Will I regret NOT getting the hopper?

[Cupmom]

Hopping is a great option. AK closes byn 5 and it is great to have dinner a return to another park for an evening of fun

 

[disneymom3]

We have recently had this debate too. We are now leaning strongly toward the hoppers especially because of the crowd and weather issues. Plus, we would not spend a whole day at MGM or at AK so we could visit another park on those days. We have been a lot though and know what we want to see and it is not all of the park. For a first trip, I don't know that it is crucial. And you will most certainly enjoy your trip without hopping. You'll be in WDW!!

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

We have only hopped once.
If one park finishes early we would do a resort or offsite dinner or the campfire sing-a-lomg or just swim at hotel pool. It takes too much time and energy parkhopping.
And when we start the day at seven we are ready to relax by dinnertime. That is with children, if they are ever easy travelers it might make a difference.

 

[lynninpa]

For us, the park hopper option would cost 340.00

We really want everyone of have the flexibility of the park hoppers. However, we need to try and "cut a few corners" money-wise.
I am not sure what to do! Any advice for me?

 

[Disneymaddness]

If you were staying onsite I would get the hopper because you could go back to the hotel for naps and then do another park later, but since you are off-site I think hopping might be a pain, esp with little ones. Having a great, fun vacation is the main thing so do what you feel is best.

 

[luv2nascar]

with 4 young children I don't think you will miss them all that much. We like to be able to change our plan if we decide its not working us or we want to see something again. We also hop just for meals we have planned. Plus for us if EMH or something makes a particular park too crowded we can hop to another. I think for your family it makes sense to stay put as much as possible. I could imagine the strollers etc and moving from park to park would not be much fun. Just plan well and you'll be fine.

 

[ralfrick]

Since you can upgrade your ticket at anytime, there is no reason at all to do so until the day you actually feel compelled to use it.

Cheers.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It really just depends on your family and when you visit the parks.

We got hoppers on our visit earlier this month and used them extensively. One day we visited 3 different parks. No lines anywhere meant we finished the rides we wanted to go on in a short time and moved on to a new park.

In the crowded seasons, I would think one park a day would be exhausting enough.

 

[cobbler]

You know we have AP's and we never hop. We do one park a day and when we are done we are done. Either we relax at the pool or go to DTD.

I think in our last 6 vacations we hopped maybe 2 times??

 

[TwingleMum]

I have 3 kids under 4 yrs old and I would never go to WDW without park hopping but I also stay onsite which makes it much easier. Whatever you decide have a great time.

 

[auntyjenn]

I have four children and we didn't use hoppers. We never ran out of something we wanted to do at the park we were at (we also went six days) and the second to last day when Animal Kingdom closed at 5pm we were very excited to just go back to the resort and relax. Also, with a larger party, getting everyone to move fast was a problem and some people may be able to hop to another park in a half hour, but it didn't see it happening for us.

 

[drogerstn]

I know that you can upgrade, but for us it will be over $200. me dh ds (7 in disney!) ds (4) dd (2) ds (9 mo.)

I thought it cost $42.60 including tax to add the park hopper to a ticket. Will your 2-year-old turn 3 before your trip? I only see the need for 4 tickets which is $170.

 

[basas]

You know we have AP's and we never hop. We do one park a day and when we are done we are done. Either we relax at the pool or go to DTD.

I think in our last 6 vacations we hopped maybe 2 times??

Pretty much the same as us. We rarely park hop. It all comes down to how you like to tour the parks (and for us, that is one park per day, for the entire day).

 

[helens042266]

We are mulling over the same decision! We have 3 kids (ages 16, 11, 9) and will be there for 2 weeks. I think I have finally decided to forgo the hopper option and just add on extra days to our ticket. That is a lot cheaper and on the days we decided to stay at our resort (off-site) for the day, that evening we could catch some attraction or parade at one of the parks. It is nice to know that you can add the hopper option after you have already bought your tickets. Have fun planning your trip!

