the rest of the vacation and never to have hopping added to them.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/dispass.htm

*Except for those parents who send their kids to boarding school for the sole purpose of have the kids out of their hair.

At one company I used to work for, a colleague said he does not fly. So the company was arranging a transcontinental business trip by train until they found someone else to go instead (me).

 

[happymommy]

With that large of a group, you won't all stay together every hour of your trip anyway. It would be too hard, and really not as much fun. I'd say maybe half the time, or a bit more, would be good. But really, you will have some kids wanting to go on some attraction, and others wanting to do something else. I'd also really have that planned out ahead of time.

I'm sorry your DH is afraid to fly, but hope he doesn't instill that fear into the kids. If he's the only one afraid, maybe he can get some medicine or just suck it up, so you can all fly. Doesn't make sense to have some fly and some drive. If it's just the 5 year old flying, and you 3 are driving, then I'd have her drive too, though.

You don't have to decide now on the hoppers; you can add them if you see that you need them during the trip. Doesn't sound like you want to add them anyway, so why pay all that money ahead of time?

I think you definitely need to just make the decisions, then let the family know what to expect. It causes problems when you get everyone's input - learned that firsthand. Kind of a "too many cooks in the kitchen" thing. That is why it's also sometimes hard to keep a big group together at Disney.

 

[C&G'sMama]

We're die hard drivers. I'd drive, skip the park hoppers and use the money for something else. Not getting park hoppers helps us justify putting the 2 kids in the Neverland Club for 5 hours one night.

 

[mjkacmom]

If you have already purchased your tickets, I don't believe you can downgrade them, and get money back.

 

[WantToGoNow]

In your specific case it is too late to cancel the hopping. Tickets used more than 13 days ago may no longer be modified.

The possiblity still exists to buy all new base tickets for this vacation and save the partially used hoppers for further off in the future.

For others, keep in mind that no change is returned if you cancel something off of a ticket card you already have in your hand. Some might add water park fun or non-expiration at the time hopping is removed to make use of the value.

If you made use of a feature such as hopping, you cannot cancel "the rest of" it (as pertaining to the remaining days).

For yet others, the hopping does not have to be added until after being strongarmed and arriving at the second park.

If you did buy new base tickets for this vacation only, it is not a bad deal to use non-expiring hoppers for exactly one day with hopping and use the base tickets sized for the rest of vacation for the rest of the vacation and never to have hopping added to them.

I seriously have no idea what you are talking about. Our tickets are part of our package and they have not been used. I most definitely can cancel the hopper portion at this point.

My dh, myself and ds8 will be flying to FL. The decision is whether to let dd5 fly with dd25 and my cousin's family.

 

[clanmcculloch]

How does DS5 8 feel about the fact that his siblings get to fly but he'll be in the car for hours on end without any other kids? Will he see this as special time alone with his parents or will he be lonely and jealous? That really needs to be taken into consider in your decision.

My DH keeps saying he wants to get hoppers. In our past 3 trips, we've only had hoppers once and we only used them one time so that's why we didn't get them again. I can't understand why he would want to spend an extra $200 for something we won't use anyway. I've told him that when we get there, if there is a day where we decide we want to hope for some reason then we can easily add the hopper option for no difference in price than it would cost to add them now. I know it's not going to happen (I'm the itinerary builder and ADR setter) but it makes him feel better knowing that we have the option.

If it was my family, I'd have all of us drive, skip the hoppers and book a fireworks cruise for the family with the extra money.

 

[bas71873]

Not confusing at all-didn't even read the whole post. I'd fly in a heartbeat!

DITTO. I absolutely HATE car trips. Especially long ones. The faster I can get where I'm going, the better. Drop the hop and catch a plane

 

[happymommy]

I seriously have no idea what you are talking about. Our tickets are part of our package and they have not been used. I most definitely can cancel the hopper portion at this point.

My dh, myself and ds8 will be flying to FL. The decision is whether to let dd5 fly with dd25 and my cousin's family.

