Which is better park hopper or extra day???

[Ouida]

We never hopped until this summer... we have loved both ways. I will say, with a hopper, we felt like we "needed" to go do more each day because we could, and we ended up much more exhausted. If you can have at least 1 day in each park (5 ideal- so you can go back to your favorite twice), then I would say extra day and no hopper. If you only have a few days, then hopping lets you do all your faves!

This is so true. Our last trip, my husband and daughter felt if a park was open they should be there. Which made the whole trip about how many rides. I don't really like the rides, lol. Thats why it's so difficult to decide. Thanks for all the replies. I'm leaning towards keeping the hoppers. As one said if you miss something, you can't hop back. It's almost like insurance. If my plans go well, we likely won't use it, BUT, if something goes wrong it would be nice to have. Thanks

 

[Ouida]

For my family (me, DW, DDs 11 and 12 years old) the extra day is hands down the better option. On our 2 previous trips we had park hoppers. We barely used them, and the few times we did we felt our day was disjointed and we got burned out. Our trips are usually 8 or 9 days, and we find its hard enough preventing burnout going to one park a day. DW is enormous, and too much travel always leads to burnout by day 5.

For our upcoming April 2018 trip we are going for 9 days and staying at Poly, spending 3 days at MK, and 2 days each at EP, MS and AK. We were originally going to go for 8 days and possibly use park hoppers, but decided to go the extra day and not hop. We are on DxDP. Each day we have a TS breakfast at either Poly or GF, pool time, get to the parks at about 1PM, and a late signature dinner. With our schedule, hopping would just give us a couple hours at each park.

Now that sounds like a nice relaxing trip. This works great when everyone is on the same page. My problem would be hubby and oldest. They are actually going to universal for the first two days of our trip. I have those days set up like this with just me and the little ones. So we will get two days at AK and 2 at MK. No one likes characters, so we will see everything and not care to push it. But hubby and daughter will only get one day in each. So they may want to change to whatever park is open late. However, as of now none of the parks are showing past 9 -10 closing.

 

[emsstacey]

I loved having hoppers to change plans if crowds weren't what we expected, etc... Plus, it was so nice to be able to head to Epcot or Animal Kingdom at night and a different park during the day. You can't go wrong either way!​

 

[stinkpickle]

We added it, but it was an after thought, and I don't think part of package, all I'm getting is 15% off the cabin. So last question, when you're in the park with a full schedule, what makes you go to another park???

Usually crowds...or ADRs.

 

[Lvsdisney]

Now that sounds like a nice relaxing trip. This works great when everyone is on the same page. My problem would be hubby and oldest. They are actually going to universal for the first two days of our trip. I have those days set up like this with just me and the little ones. So we will get two days at AK and 2 at MK. No one likes characters, so we will see everything and not care to push it. But hubby and daughter will only get one day in each. So they may want to change to whatever park is open late. However, as of now none of the parks are showing past 9 -10 closing.

If your tickets are a package, you all have to have the same ticket...EXCEPT when you arrive and (I believe) activate your ticket. The you can add PH to your DH and DD's tickets if you and the other/s have no interest. Keep that in mind as well!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Park hopping is up to $75 whereas an extra day if you already bought four is only $20.

That said, park hoppers have value during party season. Not sure if your dates include MVMCP, though.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

When my boys were little we only did one park a day. Now there is no way we would not have park hoppers. Love being able to hop if a park gets crowded and being able to make ADR's at will.

 

[SG131]

If I had to pick I think I'd choose an extra day, but we used park hoppers on our recent trip for a few specific reasons. First, we wanted fp for both pandora rides but did not need two full days in animal kingdom. Second, we wanted to see both fantasmic and Star Wars fireworks without trying to rush between the two. Again, Hollywood Studios in its current state is not a two full day park (it's barely a one day park) and we also didn't want to have two dinners there.

 

[Gehrig1B]

Park hopping is up to $75 whereas an extra day if you already bought four is only $20.

True but adding an extra day also means adding another hotel night which can be expensive.

We always hop because of the flexibility it provides. You don't have to coordinate Fastpasses with ADR's if you hop. No problem going to MK and then dining at Epcot. Also the evening shows/fireworks can be scheduled without Fastpass alignment. We might even make 3 parks in a day (easier when the express transportation existed), one for morning EMH, afternoon park with FP+ scheduled, then ADR's at a third park in the evening. Its all about ease of planning and flexibility for us.

 

[Monorail_Man_NJ]

Extra Day IMHO.