Helen

 

[traciedee]

We are going June 5 for 7 days. I have 3 teens and have decided to add the plus feature which adds on the water parks, DQ etc. The way I'm looking at it, it's going to be tough fitting in a park a day and time in the water parks. They also want to do Busch and my girls like hanging out at the pool. Not sure if it would be best to go to the water parks in the morning and say MGM or Epcot in the evening. I know it will be crowded so I don't think we will have time to hop. Any advice on that-water park in the morning/amusement parks in the afternoon evenings? Are the crowds going to kiil me?

 

[MinnieGi]

We just got back from a trip at the beginning of January. We have a 5 & 16 month old. Although we are AP holders and have the flexibility of park hopping we just didn't have the need too. With you having a baby and toddler plus two other little ones I think it might be too much wasted time "hopping." Plus your real young ones might not last in the evening going to a different park especially if you are off-site. I know our 16 month old really still needed his usual bed time of 8:00 so that cut out any evening park time. We just did the parks during the day and then came back to WLV to relax, nap and swim. If we went anywhere in the evening it was to do a dinner somewhere but not in a park. I don't think you'll miss the hopper while the kids are so young.

 

[Mainebound]

We did not get the hoppers last year and did not miss them. We don't plan to get them this May. We get the 7 day ticket and it saves a lot of money even over shorter tickets with PH option. Our boys are now 4 and 6. Little ones do need rest -- they get tired! Also, by now they have been so many times they know all their favorite rides at all the parks. If we are at one park, without hoppers, they do not have the option of begging to go to a different park (and this begging typically involves a certain ride with the word "Buzz" in it, LOL!) . It is clear to them that "here is where we are". We can focus on the park we are in. It's nice to have the PHs for the adults, I think (mom and dad can eat at Epcot even if they spent the day at another park), but if money is an issue, I think it could be better spent on other things, like a character meal or other special event, or even saved (not that "saving" is a word we ever associate with our trips to WDW).

 

[kizmac]

I have four children and we didn't use hoppers. We never ran out of something we wanted to do at the park we were at (we also went six days) and the second to last day when Animal Kingdom closed at 5pm we were very excited to just go back to the resort and relax. Also, with a larger party, getting everyone to move fast was a problem and some people may be able to hop to another park in a half hour, but it didn't see it happening for us.

I don't think you will miss if you have enough days. We only use the hopper on one day of our trip to split the day between AK and MGM but that is because we usually only have 4 days and like to spend atleast two at MK. If you have plenty of time then I'd skip it. You can always add it if the need arises while you are there.

Although, you may wish you had it if you do plan on doing EMH and going to another park if it's too crowded later in the day or doing one park then heading to the the evening EMH at another park. Either way, wait till the need comes up before you add the hopper.

 

[minijeanie]

I always bought PH but I believe I really didn't need them when the kids were litte. My kids had a tendency to call it a day by 5:00 pm when they were small, so PH was a waste for me.

Now they are teens and I would never do without. We hit at least 2 parks a day. It is hard for DH & I to keep up with them.

I say for you go without the PH..Save the money.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Same dilemma here.!!! 1st timers...me, dh, dd-3 1/2 y.o, ds 7 y.o. It'll be our 1st time there, we're going for 8 days to WDW, 5 day cruise on RCCl and 2 days at SW, staying off-site and renting a car. I think since it's our 1st time we may forgo the park hoppers as we will spend alot of time in each park. I've been there as a child but dh and kiddos were never there. We'll be addding the plus (waterparks etc.) So I figure even if we leave AK or MGM early we could go to DQ or go back to hotel and swim, rest etc. I figure if we do get tired on a day we're at MK we can go back to the hotel and rest and then go back to MK later, I only hope there's still parking left,(although the place we're staying does have a shuttle, so we could try that to.) That being said, if we go to AK for the day and make ADR at say, Chef Mickeys at the Cont. can we go to CF even though we were at AK?