What do you think about hopper tickets?

[Drinehart811]

I have paid the extra for PHs two of my four times to WDW, and the waterparks the other times. To be honest, I feel like I got more out of the waterparks when I added those, we really only hopped MAYBE twice each time, and easily could have gone without. To be fair, when I chose to add the waterparks it was June and soooo hot, and one of the times were at a value resort so was nice to have a something fancier that those pools.

Because I don't go super often I don't generally feel the need to hit more than one park in a day. I usually try to schedule my dining reservations based on park schedules. I also don't know OP situation. For me, I feel I would rather use that money to upgrade my dining plan or try a different special experience, or stay an extra day. Everyone tours differently. I don't know the PHs are worth it for me, but if you like to go with the flow and visit often, you may like the flexibility

 

[linskypens]

We always hop.
AK and Epcot half day parks for us.
Epcot at rope drop, then different park in teh afternoon. We are hitting HS in the morning one day, going to AK for two hours, then back to HS for EMH.
We also like Wishes, and try to see it as many nights as possible, no matter what park we start the day in.

 

[Crystal824]

We generally get park hoppers. It really depends on how you want to tour. We have little kids. We will often get to the park at rope drop and come back to the hotel for a while and go to a different park in the evening for dinner. If you plan to open and close one park each day, they may not be necessary.

 

[patty57]

We always get hoppers because we stay in the Epcot resorts. We usually walk to Epcot for food and/or drinks at some point during each day.


Sending you a PM.

 

[Jewel3k]

For us its been worth it when we've gone (september/october people). AK closes at 5, so hopping some place like EPCOT for dinner in the evening is wonderful. We also enjoy hitting the MK on MNSSHP days in the morning and hopping to another park in the evening. It also allows us to visit a low attendance park in the morning and then hop over to MK in the evening for the parade and fireworks or EMH.

 

[dkrauss]

Used them exactly one time, during our first trip.

We plan our trip and discuss the need for park hoppers. If we need them, we would buy. Haven't needed them.

Excellent advise here. If you plan you can avoid the added cost if you choose to. If you like to "wing it" a bit more than the hopper is great for flexibilty.

For our trip last May we used them extensively. However for our Sept trip, if you look at the plan we only cross parks 1 time in 5 days. However, a hidden benefit is the ability to go through a park.....particularly Epcot to get somewhere else..........we'll use it to get to the Cape May Cafe at the BC......we'll boat to the Contemporary........then Monorail to Epcot.........then a walk through Epcot to the Beach Club.

If the cost were prohibative we'd skip the hopper this trip but its not that much more so we'll keep it.

Doug

 

[W.E.D.]

We love them and get some use out of them every day we are at WDW, so we consider the price worth it. We are huge EPCOT fans. We usually tour one park in the morning, take our mid-day break, and then end up at EPCOT for dinner.

 

[kidd_freeper]

Your trip will be equally enjoyable if you have them or not.

They are particularily nice to have:
- On a day that you visit AK. AK closes much earlier than the other parks. If you can park hop, a visit to AK doesn't become an early day.
- If you really like the shows or restaurants in another park (like EPCOT). You can still visit another park every day, but eat at EPCOT every night.

They are not perfect:
- They cost a lot of money.
- It takes about an hour of time to travel from one park to another.

If I had the choice, I would much rather spent the $393 on the waterpark option. On a 5-day pass, you get another 5 days in the waterparks.

 

[CaryHaven]

Yes, you can hop to any of the four parks. (not the water parks)

We don't use them and prefer to spend money on food and souvenirs. But we have two small children. Once they're older and able to last from open to close, I think it might be nice to have hoppers, especially on a short trip where you're trying to wring out every last bit of fun. As it is, I think there's enough at MK and Epcot to do at least one full day, if not two or three. But we tour at a more relaxed pace. On days of AK we do DTD or pool later, or maybe a holiday party. We don't go to HS, but I assume it would be the same in that case. When AK extends it's hours, we'll be happy to spend the evening there as well.

 

[DisneyBliss7]

Wow, so much great info I think our next trip will be our first time with park hoppers!!

 

[glamdring269]

Hoppers are pretty much required for us. We visit during F&W so I plan to end up at Epcot almost every night.

 

[katt789]

I personally absolutely love having the ability to park hop!

It can be easier to say,go to Crystal Palace for breakfast, hit up a few characters that are only out in the morning, but then hop to Epcot for the rest of the day.

Or for the use of EMH, then if a park gets crowded, you can hop elsewhere. Or spend the entire day at say, AK, then once it closes, head over to Magic for the fireworks & some rides.

I feel like you can get more out of your day when you can park hop!

 

[Missymouse18]

I got PH a few years ago and I barely used it, so since then I haven't added PH to our packages... but some of these replies to the OP are making me want to give it another shot!
To the OP - Go for it! and then let us know what you thought about it, please.

 

[bluwater]

We hop . Have always hopped. I need to know I can hop. Up early, park at rope drop - ride what we like.....back for nap......hit a different park.......etc. We no longer ride EVERY ride. We like what we like and leave the rest .... So we can do 2 parks in one day and be done for the trip....maybe go back....maybe not. Last year we stayed 8 nights and only used 3 park days - using hoppers. So you can also save that way.

I'm a very spontaneous person. I don't normally plan vacations more than 8 weeks out and flexibility is king. So, hopping is must.

 

[wdwjeffc37]

We always park hop. We have done the 3 or 4 parks in a day before. But always two parks every day. If you plan your hopping times and routes right the transit times can be reasonable. We will always end up at EPCOT or the MK in the evening for food and/or fireworks. Fun times.

 

[BlackMagicWoman]

I couldn't imagine going without Park Hoppers. We usually end every night at Epcot for dinner and drinks and some shopping.

 

[FofMM]

We always have been Park Hoppers. If the weather changes mid-day we will leave MK and head to AK where we always feel a few puddles adds to the fun. Nice to change from any Park to Epcot for dinner, From resort to fireworks at night then back to resort. I feel we get more value by having the flexibility and ability to be more spontaneous.

The Water Parks option doesn't hold the same appeal for us. We do enjoy the from time to time.