To park hop or not? Do you do it?

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Last time we went to WDW we did not hop between parks. Rather spent an entire day at each park. I liked that as I felt we were immersed in the park each day, and in a frame of mind that let us enjoy the park entirely. I am debating about park hopping this time, but I wonder how much time is "wasted" from the parks by hopping, and does it disrupt the "flow".

 

[grinningghost]

We hop, but in an "organized" way. We'll start off early in the morning at one park, then leave for our midday break to eat and swim and then hop to another park in the evening. That way we're not really hopping from park to park. The only time I've ever done that was when I was dying to ride the monorail from MK to Epcot. We figured since we were going that way anyway, why not stop in?

 

[mommystieg]

We hopped in early June so we could see SM, FITS and Fantasmic. We spent the day in a different park and then hopped over to the necessary park to see the nighttime entertainment. We normally don't do that but with the way the hours were in early June it was the only way to see all the nighttime stuff. Since we knew we were going to hop from one park during the day to another park at night it didn't disrupt us-we just figured it into our plans that day.

 

[Beechparty]

We go in the off season, when most of the parks close early. We usually go to the early entry park until it gets too crowded then head to Epcot.

 

[Laurajean1014]

We book our dinners well in advance, and therefore do not always want to end up in the same place we started out.

 

[milmore104]

We love park hopping. They have made it quite easy now. There is a bus, boat or monarail that will take you directly to another park. We usually spend the first 4 days in one park so we can enjoy them then we have the rest of the trip to do what we'd like. We may have lunch PS in MK and then dinner PS in MGM. it's great to when you go to one park and it is overly crowded we usually hop on the bus and go to a different park.

 

[Geoff_M]

We're habitual park hoppers. Some of it's scheduling, and some of it is being flexible if the park you're in gets too crowded.

 

[Dismom63]

I can't imagine not park hopping! It allows you to avoid crowds and accomodate much more in terms of dining experiences, night shows, etc. into your day. We always stay on property so we usually stop back to the hotel and recharge too! I can't imagine it any other way. But different strokes...
Have fun either way!

 

[ThumperThistle]

We park hop all the time to fit in shows, parades and extra rides.

 

[dmonroe]

We also park hop in an organized way! If we take a break during the day; we usually go to a different park in the evening. Otherwise, we usually go to Epcot in the evening since it's open latest when we're there (usually in December). Sometimes we might hop to MGM in the evening for dinner and Fantasmic. For us, hopping depends on if we feel like we've spent enough time in that park for that day.

 

[jeannej]

I love park hopping!
Having been to WDW many times, we know what we like and since we only a few days to do it in, my family decides which 2 parks we are going to visit each day.

As a matter of fact, in January, during a school day off, the children and I managed to do something in all four parks. (My mom got us in, she works for WDW at one of the hotels)

jeannejmnjjusevic@earthlink.net

 

[ryley26]

we also park hop but like grinngghost its all schueduled before. one park a.m. rest around 1:00 and back for dinner and night show

 

[trracers]

I am not sure we have EVER spent an entire day in one park!!
We hop around all the time depending on our mood, the crowds (which usually aren't much the first week in Sept) and if we are done riding everything for that day in that park! My DD5 (no matter where we start out our end up) always wants a "trek" through the MK, since she is the Princess and us her "transportation" we usually end up everywhere!! We love it though, even though I whine and roll my eyes...haha.

 

[geffric]

Hop! Hop! Hop!
We love to park hop!
We hop when it is crowded
We hop when it is hot
We hop when it is not

Hop Hop Hop
We love to hop the Parks
We hop when someone is cranky
we hop when we need a break
we hop when we are hungry

Hop Hop Hop
we love to hop the parks
we hop because we can

 

[nataliesdaddy]

yeah we park hop - but I try to avoid it - If I went for a couple of weeks I would more likely park hop - the reason we park hop now is we go for a week or so at a time and I schedule Ps's way in advance - If I get CRT on Tuesday morning then that is where we go - or if I could only get 1900 park fare on wedneday night then wherever we are we will be coming back to go to that - like many of the other posters though our hopping tends to be more like...stay at one park in the morning - go back to the contemporary for a break...and if there is something we want to do later that evening then we may go to a different park.

but park hopping like starting at one park, going to another and then to yet another again? I would avoid that like the plague as the time in transit can burn up a great deal of time

 

[HauntedMansionGeek]

We park hop in an UN-organized way. LOL

We do it mostly to avoid crowds or weather problems.
On our last trip, within a 20 minute time span, we made arrangements to go to one park, changed those plans, made new ones, change those and ended up somewhere totally different..somewhere we hadn't planned to go at ALL on that trip!

We're ridiculously flexible some days.

 

[jbthi]

We always park hop. I have to go in Epcot everyday. I love just walking around the World showcase, usually manage to get something to eat.

 

[Micca]

I do appreciate your immersion in the park experience. When we started going to WDW over 25 years ago, there was something intoxicating about staying in a park from open to close. We usually hop now because we try break up our day with lunch or shopping. When we're all full of food and relaxed after the break, it's fun to start with a fresh park.

 

[goofymom23]

We love to hop. It gives you options if a park is crowded or you need a change.

HOP
HOP
Just don't Hop on POP.