I never get park hoppers. I simply avoid Hollywood Studios which is a half day park and spend a full day at the others. Usually at Magic Kingdom I'll head out around 6pm and stop at the Polynesian for some drinks. Then head back after.

 

[Kaytie]

We added it, but it was an after thought, and I don't think part of package, all I'm getting is 15% off the cabin. So last question, when you're in the park with a full schedule, what makes you go to another park???

Wanting to experience as much as possible in a limited time.
The Food & Wine Festival. In a seven day trip, I would be at Epcot at least five times.

 

[lifepaused]

We had to decide on the same, I decided to grab an extra park day. What you can do is split the park in two. this way you will not feel as rushed or tired at the end of the day. We had to do this for H.S as we wanted to see fantasmic and Star Wars Fireworks. So both days will be 12pm starts so can sleep in or do something else.

 

[Nancyg56]

For us a lot depends on where we are staying. When we are staying on the MK side we will often go to the MK for awhile at night after spending the morning in another park. When staying on the Epcot side we will go to Epcot or HS at night after going to another park in the morning. Staying in a mod or value we probably wouldn't hop at all. We also don't stay in any park all day, we usually go at rope drop or shortly after then leave sometime after lunch, go back to the resort for awhile, then usually go to a park at night. If you are planning to be in the parks all day there are less reasons to hop.

I agree, location is key for us. It's funny, if we are at a monorail resort we seldom use hoppers, but if we are in a moderate ot at an Epcot resort, those hoppers get used a lot.

True but adding an extra day also means adding another hotel night which can be expensive.

We always hop because of the flexibility it provides. You don't have to coordinate Fastpasses with ADR's if you hop. No problem going to MK and then dining at Epcot. Also the evening shows/fireworks can be scheduled without Fastpass alignment. We might even make 3 parks in a day (easier when the express transportation existed), one for morning EMH, afternoon park with FP+ scheduled, then ADR's at a third park in the evening. Its all about ease of planning and flexibility for us.

Not always. We tend to buy tix for each day were are in WDW, btu a lot of peopple have longer stays than they make park plans for. I always add the days before I add hoppers, though. I think an extra day's ticket price drops dramatically after the 4th or 5th day, so it is best for us to have them on place.

 

[danikoski]

Done both...with a larger group (6 adults) that started late and stayed late, we didn't need park hoppers. With my husband, on our honeymoon, we used park hoppers 3 out of 5 days, mainly because he wasn't interested in tons of rides. We did a lot of eating and strolling and people watching. He also enjoyed the different forms of transport, so we'd wander over to Epcot after DHS, then take the monorail back to MK, then take the boat to WL.
Mom and I just went in February, and we are rope droppers, so we'd go to one park early, then break after lunch, then go to another park in the afternoon. We also were there during the Express Transport trial, and that really made park hopping easy.

 

[BNM6959]

I prefer an extra day. But that's bc I have little ones and its harder to go to more than one park a day.

 

[OB1]

I think a big hopper decision is how often are you at WDW? We often go twice a year, so we hop to move around, and we like to do different things late in the day. We probably end up at EPCOT 3 of the 5 days. Adults only, so a great place to be. Studios is a difficult park to stay in all day for people like us that go often. We are so up for seeing Indy or Beauty & the Beast, but the night time shows are GREAT. Some people have a hard time staying in AK all day, but we can normally make almost 2 days there.

If you are not as frequent a traveler to Disney, then it is easier to stay for the entire day, and hopping probably is a time waster.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I like to hop since we like doing AM EMH and then hopping when that park gets too crowded. I may also want to catch a nighttime show but not want to be at the park all day. Or if a park closes early but MK is open until 11 you can hop if you aren't ready to end your night.

I would pick a PH!

 

[fractalpotato]

So, I always get park hoppers, and I was starting to question that because I never felt like I used them much. My girlfriend and I however adjusted the strategy this trip to great success. We woke up and rope dropped a park, went back to our resort for swim and naps, and then went to another park, usually with FPs. We made ADRs (sometimes on the fly) wherever we wanted. We also had a rental car so transit time wasn't too bad as long as MK wasn't one of the nodes. Would absolutely pick PHs over extra day.

Matt

 

[cannmom]

We always hop. It gives us flexibility. We also split up a fair bit. DH does his thing and DS and I do ours. Hopping makes dinners and evening shows so much easier. While I would love to add a day or two on to the trip we usually stay 7 days and that's as long as we can stay.

 

[Disnsyncey]

I haven't been to WDW since 2000 without having an AP, so I always hop.....I usually end up at WDW during party times, so its either choosing a party day at MK and missing out on the fireworks, or going on the CRAZY PACKED days....both options are not awesome for us.....