What is Theme Park Reservation?

[eric8]

I was looking at tickets and saw this:

Reservation required for park entry
To enter one of the parks, in addition to valid admission, each Guest is required to make a theme park reservation via the Disney Park Pass system. Please check reservation availability before purchasing. See Park Pass Availability.

**I am assuming this is only temporary because of Covid but I wanted to double check to make sure this wasn't something permanent. Thanks!

 

[Robo]

**I am assuming this is only temporary because of Covid but I wanted to double check to make sure this wasn't something permanent. Thanks!

It's here to stay for quite awhile.
"Permanent" does not quite have the same meaning, anymore...
but it looks like WDW will be using park reservations for the foreseeable future.

 

[eric8]

So if you have a park hopper...you have to still reserve your spot in each park? Just want to make sure I understand correctly. If I plan on visiting all 4 parks every day of my stay...i have to reserve those 4 spots each day?

 

[erionm]

So if you have a park hopper...you have to still reserve your spot in each park? Just want to make sure I understand correctly.

To park hop, you make a reservation for the first park you intend to visit on that day. After entering that first park, you can hop to a different park beginning at 2 pm (time subject to change) as long as that park is not at capacity.

 

[eric8]

Ok, thanks everyone for the info!

 

[Micca]

If I plan on visiting all 4 parks every day of my stay...

Keep in mind you're going for 3 parks between 2pm and park closing to get to all 4 parks in a day. That's an awful lot of shuffling and transportation time.

 

[hcortesis]

To park hop, you make a reservation for the first park you intend to visit on that day. After entering that first park, you can hop to a different park beginning at 2 pm (time subject to change) as long as that park is not at capacity.

What if you don't make it to the park that you originally reserved? Can you still enter any park after 2:00. We always like to finish our day in Epcot but don't want to be refused entry if we miss our original park reservation.

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

What if you don't make it to the park that you originally reserved? Can you still enter any park after 2:00. We always like to finish our day in Epcot but don't want to be refused entry if we miss our original park reservation.

You have to tap into the park you have a reservation for before you can hop - even after 2 PM . So, if you know you aren't going to go to MK, for example, but you have a park reservation for it, change it. To change it, you have to cancel your park reservation and choose a new one (You can't modify it)

You can check the Availability Calendar before you do that as well to ensure Epcot has park reservations available.

 

[gatorlisa]

The current terms and conditions of park hopping state that you must visit your first, reserved, park before you are eligible to hop.

 

[hcortesis]

Man, that makes things tough. Ok, here's one. What if I make a park reservation, don't make it to that park, cancel that reservation, but cannot get a reservation at any other park that day. Can I "park hop" into any park I choose after 2:00 which is I guess not really hopping if I haven't entered a park already. FYI, we are annual passholders and stay DVC at the Beach Club which is why we like to end up at Epcot. Just trying to figure out how to get into Epcot each night if we don't actually enter a reserved park earlier in the day.

 

[Robo]

Man, that makes things tough. Ok, here's one. What if I make a park reservation, don't make it to that park, cancel that reservation, but cannot get a reservation at any other park that day. Can I "park hop" into any park I choose after 2:00 which is I guess not really hopping if I haven't entered a park already. FYI, we are annual passholders and stay DVC at the Beach Club which is why we like to end up at Epcot. Just trying to figure out how to get into Epcot each night if we don't actually enter a reserved park earlier in the day.

You could (again) try to make a reservation for the park which you want to enter after 2PM.
(In many cases, that would likely be possible, especially for Epcot.)

 

[HockeyMomNH]

It's being reported on the News thread that the reservation system has been extended thru early 2023.

ETA: here's the link.

https://blogmickey.com/2021/02/disney-park-pass-theme-park-reservation-system-extended-through-2023/

 

[TexanInTheMidwest]

Why don't you make it easy on yourself and just book Epcot for all your park days....

 

[hcortesis]

Ok, thanks. One of those plans will work.

 

[theFoof]

You have to tap into the park you have a reservation for before you can hop - even after 2 PM . So, if you know you aren't going to go to MK, for example, but you have a park reservation for it, change it. To change it, you have to cancel your park reservation and choose a new one (You can't modify it)

You can check the Availability Calendar before you do that as well to ensure Epcot has park reservations available.

Just to expand on this, a couple weeks ago I went to a park around 2:00 and another guest tried to enter with a reservation for a different park without having gone there. I overheard the guest services CM they called over say that you're supposed to enter the other park first but she was able to just switch the reservation over since it wasn't full.

Really though unless it is a holiday or something I haven't had too hard of a time finding reservations day of. Just change it over yourself beforehand to avoid the potential headache.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Just to expand on this, a couple weeks ago I went to a park around 2:00 and another guest tried to enter with a reservation for a different park without having gone there. I overheard the guest services CM they called over say that you're supposed to enter the other park first but she was able to just switch the reservation over since it wasn't full.

Saw this exact same scenario myself a few days ago.

 

[NJ Goofy]

I am in sort of the same boat, we like to finish the night in EPCOT, either for dinner or a snack/drink. Has anyone found that EPCOT wasn't available to hop to after 4:00 PM ??