To Parkhopper or Not to Parkhopper???

[tripletmomsrock]

We are going in July for 8 days (6 in the park). We are staying on site for the first time with our 9 yo triplets. We have never had park hoppers before but Parksavers has such a good deal I'm thinking out it. I've read that hopping can take a lot of time out of the day, so I guess I'm wondering if we would be better off just to do one park a day?

 

[ellie05]

It really depends on your plans and style of touring. Our first few trips we never got hoppers, but now park hoppers work better for us because we do fewer days. Specially during food and wine it gives us the chance to spend our nights in Epcot after spending half a day at AK or HS.

 

[d-train]

That Parksavers deal has us thinking about getting the hopper too. For the same reasons. Just not sure if we would use them more than the AK and HS days, we usually have plenty to do at MK and Epcot...

 

[Alesia]

We are going in July for 8 days (6 in the park). We are staying on site for the first time with our 9 yo triplets. We have never had park hoppers before but Parksavers has such a good deal I'm thinking out it. I've read that hopping can take a lot of time out of the day, so I guess I'm wondering if we would be better off just to do one park a day?

I have never had it take more than about 30 minutes to get from one park to another. I really think the people who say that it takes forever don't realize that there is direct transportation between all of the parks.

 

[memakwed]

We get parkhoppers. It is convenient on ak days when we do a different park in the evening or on trips when we eat more at Epcot. It's nice to have even though it is not something we take advantage of every day.

 

[rangerxenos]

I never used to get Park Hoppers, but my last trip I did and found that it was nice to be able to hop back and forth. It helped that my resort was an easy walk to EPCOT and a boat ride to Hollywood Studios, though.

 

[jmkjr72]

We get hoppers and enjoy them
Never had it take more then 30 min to get from one park to another
Many b times we went in Jan and Feb ak would close at 5pm even if mk or epcot was only open till 9 it was still nice to get a few more hours there

 

[ArielSRL]

We have no plans to park hop but the Parksavers deal was so good, we got them just in case.

 

[lubob]

We love the park hopper option. Works great if you are say in Magic kingdom and have dinner reservations in epcot or Hollywood studios. This way you spend all day in one park and hop to another to eat.

 

[SplashMo]

I would get hoppers. It is nice if say you finish AK early and want to hop to another park. Also with the new FP+ you can rope drop one park without FP+ and then hop to a park with FP+ in hand.

Nice hopping options for FP+

Rope drop AK without FP+ and then hop to DHS with a FP+ for TSMM, then ride other rides, eat dinner and watch F!.

Rope Drop Epcot for two hours with a FP+ for SOARIN. Ride TT single rider and perhaps twice then FP+ SOARIN before hopping to AK (AK really does not need a FP+) then back to Epcot or DHS for an evening show. You could also hop from Epcot to DHS (if you do not care about TSMM). They key feature here is that Epcot is tiered on the FP+ and this gives you an extra shot at the two headliners.

Allows you to get another rope drop in at MK before hopping to another park.

 

[newdeal]

I have never had it take more than about 30 minutes to get from one park to another. I really think the people who say that it takes forever don't realize that there is direct transportation between all of the parks.

I disagree, generally you have to walk out of the park, which can take 10 minutes, then wait for the bus, which can take 10-20 minutes, then ride the bus, which can take 10-30 minutes, then go through bag check, which can take 5 minutes, then walk to the next attraction which can take another 10 minutes. Your looking at an hour generally from deciding to leave the park to getting to your next attraction.

 

[Alesia]

I disagree, generally you have to walk out of the park, which can take 10 minutes, then wait for the bus, which can take 10-20 minutes, then ride the bus, which can take 10-30 minutes, then go through bag check, which can take 5 minutes, then walk to the next attraction which can take another 10 minutes. Your looking at an hour generally from deciding to leave the park to getting to your next attraction.

I can only speak to my experience. From walking out of a park to arriving at the next park, I have never had it take more than about 30 minutes.

 

[eliza61]

I have never had it take more than about 30 minutes to get from one park to another. I really think the people who say that it takes forever don't realize that there is direct transportation between all of the parks.

I'm with you Alesia, I never understood the "it takes a lot of time" thing.

 

[jeepnjudy]

I think it depends on your family's touring style and what you are dragging around with you. We have DS3 who still needs a stroller so for us to park hop right now is not worth the struggle of emptying the stroller, folding it up, etc... As DS gets older and out of the stroller that may change.

 

[eliza61]

I disagree, generally you have to walk out of the park, which can take 10 minutes, then wait for the bus, which can take 10-20 minutes, then ride the bus, which can take 10-30 minutes, then go through bag check, which can take 5 minutes, then walk to the next attraction which can take another 10 minutes. Your looking at an hour generally from deciding to leave the park to getting to your next attraction.

most people don't hop like that IMO especially in the summer.

Op July it's going to be hot. hoppers are excellent!! We go to our first park in the morning, chill out in the afternoon when it's brutal outside and then hop to our second park.
it takes no time at all.

it definitely has never taken an hour.

also you can plan how you hop. for example, we hop from MK to Epcot a lot. easy peasy monorail ride. now its crowded in July so maybe the extra capacity adds time

also remember, the parks are open late in the summer. no way could we spend 12 hours in one park, especially now with HS being not worth a full day. I have boys, at 9 they would have been bored.

 

[msmama]

I actually don't take busses from one park to another to hop, BUT will take the monorail between Epcot and Magic Kingdom and the boat between Epcot and HS. I find both a nice break, as well as easy transport.

I don't think they're necessary, but I like to have them. It's one of the things I like most about having an AP, actually.

Your kids are old enough that I think they'd probably be able to handle hopping (I think hopping with littles is harder). I find hopping more useful on longer trips, too (4 day trips, I happily spend a day in each park). Are your other 2 days rest days or travel days? More than hoppers, I think I'd look at adding more park days if I could.

 

[loves to dive]

I always get them, the deal is so good and since you are going to be there for a longer time and staying on site, I think it would be worth it for you. If you decided to go back to your room to take a break, it's nice to be able to decide to go to another park for the evening. Or in our case, we just might get bored for whatever reason and hop over to another park or go to supper at a different park. I agree with others, that it really doesn't take that much time.

 

[stinkpickle]

I always buy hoppers. Even during so-called slow times, there's always one park that seems to get jammed packed, and it doesn't always match the least recommended park, so it's nice to switch.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We haven't hopped since 2002. At this point we go with the idea that we don't buy the parkhopper up front, and if we decide we want to hop, we can also just add the option once we get to WDW.

 

[ngm]

I got them because the deal was just too good to pass up. Even if I don't hop, I only will have wasted a few bucks. And with so much uncertainty around the Frozen ride, M&E, etc. I want flexibility!