So you are all flying now, just separately? I am confused. I'd definitely keep my family together. I don't see the point in sending your 5 year old separately, or the 25 year old, unless it's a work or school issue.

Also, I'd definitely buy the cheaper tickets as part of a package, as you can upgrade them at the gate as you need to. Why pay for something now, when you can pay later, if at all?

 

[duffy]

I think we need a more detailed description of the group. LOL!

So, we've got a daughter, aged 25, and another daughter, aged 5? And a son aged 8, right? That accounts for 2 of the group of kids aged 9,8,5,5,4,2, right? Leaving a 9-year old, and another 5-year old, and the 4- and 2-year old belonging to, uh, the cousin?

I think flying separately is fine. I am the mother of a 27-year old, and a 14-year old, and yes, I understand that the older one can be more like a second "mother" to the younger one. If sending the younger one with her older sister works, I'd do it-I HAVE done it.

I still think you should skip the hoppers and fly.

 

[nicki.momof3]

Wow your posts are super comfusing. In one you say you and your dh are driving and in another you are flying.

No question either way for me - I always keep my kids with me when traveling. I would never fly some and drive some.

 

[tzolkin]

I seriously have no idea what you are talking about. Our tickets are part of our package and they have not been used. I most definitely can cancel the hopper portion at this point.

In your original post, you mentioned buying 9day park hoppers during your last trip. The previous poster assumed you had the no-expire option and were using the days remaining on the tickets from your last trip.


Personally, we wouldn't go to Disney without park hoppers because we like to go back to the resort for a few hours in the afternoon and then go to a different park in the evening. We make our schedule only for where we're going each morning of our trip, since we like to have the flexibility of deciding what we're in the mood for that evening (so, no ADRs). I just can't imagine staying in one park all day with little kids. However, it seems like that worked for you during your last trip (and many others feel the same way), so I would drop the park hoppers from your package and keep in mind that you can always add them later.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Ok, lets try to clarify.

My dh, myself and my ds8 are DRIVING not flying to FL. My dh will not fly and ds8 has no desire to either. My dd25 is flying regardless of what we decide to do with dd5. Dd5 is not a traveller - she hates it and whines constantly. A trip to the zoo, or museum, or anywhere more than an hour is almost like torture. And yes, I have 3 "kids" ages 5, 8, and 25. The rest of the kids belong to my cousin - their entire family is flying. My dc has vision issues and cannot drive in darkness or rain and gets nervous on the interstate. Her dh cannot become overly tired as he has seizures.

We have decided to drop the hopper options from our tickets regardless of what we decide for dd5. We just don't believe they will be used and will save our family $250 and my cousins family $250.

My dh wanted to keep the family together. Somehow he missed the point 6 months ago when dd25 bought her airline ticket - he thought she would be in the car with us as well. My dd25 is flying with them to help with their children on the plane/airport/magical express. This is my cousin's family's 1st trip to WDW and their first airplane experience.

 

[tjmw2727]

If your unsure of the hopper option then I would drop it and if needed add it during the trip.

If you are definately driving (one post said driving the other flying) then if it were me the whole family would drive together. For us the drive is part of the vacation and we make time for fun so I would want us all together.

So I vote neither - flying or Park Hoppers. If you find the rest of the families want to hop you can either add the park hopper option and join them or separate and do something with your dh & kids.

 

[nicki.momof3]

With that many young children I can not imagine staying in any park all day. We have 3 young children and we schedule in a resort rest period everyday. Most young children will not make it all day at that age with no rest unless you are bringing a lot of strollers.

Once we go back to the hotel we always rest and then hop to another park. I would hate to feel like we were locked into one park a day. Animal Kingdom comes to mind. They close earliest - I would personally hate to be locked in to that as my only evening option.

Clearly our families have different touring styles - which is good. Do what works for your family.

On the flying I would as I said before always keep my kids with me.